My_Faith_Islam_3

must be careful never to become ry oppressors in turn, as for exam- fh ple when Nabi Musa [a] killed the fh Egyptian nobleman, although , keep in mind that that was done fh accidentally. fh - Always help those who need fh assistance, especially the young, fh the old, women and the frail. fh - Always show your appreciation fh to those who assist as for exam- fh ple by assisting them in turn. - Allah always rewards those who mean well and come to the assis- tance of those who are in need. - Hospitality is a distinctive attrib- fh ute of the Prophets and the pious fh servants of Allah. fh fh - When seeking to employ a worker always ensure that he is trustworthy and strong. fh fh- It is the duty of the Father pri- marily to find a suitable husband vn248 my faith ...ISLAM

ry for his daughter. fh - There is nothing wrong for the fh father of a woman, or for that matter the woman herself, to pro- fh pose marriage to a suitable man. fh - When intending marriage, fh always look for one who has fh commendable spiritual and moral fh qualities first. fh fh - Prophets are always restless, fh ever concerned about the suffer- fh ing of others. - Allah chooses His Prophets and fh no one can, by himself, become fh a prophet. - Only the best of all human beings are chosen as Prophets. - No creature can see Allah because He is much too powerful and mighty for human eyes to behold. fh - What seems to be beneficial to fh us Allah can make harmful, and vn what seems to be harmful to us my faith ...ISLAM 249

ryAllah can make beneficial, as for fhexample the staff and the snake. fh- To be eloquent in speech is very fh imporatant in conveying an fh important message. fh - Never be afraid of standing up fh for the truth, even before a fh mighty king. fh fh - Belief does not depend on mir- fh acles, because the stubborn fh Kafir will not believe even if he witnesses miracles. A Muslim will fh believe without any miracle what- fh soever. - All disbelievers accuse the Prophets of magic and sorcery when they perform their miracles. Muslims see these miracles as signs from Allah of the truthful- ness of a Prophet. fh- Those who know Kufr best often fhbecome the strongest believers, because they are able to appreci- vn250 my faith ...ISLAM

ry ate the truth even more. fh fh - Stubborn people who are are cornered and who cannot justify fh their position always resort to vio- fh lence. fh - Allah punishes severely those fh who see his signs and still refuse fh to believe. fh - Allah punishes by removing His blessings and provision. - Pride and anger causes people to lose their common sense. fh - The stubborn disbeliever never fh keeps his promise. fh - The opressor only stops his vio- fh lence when threatened with fh greater violence. Appealing to his moral sense will not work because his heart has become corrupt. fh - The wickedness of those who stubbornly disbelieve does not fh allow them to leave others in vn peace. When they are at war my faith ...ISLAM 251

rywith Allah how can they be at fh peace with others? fh- Allahs help is always with those fh who call people to His way. fh - Allah always comes to the res- fh cue of those who believe in him fh and follow His Prophets. fh - Allah’s help always comes in the end. Muslims are expected to put their trust in Allah and be patient. - Allah has the power to make fh oceans that drown a means of fh salvation and safety. fh - Allah has the power to make the fh frailest staff move the mightiest oceans. fh - Believers are ever grateful to fh Allah for His blessings and help. - In the end, only the believers are successful. Those who disbe- fhlieve, no matter how powerful fhthey may be, will, in the end always fail. vn252 my faith ...ISLAM

ryACTIVITIES Can you help the basket reach the riverbank C fh fh safely. Draw a line along the correct path with a colour pencil. Careful, this maze is tricky. Thereafter, colour-in the picture fh fh fh fh fh fh fh fh fh fh fh fhTComments f☺ h☺ Start vn my faith Here! ...ISLAM 253

Indicate, by means of a tick, the column to C ry which each phrase refers. fh fhQuality of Quality of Musa [a] Fir’awn fh proud and cruel brave and patient fh has a pure heart fh fh enemy of Allah fh Tawrah revealed to fh him SUMMARY P fh BY THE END OF THIS LESSON THE CHILD HAS : fh (tick in box if completed) - listened to an extract fh - unscrambled words & completed sentences - learnt a new Ayah and a new Hadith fh - listened to a detailed story fh - found suitable one word meanings - identified specific teachings - completed a maze puzzle and coloured it in - identified qualities of Prophets and tyrants fhTComments How does my teacher f☺ h☺ rate my performance in this lesson ? ☺☺ vn254 my faith ...ISLAM

