We are Moving

Asalaam 'Alaikum:

I say this with a heavy heart - but the blog is moving. I have felt quite comfortable using Blogger this past year, but the blog has needs that Blogger just can't meet.

The new blog will have categories to make it easier for you to find what you are looking for (insha'Allah) and will help me organize my posts by Lesson Plan and subject. Insha'Allah you will find the move beneficial.

The new address is:

http://educatingthemuslimchild.wordpress.com/

Please update any links you may have to the blog - especially if you have mentioned it on your website or blog. I'm not intending (insha'Allah) to have to move again for quite a while - if even then!

Asalaam 'Alaikum,
Sumayyah Umm Sadiqah wa Asma

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Arabic Moveable Alphabet

Asalaam 'Alaikum:

I just recently finished another Arabic Project: the Arabic Moveable Alphabet. Like the Sandpaper Letters, this project is based on the Montessori Method for English.

PURPOSE:

To prepare for spelling, writing and reading.

MATERIALS NEEDED:

A large box with spaces for letters of the alphabet. The boxes contain several copies of the letters cut out from stiff, thin, cardboard or plastic reinforce paper. I ended up using cardstock and then laminated and cut them.

PRESENTATION:

Floor activity- spread a large rug for the work area. You open the moveable alphabet box and show the letters to the child. You make sure that the child knows where the letters are in the box. Ask to find various letters, such as, "Can you show me "alif"? and so on.

After the child has a grasp of where the letters are you begin by saying, now we will make _______. For example, the word "arnab."Ask, "What letters do you hear when I say "arnab"? The child finds the first letter and puts it on the mat. Ask, "what other sounds do you hear?" S-l-o-w-l-y and clearly enunciate the word for the child. Continue until your child finds all the letters of the word. Mind you, in the initial version, your child will just be putting the letters out for the word (you do not use the letters printed out for joining yet if that makes sense). You just want to help your child develop a sense of what letters are used in the word based on what they hear and to develop a familiarity with the letters. Once that is accomplished, then you can use the moveable alphabet that includes joining letters (beginning, middle, and end). I hope this makes sense.

Continue to make words with your child until the exercise is mastered.Eventually, your child will be able to work alone.

Note: Make sure you use letters that your child knows. Also, continue to work on the phonetic sounds of the alphabet.

I would suggest starting with words that have few letters at first and then work your way up to more letters.

NOTE:

One thing to mention is that it is not a fun task to go hunting for these containers to put the letters in - you either find containers that are too big or those that are too small. I found a tacklebox set at Wal-Mart (under $10) that was perfect - it has four boxes (please see picture below).

I'm intending to use two boxes for the English letters (capital and lower case letters). The other two boxes will be used for Arabic. Right now, I have only used one box for the Arabic letters in their normal form. When my daughter is ready to move onto the letters in their other forms (at the begging, ending and middle of words) I will make cards for these as well, insha'Allah.

Ok, now what?

I am intending to upload a template for all the Arabic letters and directions on how to make the Moveable Alphabet. This will be put on the Yemenlinks site, but I will let you know on this blog when it is added. It may take a short while - my computer crashed recently and I still need to install a software that converts my files to PDF.

(Now I just need to finish my Arabic Alphabet Magnets Project!)

Insha'Allah this inspires you to make your own learning materials!

Asalaam 'Alaikum,

Sumayyah Umm Sadiqah wa Asma

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Arabic Sandpaper Letters

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Update: "Allah Made Hands"

Asalaam 'Alaikum:

We finally finished our "Allah Made Hands" mini-lessons this week. We didn't do them every day, just when we had the opportunity in between everything else. The kids really liked it, alhumdulilah. My youngest started chanting today "Allah Made Feet" (I guess she somehow knows what our next project is!)

I decided to show you the impromptu bulletin board we made out of our school-room door for this project (to see a larger image, click on the picture). I think I'm going to keep a journal with all these lesson plans and a photo of each board we put together so we can remember it in years to come.

Asalaam 'Alaikum,

Sumayyah Umm Sadiqah wa Asma

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Teaching Your Child Courage

Asalaam 'Alaikum:

In passing, I also found some useful websites and at least one book suggestion (I am sure there are more and welcome suggestions).

In the Islamic Voice Magazine online (from 1998) I found an article entitled "A Leaf from Prophet's (Pbuh) Life : Courage Beyond Measure." You can find the article here (it is the first article).

I found information about teaching your child courage on the following website:

http://www.valuesparenting.com/monthly_value.php?month=august

I really liked their explanation of courage (also a description of how a child saw courage) because it doesn't just focus on not having fear - but doing the right thing even when you are afraid.

The website also had methods for teaching courage:

http://www.valuesparenting.com/monthly_value_sample.php?month=august


On the Scholastic website, I found the following article about teaching your child about courage and confidence:

http://www.scholastic.com/earlylearner/age5/social/courage.htm


Although I have not read the following book suggestion, I have read another book by the author and thoroughly enjoyed it. After reading the book (I hope to find it in our library) I will let you know what I think. The book is entited "Courage" by Bernard Waber. Essentially, it talks about all different types of courage (not just the saving the damsel in distress kind). According to the book description, "Bernard Waber explores the many varied kinds of courage and celebrates the moments, big and small, that bring out the hero in each of us."

Scholastic also have book recommendations on their website. Please realize that I have yet to read any of these books, but thought I would share the list with you. If and when we get these from the library (I hope we will find some!) I will give more details, insha'Allah. Here is the book list:

http://www.scholastic.com/familymatters/parentguides/backtoschool/couragebooks.htm

Insha'Allah, these recommendations will be of some use. If you have any to add, please leave comments.

Jazak Alah Khair,
Sumayyah Umm Sadiqah wa Asma

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Discussion Topic: Having Courage isn't Easy

Having Courage Isn’t Easy

Having courage is not always the easiest thing to do, nor is it without consequences.

Sometimes, when you have the courage to do what is right – you can still have problems. For example, when you tell the truth if you did something wrong, you may still get into trouble (but one would hope the punishment would be less than if you told a lie). However, telling the truth has a high reward from Allah – and that is what we must strive for. Another example is when you have the courage to tell your friend that you won’t do something that you know is wrong. That person may not want to be your friend any more. However, you must realize that in order to please Allah, we must try to seek out good friends. Friends who want us to do wrong bring harm to themselves and to us and cause Allah to be displeased with them.

