TABLE OF CONTENTS LESSON TOPIC AYAH PAGE Introduction Note to Teachers 3:191 1 Lesson 1 The Worlds 1:2 4 Lesson 2 The Heavens 2:117 8 Lesson 3 The Sky 41:12 12 Lesson 4 The Sun 10:5 16 Lesson 5 The Moon 36:39 19 Lesson 6 The Day 36:40 25 Lesson 7 The Night 39:5 29 Lesson 8 The Stars 6:97 33 Lesson 9 Explore Space 55:33 39 References Bibliography - 44 Research & Author: Sajida Somji Reviewed By: Maulana Syed Muhammad Rizvi Acknowledgement: The Al Asr Committee is grateful to all the above Mo’mineen for helping us compile this Manual for the benefit of Teachers, Students and Parents. We are also very thankful to Zakira Tahera Kassamali for providing us with guidance. May Allah reward them for their hard work and dedication in completing this task.
The Al Asr Committee is grateful to all the above Mo’mineen for helping us compile
this Manual for the benefit of Teachers, Students and Parents. We are also very
thankful to Zakira Tahera Kassamali for providing us with guidance. May Allah
reward them for their hard work and dedication in completing this task.
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 1
Note to Teachers
Last year, in Shahru Ramadhan, 1432 H. / 2011, Al Asr Ramadhan began teaching
the topic of “Nature in the Qur’an.” The first Manual in this series on Nature
focused on Living Things that occupy the land, the sky and the seas: Human Beings,
Animals, Insects, Birds and Fishes.
While the Qur’an has a vast number of Ayaat that deal with Nature, this year’s
Program, the second Manual in this series on Nature, is devoted to Astronomy in
the Qur’an: The heavens, universe, planets, sun, moon and stars. We know students
will enjoy learning about Allah’s amazing creation.
Imam Baqir (A.S.) has said: “Observe and examine the creation of Allah.” Through
the verses in this manual, we wish to teach students to ponder and reflect over the
Creator who has made all these wonderful things for us.
We want our students to learn:
a) Nature or creation proves the existence of The Creator; Imam Sadiq’s Hadith Al
Mufaddal is entirely about this (and is quoted in every lesson of this Manual).
b) Nature shows the Perfection, Greatness and Wisdom of Allah, the Fashioner
and Designer of all things that exists; The Qur’an says: “Say: To whom belongs
what is in the heavens and the earth? Say: To Allah;” (6:12)
c) Reflection on nature teaches many lessons to humans; Allah wants us to explore
His creation and learn from it. The Holy Qur’an says: “Most surely in the creation
of the heavens and the earth, and the alternation of the night and the day there
are signs for people who understand.” (3:190)
d) Closeness to nature and an appreciation of it brings closeness to The Creator
and is a form of worship for surely “There is no form of devotion like meditation”
as our Holy Prophet (S) reminds us.
e) That all things in nature worship Allah, whether willingly or not; The Qur’an says:
“And there is not a single thing but glorifies Him with His praise, but you do not
understand their glorification” (17:44)
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 2
Each lesson in the Teacher’s Guide is divided into:
a. A verse (ayah) that students are to memorize if possible - the Student
Manual has an Ayah Chart with images to help student memorize;
b. Tafseer and short explanation of the verse – this section also includes
interesting facts about the topic of that section;
c. The Key Points Box in each lesson has a summary of the Tafseer – the
Student Manual also has the exact Key Points Box found in this Manual;
d. Hadith that talks about the topic;
e. A story relevant to the topic with pictures – the Student Manual also has
the same story;
f. An “Asma ul-Husna” (if the verse contains one) for students to memorize and
derive benefit from. In some lessons which don’t have an Asma ul-Husna in
the verse, students are given the benefit of reciting the Surah (which
contains the verse for that lesson) or a Fun Trivia in the case of one lesson –
again, the Student Manual also has this Asma ul-Husna or Surah Benefit;
g. And lastly, questions you can ask the students that will generate discussion
about the lesson.
Last year, students were taught to recite the following verse before and after
every tafseer class. Please review it this year also.