ry lesson 2 fh fh OUTCOME OBJECTIVES TP fh fh - learn about the Prophet ‘Isa [a] fh - discover that Allah creates whatever he wills by simply fh uttering His command “Be!” fh - discover that believing people who turn away from fh Allah’s Religion become even more evil than the Kuffar fh - appreciate that the poor accept the message of Prophets more readily because they are not blinded by pride & wealth - learn that enemies sometimes pretend to be friends. These are the most dangerous type - learn that the most evil crime is to change the Religion of Allah and use it to acquire wealth and previlege - learn that what falsehood fears most is to be exposed. For that reason it does everything in its power to remain hidden - learn that the evil we wish for others will always return to us - observe that the Jews have distinguished themselves as the greatest enemies of Allah’s Prophets - understand that Nabi ‘Isa [a] was not killed. Allah took him into the heavens and one day he will return fh LESSON OVERVIEW TP fh BY THE END OF THIS LESSON THE CHILD WILL HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO : fh - listen to an extract being read out by the teacher about Prophet ‘Isa [a] fh - complete a word selection exercise for comprehension - learn a new Ayah and a new Hadith - listen to a detailed story about Nabi ‘Isa [a]. fh - find suitable one-word meanings for the words in the vocabulary list - identify the specific teachings being conveyed fh - identify distinctive attributes of Nabi ‘Isa [a] - complete a word puzzle and colour it in - complete key sentences regarding Nabi ‘Isa [a] vn my faith ...ISLAM 255

Read and explain the following. ryT L E S S O N 2 ‘Isa fhA very pious Israelite lady once fhlived in the town of Nazareth. ry vn Her name was Maryam. [a] fhT H E S T O R Y One day the angel Jibrail OF ‘ISA [a] appeared before her. fh He brought her the good news of a Vocabulary fhson to be born. pious Just as Allah had wished Maryam appeared opposed fhgave birth to a son. permission fhHis name was ‘Isa (Jesus). stubborn pretended He spoke to people while still a capture resemble fhbaby. captured fh‘Isa grew up to become a Prophet ofcrucified Judgement Allah. fhThe Jews had become wicked and fhfollowed the ways of the idol wor- shippers. fhNabi ‘Isa [a] called the Jews to give up their evil ways and to return to fhthe way of Prophet Ibrahim [a] and fh Prophet Musa [a]. The Jews would not listen and fhapposed him. vn256 my faith ...ISLAM

ry Nabi ‘Isa [a] was patient. fh He showed them the wonderful fh signs of Allah. He brought the dead back to life fh and he gave sight to the blind, by fh Allahs permission. The Jews still refused to accept him as a Prophet. fh They were proud and stubborn. fh The poor people believed in Nabi fh ‘Isa [a]. As time passed many more people fh began to follow Prophet ‘Isa [a]. fh This made the Jews very jealous and angry. They plotted to kill Nabi ‘Isa [a]. fh There was a man who pretended to fh be Nabi ‘Isa’s [a] friend. fh His name was Judas. He led the enemies of Prophet ‘Isa fh to capture him. fh As a punishment for his betrayal Allah changed the face of Judas to resemble Nabi ‘Isa [a]. fh The enemies thought Judas to be vn my faith ...ISLAM 257

ry Prophet ‘Isa [a] and captured him fhinstead. He was crucified on a cross and fhdied a painful death. fhAllah saved Nabi ‘Isa [a] from his enemies, the wicked Jews. fhAllah took him up into the Heavens. fhNabi ‘Isa [a] is still alive in the Heavens. fhAllah will send him back to earth before the Day of Judgement. fh Colour-in the correct word/s in green. fhC P ACTIVITIES Maryam Fatimah was a very pious fhlady who lived in the town of fh Nazareth. The angel Jibrail Mika’il brought fhher the good news of a son. His name was ‘Isa Musa . fh He spoke walked to people while fhstill a baby. ‘Isa grew up to become a King fhProphet of Allah . fhThe Jews followed the ways of the TComments ☺☺ idol worshippers Muslims . vn258 my faith ...ISLAM

ryQur’an The Jews believed disbelieved Allah I in Nabi ‘Isa [a]. has Nabi ‘Isa [a] was patient impatient fhdeclared: with them. “The similitude of He showed them miracles Allah . The Jews refused to believe in him Jesus before Allah ia because of pride not knowing . as that of Adam. He The poor rich people believed in created him from the Nabi ‘Isa [a]. The Jews plotted to kill help Nabi fhearth and then said to ‘Isa [a]. him ‘Be!’, and he Judas Yusuf led the enemies of was.” Prophet ‘Isa [a] to capture him. Allah changed the face of Judas to fh“(And ‘Isa said to his resemble Nabi ‘Isa the Romans . people) “Surely I The enemies captured Judas ‘Isa instead. have come to you Judas Nabi ‘Isa was crucified on a with a sign from your cross. Lord — surely I will Allah took Nabi ‘Isa [a] to Makkah up into the Heavens . fhmake the shape of a bird from clay for you, and then breathe into it, and it will become fha bird by the permis- sion of Allah; and I will heal him who was born blind and the fhleper, and I will bring the dead to life by the permission of Allah ... surely in that there is certainly a sign for fhyou, if you are believ- ers. And (I have come) to confirm what was before me fhfrom the Taurah, and to make some of what used to be for- bidden for you lawful for you ... Surely fhAllah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship fhHim ...” Hadith Our beloved Prophet Muhammad e said: fh“Jesus, the son of Mary, is a word from Allah and a Soul form Him which he fhcast into the pure Mary.” fh fh Nabi ‘Isa [a] is still alive in Jannah TComments dead in his grave . fh☺ ☺ Allah will send him back to earth vn before after the Day of Judgement. my faith ...ISLAM 259