Thus, the important thing to remember is that having courage to do what is right, at all times, has a high reward with Allah (and Allah’s rewards are great and plentiful unlike the temporary “rewards” of not having courage and doing what is wrong.) Besides, while lying or doing what your friends want you to do that is wrong may seem “rewarding” – they also are counted against you as bad deeds. We should always remember also that doing what is wrong makes the next bad deed even easier. While having the courage to do what is right may not always be easy – the rewards are greater that you or I can ever imagine.

Have your child make a list of times when your child will try to have courage (like the following). This may be especially helpful for older children:

I promise to have courage to:

* Tell the truth

* If I see something wrong happening, I will try to remind the people involved and (if necessary) fix it.

* Tell people ‘no’ when they want me to do something that is wrong

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Courage Lessons: The Invasion of Tabuk

The Invasion of Tabuk

The Campaign to Tabuk was the result of conflict with the Roman Empire that had started even before the conquest of Makkah. One of the missions sent after the Treaty of Hudaibiyah to different parts of Arabia visited the clans which lived in the northern areas adjacent to Syria. The majority of these people were Christians, who were under the influence of the Roman Empire. Contrary to all the principles of the commonly accepted international law, they killed fifteen members of the delegation near a place known as Zat-u-Talah (or Zat-i-Itlah). Only Ka'ab bin Umair Ghifari, the head of the delegation, succeeded in escaping and reporting the sad incident. Besides this, Shurahbil bin Amr, the Christian governor of Busra, who was directly under the Roman Caesar, had also put to death Haritli bin Umair, the ambassador of the Holy Prophet, who had been sent to him on a similar minion.

These events convinced the Holy Prophet that a strong action should be taken in order to make the territory adjacent to the Roman Empire safe and secure for the Muslims. Thus, in the month of Jamadi-ul-Ula A.H. 8, he sent an army of three thousand towards the Syrian border. When this army reached near Ma'an, the Muslims learned that Shurahbil was marching with an army of one hundred thousand to fight with them and that the Caesar, who himself was at Hims, had sent another army consisting of one hundred thousand soldiers under his brother Theodore. In spite of such fearful news, the brave small band of the Muslims marched on fearlessly and encountered the big army of Shurahbil at M'utah. And the result of the encounter in which the Muslirns were fighting against fearful odds (the ratio of the two armies was 1:33), was very favorable, for the enemy utterly failed to defeat them.

Note: You can probably find more information about this Invastion, but this was all I could find at the time. If I find more available, I may add it at a later date, insha'Allah.

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Courage Lessons: The Battle of Uhud

The Battle of Uhud

The Battle of Uhud was a great test for the young Muslim community. After the Battle of Badr (where the Muslims defeated the Pagan Arabs) the Makkans were determined to wipe off their disgrace and to destroy the Muslims. Thus, they collected a large army and marched to Madinah. The Makkan army consisted of some 3,000 fighting men under the leadership of Abu Sufyan. They were so confident of victory that they brought their womenfolk with them.

The Muslims decided to take the battle out of Madinah – thus they left Madinah and started towards the enemy. When the Muslims were close enough to the enemy that they could see one another, ‘Abdullah bin Ubai – the hypocrite – rebelled against the Muslims. One-third of the army withdrew with him – approximately 300 fighters. The remainder of the army, along with the Prophet (saw), moved towards the enemy (there was now only 700 fighters). The army went along until they climbed down the hillock of Uhud at the slope of the valley. The army camped there with their backs to the hills of Uhud mountain.

The Prophet (saw) mobilized the army. He arranged them in rows to prepare them to fight and selected 50 skilled archers to stay on the mountainside to prevent the Makkan Army from attacking from the rear. The Prophet (saw) specifically told the archers, “If you see us snatched into pieces by birds, do not leave this position of yours till I send for you. And if you see that we have defeated the enemy and trodden on them, do not desert your position till I send for you.” (Bukhari) Because of the Prophet’s wisdom and military leadership, the Muslim army was able to occupy better positions on the battlefield even though they arrived later than the Makkan army. The army of the Prophet (saw) was thus fully mobilized on Shawwal 7th, 3 A.H.

In the beginning, the battle went well for the Muslims and the enemy weakened. However, a majority of the archers on the mountainside committed a fatal mistake that turned the whole situation upside down, and was the source of heavy losses amongst the Muslims. Many of the archers became certain that victory was near and wanted to run and pile up the spoils of war. Thus, in clear disobedience of their orders from the Prophet (saw) and their leader on the hillside, forty archers deserted their posts. The other archers, including their leader, stayed on the hillside, but the hillside was now inadequately defended. The enemy took advantage of the opening left by the archers and there was severe hand-to-hand fighting. At one point during this time, someone yelled that “Muhammad (saw) has been killed” and this caused quite a bit of confusion for the Muslims. Some wanted to contact ‘Abdullah bin Ubai (the “Hypocrite”) to seek his help in attaining peace with the Makkans and others wanted to surrender. However, there were many brave Muslims that refused to stop fighting and shouted to Army messages such as:

Thabit bin Ad-Dahdah called out: “O kinfolk of Helpers, if Muhammad (saw) were killed, Allah is Everlasting and He never dies. Fight in defence of your Faith. Allah will help you and so you will be victorious.”

Anas bin An-Nadr inquired “What do you live for after Muhammad (saw)? Come on and die for what the Messenger of Allah (saw) has died for.”

With such bold and encouraging examples, the Muslims soon recovered their spirits and gave up the idea of surrender or contacting the Hypocrite ‘Abdullah bin Ubai. They took up arms and resumed the fight.

When the Makkans started to encompass the Muslim army, there were only nine persons around the Prophet (saws). In a loud voice, the Prophet (saw) called out to the Muslims: “Come on! I am the Messenger of Allah.” The idolaters heard his voice and attacked him with all their power before any of his Companions ran to his aid. A violent raging struggle broke out between the nine Muslims and the idolaters. Muslim, on the authority of Anas bin Malik narrated that the Prophet (saw) along with seven Helpers and two Emigrants, was confined to a trap when the idolaters attacked him. The Prophet (saw) said: “He who pushes back those idolaters, will be housed in Paradise.” One of the Helpers stepped forward and fought the idolaters in defense of the Prophet until he was killed. They attacked the Prophet (saw) again. The same process was repeated again and again until all the seven Helpers were killed. Then the Prophet (saw) said to his two Quraishite Companions, “We have not done justice to our Companions.” (Muslim) Killing the Prophet (saw) was the primary aim of the idolators, but the two Quraishites (Sa’d bin Abi Waqqas and Talha bin ‘Ubaidullah) showed great courage and fought so fiercely that they kept the Makkans from succeeding.

