87 TB al-'Ala Teachers Book BI

ILQ | Teachers’ Book al-Aʿlā SURAH 87: AL-AʿLĀ ‫سورة الأعلى‬ THE MOST HIGH Learning Outcomes: At the end of this Surah, the students will learn the following themes: 1. The importance of preoccupying one’s self with remembering Allah. 2. Allah’s control over every natural phenomenon. 3. Religious knowledge and understanding of the Quran are a product of divine grace. 4. The importance of reminding others of Allah. 5. The different human reactions towards the reminders. 6. The continuity of the message of Islam from the teachings of the previous prophets. SURAH OVERVIEW Surah al-Aʿlā is a Meccan surah. It is the 8th surah that was revealed when the Prophet was still newly appointed as a Messenger. In the Quran, this surah is in 87th place. “Al-Aʿlā” means the Most High, referring to God as being the Most High in terms of nobility compared to all of the creations. This surah was revealed to comfort the Prophet who was still struggling to get used to his new responsibility.  At the beginning of his daʿwah, the Prophet was aggressively committed and diligent in doing it. This was because he always felt restless about the fate of his ummah. As a result, he spent most of his time doing daʿwah. His commitment was very intense to the extent that the people of Makkah saw him as being pushy and forcing people to embrace Islam. Therefore, in surah al-Ṭāriq, Allah advised the Prophet to give the people of Makkah some time to think about the message and not be overwhelmed by his sense of urgency. So, what should the Prophet do in the meantime? Allah commanded him to perform tasbīḥ to Him. Accompanying this command, He also taught the Prophet about Himself who has created and administered the universe. Aside from the exhausting daʿwah effort, the Prophet was also worrying about forgetting the newly revealed verses of the Quran. Thus, he was always reciting the verses so as not to forget it. Therefore, again, Allah comforted him and gave him an assurance that it was He who will be reciting the Quran to his heart until he memorizes it completely.

ILQ | Teachers’ Book al-Aʿlā Then, with these assurances, Allah reminded the Prophet to do daʿwah without giving the impression of being pushy towards the people of Makkah. And that he should not be worried about whether they want to accept it or not. In a conclusion, Allah briefly describes the rewards that await those who purify themselves. Still, humans choose this fleeting world over the everlasting hereafter. And this fact is not only recorded in the Quran, but also in the previous revelations sent down to the previous prophets – that is, Prophet Ibrahim and Musa.  TAFSIR CORNER 1. Tasbīḥ to Allah. Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High; Allah begins the surah with a command towards the Prophet to spend his time performing tasbīḥ when he is not doing daʿwah. It is this command that is practised every time we perform sujūd. Meanwhile, the recitation in rukūʿ is taken from the last verse of surah al-Wāqiʿah. “Sabbiḥ” means “to praise”. But it can also mean “swimming”. It refers to the type of swimming where the swimmer remains afloat at the surface of the water. This can be understood as praising Allah by affirming His Names to be above everything that is not worthy of Him, not sinking mingling it. Therefore, mentioning Allah must be done by mentioning the Beautiful Names that He has taught us. Furthermore, we are not allowed to mention His Names with the purpose of making fun of it. And we must also be careful not to ascribe His Names to makhlūq because that would be shirk. 1. Allah created perfection. Who created and proportioned, That is, He is the Creator of everything and bestowed them with the right measurement of balance and harmony. He also gave everything their best forms. So, all of this is a sign that there is indeed a Wise Creator. Had everything came into existence by chance or is created by multiple gods, then there will not be any regularity and balance, no beauty and interconnectedness between things in this world.