Read the following story and thoroughly T ry discuss the lessons to be learnt. fh CHAPTER 1 fh fhA long, long time ago in the land of Palestine, there lived in the town of fhNazareth, a very pious Israelite fhP C lady. Her name was Maryam. Vocabulary fhOne bright day, while the pious appear .................... terrified .................... overwhelmed .................... Maryam was praying all alone, fhthere appeared an angel before her. fhMaryam was terrified for she had holler never seen an angel before. He .................... fhstood there before her, standing oh absurd fhso tall, and shining so bright, like .................... noble .................... the golden-white sunlight. “May marvelous fhAllah protect me from you,” she .................... thoughtful fhcalled out, “Now leave me alone .................... ancestors and go, if it is Allah you fear!” fh.................... imitate .................... haughty .................... fh“Do not be afraid, dear Maryam,” the angel said, “For I am the angel submission .................... fhJibra’il, a messenger from the Lord scold of the Worlds.” vn.................... 260 my faith ...ISLAM

ryP C Maryam was overwhelmed. An fhVocabulary angel had appeared before her, Oh, mend how very wonderful. But why would an angel come to her, what was so fh.................... fhscoff special. .................... fhleper .................... “I have come to give you the good wonderstruck .................... news of a pure son,” the angel said, “His name shall be ‘Isa, Jesus, the fhapparent son of Maryam, and he shall be .................... core fh.................... despite praised in this world and far above in the highest heaven.” .................... “How could that be?” asked fhlofty Maryam in great surprise, “For I am not married yet and still a young .................... lady.” fhreject “Ahh, that is easy for Allah, for He creates whatever He wills”. the .................... angel replied. “When He wishes pligth fh.................... perchance .................... fhcapture .................... fhtransformed .................... innocent fh.................... criminal fh.................... fh something to be, He says to it only TComments ‘Be!” and it becomes. Your son, O fh☺ ☺ Maryam, shall be a Prophet of vn Allah, a Messenger to your people, my faith ...ISLAM 261

the children of Israel.” ryP C fhVocabulary The days passed and then the fhmonths, until one day a beautiful crucify .................... fhlikeness son was born to Maryam. .................... fhWhen Maryam returned to her peo- ple with the little child, they were fhcurious and some were horrified. fh“Where did this child come from? Who is the father?” some hollered, fh“Oh how dreadful for a child to be fhborn without the girl being married.” fhMaryam was speechless, what was fhshe to say. No one would believe her story, of the angel she saw that fhday. And so she pointed to the baby. fh“What! Do you expect us to ask the fhbaby,” the people said. “That is most absurd.” fhTComments fhAnd just then something strange ☺ ☺ happened, something like never vn262 my faith ...ISLAM

ry before, not since the beginning of fh creation, a miracle like none ever fh saw. fh The beautiful tiny baby smiled and fh then spoke, “I am the servant of Allah. He has made me a Prophet fh and has blessed me. He has com- manded me to worship Him and to fh feed the poor, and to be gentle and fh kind to my pure and noble mother.” fh How miraculous, but so it was to be fh from that very day. Everything about Isa’ [a], son of Maryam, was to be fh quite marvelous, I say. fh fh CHAPTER 2 fh fh Little ‘Isa [a] grew up to be quite unique. Not only was he the most fh handsome, kind and truthful, but of vn all the children, nay all the people, my faith ...ISLAM 263

ryhe was indeed the most thoughtful. fh Everyone who saw little ‘Isa [a] fhimmediately loved him. Everyone fhwho knew the lovely child came to admire him. fh And as the wonderful child grew , so fhmore wonderful indeed did his good fhqualities too, the qualities that all the people of Nazareth, so well now fhknew. fh Now, the Banu Isra’il, the ancestors fhof the Jews, had once believed in fhAllah’s Prophets and Messengers, and there had been many Prophets fhamong them. They had guidance and revelation from Allah, and fhbooks filled with goodness. fh But because they mixed with idol- fhworshipping people, and loved to fhimitate their ways, they had become just like them, and the teachings of vn264 my faith ...ISLAM

ry Allah’s Prophets they had all but fh cast away. fh They also mixed true belief with fh falsehood, and their hearts had fh become hard. They were no longer kind nor generous to the poor. They fh were proud and hated all other peo- ple, they were humble towards the fh strong and cruel to the weak and fh feeble. fh They made lawful what Allah had fh made unlawful, and unlawful what Allah had made lawful. The Books fh of Allah had become like a toy, and fh His religion, to them, a game. fh fh CHAPTER 3 fh Allah had made ‘Isa [a] a Prophet fh and Messenger, and gave him wis- vn dom and guidance, and very deep my faith ...ISLAM 265

