Opening the ayah…
وَمَا تَشَآءُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا حَكِيمًۭا
Wa mā tashā'ūna 'illā 'an yashā'a -llahu . 'inna -llaha kāna ʻalīman ḥakīman
But ye will not, except as Allah wills; for Allah is full of Knowledge and Wisdom.
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
You cannot will anything unless Allah wills it, for Allah is All-Knowing and All-Wise.
Start with bismillah.
Ask: "How could a butterfly find a forest it has never seen, thousands of kilometres away?"
Watch the PBS Nature video of a monarch butterfly swarm.
Now listen to the ayah together in the app, with the translation. Ask: "Which two names of Allah end this ayah?"
Each child keeps one wonder question, for example: "How do my choices fit with what Allah wills?" Younger children can draw theirs.
Find it in the mushaf: Surah Al-Insan is surah 76. Find ayah 30. The key words illa an yasha'allah mean except that Allah wills, and the ayah ends with 'Alim (All-Knowing) and Hakim (All-Wise). Nothing happens unless Allah wills it, and Allah gives us real choices that we answer for; He is All-Knowing and All-Wise.
Fact: How far do monarch butterflies travel, and how do they find the way?
Ages 5–8: Butterfly map. Draw the monarchs' journey from Canada to Mexico.
Ages 9–12: Insha'Allah. For one week, notice each time you say insha'Allah. What plans were they?
Finish with: "I found that monarchs travel about ___ kilometres."
Talk together:
Make a small plan: "This week, I will say insha'Allah every time I plan something."
Action: Say insha'Allah every time you plan something.