In Al-Ikleel, a book written by Hakim, it is stated that Talha sustained thirty-nine or thirty-five wounds and his fingers were paralyzed. The Prophet (saw) said about Talha “He who desires to see a martyr walking on the ground, let him look at Talha bin ‘Ubaidullah.”

Finally, the Companions of the Prophet (saw) who were busy in battle elsewhere noticed the grave situation of the Prophet (saw) and ran to his aid. As soon as they arrived, they encircled the Prophet (saw) with their bodies and weapons and prevented the enemies from reaching him. AS thirty Companions encircled him, the Prophet (saw) started drawing a planned withdrawal to the hillocks nearby. The Muslims finally retreated to the cover of Mount Uhud. Some of the idolaters tried to follow the Muslim army in retreat. However, the Prophet (saw) implored Allah, “O Allah, they should not be higher (in position or in power) than us.” Therefore, ‘Umar bin Al-Khattab and some of the Emigrants fought the idolaters until they drove them down the mountain.

This was the last attack made by the idolaters against the Prophet (saw). Almost certain of his death, the idolaters returned to their camp and started preparations to go back to Makkah. Some of them involved themselves with mutilating the killed Muslims, and so did their women.

In total, most narrations confirm there were seventy Muslims killed and most of them (sixty-five) were Ansar (Helpers). As for the Polytheists, twenty-two were killed, but some versions speak of thirty-seven. The Prophet (saw) himself was wounded in his head and face, and one of his front teeth was broken.

The Muslims showed unprecedented rare heroism and marvelous sacrifices. After the battle, the Prophet (saw) supervised the martyrs’ burial. The sight of the martyrs was extremely horrible and heart-breaking. Then they returned to Madinah. That night, the Prophet (saw) pondered over the situation. The Prophet (saw) realized that the idolaters (on their way to Makkah) would most likely regret that they didn’t achieve a true victory and would decide to invade Madinah as compensation.

The very next day when quite a large number of Muslims lay wounded and the martyrdom of the near and dear ones was being mourned in many houses, and the Holy Prophet himself was injured and sad at the martyrdom of his uncle, Hadrat Hamzah, he called out to the devoted servants of Islam to accompany him in pursuit of the pagans so as to deter them from returning and attacking Madinah again. The Holy Prophet's assessment was absolutely correct. He knew that, although the Quraish had retreated without taking any advantage of their almost complete victory, they would certainly regret their folly when they would halt and consider the whole matter coolly on the way, and would return to attack Madinah again. Therefore, he decided to go in pursuit of them, and 630 of the Muslims at once volunteered to accompany him. When they reached Hamra al-Asad on the way to Makkah and camped there for three days, the Holy Prophet came to know through a sympathetic non-Muslim that Abu Sufyan had stayed at Ar-Rauha, 36 miles short of Madinah, with an army 2,978 strong: they were regretting their error and were, in fact, planning to return and attack Madinah once again. But when they heard that the Holy Prophet was coming in pursuit of them with an army, they lost heart and gave up their plan. Thus, not only were the Quraish deterred by this action but the other enemies living around Madinah also realized that the Muslims were being led by a person who was highly well informed, wise and resolute, and that the Muslims were ever ready to lay down their lives at his command.

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Courage in History

Asalaam 'Alaikum:

I just thought I would mention a few thoughts that might help you to further develop these lessons - depending on the age and interest of your child. There are many instances of courage and bravery throughout the history of Islam - but there are also many instances of courage and history throughout time - when Allah has sent Prophets and Messengers to the people before us to remind them to worship Him. Remember these stories and reflect how you can impart to your child these examples of courage and bravery. Consider the following instances:

When Mary received message that she was going to have a child:

Allah sent a messenger who carried Allah's message to Mary (pbuh): "She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them; then We sent her our angel, and he appeared before her as a man in all respects. She said: 'I seek refuge in The Most Gracious from you: (come not near) if you are conscious of Allah.' He said: 'No, I am only a messenger from your Lord, (to announce) to you the gift of a holy son.'" (Sura 19:17-19)

Imagine the stigma at that time (definitely not like now) to have a child and not be married. Yet, she exhibited great strength and patience. Isn't this a good example of courage and great faith in Allah?

When the Mother of Musa was told to put her child in the river:

In that era one of the Israelite woman gave birth to a male baby who was extremely beautiful. The mother thought that the soldiers of Pharaoh would soon find him out. They would throw him to the fish in the river. God revealed to her to be patient and not to be frightened. She was communicated the glad-tidings that her son would become an Apostle. The newly born baby was named Musa (Moses). He was very attractive. His mother fed and concealed him for a few months.

When she was unable to hide him any longer, God guided her saying:

"And We revealed to Musa's mother saying: Give him suck. When you fear for him, cast him into the river and do not fear nor grieve, surely We will restore him to you and make him one of the apostles." (28: 7)

The same direction is expressed in other Verses:

"Call to mind the occasion when We revealed to your mother: Put him into the chest and cast it down into the river, then the river shall throw him on the shore; then shall take him up to one who is an enemy to Me and enemy to him and I cast down upon you love From Me and that you may be brought up before My eyes." (20:38-39)

When the Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) had attained the age of a few months, his mother got made a very tight box. She put a blanket in the box. She lifted her affectionate son and kissed him again and again. She put him in the box with tears in her eyes. Her heart was beating violently. She pushed the box into the water when it was still dark. The box moved slowly on the surface of the water. His sister watched the box at a distance but the mother went back home wailing and sobbing. She was full of anxiety due to the separation of her beloved baby.

The Prophet Musa's sister was hiding from place to place along the shore of the river. She was constantly watching the box and praying for the safety of her brother. The box went on moving and gradually came near the shore. Some People were washing their clothes at the shore. By chance they saw the box floating slowly. They waded through the water and picked up the box. They were greatly surprised to see a beautiful infant enclosed in the box. He had a smiling countenance.

The people took the box to Pharaoh and his family. All of them were full of excitement. The Prophet Musa's sister followed them but no one recognised her. The wife of Pharaoh fell in love with the baby. She decided to make him her own son: "And Fir'aun's wife said: Joy of the eye to me and to you, do not slay him, may be he will be useful to us or we may take him for a son. But they knew not what they did.'' (28: 10)

The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) became awfully hungry. He began to cry out of hunger. The baby was handed over to a woman who was appointed to nurse him. He did not take her breast and kept on weeping. Every one was in a fix what to do. The sister of Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) who was standing near remarked: May I bring a woman whom the baby requires? She was directed to go immediately and call her. She rushed towards her house and informed her mother of the whole situation. She requested her mother to accompany her to Pharaoh's house. The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) was still crying due to hunger. The mother gave him her breast. He was much pleased and drank milk to his heart's content.