understanding. ry fh Nabi ‘Isa [a] saw the wickedness of fhthe Jews. He saw how they mis- fhchieviously mixed idol-worship with the pure message of Musa [a], and fhhow they changed the Book of Allah, the heavenly Tawrah. fh fhHe saw there cruelty and their dis- belief, their selfishness and greed, fhbut what angered him most was fh their haughty, puffed-up pride. fhAnd so Nabi ‘Isa [a] began his mis- fhsion, to call the Jews and all his people, to Allah and to His religion, fhto the way of their father Adam [a], and to submission. fh fhHe reminded them of their ances- tors, the Prophets Ibrahim [a] and fhMusa [a], of their piety and their fhgoodness and their love for their Lord, Allah. vn266 my faith ...ISLAM

ry fh He scolded them for their forgetful- fh ness and for following the disbeliev- ers. He commanded them to pray fh for forgiveness and to to mend their fh evil practices. fh He told them that Allah had chosen him as His Messenger to preach fh His great Words, to guide them to fh the right path, and show them His mighty signs. fh fh But the Jews and their priests, the Rabbis, would not listen. They had fh become like the idol-worshippers of fh old, they had become stubborn. fh “Hah! Are you a messenger, a prophet of Allah? We see you only fh as a poor man, a man with no fh father!” they scoffed at Nabi ‘Isa [a]. fh They ignored all the good advice vn Nabi ‘Isa [a] had given them. They my faith ...ISLAM 267

rysounded, infact, just like Nimrud fhand Fir’awn, they had become the friends of shaytan. fh fh fh CHAPTER 4 fhNabi ‘Isa [a] was very patient fhindeed. He tried again and again, and the wonderful signs of Allah did fhhe show them. fh He shaped a bird from clay and fhbreathed life into it, and before all fhthose who stood by, it flapped its tiny wings and swiftly flew away. He fhcured the sick and the blind and the leper, and with one touch of his fhblessed hand, all the pain would fhdisappear. And before their very eyes he brought back to life the fhdead, with a prayer to Allah and to fhthe heavens raising his head. And what is more is that a thousand vn268 my faith ...ISLAM

ry people he fed, with a few fish and fh some pieces of dry bread. fh All this He did with the power of fh Allah, the One Creator. All this was fh to be a sign to them, a sign that he was a true Prophet and Messenger. fh The Jews with their priests and rab- fh bis were wonderstruck, and like fh those before they were silent. Nabi ‘Isa [a] was indeed a Prophet of fh Allah, and that was clear as day- fh light, it was now quite apparent. fh But there hearts had become cor- fh rupt, rotten to the core, and so despite the clear message they fh puffed their chests and said with a fearsome roar, “We will never fh believe in you O ‘Isa. We are better fh than you!” Hmm! I wonder who they sound like. fh vn They continued, “We have been my faith ...ISLAM 269

rygiven so much more, more wealth fhand children and power and posi- tion, the most delightful gardens fhand each of us the loftiest mansion.” fh Nabi ‘Isa [a] was sad, very sad fhindeed. They had disbelieved and rejected all the clear signs he had fhbrought as well as the wonderful fhmiracles. And what was stranger still is that they knew that he was fhtrue. fh They laughed and mocked and fhoften times at him threw heaps of fhfilth, and all this because he had no power, or so they thought, nor a sin- fhgle penny of wealth. fhAnd so Nabi ‘Isa [a] turned to the fhpoor, whose hearts were tender and whose souls were pure. They did fhnot boast nor were they proud, they fhwere common folk, fishermen and carpenters, who were never boast- vn270 my faith ...ISLAM

ry ful when they spoke. Some of them fh believed, they were his friends, the fh Helpers of Allah, the true followers of Nabi ‘Isa. fh fh But amongst them was one who was not true, a single evil one. He fh had a plot, a plot so wicked, that it would destroy Nabi ‘Isa [a], or so he fh thought. fh Wherever Nabi ‘Isa [a] went the fh people hurried and gathered fh around. Whenever he spoke the people listened to his every word, fh every little sound. fh fh CHAPTER 5 fh fh As time went by, many more people began to believe in Nabi ‘Isa [a], the fh one they knew was inspired. He vn was loved by all, honoured and my faith ...ISLAM 271

admired. ry fh Now the Jews hated him more still. fhThey were jealous of him, and jeal- fhousy we know is the most wicked fhthing. They began to spread lies about fhNabi ‘Isa [a], the son of the pure fhwoman, and said to the people that ‘Isa was a magician, or at the very fhleast a mad-man. Hmm! I wonder fh who they sound like. fhThe Jewish priests and rabbis hated fhhim most. This was so because Nabi ‘Isa [a] knew that they had fhchanged the Tawrah, the heavenly book, brought by the noble messen- fhger, Nabi Musa [a]. This they did for fhtheir love of sins, their greed for power, and their greed for a few fhgold coins. fh They knew that they were now in vn272 my faith ...ISLAM