ILQ | Teachers’ Book al-Aʿlā LESSON 1: FLY HIGH (VERSE 1): EXPERIMENT Introduction: In this first week, the focus will be on verse 1 and 2. The theme of this week is on the glory and the perfection of God who has created the universe. Lesson 1 touches on the meaning, purpose, and practice of tasbīḥ. Set Induction: In verse 1, Allah commanded the Prophet to glorify His names most high. Let’s conduct an experiment to understand the meaning of glory in His names. Lesson Outcome: At the end of the lesson, students will be able to identify the meaning, purpose, and practice of tasbīḥ. Materials: 1. Toilet cleaner that contains sodium hydroxide. 2. A glass bottle with a narrow mouth. 3. Aluminium food wrapper. 4. Balloons. (Safety note: make sure this activity is done outdoor) Procedure: 1. Cut the food wrapper into small pieces and crunch them into small balls.  2. Pour the toilet cleaner into the glass bottle until ¾ full. 3. Put some crunched aluminium balls into the bottle. Wait until a chemical reaction takes place. (Note: the reaction is in the form of bubbles and foams) 4. After a reaction occurred, wrap the mouth of the bottle with the balloon. 5. The balloon will expand because it traps the produced gases.  6. After the balloon reaches a desired size, tie the end of the balloon. 7. And then release the balloon upwards and see it fly high! Lessons: 1. Tasbīḥ is a practice of uttering the names of Allah in order to praise Him. 2. We must praise Him through His noble names. 3. We must always utter the names of Allah with the utmost humility and awe. Lesson Assessment: 1. What is the meaning of tasbīḥ? 2. What is the purpose of tasbīḥ? 3. How do we practice tasbīḥ? Ans: By uttering His names.

ILQ | Teachers’ Book al-Aʿlā LESSON 2: MINI ECOSYSTEM (VERSE 2) Introduction: Lesson 2 touches on the awareness that underlies the practice of tasbīḥ. Set Induction: In the previous session, we have learned about tasbīḥ. But why do we practice tasbīḥ? Let’s do an activity to understand the wisdom behind tasbīḥ. Lesson Outcome: At the end of the lesson, students will be able to explain the wisdom of tasbīḥ. Materials: 1. Small aquarium. 2. Mesh netting. 3. Long rubber band. 4. Natural objects (leaves, grass, pebbles, etc). 5. Critters and insects. Source: https://www.stirthewonder.com/build-a-mini-ecosystem-for-nature-observation-with-kids/ Procedure: 1. Fill your small aquarium with a layer of dirt. 2. Add some grass or other plants, rocks and sticks. 3. Cut your screen to fit over the top and secure it with a rubber band. 4. Now you are ready to go on a nature hunt with your kids and find some cool critters to observe!  5. Don’t forget to release the animals and insects once you have finished observing. Lessons: 1. The glory and perfection of God can be observed in His perfected creation. 2. By observing nature, we can understand more of His perfection. 3. Because nature is created very orderly and perfectly, surely the Creator is far more perfect and beautiful, free from any imperfections. Lesson Assessment: 1. Why do we do tasbīḥ? Ans: to glorify Allah. 2. How do we internalize tasbīḥ more? Ans: by realizing the perfection of Allah through observing His creation.

ILQ | Teachers’ Book al-Aʿlā TAFSIR CORNER 3. Allah inspires every creation. Who determined their destinies and guided them, “Ordaining precisely” means to predetermine what is the function of a thing in this world. And for that function, He has made for it the most suitable size, shape, attributes, place, its means of livelihood, the manner in which it will exist, and when and how it will perish and die. This is known as taqdīr. Meanwhile, “giving inspiration” means everything that exists is not left wondering about without being provided with the knowledge of how to fulfil its purpose of existence.  And for this, there are two types of hidāyah that are given by Allah to His creations. The first type is given to non-rational beings, and another is given to rational beings.  The form of guidance that is given to non-rational beings is in the form of natural processes. Allah guides animals to feed their offspring, finding food in unexpected corners of the world, identifying suitable and nutritious food, and many more. Meanwhile, for inanimate objects, He guides them to behave in an orderly and expectable manner.  For example, rocks are told to be immobile, water to flow, air to rise, metal to be malleable, and many others. And for plants he guides them to germinate and grow, its roots to seek water and its shoots to seek sunlight.  On the other hand, for rational beings, he gave them the intellect and the heart to identify truth and differentiate them from falsehood.  4. Allah grows plants. Who brought out the green pasture, The word “marʿā” means all types of plants. 5. Dried plants. Then turned it into dark debris. That is, He does not only make plants grow but also makes them wither as well. On one side, He makes plants flourish and flowers bloom, creating a colourful panorama for the eyes to feast upon. But at the same time, He is also the one who makes plants wither, dry, blackened, and blown away by the wind. This is a reminder that balances the reminder above. Allah is the one who created everything perfectly, but He is also the one who created the weaknesses in everything. And this reminder is important to be heeded in the next verse. 