Pharaoh's wife requested the mother of Prophet Musa (peace be upon him) to stay with them and nurse him. The Holy Qur'an states: "So We restored him to his mother that her eyes might be refreshed and that she might not grieve and that she might know that the promise of Allah is true but most of them do not know." (28: 13)

How many of us would have the faith and courage to done this? Reflect on how she was rewarded for her bravery, by being chosen to suckle her own child.

These stories (and many more that can be found) are great lessons to us and our children about Courage in Islam. We just have to look at it from a different perspective and see how we can impart this wisdom to our children. You can use these as stories to tell your children - emphasizing the courage and faith that it required - you can create felt story boards based on these stories - you can also have your children act out stories from history to make the story more meaningful. Just be creative - our history is rich with opportunities to teach our children about bravery and courage.

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Courage Lessons: The Prophet (saw) and Abu Bakr in the Cave

The Prophet (saw) and Abu Bakr in the Cave

A good example of courage was when the Prophet (saw) was hunted out of Makkah and performed his famous Hijrat. His enemies plotted for his life. He had already sent his followers on to Madinah. Ali had volunteered to face his enemies in his house. His single companion was Abu Bakr. They two concealed themselves in the cave of Thaur, three miles from Makkah, for three nights, with the enemy prowling around in great numbers in fruitless search of them. "We are but two," said Abu Bakr. "Nay," said Muhammad, "for Allah is with us." Faith gave their minds peace, and Allah gave them safety. They reached Madinah, and a glorious chapter opened for Islam. The forces that helped them were not seen, but their power was irresistible.


According to the Qur’an:

“If ye help not (your Leader) (it is no matter): for Allah did indeed help him: when the unbelievers drove him out: he had no more than one companion: they two were in the cave and he said to his companion "have no fear for Allah is with us": then Allah sent down his peace upon him and strengthened him with forces which ye saw not and humbled to the depths the word of the unbelievers. But the word of Allah is exalted to the heights: for Allah is Exalted in might Wise.” (9:40)

According to Hadith:

I said to the Prophet while I was in the Cave, "If any of them should look under his feet, he would see us." He said, "O Abu Bakr! What do you think of two (persons) the third of whom is Allah?" (Bukhari)

and

I was with the Prophet in the Cave. When I raised my head, I saw the feet of the people. I said, "O Allah's Apostle! If some of them should look down, they will see us." The Prophet said, "O Abu Bakr, be quiet! (For we are) two and Allah is the Third of us." (Bukhari)

As the Prophet (saw) and Abu Bakr hid from their pursuers, a spider spun its web across the cave's mouth. When the Meccans saw that the web was unbroken, they passed by and Muhammad and Abu Bakr went on to Medina, where they were joyously welcomed by a throng of Medinans as well as the Meccans who had gone ahead to prepare the way.

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Courage of the Believers

Accounts of courage in the Believers are plentiful in the history of Islam. The following are just a few that I found. As I increase in knowledge about Islamic History – I will probably add more to these stories. However, I feel that they are a good base to start from in teaching my children about Courage in Islam, insa’Allah.


Rumaysa bint Milhan (a.k.a. Umm Sulaym)

Umm Sulaym herself was noted for her great courage and bravery. During the Battle of Uhud, she carried a dagger in the folds of her dress. She gave water to and tended the wounded and she made attempts to defend the Prophet when the tide of battle was turning against him. At the Battle of Khandaq, the Prophet saw her carrying a dagger and he asked her what she was doing with it. She said: "It is to fight those who desert."


Zayd ibn Thabit

We are in the second year of the Hijrah. Madinah the city of the Prophet is buzzing with activity as the Muslims prepare for the long march southwards to Badr.

The noble Prophet made a final inspection of the first army to be mobilized under his leadership to wage Jihad against those who had tormented the Muslims for many years and who were still bent on putting an end to his mission.

A youth, not yet thirteen, walked up to the ranks. He was confident and alert. He held a sword which was as long or possibly slightly longer than his own height. He went up to the Prophet, may God bless him and grant him peace, and said: "I dedicate myself to you, Messenger of God. Permit me to be with you and to fight the enemies of God under your banner."

The noble Prophet looked at him with admiration and patted his shoulder with loving tenderness. He commended him for his courage but refused to enlist him because he was still too young.


Khabbab ibn al-Aratt

Without any hesitation he stretched out his hand to the Prophet in allegiance and testified that "There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His servant and His messenger." He was among the first ten persons to accept Islam .

Khabbab did not hide his acceptance of Islam from anyone. When the news of his becoming a Muslim reached Umm Anmaar, she became incensed with anger. She went to her brother Sibaa ibn Abd al-Uzza who gathered a gang of youths from the Khuzaa tribe and together they made their way to Khabbab. They found him completely engrossed in his work. Sibaa went up to him and said:

"We have heard some news from you which we don't believe."
"What is it?" asked Khabbab.
"We have been told that you have given up your religion and that you now follow that man from the Banu Ha shim ."

"I have not given up my religion" replied Khabbab calmly. "I only believe in One God Who has no partner. I reject your idols and I believe that Muhammad is the servant of God and His messenger."

No sooner had Khabbab spoken these words than Sibaa and his gang set upon him. They beat him with their fists and with iron bars and they kicked him until he fell unconscious to the ground, with blood streaming from the wounds he received.

The news of what happened between Khabbab and his slave mistress spread throughout Makkah like wild-fire. People were astonished at Khabbab's daring. They had not yet heard of anyone who followed Muhammad and who had the audacity to announce the fact with such frankness and deviant confidence.

The Khabbab affair shook the leaders of the Quraysh. They did not expect that a blacksmith, such as belonged to Umm Anmaar and who had no clan in Makkah to protect him and no asabiyyah to prevent him from injury, would be bold enough to go outside her authority, denounce her gods and reject the religion of her forefathers. They realized that this was only the beginning . . .

The Quraysh were not wrong in their expectations. Khabbab's courage impressed many of his friends and encouraged them to announce their acceptance of Islam. One after another, they began to proclaim publicly the message of truth.


Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum

A blind, young cousin of Khadijah (raa), Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum was one of the earliest Muslims. He was left in charge of Madinah on more than ten occasions during Prophet Mohammed's absences. In the fourteenth year after the hijrah, Umar resolved to mount a major assault against the Persians to bring down their State and to open the way for the Muslim forces. He wrote to his governors:

"Send anyone with a weapon or a horse or who can offer any form of help to me. And make haste."

Among those who responded to his call was Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum. When the army reached Qadisiyyah, he wore a coat of armor and was fully prepared. He had vowed to carry and protect the standard of the Muslims or be killed in the process. The forces met and engaged in battle for three days. The fighting was among the most fierce and bitter in the history of Muslim conquests. On the third day, the Muslims achieved a mighty victory. Among the martyrs was Abdullah ibn Umm Maktum. He was found dead on the battlefield clutching the flag of the Muslims.


The Second Oath of Allegiance

During the last four years or so of the Prophet’s stay at Makkah, Islam was being accepted more readily in Yathrab (area where the city Madinah is located) than with any other clans of Arabia. In the twelfth year of Prophethood, on the occasion of Hajj, a delegation of 75 people met the Prophet (saw) in the darkness of night.

These people not only accepted Islam, but they offered to give the Prophet (saw) and his followers a home. The significance of this offer was quite clear to the people of Yathrab – they were not only be inviting a fugitive, but they were also inviting the Prophet (saw) to be their leader and ruler. The Prophet (saw) accepted their invitation and made it the first “City of Islam” in Arabia. The people of Yathrab were also fully aware of the implications of this offer. It was indeed a declaration of war against the whole of Arabia, and an invitation to their own social and economic boycott as well.

When the Ansar from Yathrab were making a formal declaration of allegiance to the Prophet, Asad bin Zurarah, the youngest of all the delegates from Yathrab stood up and spoke. He said, "O people of Yathrab! Just listen to me and consider the matter carefully in all its aspects. Though we have come to him, regarding him only as a Messenger of Allah, we should know that we shall be inviting the enmity of the whole of Arabia. For when we take him away to Yathrab, we shall be attacked and our children may be put to the sword. Therefore if you have the courage in your hearts to face it, then and then only, you should declare your allegiance to him and Allah will give you its reward. But if you love your lives more than him and his Message, then leave this matter and frankly excuse yourselves, for at this time Allah may accept your excuses."

Abbas bin Ubadah bin Naalah, another member of the delegation, reiterated the same thing, saying, Do you understand the implication of the declaration of your allegiance to this person?" (Voices, "Yes, we know it.") "You are challenging the whole world to war by your declaration of allegiance to him. There is every likelihood of a serious menace to your lives and properties. Therefore consider it well. If you have any idea lurking in your minds that you will then hand him over to his enemies, it is much better to leave him alone now, because that conduct shall bring shame and disgrace to you in this world and the next. On the other hand, if you have sincerely resolved that you will endure all kinds of consequences that will follow as a result of this invitation, then it would be the best thing to take the oath of allegiance to him because, by God, this will surely bring good to you in this world as well as in the next world." At this all the members of the delegation cried with one voice, "We are ready and prepared to risk all our wealth and our noble kith and kin for his sake." It was then that the famous oath of allegiance, which is known as the "Second Oath of Allegiance at Aqabah" was taken.


Family of Yasir

'Ammar bin Yasir and his parents were amongst the first converts to Islam. His father Yasir was from the tribe of Qahtan in Yemen. He, together with his two brothers, came to Mecca in search of a lost brother. His brothers returned to their homeland; but Yasir stayed in Mecca where he entered into a covenant with Abu Hudhayfah (from the tribe of Bani Makhzum), and married his slave-girl, Sumayyah bint Khayyat. Yasir and Sumayyah begot two sons, 'Abdullah and 'Ammar, who according to the custom of Arabia, were considered the slaves of Abu Hudhayfah.

After their conversion to Islam, Abu Jahl, with the help of other pagans, started torturing the whole family mercilessly. Ironnails were put upon their naked bodies and they were made to lie down on the burning sand of the desert. The heat of the sun and the desert sand made the iron mails hot like fire; their skins got burned. This torture used to continue till they became unconscious. Then the iron mails were removed and water was poured on them.

The Prophet felt very sorry for the suffering family; but was unable to protect them. Still he used to go near them and give them courage to forbear the tyrannies of their tormentors. He gave them good tidings of Heaven and said, "Be patient, O family of Yasir, because your promised place is Heaven".

Yasir and Sumayyah were brutally murdered by the pagans of the Quraysh, under the leadership of Abu Jahl. It is a great distinction of this distinguished family that all of them were martyred in the cause of Islam. Sumayyah was very pious and God-fearing lady; and she was the first woman martyr of Islam.

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Courage in Hadith

The following hadith shows the affects of lack of courage and bravery in one’s life – even when facing pain and danger. It is important to always remain brave and to believe in Allah’s mercy and assistance.

Allah's Apostle (and his army) encountered the pagans and the two armies fought and then Allah's Apostle returned to his army camps and the others (i.e. the enemy) returned to their army camps. Amongst the companions of the Prophet there was a man who could not help pursuing any single isolated pagan to strike him with his sword. Somebody said, "None has benefited the Muslims today more than so-and-so." On that Allah's Apostle said, "He is from the people of the Hell-Fire certainly." A man amongst the people (i.e. Muslims) said, "I will accompany him (to know the fact)." So he went along with him, and whenever he stopped he stopped with him, and whenever he hastened, he hastened with him. The (brave) man then got wounded severely, and seeking to die at once, he planted his sword into the ground and put its point against his chest in between his breasts, and then threw himself on it and committed suicide. On that the person (who was accompanying the deceased all the time) came to Allah's Apostle and said, "I testify that you are the Apostle of Allah." The Prophet said, "Why is that (what makes you say so)?" He said "It is concerning the man whom you have already mentioned as one of the dwellers of the Hell-Fire. The people were surprised by your Statement, and I said to them, "I will try to find out the truth about him for you." So I went out after him and he was then inflicted with a severe wound and because of that, he hurried to bring death upon himself by planting the handle of his sword into the ground and directing its tip towards his chest between his breasts, and then he threw himself over it and committed suicide." Allah's Apostle then said, "A man may do what seem to the people as the deeds of the dwellers of Paradise but he is from the dwellers of the Hell-Fire and another may do what seem to the people as the deeds of the dwellers of the Hell-Fire, but he is from the dwellers of Paradise." (Bukhari)

The hadith highlights the importance of having the courage to admit your mistakes and seek forgiveness (because Allah is Forgiving and Merciful):