ry grave danger. Soon their evil he fh would uncover, and then they would fh be seen for the devils they really were. fh fh But they were cowards and feared the Prophet, Nabi ‘Isa [a]. After all fh he was strong and brave, and he was helped with the power of Allah. fh fh At that time the Romans ruled over all of Palestine. They were an Idol fh worshipping people whom the Jews fh greatly admired, and to whom they meekly submitted. fh fh The Jews went to them, trusting in the Roman might, thinking that per- fh chance they would help rid them of their plight. And so they mixed truth fh with falsehood, and lied, as was fh their habit, and this is what they said, “There is a mischievious man, fh a man named ‘Isa, who hates your vn gods and your rule too. He does not my faith ...ISLAM 273

ryobey your law, he plans to fight fhagainst you. He calls our young men to rise up, to rise up and fhdestroy you. He is like a spark , a fhspark that lights a fire. If you ignore him today he might burn you tomor- fhrow, or who knows maybe sooner.” fhSo the Romans decided to capture fhNabi ‘Isa [a], the messenger of Allah. Roman soldiers, with swords fhand spears, rushed out to find him fhand bring him to justice, to answer the charge of plotting against them, fhand creating all that mischief. But fhhe was nowhere to be seen. Where could he be found? Who would lead fhthem to him? Who would be their hound? fh fh fh CHAPTER 6 fh Ahh, there was one, a most wicked vn274 my faith ...ISLAM

ry one. One who pretended to be a fh friend, but was instead the greatest fh fiend. He was Judas, a friend of Nabi ‘Isa [a], or so everyone fh thought. And for a few silver coins, fh Judas led the cruel Roman soldiers to him, to be caught. fh It was after sunset when the sol- fh diers marched into a beautiful gar- fh den, a garden just outside the walls of the holy city, the city of fh Jerusalem. fh There they found a group of believ- fh ers praying to Allah. “Where is your fh leader, the one they call ‘Isa?” fh The Jewish rabbis and priests had plotted and so too did shaytan, fh whispering into the hearts, the fh hearts of evil, wicked men. But Allah too was plotting and as we all know, fh Allah is the Wise, and He always vn has the best plan. my faith ...ISLAM 275

ry fhAs was said from the very begin- ning, and this would be right to very fhthe ending, everything about Isa’ fh[a], son of Maryam, was to be quite amazing. So by the power of Allah, fhthe traitor Judas was transformed. His face was made to look like ‘Isa, fhchanged by the Creator. He was fhnow to suffer, and suffer he did, the very same cruelty, he wished for his fhfriend, the kind and loving ‘Isa, the fh gentle son of Maryam. fhJudas was yelling and screaming, fhshouting, “I am innocent! I am not the one.” “Ahh, that is what every fhcriminal says,” the soldiers replied, “No evil I have done.” fh fhAnd so Judas was hung from a cross, tortured and stabbed to fhdeath. And there, in the end, did his fhwicked body rot like stinking filth. vn276 my faith ...ISLAM

ry The Jewish priests and rabbis cele- fh brated the whole night long, danc- fh ing and drinking, and to this day they sing their evil, wicked song. fh “Hooray we have killed, killed the fh son of Maryam. Hooray we have succeeded, to protect our falsehood fh from him!” fh But little did they realise that all the fh while they planned, Allah had pro- tected His faithful servant, and fh raised him up body and soul, into fh the highest, seventh heaven. fh And there he shall remain until the fh end of time when he is sure to return, and then the falsehood of fh the Jews and rabbis will surely burn, and burn. fh fh “They said, ‘Surely we killed...‘Isa, fh son of Maryam, the Messenger of vn Allah.’ But they did not kill him, nor my faith ...ISLAM 277

rydid they crucify him, but only a like- fhness of that was shown to them. ...They have no sure knowledge fhabout him, only following their imag- fhination. They did not kill him but Allah raised him up to Himself. fhKnow that Allah is Mighty, Wise’.” ry fh vn fh fh fh The following moral lessons learnt from the T fh story must be explained & discussed thoroughly fh- Angels are invisible, but they do sometimes appear before the fh very pious. fh - Angels are created from light. fh - Angels serve Allah. fh - Angel Jibra’il is the angel who fh brings Allah’s messages and rev- elation to mankind. vn278 my faith ...ISLAM

ry fh - Allah is All-Powerful. - Allah creates whatever he wills by simply uttering His command ffhh “Be!” and it becomes. fh - Nabi ‘Isa [a] was created by Allah’s command. He had no fh father. He was just like Nabi fh Adam [a] who too had no father. fh - Nabi ‘Isa’s [a] first miracle was fh to speak as ababy. fh - Everything about Nabi ‘Isa [a] fh was miraculous. - Children should only be born within marriage. fh fh - We must always defend those who are falsely accused, even if we are only little children. fh - Never level an accusation until fh you have all the facts at hand, no fh matter how guilty someone may seem. vn my faith ...ISLAM 279

