Opening the ayah…
ٱتَّخَذُوٓا۟ أَيْمَٰنَهُمْ جُنَّةًۭ فَصَدُّوا۟ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ سَآءَ مَا كَانُوا۟ يَعْمَلُونَ
Ittakhadhū 'ay'mānahum' junnatan faṣaddū ʻan sabīli -llahi . 'innahum' sā'a mā kānū yaʻ'malūna
They have made their oaths a screen (for their misdeeds): thus they obstruct (men) from the Path of Allah: truly evil are their deeds.
Translation: Abdullah Yusuf Ali
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4-I guide
They used their oaths as a shield and turned people away from Allah's path; what they did was evil.
Start with bismillah.
Ask: "Why would a harmless fly pretend to look like a wasp?"
Watch the SciShow Kids video Animal Tricksters!
Now listen to the ayah together in the app, with the translation. Ask: "What did they use their oaths for?"
Each child keeps one wonder question, for example: "Why is it wrong to use promises to hide the truth?" Younger children can draw theirs.
Find it in the mushaf: Surah Al-Munafiqun is surah 63. Find ayah 2. The key word junnah means a shield. They swore oaths to protect themselves, not because they meant them. Some animals pretend to be something else to stay safe. But people should never use promises as a disguise.
Fact: What is mimicry in animals?
Ages 5–8: Real or pretend? Look at pictures of a wasp and a hoverfly. Can you spot the difference?
Ages 9–12: Honest promises. Write three rules for making promises honestly.
Finish with: "I found that mimicry means ___."
Talk together:
Make a small plan: "This week, I won't swear to prove anything; I'll just be truthful."
Action: Be truthful without swearing.