ILQ | Teachers’ Book al-Aʿlā LESSON 3: PLANTS (VERSE 4) Introduction: This week focuses on verse 4 and 6. The emphasized theme of this week is the dependence of everything on the will and power of God – both in the regularity of nature and in the understanding and practice of Islam. Lesson 3 explores His sovereignty in the arrangement of nature. Among His perfection is His wise arrangements of nature. (Source: https://teaching2and3yearolds.com/how-to-make-a-terrarium-during-your-preschool-gardenin g-theme/) Set Induction: In the previous activities, we have learned about tasbīḥ and its wisdom. In this week, we will try to understand verse 4. Here, Allah mentions that He has brought forth green pastures. How do plants come forth from its soil? Let’s do an activity to understand this. Lesson Outcome: At the end of the lesson, students will be able to: 1. Explain God’s perfection as the Creator. 2. Give an example of His creation based on verse 4. Materials: 1. Wide mouth jar. 2. Small pebbles. 3. Activated charcoal. 4. Soil and dirt. 5. Small figurines. 6. Succulent plants. Procedure: 1. Prepare all the materials. 2. Scoop the small pebbles into the jar. 3. Scoop the charcoal into the jar. 4. Scoop the soil into the jar. 5. Add some figurines. 6. Snip off pieces of the succulent plant and poke them into the soil. 7. Give them water. (We put water in a spray bottle.) 8. Place the lid on the jar. They are now ready to take home to enjoy!

ILQ | Teachers’ Book al-Aʿlā Lessons: 1. Allah’s perfection can be observed in nature. 2. His perfection is in the wisdom of His arrangements of nature. 3. Among the signs of His wisdom is bringing forth green plants to ornament the Earth with its green beauty. 4. Plants are also important in providing oxygen that is important for life. Lesson Assessment: 1. What is one of the signs of the perfection of Allah? Ans: lesson 2. 1. What is the example of a perfect creation? Ans: lessons 3-4.

ILQ | Teachers’ Book al-Aʿlā TAFSIR CORNER 6. Allah recites the Quran for the Prophet. We shall make you recite the Quran, O Prophet, so you will not forget, It is reported that when Jibril came to bring the news of revelation for the Prophet, he immediately tried to memorize the Quran without waiting for Jibril to finish his recitation first. Therefore, Allah gave him assurance. The word “sanuqriʾuka” means to read something for someone. This means that the Quran will be read by Jibril to the Prophet. This means that the Prophet should not be worried and hurried in trying to memorize the Quran. And this vibes well with the reminder above that it is a natural weakness for humans to not be able to do things that are beyond their ability. The Prophet did not have to force himself to memorize the Quran. This is because it is Allah who will make firm his memory. It is also to remind us that the Quran is under the full control of Allah. Hence, the ability to memorize it is a gift from Him. All human efforts are subject to His will. 7. Allah abrogates the verses of the Quran. Unless Allah wills; He knows what is open and what is hidden. The Prophet will not forget the verses unless those that Allah wills. This can be understood to mean the natural forgetfulness of humans. If there is a cause that makes the Prophet forget, then it is forgiven. Because it is Allah’s will that he forgets.  And by knowing what is clear and hidden, it means that Allah knows that the Prophet was hastening to memorize the Quran. Thus, it proves that Allah is in control over everything. The forgetting of the verses can also be understood as the abrogation of the verses of the Quran. Abrogation means the replacement or the withdrawal of some verses of the Quran due to the change of circumstances. Sometimes, the verses are withdrawn from the Quran completely. Sometimes, the verses are left included in the final arrangement of the Quran, but its meanings and applications no longer stand. There was a time when the Prophet was leading a prayer and forgot to read a verse. Thereafter, Ubay bin Kaʿab went to the Prophet and asked whether the unread verse was abrogated. The Prophet answered no, he only forgot the verse. This event shows that there are indeed the phenomena of the Prophet forgetting the verses from the Quran and the phenomena of abrogation. The abrogation took place when Allah removed the verses from the memory of the Muslims as if the verses were never revealed. 8. Allah gave the Prophet ease. We will facilitate for you the way of ease. That is, Allah has given the Prophet an easy religion. This is a continuation of verse 6. That is Allah will read to him the Quran so that he will not forget and will make it easy for him the religion that he introduced to mankind. So, Allah has assured him the ever-present help in his daʿwah and in the practice of Islam. Furthermore, “al-yusrā” also means Paradise. So, with all the sweat and toil faced by the Prophet will surely be rewarded with Paradise.