ry fh- Prophets are chosen by Allah alone. fh- All Prophets are caring and gen- fherous and especially kind towards their parents. fh- All prophets are created perfect. fhAll are kind, truthful, handsome, strong and very clever indeed. fh - Everyone loves and admires fh those who are kind, truthful and fh thoughtful. fh - As we grow older we should fh strive to develop our good quali- ties too. fh - By mixing with non-believers fhand following their ways a Muslim could slowly lose his fhfaith. fh- By mixing truth with falsehood the heart becomes hard as a rock fhand dark as the night. vn280 my faith ...ISLAM

ry fh - By disobeying Allah’s com- mands and committing sin, we gradually lose respect for His fh Holy Books and His Religion. fh - When believing people turn fh away from Allah’s Religion, they fh become even more evil and more wicked than the non-believers. fh - By being the children and fh descendants of Prophet’s does fh not guarantee guidance. Do you fh remember the story of the son of Nabi Nuh [a]. fh - No fault can be found with the fh message of truth, and so disbe- fh lievers always look for personal faults in the Messengers to justi- fy their disobedience. fh - Prophets are always patient, no fh matter how wicked the people fh may be. And so they try again and again, this because of their vn my faith ...ISLAM 281

ry great concern. fh- All the miracles Prophet’s per- form are done only by the power fhof Allah, and not of their own fhaccord. fh- When the hearts of people have fhbecome rotten with pride, then no amount of miracles will be fh enough to convince them. Pride fh is one sickness that no miracle fh can cure. fh - Pride and stubbornness blinds fh people from seeing the truth and destroys their common sense. - Wealth, power and strength are fhnot signs of success and favour. Often they are traps that lead us fhto Jahannum. - Wealth , power and strength, if fhnot used correctly, create pride in fhthe hearts of men. fh- The worst disbelievers are vn282 my faith ...ISLAM

ry fh those who recognise the truth and still reject it. - For this reason the Jews are fh regarded as the worst disbeliev- fh ers by Allah. The very first Surah fh of the Holy Qur’an describes fh them as, “...Those upon whom the wrath of Allah desecnds...” fh - The disbelievers always mock fh the Prophets of Allah and attempt to harm them in every way. fh - Those who are not proud easily fh accept the message of Prophets. fh - The poor accept the message of Prophets more readily too. fh This because they are not blind- fh ed by pride and wealth. - Enemies sometimes pretend to fh be friends. These are the most fh dangerous type. fh - The disbelievers are always jealous of the Prophets of Allah. vn my faith ...ISLAM 283

ry Is this regard they are all just like fhshaytan who envied Adam [a]. - Jealousy causes people to do fhthe most wicked things. fh- Because disbelievers cannot disprove the message of Allah, fhthey resort to lies and slander fh against the Prophets. - The Tawrah was corrupted after fh Nabi Musa [a] passed away by fh greedy, unscrupulous Jewish fh priests. fh - The most evil crime is to change fh the Books of Allah and to lie against Him. fh- The most evil crime is to change the Religion of Allah and use it to fhacquire wealth and previlege. - The Jewish priests were guilty ffhhof both. - The Jews, because of their cow- fhardice, have always used stronger vn284 my faith ...ISLAM

ry fh powers to achieve their goals. - What falsehood fears most is to be exposed. For that reason it fh does everything in its power to fh remain hidden. fh - By mixing truth with lies credi- fh bility is given to the lies. - The hypocrite, the enemy within fh is always the greatest danger. fh - Self interest and greed is the fh distinctive attribute of the hyp- fh ocrite. fh - Even though it may seem that the Hypocrite innitially has the upper hand, in the end he will always suffer the worst fate, in fh this world, and especially in the fh hereafter. - Evil men and shaytan plot and fh plan, but Allah also plans and His fh plan is always much better. fh - The evil we wish for others will always return to us. vn my faith ...ISLAM 285

ry - Evil doers fool themselves into fhthinking that they are indeed the successful ones. This in fact is fhalso a means of punishment fhbecause it leads them onto to greater sin and thus greater pun- fhishment. fh - The Jews have distiguished fh themselves as the greatest ene- fh mies of Allah’s Prophets by killing fh them (as for example Nabi fh Zakariyyah and Nabi Yahya [a] ) fh or at the very least trying their level best to kill them (for exam- ple Nabi ‘Isa [a] and Nabi Muhammad [s] ). fh fh- Nabi ‘Isa [a] was not killed. Allah took him into the heavens and fhone day he will return. fh- When Nabi ‘Isa [a] returns the Jews and their falsehood will be fhdestroyed. vn286 my faith ...ISLAM

ryACTIVITIES How would you describe the qualities of C P fh fh Prophets and those of their enemies? Colour in the words that describe Nabi ‘Isa [a] in blue and those that descibe the Jewish priests in red. fh patient evil fh chosen fh pure fh stubborn loving fh foolish proud fh jealous wise fh greedy kind fh fh guide miracle fh rotten brave fh true liar fhTComments strong plot f☺ h☺ burn vn my faith ...ISLAM 287 alive

