_
The first Surah reveald in Makkah on Prophet Muhammad SAW when he was 40 yrs old. This is a very important surah which was revealed in two parts. Both parts have different thems.
Surah Alaq can be taught step by step using an approach that encompasses understanding the meaning of the verses and memorizing the surah. Here is a suggested teaching method for Surah Alaq:
Table of Contents
Step 1: Introduction and Background
- Introduction: The first surah revealed, Surah Alaq is the 96th chapter (surah) of the Quran and is also known as “Iqra,” which means “Read” or “Recite.” It holds great importance as one of the earliest revelations received by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) during the early years of his prophethood.
- This chapter marks a pivotal moment in the revelation of the Quran, introducing profound concepts and messages that continue to guide Muslims to this day.
- Background: Surah Alaq was revealed in Makkah, prior to the migration (Hijrah) of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to Madinah. Verse 1 to 5 is the first revelation. During this period, the Prophet was meditating in the cave of Hira, contemplating the social and spiritual challenges of his community. It was during one such occasion in the month of Ramadan that the angel Jibril (Gabriel) descended upon him and commanded him to “Read” (Iqra).
- The Prophet, who was unlettered and had not received any formal education, was initially taken aback by the command. However, he humbly responded,
- “I am not able to read.”
- The angel Jibril then embraced him tightly, and after releasing him, repeated the command to read. This interaction, believed to have occurred several times, resulted in the revelation of the first verses of Surah Alaq.
- The revelation of Surah Alaq not only marked the beginning of the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) prophethood but also emphasized the importance of seeking knowledge and the pursuit of education.
- It instilled in the Muslim community a profound appreciation for learning, literacy, and the acquisition of wisdom.
- The background of Surah Alaq verse 9 to 19 was revealed later. These verses are about Abu Jahal. It reflects the challenges faced by the Prophet during the early stages of his mission.
- The pagan society of Makkah, deeply rooted in idolatry and unaware of the monotheistic teachings of Islam, presented significant obstacles to the spreading of the message.
- However, the revelation of Surah Alaq and subsequent revelations served as a source of guidance, encouragement, and fortitude for the Prophet and his followers.
- Understanding the introduction and background of Surah Alaq helps to contextualize the significance of this chapter and the transformative impact it had on the early Muslim community. It emphasizes the themes of seeking knowledge, the importance of literacy, and the profound spiritual journey that began with the command to “Read” (Iqra).
Step 2: Recitation and Listening
- We encourage students to listen to a recitation of Surah Alaq to familiarize themselves with the Correct Tajweed.
- We Emphasize correct pronunciation and Tajweed rules during the recitation.
- We provide word-by-word Tajweed and Recitation videos with word meanings
Step 3: Translation and Tafsir (Exegesis)
- We Break down the meaning of each verse, explaining the concepts and ideas conveyed in Surah Alaq. For this purpose, we Read the book ‘My first quran with Pictures’. This book has beautiful infographics that help students understand every verse’s theme.
- We translate the surah into the student’s easy English, ensuring they understand the message being conveyed.
- We Use Tafsir resources or explanations by scholars to provide deeper insights into the context and interpretations of the verses. Islamic education books by Molvi Abdul Aziz have excellent short tafsir for children, which is very easy to read and understand.
Step 4: Reflection and Discussion
- We encourage students to reflect on the lessons and guidance offered in Surah Alaq. For this purpose, we do some practical work. For example, to teach them the importance of creation, we did an activity of seeding. So a been in a glass jar was grown by children. As humans were created by a clot.
- We Facilitate a discussion about the significance of seeking knowledge, the consequences of arrogance, and the importance of humility in their lives. The example is clear, Animals and other creatures have very small knowledge so they can’t change their life. But humans are learning and making big changes in this world just because they have knowledge given by Allah.
Step 5: Memorization
- We Break down Surah Alaq into manageable segments or verses for memorization. We have 2 classes every week. So 1 or 2 verses would be memorized every day. Children get much time to memorise surah during other activities.
- We Teach the memorization of the surah using repetition, recitation practice through videos , and memorization techniques.
- We Emphasize the importance of understanding the meaning of the verses while memorizing them to foster a deeper connection with the surah.
Step 6: Application and Integration
- We encourage students to apply the teachings of Surah Alaq in their daily lives.
- We Discuss practical ways to seek knowledge, practice humility, and avoid arrogance.
- We encourage them to reflect on the lessons of Surah Alaq in their interactions with others, their studies, and their pursuit of personal growth.
Step 7: Revision and Assessment
- We Conduct regular revision sessions to reinforce the memorization of Surah Alaq.
- We Assess students’ understanding of the surah through quizzes, discussions, or written assignments.
- We Provide opportunities for students to recite Surah Alaq in class one by one. Every student gets a chance to recite and participate in reading word meanings and discussions to build confidence in their recitation and memorization skills.
Step 8: Mindmap and Infographic
- We encourage our students to write word meaning with infographics. It helps to remember meanings as image memory power.
- After completing the surah, we also help students to mindmap the theme and lessons of the surah with keywords.
Step 9: Activities.
- We include various activities during our lessons.
- We encourage students to do crafting, drawing, and practicals according to the lessons
- For Surah Alaq we did an activity to grow a seed. It helped students how Allah has created everything.
- Another activity was About making a list of Skills and knowledge of this world.
- We also had an activity about picking all the nouns from the surah and making drawings of nouns, like pen, human, Alaq.
Step 10: Story
- Storytelling is a basic part of our teaching style.
- We have the story Story: “From Arrogance to Humility” to read in our class.
- We collect stories of the creations,
- Stories of Seerat tu Nbi SAW
By following this step-by-step teaching method, students can develop a comprehensive understanding of Surah Alaq, memorize its verses, and internalize its timeless teachings, allowing them to apply its wisdom in their lives.
Resources
My First Quran Picture Book
My First Quran Stories Book
Islamic education By Molvi Abdula Aziz Grade 6
Home Work Photo Gallery
Lectures videos in English
Lectures videos in Urdu
Courses
Quran classes:
We have online quran tajweed, recitation, and Quran Hifz classes for children. One-on-one classes with Qualified teachers.
Quran Tafseer classes:
Short and Easy to understand Quran translation and tafseer will be taught to the young learners. Infographics, mindmaps, work-by-word tajweed and meanings, stories, and duas are included in these classes.
Hadith with Stories course consists of 30 short hadith
It’s a personality development course for children with interesting stories. 30 short hadiths would be taught with stories. We have worksheets to solve after learning hadiths for implications.
Prayer for kids course :
A short course to teach about taharat, Gusal, wudu, times of prayers, number and names of prayers, pillars, conditions of prayer, and method of prayer.
Kindness to Parents:
A 1-week course to teach the rights of parents with practical work. Dua and how to be kind to parents is included in this course.
6 articles on the Muslim faith:
Faiths/Muslim beliefs would be taught one by one with the help of mind maps and stories in the Quran.
Islamic dress code:
Islamic rules of dressing, Aurah/covering body rules, and modesty dressing will be included in this one-week course.
Ramzan Boost course:
1 month before Ramzan we start this course. Everything about fasting rules and supplication with the Ramzan checklist and daily to-do list is included in this course.
Faith boosts course in December to say NO MARYY CHRISTMAS:
Stories of faith by the Quran will be added in this course with basic articles of faith in this course.
Enrolments Available
All courses Are available to start as in one on one classes. Please have a look at our group courses continued here.