Start with bismillah.

Ask: "How many months are in a year?"

Play the short clip from Islam official146 of Syed Saleem reciting ayat 31–40 of At-Tawbah.

Now listen to the ayah together in the app, with the translation. Ask: "How many months are sacred?"

Each child keeps one wonder question, for example: "Why are some months extra special?" Younger children can draw theirs.

Find it in the mushaf: Surah At-Tawbah is surah 9. Find ayah 36. The Islamic year has twelve months based on the moon. Four are sacred: Dhul Qa'dah, Dhul Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab. In these months, good deeds are extra special and wrongdoing is extra serious.

Fact: The names of the four sacred months.

Ages 5–8: Moon calendar. Make a calendar of the twelve Islamic months and colour the four sacred ones.

Ages 9–12: Sacred months. Write why we should be extra careful in these months.

Finish with: "The four sacred months include Muharram and ___."

Talk together:

• How many months are there?
• Which name of Allah does this remind you of?
• Which months are sacred?
• How can you do extra good in them?

Make a small plan: "This week, I will learn the names of the Islamic months."

• Twelve months, four sacred.
• Make a moon calendar.
• Do extra good.
• Next time: the next ayah (9:37) warns against changing the sacred months. Explore it together!

Action: Learn the names of the Islamic months.