Start with bismillah.

A gentle note for parents: keep this calm. Earthquakes are a sign of Allah's power, and we learn how to stay safe.

Put a tower of blocks on a tray and gently shake the tray. Ask: "What happened to the tower? What keeps buildings standing?"

Watch the short IRIS animation about the three kinds of faults where the ground can slip.

Now listen to the ayah together in the app, with the translation. Ask: "What will happen to the earth on that Day?"

Each child keeps one wonder question, for example: "What makes the ground shake?" Younger children can draw theirs.

Find it in the mushaf: Surah Az-Zalzalah is surah 99, and it has eight ayat. Find ayah 1. The surah's name comes from the key word zilzal, which means a great shaking.

Fact: What is a fault, and how does it cause an earthquake?

Ages 5–8: Jelly quake. Build a small house of sugar cubes on a plate of set jelly, then wobble the plate. Which shapes stay standing?

Ages 9–12: Fault model. Stack layers of coloured play dough, cut them at a slant, and slide the two halves. Which fault type did you make?

Finish with: "I found that earthquakes happen when ___."

Talk together:

• Who holds the earth steady for us every single day?
• Which name of Allah does this remind you of?
• The ground feels so solid. Why might Allah remind us it can shake?
• How can we get ready for that Day in a calm way?
• What would you like to ask an ustaz or ustazah about this surah?

Make a small plan: "This week, I will thank Allah for the steady ground when I ___."

• Show someone at home your jelly quake or fault model.
• Say alhamdulillah when you wake up and the world is calm and steady.
• Next time: the next ayah (99:2) is about what the earth brings out. Explore it together!

Action: Learn your family's earthquake safety plan: drop, cover and hold on.