Opening the ayah…
فَقَالَ إِنْ هَٰذَآ إِلَّا سِحْرٌۭ يُؤْثَرُ
Faqāla 'in' hādhā 'illā siḥ'run yu''tharu
Then said he: "This is nothing but magic, derived from of old;
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
He said the Quran was just magic passed down from the past.
Start with bismillah.
Look at an optical illusion together. Ask: "Is it really moving, or does it just look like it?"
Watch the LearningMole video What is an Optical Illusion?
Now listen to the ayah together in the app, with the translation. Ask: "What did he call the Quran?"
Each child keeps one wonder question, for example: "What is the difference between a trick and the truth?" Younger children can draw theirs.
Find it in the mushaf: Surah Al-Muddaththir is surah 74. Find ayah 24. The key words sihrun yu'thar mean magic handed down. The Quran moved people's hearts so much that he called it magic. But a trick fools the eyes; the Quran speaks the truth.
Fact: Why does the Müller-Lyer illusion make equal lines look different?
Ages 5–8: Spot the trick. Draw two equal lines with arrow ends pointing in and out. Measure them!
Ages 9–12: Trick or true. Find three illusions and explain what the brain gets wrong.
Finish with: "I found that the lines look different because ___."
Talk together:
Make a small plan: "This week, I will read the meaning of one ayah that moves me."
Action: Read the meaning of one ayah that moves you.