CP ry fh Nabi ‘Isa [a] performed many miracles. fh Do you remember them. Now, match the shapes by drawing a line linking the correct pairs. Thereafter colour the corresponding pairs in the same colour. A CURED fh CLAY fhTHE BIRD DEAD fh fh CREATED fh GAVE WITHOUT fh LIFE fh TO THE WITH A fh SICK FEW FISH fh AND SOME fh DRY BREAD fh fhTComments FED A BREATH f☺ h☺ LIFE THOUSANDS FATHER INTO vn288 my faith ...ISLAM

ry Put the first letter of each picture in its C P fh fh respective box to discover two hidden words needed to complete the sentence below. Don’t forget to colour the pictures too. fh fh fh fh fh OF fh fh fh fh Nabi _ _ _ , _ _ _ of _ _ _ _ _ _ , fh was born six hundred years before Nabi Muhammad [s]. He was the fh second last Prophet of Allah to be fh sent to the world. Like all the pre- TComments vios Prophets of Allah, Nabi _ _ _ , fh☺ ☺ _ _ _ of _ _ _ _ _ _ , preached Islam, the worship of Allah, the One. vn my faith ...ISLAM 289

ryThe Jews hated Nabi _ _ _ , _ _ _ fhof _ _ _ _ _ _ , to such an extent that they tried to kill him. The fhChristians, on the other hand, loved Nabi _ _ _ , _ _ _ of _ _ _ _ _ _ , fhso much that they made him into a fhgod and began to worship him. Both are in error and both will be pun- fhished by Allah in Jahannum. fhAs Muslims, we love and respect fhNabi _ _ _ , _ _ _ of _ _ _ _ _ _ , as fhone of the greatest Prophets of Allah. SUMMARY P fh BY THE END OF THIS LESSON THE CHILD HAS : (tick in box if completed) fh - listened to an extract - completed a word selection excercise fh - learnt a new Ayah and a new Hadith fh - listened to a detailed story - found suitable one word meanings - identified specific teachings - identified qualities of Nabi ‘Isa [a] fh - matched shapes describing miracles - completed a word puzzle and coloured it in - completed sentences fhTComments How does my teacher f☺ h☺ rate my performance in this lesson ? ☺☺ vn290 my faith ...ISLAM

ry SIRAT AN-NABI fh life of nabi muhammad [s] fh fh fh fh X fh fh ry fh vn fh fh fh fh C O N T E N T S fh LESSON 1 The Birth of the Prophet [s] 294 LESSON 2 The Prophet’s [s] Youth 311 fh LESSON 3 The Revelation Begins 331 LESSON 4 Cruelty of the Quraysh 347 fh LESSON 5 The Miraj 361 LESSON 6 The Hijrah to Madinah 377 vn LESSON 7 The Victory of Islam 397 my faith ...ISLAM 291

ry fh The Sirah lessons covered in grades 1 and 2 will be fh repeated in this year. This will allow for consolidation of fh the subject matter completed in the previous grades. New exercises have been included. fh fh The role of the blessed Prophet Muhammad [s] TP was exceptional in that he was to be the last of the long line of Prophets. It had been so ordained by Allah. The final rev- elation of Allah's will was to be conveyed to the people by fh him and, for posterity, the scriptures had to be preserved by fh him and subsequently by his devoted followers throughout fh the centuries. In order to ensure that this would be so, the Prophet Muhammad [s] had to bring about a great revolu- tion that would give him a following the world over. Allah has done the maximum to ensure that man should not go astray in his journey through life. He has given man a fh conscience, enabling him to differentiate between what is right and wrong, and has placed him in a world based on justice. But should man fail to listen to his conscience, or be fh deaf to the silent message emanating from every object of Allah's creation, Allah has His prophets throughout the ages to put the truth to the peoples of many different lands, fh and so that they might not fail to comprehend, this Allah- sent message has come to them in their own language. In pre-Islamic times religious institutions had become fh debased by the veneration of mere mortals; whereas the prophet Muhammad [s] admitted of no other form of religion fh but that based on the worship of the immortal Allah. fh Religious beliefs had very frequently been founded on fh superstition; but by him they were established on the foun- dation of reality. It was he who taught men to conquer nature instead of worshipping it, thus paving the way for the scientific era. And where political power had been in the hands of one hereditary monarch, he showed the way to government by the people. While learning had been based vn292 my faith ...ISLAM

ry fh fh fh fh fh on conjecture and assumption, he taught man to learn from fh observation of reality. In cases where human society had fh been vitiated by cruelty and oppression, he showed people fh how to live together in justice and peace. These are all fh achievements of the prophet of Islam. They cannot in truth fh be attributed to anyone else besides him. It was he who fh changed the tide of human history while others have just swum with the tide he set in motion. fh fh From whatever angle one looks at history, ever-broadening reverberations of his impact will be manifest. All that is best in human values, all the important advances of human civ- ilization, are direct or indirect results of the revolution he brought about. In making the Prophet Mohammad [s] the greatest figure, and consequently one of the most resplen- dept landmarks in human history, Allah has betowed his greatest favour on mankind. Whoever seeks a guide for himself cannot fail to see him, for he stands out like a tower, a mountain on the horizon, radiating light like a beacon, beckoning all to the true path. It is inevitable that a seeker of truth will be drawn up to the magnificent pinnacle on which he stands. fh fh vn my faith ...ISLAM 293