ILQ | Teachers’ Book al-Aʿlā LESSON 4: REMEMBER! (VERSE 6) Introduction: Lesson 4 explores the theme of perfection in the bestowal of knowledge for man. Set Induction: In the last session, we have learned about the power of Allah in creating and determining the measurement of the creation of plants. Are humans also subject to a similar configuration? In verse 6, Allah reminds the Prophet that it is He who will recite the Quran to him. Which means that humans are also subject to His will as a plant. Lesson Outcome: At the end of the lesson, students will be able to: 1. Relate the power of Allah over plants to His power over man’s mind and heart. 2. Explain His perfection as the Guider. Materials: Students Procedure: 1. The first person mentions a number.  2. The next person repeats the first number and adds another. 3. The third person mentions the first and second numbers and adds yet another. 4. The game continues until a person forgets the arrangement of the numbers. And he/she is out. 5. Continue the game, and the last person standing is the winner. Lessons: 1. In this surah, Allah reminds the Prophet that His power does not only encompass nature, but also extends to human nature – whether internal or external nature. 2. His power includes the activity of thinking. He is in control of what we think. 3. Therefore, only He can ensure that we memorize the verses of the Quran. 4. This shows the extent of His power. 5. Hence, we must be grateful because Allah lets us remember and memorize His words. He is the best of all givers of guidance. Lesson Assessment: Is Allah’s power limited only to nature? Ans: lesson 2.

ILQ | Teachers’ Book al-Aʿlā TAFSIR CORNER 9. Allah commanded the Prophet to perform daʿwah. So remind, if the reminder is useful. With all of the above reminders, Allah commanded the Prophet to keep on doing daʿwah. Only this time, the daʿwah should be more gentle and less pushy without lessening the sense of urgency. Also, the word “in nafaʿati” means to give a benefit. Even though the reminders are not internalized by those who listen to them, the reminders can still be beneficial for them. This is because it may be the case that the audiences do not accept the daʿwah immediately. But at some other times, maybe the reminders will make them think and accept Islam. Hence, the importance of giving reminders should not be seen as an insignificant effort. 10. Fearful hearts will believe. He who fear Allah will be mindful of it; And of the reminders, people who think correctly and critically will acknowledge its truth. Hence, their hearts will have fear of Allah, because they realize that there is a higher power that monitors their every step and determines their fate both in this world and the next. So, with a prudent heart, the reminders will be beneficial for the person, and he will have īmān.  11. Evil hearts will resist. But the most wicked will ignore it, As for those whose hearts are blackened by their sins, these people are the most wretched. And they try hard to distance themselves from the reminders. They not only refuse to listen but even refuse to consider listen to even a bit.

ILQ | Teachers’ Book al-Aʿlā LESSON 5: DIORAMA (VERSE 9) Introduction: This week’s theme is daʿwah. After He has described His perfection, He urges that this knowledge must be conveyed to others as well. Lesson 5 exposes to the students some techniques of public speaking. Lesson 6 expands the activity to include the public. Set Induction: In verse 9, Allah commanded the Prophet to continuously remind others because reminders will benefit people. How do we give an impactful reminder? Let’s do an activity to find out. Lesson Outcome: At the end of the lesson, students will be able to: 1. Connect the early part of the surah with its second part. 2. Train themselves with some public speaking techniques. Materials & Procedure Source:  (https://kidadl.com/articles/fun-ways-to-teach-public-speaking-to-kids) Source: (https://slightlyunconventional.com/teach-public-speaking-to-kids/) Lessons: 1. Allah has described His perfection; He urges that this knowledge must be conveyed to others as well. 2. It is the responsibility of a Prophet to give a reminder that can be accepted by people. 3. Therefore, we need to learn the proper techniques of public speaking. Lesson Assessment: Why does Allah command us to give reminders? Ans: lesson 1. LESSON 6: STREET DAʿWAH (VERSE 10 & 11) Introduction & Procedure: Activity: Refer Lesson 5. Lesson Outcome: At the end of the lesson, students will be able to practice the techniques of public speaking to the public.

