Opening the ayah…
وَإِذَا بُشِّرَ أَحَدُهُم بِمَا ضَرَبَ لِلرَّحْمَٰنِ مَثَلًۭا ظَلَّ وَجْهُهُۥ مُسْوَدًّۭا وَهُوَ كَظِيمٌ
Wa 'idhā bushshira 'aḥaduhum bimā ḍaraba li rraḥ'māni mathalan ẓalla waj'huhu mus'waddan wahuwa kaẓīmun
When news is brought to one of them of (the birth of) what he sets up as a likeness to (Allah) Most Gracious, his face darkens, and he is filled with inward grief!
Translation: Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Looking for reflections…
Shared reflections are reviewed before they appear. We feature ones that follow the spirit of the 4-I journey and suit families of all backgrounds.
Guided by the 4-I journey: Inspire, Investigate, Integrate, Impart. Use it as a starting point and make it your own.
Opening the guide…
No reflections for this ayah yet. Be the first, by reflecting with the 4-I journey below!
4-I guide
When someone is told of the birth of a daughter, the very thing they attribute to the Most Merciful, his face turns gloomy and he holds back his anger.
Start with bismillah.
Ask: "How should a family feel when a baby girl is born?"
Watch the Light Within nasheed Daughters Are a Mercy From Allah.
Now listen to the ayah together in the app, with the translation. Ask: "How did some people react to the news of a daughter?"
Each child keeps one wonder question, for example: "Why did Islam change how people treated girls?" Younger children can draw theirs.
Find it in the mushaf: Surah Az-Zukhruf is surah 43. Find ayah 17. The key words zalla wajhuhu mean his face darkened. Before Islam, some people were upset when a daughter was born. The Quran criticised this harshly. Islam taught that daughters are a mercy and a joy, and the Prophet showed great love to his daughters.
Fact: How many daughters did the Prophet Muhammad have?
Ages 5–8: Welcome card. Make a welcome card for a new baby girl in your family or community.
Ages 9–12: Changing minds. Write how Islam changed the way girls were treated in Arabia.
Finish with: "I found that the Prophet had ___ daughters."
Talk together:
Make a small plan: "This week, I will tell a girl in my family something I appreciate about her."
Action: Tell a girl in your family something you appreciate about her.
