Opening the ayah…
وَأَنَّ ٱلْمَسَٰجِدَ لِلَّهِ فَلَا تَدْعُوا۟ مَعَ ٱللَّهِ أَحَدًۭا
Wa 'anna l-massājida lillahi falā tad'ʻū maʻa -llahi 'aḥadan
"And the places of worship are for Allah (alone): So invoke not any one along with Allah;
Translation: Abdullah Yusuf Ali
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Guided by the 4-I journey: Inspire, Investigate, Integrate, Impart. Use it as a starting point and make it your own.
Opening the guide…
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4-I guide
The places of worship belong to Allah, so call on no one alongside Him.
Start with bismillah.
Look at a picture of a masjid ceiling or tiles. Ask: "What shapes and patterns can you see?"
Watch the TED-Ed video The complex geometry of Islamic design.
Now listen to the ayah together in the app, with the translation. Ask: "Who do the masjids belong to?"
Each child keeps one wonder question, for example: "Why do we call only on Allah?" Younger children can draw theirs.
Find it in the mushaf: Surah Al-Jinn is surah 72. Find ayah 18. The key words wa annal-masajida lillah mean the masjids belong to Allah. In the masjid, we worship Allah alone. Muslim builders filled masjids with beautiful geometric patterns, without pictures of people or animals.
Fact: How do artists make an eight-pointed star pattern?
Ages 5–8: Star pattern. Draw two overlapping squares to make an eight-pointed star. Colour it in.
Ages 9–12: Pattern maths. Use a compass and ruler to draw a simple geometric pattern.
Finish with: "I found that an eight-pointed star is made by ___."
Talk together:
Make a small plan: "This week, I will help keep the masjid or my prayer space tidy."
Action: Help keep the masjid or your prayer space tidy.
