Opening the ayah…
لَهُۥ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۖ يُحْىِۦ وَيُمِيتُ ۖ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌ
Lahu mul'ku ssamāwāti wal-'ar'ḍi . yuḥ'yī wayumītu . wahuwa ʻalā kulli shay''in qadīrun
To Him belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth: It is He Who gives Life and Death; and He has Power over all things.
Translation: Abdullah Yusuf Ali
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4-I guide
The kingdom of the skies and earth is His; He gives life and takes it, and He has power over all things.
Start with bismillah.
Ask: "How long can a tree live?"
Watch the SciShow Kids video Life as a Tree!
Now listen to the ayah together in the app, with the translation. Ask: "What does Allah give and take?"
Each child keeps one wonder question, for example: "Why does every living thing have a beginning and an end?" Younger children can draw theirs.
Find it in the mushaf: Surah Al-Hadid is surah 57. Find ayah 2. The key words yuhyi wa yumit mean He gives life and causes death. A tree starts as a seed, grows for many years, and one day ends; then new seeds grow. Every life is in Allah's hands.
Fact: How old is the oldest tree on Earth?
Ages 5–8: Tree life. Draw a tree from seed to giant to old tree.
Ages 9–12: Life cycles. Compare the life cycles of a tree and a butterfly.
Finish with: "I found that the oldest tree is about ___ years old."
Talk together:
Make a small plan: "This week, I will thank Allah for the gift of life every morning."
Action: Thank Allah for the gift of life every morning.