On the authority of Anas (raa) who said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (saw) say, “Allah, Blessed and Most High, said, ‘O son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not mind. O son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins that are close to filling the Earth and you would then meet Me without ascribing any partners with Me, I would certainly [also] bring to you forgiveness close to filling it [the Earth] (Tirmidhi – it is hasan sahih)

In another Hadith,

On the authority of Abu al-Abbaas Abdullah ibn Abbaas (raa) who said: “One day I was riding behind the Prophet (saw) and he said to me, ‘O young man, I shall teach you some words [of advice]. Be mindful of Allah and Allah will protect you. Be mindful of Allah, and you will find Him in front of you. If you ask, ask of Allah. If you seek help, seek help in Allah. Know that if the nation were to gather together to benefit you with something, they would not benefit you with anything except that which Allah has already recorded for you. If they gather to harm you by something, they would not be able to harm you by anything except what Allah has already recorded against you. The pens have been lifted and the pages have dried.” (Tirmidhi – it is hasan sahih)

If one truly ponders this hadith, it is the prescription for removing fear – if one follows what the Hadith commands. In addition to this Hadith, it is also important to note the following verse in the Qur’an: “Allah is the Protector and Guardian of those who believe. He brings them out from darkness into light.” (Al-Baqara: 257) With Allah as our Protector and Guardian, what is left to fear?

Thus, this passage should give the believer courage and strength. He knows that nothing will occur to him save what Allah has already recorded for him. He has no reason to fear anyone except Allah. He has no reason not to stand up for the truth and for the religion of Allah. He has no reason even to have a fear of death as a result of his actions because he knows that death will come to him at its appointed time as decreed by Allah. (exerpt from “Commentary on the Forty Hadith of Al-Nawawi” by Jamaal al-Din M. Zarabozo)

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What is Courage in Islam?

Definition:

Courage enables us to face difficulty, danger or pain in a way that allows us to maintain control over a situation. We can build courage by identifying things that frighten or challenge us and thinking of strategies for coping with them. We also can build courage by remembering that nothing can harm us unless Allah wills it and nothing can benefit us unless Allah wills it.


Suggested Vocabulary:

Afraid
Coping
Brave
Danger
Challenge
Fear
Courage
Control
Strategy



Discussion about Courage:

Talk to your child about what it means to have courage. Sometimes, we think we don’t have courage because we feel fear. However, we do have courage to help us whenever we feel afraid. We use courage when we try new things that feel a little scary, like learning how to ride a bike. We also use courage when we stand up for what we believe is right.

Ask your child to name words they associate with courage. Then ask for actions they associate with courage. Acknowledge that there are many ways to use courage and that courage is similar to strength. Often they are used together. Stress that we all have courage, even though we sometimes think that we do not because we feel afraid.

Have your child tell you about, write about or draw a picture of a time that they used courage.

Ask your child to think of a time when they were afraid. What were they afraid of? Why? What did they do? Ask if they are still afraid.

Ask your child if they think big people are ever afraid. Have them ask big people around them to describe a time when they were afraid. Why? What did they do?

Encourage your child to talk about their fears. Try to help your child identify the differences between real and imagined fears. Make a list and further discuss.

Discuss with your child strategies for facing the above list of fears. How many strategies can he/she think of?

As your child about a time when they were brave or had courage. What caused them to be afraid? How were they brave? Have your child make (or make one for your child) a badge saying “I have Courage” and let them wear it for the day. For ease of use, instead of making a badge, I will probably have mine made into something they wear around their neck.

As your child if they have ever seen anyone else show courage or bravery. Did they ever see you be brave? Discuss when and why? This will help them think more about other people's actions and make them aware of bravery in everyday life, insha'Allah.

Discuss: As a Muslim, how should we try to approach our fears? What things can we remember to help us deal with our fears (i.e., Allah will assist us in doing what is good and no harm can come to us unless Allah wills it, etc.)

Call attention to acts of bravery, those that happen in your family, in your community and in Islamic history (when a person spoke out against injustice, when someone stood up for what they believed in, when someone protected someone else, etc.)

Discuss with your child ways in which they can improve reliance on Allah. In other words, ways in which they and other Muslims can be more brave every day.


Be a Role Model:

In your daily life, discuss when you or someone in your community stands up for what they believe in. Use it as a learning tool and discussion starter with your child.

In your daily life, help your child stand up for what they believe in and praise them when they do so. For example, if children see or hear others taunting and teasing another child, encourage them from “joining the crowd” and even better, to step up and speak against it. Peer pressure is a hard thing to stand against. Praise children when they stand firm.


Books to share:

Allah’s Best Friend (Qur’an Stories for Little Hearts) This is the story of Prophet Ibrahim (as) when he was a child. Especially focus on the fact that the people were angry because Ibrahim (as) had insulted their gods. In retaliation, they decided to burn him alive. They set a huge heap of firewood alight. However, Prophet Ibrahim (as) felt no fear as his faith in Allah was very strong and he knew that the people were wrong. When the fire was hot, they picked up Prophet Ibrahim (as) and threw him into the fire. However, Allah was with him and commanded the fire “O fire, be cool and peaceful for Ibrahim.” A miracle took place, and the fire, instead of burning Ibrahim (as), became a cool, safe place for him.

The Two Brothers (Qur’an Stories for Little Hearts) This is the story of Habil (Abel) and Qabil (Cain). I thought this story was relevant because of the way Habil responded to his brother when his brother became angry and said he would kill him. He remained calm and refused to even defend himself. I believe that instead of focusing on how Allah rewarded Habil for his bravery (other than the fact that he was rewarded for doing what was right) – I would reflect on the fact that he stood up for what was right – not fighting another believer. It is easy to react to violence or anger that is reflected towards you, but the stronger person is the one who refuses to respond to such behavior.

The Brave Boy (Qur’an Stories for Little Hearts) This is the story of Prophet Ibrahim (as) and his son Ismael (as), when Ibrahim had the dream that he was sacrificing his son as an order from Allah. When Prophet Ibrahim (as) told his son about the dream, his son was brave and was ready to obey the command of Allah. Discuss how this was a test from Allah and that both Ibrahim and Ismael (as) both remained faithful to Allah. Explain how they were rewarded by Allah for their bravery. In a excerpt from the book, it states:

“Allah was so pleased with the readiness of Ibrahim (as) to sacrifice his beloved son, that He commanded the believers to observe this day as Id al-Adha or the Feast of sacrifice. Every year Muslims sacrifice an animal in remembrance of the Prophet Ibrahim’s trust in Allah.”