lesson 1 ry fh fh fh OUTCOME OBJECTIVES TP fh fh - learn about the origins of the Arab nation. fh - understand the corrupting influence and evil conse- fh quences of idolatry. fh - appreciate Allah’s concern for erring mankind. fh - learn that Allah always sends guidance to humanity. - develop an appreciation of the necessity for Prophets. - learn about the importance of a healthy environment for developing children. - recognize that monetary gain should never be adecid- ing factor in our actions. - undertsnad that kindness and generosity are meritori- ous deeds that merit reward, even in this world. - realize that good character is the most praiseworthy attribute LESSON OVERVIEW TP BY THE END OF THIS LESSON THE CHILD fh WILL HAVE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO : - listen to an extract being read out by the teacher fh introducing the Birth of Nabi Muhammad [s] fh - complete a true & false exercise for comprehension fh - learn a new Ayah and a new Hadith fh - listen to a story about the Birth of Nabi Muhammad fh [s] and his first years of childhood. - identify the specific teachings being conveyed through the story - draw a picture based on the story for enjoyment - complete a cross-word puzzle focussing on the main personalities during the Prophet’s [s] early life - complete a Hadith relating to the lesson vn294 my faith ...ISLAM

ryL E S S O N 1 Read and explain the following. T fhBirth ry Arabia is a desert land. fhvn The Arabs lived in Arabia. They worshipped idols. fhT H E B I R T H OF THE The Arabs lived like barbarians. PROPHET fh They were cruel to the poor, the Vocabulary weak, the orphan and the widow. barbarian Nabi Muhammad [s] was born on the 12th of Rabi al-Awwal 570. fhorphan widow fhgrand fhenvironment He was born in the city of Makkah well man- nered in Arabia. fh His father, ‘Abdullah, died before he fh was born. His mother’s name was Aminah. fh His grandfather was ‘Abd al- Muttalib, the grand chief of Arabia. fh fh The Makkan children would be sent to the countryside to grow up in the fh healthy environment. Muhammad [s] lived with the nurse fh Halimah in the desert countryside fh for four years. Muhammad [s] was a good, well vn mannered child. my faith ...ISLAM 295

State whether True or False. CP ryACTIVITIES fhQur’an The Arabs lived a highly civi- F fhAllah I has lized life. declared: They were cruel to the poor, the “Say (O Muhammad), weak, the orphan & the widow. Nabi Muhammad [s] was born fh‘O People! I am sent on the 12th of Ramadan 570. Unto you all, as the He was born in the city of Messenger of Allah, Madinah in Arabia. to Whom belongs the His mother, ‘Aminah, died kingdom of the heav- fhens and the earth. There is no god but He. It is He who gives both life and death. fhSo believe in Allah and His Messenger, The unlettered Prophet, who believes in Allah and fhHis Words. Follow him so that you may be guided.” fhHadith before he was born. Our beloved Prophet His grandfather was ‘Abu Talib, Muhammad e said: the grand chief of Arabia. fh“Indeed Allah select- Muhammad [s] lived with the ed Isma’il as the best nurse Halimah in the countryside. of the children of Ibrahim, and then he fhselected Kinanah as best of his children, and then he selected the Quraysh as the fhbest of them, and then he selected Banu Hashim (my clan) as the best of Read the following story. T the Quraysh, and Our story begins a long, long time fhthen he selected meof ago, almost one thousand five hun- as the best of the Banu Hashim (for the mantle fhProphethood).” dred years ago, in the hot and dry fhdesert land of Arabia, where the fhsands blew over the wavy, empty TComments dunes and the winds howled on the ☺ ☺ fhcold, dark, starry nights. There were vn296 my faith ...ISLAM

ryP C few trees and even less grass. All fhVocabulary that was to be seen was sand and fh stone. And if you were real lucky dune .................... then an oasis or two, here and howl there, scattered over the vast gold- fh.................... en deserts. oasis .................... fhscatter .................... There were few animals. The dare camel, though, is one animal that lived quite comfortably in these fh.................... deserts, because they were able to hospitable go for days without drinking a single drop of water. Arabia was truly a fh.................... harsh land, which very few would neglect dare to pass through. .................... But in those lands lived a brave people, who were hospitable too. fhgamble They loved their freedom and would travel over the deserts, over its .................... crest fh.................... udder fh.................... meadow .................... fhpalm .................... impress fh.................... fh fh wavy sand dunes, and sleep under fh the starry moonlit skies. They were TComments the great-grandchildren of Nabi fh☺ ☺ Ibrahim [a], the Prophet and Friend of Allah. They were the Arabs. vn my faith ...ISLAM 297