ILQ | Teachers’ Book al-Aʿlā TAFSIR CORNER 12. They will enter Hell. Who will burn in the greatest Fire, And the people who distance themselves from the guidance, will throw themselves into Hell willingly. The word “yaṣlā” means to enter something willingly. This means that the wretched people will enter Hell by themselves without force, which means that even though they do not want to enter Hell, their hands and legs, will move by themselves because they realize the sins that they have done. And they will enter Hell with the gravest punishments of all. “Kubrā” means the biggest, referring to the greatest punishments that they will face. 13. Neither dead nor alive. Where they will neither die nor live. Due to the great punishment, they desperately ask for death so that they will not continue to suffer from the punishments of Hell. However, Allah will not allow them to die. And they will never be excused from the punishments. Even so, they are not really alive because a life filled with eternal punishments cannot really be considered life in its proper sense. 14. The successful people. Successful is he who purify himself, As for those who have fear, and they accept the reminders and strive to purify themselves, these are successful people. The word “aflaḥa” means succeeded. Even though they have not left this world yet, their success is already guaranteed. Firstly, because Heaven is already prepared for them. Secondly, because they succeeded in controlling their lower selves and become a better and more perfect person than they were before. 15. Remembering Allah continuously. And who remembers the name of his Lord and so he prays.  How do we purify ourselves? By remembering Allah (dhikr) as commanded in the first verse. Also, they perform prayers. There is a close connection between dhikr and prayers. Ṣalāh literally means ‘relationship’, ‘connection’, etc. One who prays is, therefore, a person who connects himself with Allah. Meanwhile, outside of his prayer times, he remembers Allah by doing dhikr. So, even outside of prayers, he still spends his time remembering Allah. 16. Humans preferring this world. But you people prefer the life of this world, Nevertheless, even with all the reminders and promises, some people still insist on preferring this world over the next. The word “dunyā” comes from the word “danā” which means something near and low. “Dunyā”, therefore, is something made near and

ILQ | Teachers’ Book al-Aʿlā close to man’s perception and thoughts, making him unable to grasp something beyond. Also, the world is something that is valued very lowly by Allah. This verse means, therefore, that humans, even after being informed of the superiority of the hereafter, are still arrogantly preferring this world over the next. 17. The hereafter is better. Even though the Hereafter is far better and more lasting. So, Allah emphasizes that the hereafter is a better realm and everlasting. The word “ākhirah” means something that is later, at the endpoint of time. So, it is something beyond the grasp of the human mind and sense perception. Although, this reality has been reported at length, its signs, proofs, and others. All sorts of logical arguments have been presented. And this reality is something everlasting, never-ending. Be it the promised blessings or the warned punishments. 18. A repeated testimony. This is certainly in the earlier Scriptures, And these testimonies are not new. It has been reminded even by the earlier Prophets. And a big group of the audience were not unfamiliar with this message. They knew about the message even before Prophet Muhammad, because there were other Prophets sent to them. 19. Prophet Ibrahim and Prophet Musa. The Scriptures of Abraham and Moses. The Jews are those who inherited the teachings of Prophet Musa. And the Arabs inherited the teachings of Prophet Ibrahim. Therefore, the messages that are delivered by Prophet Muhammad are the same things, repeated again and again without any changes for thousands of years already. Still, they remained stubborn. SUMMARY Surah al-Aʿlā teaches us to not be overly concerned with the behaviours of the disbelievers. Instead, we must spend much time remembering Allah, learning the Quran, and purifying ourselves.

ILQ | Teachers’ Book al-Aʿlā LESSON 7: KEY TERMS Set Induction: In this surah, we have learned about some new things about Islam. Let’s list down some important words that refer to the new understandings. Lesson Outcome: At the end of the lesson, students will be able to arrange the letters correctly. New key terms: 1. Tasbīḥ. 2. Al-Aʿlā. 3. Khalq. 4. Taqdīr. 5. Hidāyah. 6. al-ʿAlīm. 7. Dhikrā. 8. Khashyah. 9. Ashqā. 10. Falah. 11. Tazkiyah. 12. Ṣuḥuf. Procedure: 1. Write down the key terms on the whiteboard as anagrams. 2. Scramble the letters randomly except for the first and the last letters. 3. Ask the students to rearrange the letters according to the proper orders. 4. They can refer to the Surah to identify the key terms in order to perform the rearrangement. LESSON 8: JOURNAL WRITING Set Induction: Let us write a journal to record everything that we have learned. Lesson Outcome: At the end of the lesson, students will be able to record all the lessons of Surah al-Aʿlā in a journal. Materials: Journal Procedure: 1. Update the contents of al-Aʿlā in your journal.  2. Write down the important lessons that you have acquired in every verse. 3. Write down the main lessons that you have acquired in the whole surah.