The Sleepers in the Cave (Qur’an Stories for Little Hearts) This is the story that is found in Surat Al-Kahf (The Cave). I found it inspiring because these people believed so strongly about how Allah should be worshipped that they gave up everything worldly in order to keep true to Allah. I think it might be also be important to focus on the fact that while they were brave to hold fast to what they believed in, they also cried out to Allah to help them. Strength and bravery does not mean that you do not need help, but that when you need help, you know where to turn to for help (with right faith) and are not afraid to ask for it. Discuss with your child the miracle Allah caused to happen and how he protected the sleepers in the cave. Discuss the reward that the people received – because they were allowed to awaken during a time when the people were following the same religion as them. Discuss how putting your trust in Allah (like the dwellers of the cave did) is an important part of courage for a Muslim.

Tale of a Fish (Qur’an Stories for Little Hearts) - This is the story of Prophet Yunus (Jonah, as) that was swallowed by the whale. If you don’t have the story, research the story and explain it to your child. Especially focus on the Prophet’s (as) courage when within the whale. He (as) didn’t panic, but quickly realized his mistake and asked Allah for His forgiveness. When discussing what Allah did to reward him for his bravery, discuss how Allah would have kept Yunus (as) within the whale until the Day of Judgment if he didn’t ask for forgiveness. Also discuss how he was safely brought to land and provided food and drink until he could recover from his ordeal.

If you do not have these stories - do not fret, you can always read about these incidents (Qur'an / Sunnah /Seerah) and discuss the stories with your child. Some of these stories may be found online as well.

After reading the stories, come up with questions to further discuss bravery. How did the character of the story show bravery? How did their brave act prove that they had strong faith in Allah? How did Allah reward them for their bravery?

Aside from the Islamic books mentioned above (and there may be more than those listed), you can always be proactive and look at the list your child made about fears he/she has. Go to the library and find books related to those fears. There are many books available, for example, about fear of the dark. There are many titles out there. Just to name a few:

“Oh, bother! Someone’s Afraid of the Dark!” with Winnie the Pooh (Golden Books)
“Baby Fozzie is Afraid of the Dark.” By Marilyn Kaye

I believe there is also one entitled “Franklin is Afraid of the Dark” and many more – just search the library or ask the librarian.


Additional Learning Ideas:

My child was often afraid of visiting the doctor (especially shots) and also was uncertain about the dentist. Since these were things that my child was somewhat unfamiliar with (mainly the dentist) – I looked for books about going to the dentist, getting shots (why, etc.) and going to the doctor. This may also prove helpful in your situation.

As a project, perhaps you can sit down with your child and create your own short story (have your child make the drawings) based on his/her fears. If your child prefers to speak rather than have it written, just have your child use his/her imagination to create the story. Have the main character (your child) learn to deal with his/her fear and write about the outcome. Your child might really enjoy this and may be able to better visualize overcoming their fears this way.


Suggested Movies:

Adam’s World: “Finding Courage”

I have not yet seen this movie and have to see if it is available to rent at our local bookstore. I know part of the movie discusses fear of spiders – but I’m not sure what else is discussed or if it is a valuable addition to this discussion or not.


Please let me know if you have any other suggestions or ideas to add to this list.
Jazak Allah Khair

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The Realities of Institutionalized Learning

Asalaam 'Alaikum:

The Realities of Institutionalized Learning

On a Muslim Homeschooling group that I belong to, someone recently sent a link to this article. I thought it was important - so I'll share it with you. The following is an excerpt of the article - click above to read the entire article.

" When you send your child to a school they are taking on the behaviour patterns of the people around them. Whatever is being taught, whether they have a good teacher or a bad teacher, whether they are becoming adequately prepared for the exams they are going to take, they are taking in all the time the behaviour patterns and the peer pressure which is around them. There is also a terrible mundaneness about our present situation. In schools, both primary and secondary, children are supposedly being led to develop some sense of autonomy. They become independent, they arrive at their decisions independently and this leads to a kind of cult of the individual. Everyone has their own ideas, everyone has their own thing, and that again reflects on the wider world in the quest for being individual and unique. "


Asalaam 'Alaikum,
Sumayyah Umm Sadiqah wa Asma

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Learning to Read

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Allah Made Hands

Asalaam 'Alaikum:

My oldest has been having problems with attention span while doing lessons. So, to interupt the atmosphere of "forced learning" I have decided to transition between our lessons by doing a nice little project that also involves her younger sister (because she gets quite jealous of all the time we spend doing lessons without her). So far, it has worked rather well, alhumdulilah (my youngest walks around the house all the time chanting "Allah Made Hands") and my eldest really enjoyed the projects as well.

Our first project was "Allah Made Hands." I took a sheet of paper and traced my youngest's hand on the paper and did the same for her sister on a separate piece of paper. Then, we talked about her handprint and counted how many fingers she had. Then I traced one of my hands on the same piece of paper (for both girls). We then made comparisons and found differences between the hand prints.

We asked questions like the following:

Which is your hand?
Which is my hand?
How do the hands look alike?
How are they different?
Of all the hand prints, which one is biggest? which one is smallest?

We then had a discussion on the importance of hands.

Could you write without hands?
Could you draw without hands?
Could you put on clothes without hands?
Could you eat without hands? etc.

Then I asked them to tell me other ways they use their hands.

We then discussed the importance of washing hands before eating, after eating, going to the bathroom, etc. We also discussed the importance of using our hands for nice things (such as helping others) and not for things like fighting and hitting.

After we were done with the discussion, we printed at the top of each page "Allah Made Hands" and then I let the children color the hands. When complete, we hung them up where everyone could see.

Our next project will also be related to this. We are going to make hand prints with tempera paint on white paper. We will cut out around the handprints and then make a pot shape out of construction paper and cut out leaves and a stem from green construction paper. We will then glue the pieces together to make a tulip in a pot. These will also be placed near their first hand print pictures on the wall.

Other related projects we will do:

1. I am going to check to see if I can find Lois Ehlert’s book, Hands in our local library and we also have the book My Hands by Aliki. After reading them, we are going to make a Handy Hands Booklet. Just staple four or five sheets of paper together and have your child trace their hand on each page. Then, they will write about or draw pictures in each handprint of things they can do with their hands.

2. As a fun little lesson, you can tape your childs thumbs to their hand with masking tape. Without taking the tape off, have them see what activities they can perform without their thumbs and which activities they cannot do without them. (Have them try to eat, write, read, hold a book, dribble a ball, etc.) Then, you can discuss the importance of having thumbs as part of their hand. Explain to your child how Allah made our hands with perfect wisdom.

