Opening the ayah…
وَقَالَتْ أُولَىٰهُمْ لِأُخْرَىٰهُمْ فَمَا كَانَ لَكُمْ عَلَيْنَا مِن فَضْلٍۢ فَذُوقُوا۟ ٱلْعَذَابَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْسِبُونَ
Wa qālat' 'ūlāhum' li'ukh'rāhum' famā kāna lakum' ʻalay'nā min faḍ'lin fadhūqū l-ʻadhāba bimā kuntum' tak'sibūna
Then the first will say to the last: "See then! No advantage have ye over us; so taste ye of the penalty for all that ye did !"
Translation: Abdullah Yusuf Ali
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Opening the guide…
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4-I guide
The first group will tell the last that they are no better off, so all of them will taste the punishment for what they earned.
Start with bismillah.
Ask: "Is following someone into trouble an excuse?"
PathToAkhirah has the whole of Al-A'raf by Abdul Basit. Play just the first stretch.
Now listen to the ayah together in the app, with the translation. Ask: "What did the first group say?"
Each child keeps one wonder question, for example: "Why were the followers also responsible?" Younger children can draw theirs.
Find it in the mushaf: Surah Al-A'raf is surah 7. Find ayah 39. Followers can't escape by blaming leaders; they chose to follow. The ayah mentions punishment in one line. We choose whom we follow carefully.
Fact: Find Al-Muddaththir 74:38: every soul is held by what it earned.
Ages 5–8: Choose who to follow. Name good people you can follow.
Ages 9–12: Choice. Write why we're responsible for whom we follow.
Finish with: "Every soul is held by what it ___."
Talk together:
Make a small plan: "This week, I will follow good examples."
Action: Follow good examples.