3. We are going to make a handprint coupon book. Just staple four or five sheets of paper together to make a booklet. On each page, have your child trace their hand. On the cover, write "Helping Hands." The booklets will be given to friends or family members and will be used as redeemable coupons for help from the child. They just have to tear out a page and tell the child that they need help doing something.

4. I also would like to teach them the importance of hands for people who use sign language and just go over the alphabet in sign language with them. I think I will see if my local library has the book "The Handmade Alphabet" by Laura Rankin - which shows each letter of the alphabet in sign language along with a picture of an object that starts with that letter. I also found a link to this site: American Sign Language Browser, which shows different words acted out in sign language. I also found a few short stories online about what it is like for a child to grow up without hearing.

5. Fingerpainting and playdough work - helps your child to use their hands to express themselves creatively.

6. We will also discuss right hand and left hand uses. In other words, we will talk about how in Islam we use our right hand and it is the preferred hand for doing things like shaking hands, eating, etc.

Each day, along with these little projects, we will emphasize and discuss the fact that Allah Made Hands and talk about different things we can do with hands and why they are important. Once finished with these little projects, I'm hoping we can go on to a lesson plan about feet, eyes, ears, etc.

Asalaam 'Alaikum,

Sumayyah Umm Sadiqah wa Asma

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Teaching Basic Arabic

Asalaam 'Alaikum:

Over the past few years I have created a few materials for learning Arabic for my children. Alhumdulilah, they have gone over well - they really like them. If you are interested in using any of these materials, they are available free at the following website:

http://www.yemenlinks.com/Arabic_Download.htm

With these games and materials - I was able to familiarize the girls with Arabic in a fun way. Insha'Allah it will help you too.

Right now, since we are starting "formal homeschooling" I have found a book that I first purchased when I became a Muslim helpful. It is actually a package including a book and 12 cassette tapes entitled "Learn to Read the Qur'an on Your Own" produced by the Islamic Information Foundation. I believe I purchased the set from Halalco, but you can purchase it directly from the company that produced it and save yourself a few dollars - Islamic Information Foundation ($25.00) - you need to scroll down and click on products.

Anyway - it seems to be coming along well. First of all, when I first became Muslim I was able to teach myself how to read Arabic. Not sure if a lot of things worked together - but something clicked, alhumdulilah. If you are learning yourself, you could easily go through the lessons with your child using the cassette - you listen to the cassette and follow along in the book. However, if you know your alphabet - then you can just sit down with your child and point to the letters on the page and have your child tell you what it is. If they are not yet familiar with the alphabet (of course) you can start out by telling them and working on the pages and reviewing for a couple of days. One thing that's helpful is that you can use the cassette along with the book to improve your and your child's pronunciation. Also, there's a bit of review and repetition that helps them become more familiar with the letters. At the end of each lesson they have a review so you can catch any letters they still are having trouble with.

To further help with letter recognition, please check out the website above - it contains flashcards for the alphabet, an alphabet file folder game and more. In the next few days I will be adding an Arabic Alphabet Bingo Game which I just created.

Anyway, the book moves from learning the letters - to learning the letters with vowel marks - and progresses to joining letters together with the correct pronunciation - all the way to actually reciting a few short verses of the Qur'an.

Once my daughter is familiar with the letters and completes this book, I intend to purchase a book that has come highly recommended to me by another homeschool mom, entitled "Qur'an Made Easy".

As a side note: trust me when I say that I make no money for "advertising" any books I mention in this blog. If I find something helpful - something that works for me - I will tell you about it. Who knows, perhaps it will work for you too. It doesn't mean you should go out and purchase my recommendations - it's just food for thought.

By the way - for those of you who are scared to death about teaching your child Arabic (trust me, I am at times) there is also another helpful book that I do highly recommend. It is entitled "Help Your Child with a Foreign Language" by Opal Dunn. I actually found my copy for a decent price recently on Ebay. Why is it helpful? Well, it is specifically written for those parents who are scared to death and worried about teaching your child a foreign language. It gives you helpful hints - ideas on where to start - and ideas on projects and activities.

Asalaam 'Alaikum,
Sumayyah Umm Sadiqah wa Asma

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Teaching Values

Asalaam 'Alaikum,

Found a book at the library that looks promising: "The Values Book" by Pam Shiller and Tamera Bryant. It contains lesson ideas and related books to read your child about 16 basic values that you should teach a child.

While I think some of these values overlap, when considered from the Islamic perspective, I find this book to be a good starting point (at least for me) in working on lesson plans about Islamic Behavior. I have seen a few other books about this topic (which I will mention later, insha'Allah) that are also beneficial.

Right now I am working on building my lesson plans based on these values and will be adding other good character traits as I go on, insha'Allah. I am writing each trait down and then adding a listing of stories from the Qur'an or Sunnah that support the benefits of that character trait. If I come up with stories related to a particular trait, I will most likely read the specifics and make a story of it to present to the children. I am also listing specific Qur'anic passages and hadith that speak about the benefits of that particular trait. Perhaps if they are not too complicated, I can explain them to the children.

Insha'Allah, I will post more as I get going on this project. I already have some good ideas and I'm actually looking forward to presenting my first lesson when I get it finished. I think the girls will enjoy it!

Asalaam 'Alaikum,
Sumayyah Umm Sadiqah wa Asma

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Welcome

Asalaam 'Alaikum,

Welcome to my feeble attempt at creating a homeschooling blog. For the longest time I was actually afraid of making one - because I really don't have all the answers yet. I'm a new homeschooling mom who sometimes worries if I am doing a good job - who worries if I can handle it. Well, I don't know the answer to those questions - except to say "Insha'Allah" because that's my job now and I have to take it completely seriously.

In the past I have had several projects - things I enjoyed doing. However, since we are now actually traveling the road to homeschool in our house all projects are off-limits. Homeschooling is now my main priority - and trust me, it keeps me busy!

What do I expect out of this blog? I know for one thing - I don't expect to post every day, probably not even every week. Time is crucial and the more distance I make between myelf and the computer - the more things get done! However, I have never enjoyed learning something and not having the opportunity to share it with someone else. If we don't help one another, how can we ever succeed?

So, I am hoping that whenever I come across anything that I believe is possibly beneficial to someone out there - I will try to post it as soon as I can. Who knows, perhaps if we work together we can make a difference. There's only one thing I am certain of - I'm willing to try.

Asalaam 'Alaikum,

Sumayyah Umm Sadiqah wa Asma

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