ف تبارك الله أحسن الخالقين “...so blessed be Allah, the best of the creators.” (Al Mu’minoon, 23:14)
The verse to be recited this year before and after each tafseer class is from
Surah Aal Imraan. In this Surah, after many verses where Allah reminds us how He
created whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, Allah says:
“Those who remember Allah standing and sitting and lying on their sides and reflect on the creation of the heavens and the earth: Our Rabb! You have not created this in vain! Glory be to You; save us then from the punishment of the fire:” (3:191)
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 3
رب نا ما خلقت ه ذا باطلا سبحانك فقنا عذاب النار Our Rabb! You have not created this in vain! Glory be to You; save us from the punishment of the fire. (Aal Imraan, 3:191)
Hence, Allah teaches us a beautiful Du’a in the above verse which we are to recite
upon reflecting on His creation. This year, therefore, students are to learn this
Du’a before and after every tafseer class. We want them to memorize it so that
whenever and wherever they see the beauty of Allah’s creation, their tongues and
their hearts will utter the heartfelt words of the Qur’an:
We thank Allah for His Grace and Help in undertaking this project. We pray for
Allah’s forgiveness for any of our mistakes and shortcomings.
ميع العليم رب نا ت قبل منا إنك أنت الس “Our Rabb! Accept (this service) from us: For You are the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing.” (Al Baqarah, 2:127)
The Al-Asr Committee
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 4
الحمد لله رب العالمين
Lesson 1: The Worlds
All praise is for Allah, the Rabb of the worlds. Surah Al Fatiha, 1:2
Tafseer: Student Discussion
Al-hamdulillah*1 means “Praise is for Allah” and one of Allah’s names is “Al
Hameed” which means “The Praiseworthy.”
Alhamdulillah is the praise that is said for
Allah because He gives us so many blessings
and bounties. It means praise be for Allah or
thanks to Allah. It should be said when waking
up, when finishing food, when you are asked
“How are you?” and whenever we want to
praise or thank Allah for what he has given us.
When we say Alhamdulillah, we are reminding
our self that only Allah gives us what we have.
We shouldn’t ask from other human beings –
because even they get all their needs from
Allah. We should only ask needs from Allah.
There is a beautiful Du’a of Imam Sajjad’s in Sahifa Sajjadiyah where he says
to Allah in The Whispered Prayer of the Thankful (in simple language):
(O Allah) Your favours are many – I cannot understand all the favours,
and my tongue cannot say all of them either So how can I give you enough thanks?
For, when I say “Thank You” to You, O Allah, It requires me to say “Thank You!” again
Just for giving me the ability to say thank you!
Key Points
1. Alhamdulillah means “Praise
is for Allah” (because He
gives us countless blessings).
2. Al-Hameed means “The
Praiseworthy.”
3. Allah, our Rabb, looks after
His creation with love, care,
nurturing and guidance.
4. The Aalameen means the
many worlds that Allah has
made – big and small, seen
and unseen, whether we know
about them or not.
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 5
Rabb is one of the 99 Attributes of Allah - it is very hard to translate “Rabb;”
Some Ulama’ (scholars of Islam) think that there are 12 meanings for the word Rabb and that Rabb may be the Greatest Attribute of Allah (Ismi A’adham). Reciting this name often brings great favours from Allah.
Rabb means Cherisher, Sustainer, and Provider. As soon as Allah wills that
something is created, His Rububiyat begins. The Rabb nurtures the created
being with love, care and never-ending protection, providing all its needs.
In this Ayah, Allah calls Himself the “Rabb ul-aalameen” or the Rabb of the
worlds – we only know about our world which we can touch, see, hear, smell and
taste. But there are many worlds that exist that we cannot see or hear and
some we don’t know anything about. We do know some things about the world of
Fishes, Birds, Animals, Plants and Humans. Inside our bodies, there exists the
world of Virus and Bacteria that we cannot see without a microscope. These
are examples of just the different worlds on our earth. We know about the
world of Jinns and Angels from the Qur’an. In this Ayah, Allah tells us there
are many other worlds that exist – and He is the Rabb of all of them.
*1 NOTE TO TEACHERS: For students over the age of 9, explain the difference between the
words “Alhamdulillah” and “Subhanallah.” When you praise Allah for one particular blessing, it is
called Shukr. When you praise Him for the many bounties given, it is Hamd. Subhanallah is the
praise that is said for Allah because He is deserving of praise, whether He gives us something or
not. To praise Allah in this way is called Tasbih and everything does Tasbih of Allah as the Qur’an
says: “And there is not a single thing (wa in min shay-’in) but glorifies Him (yusabbihu) with His
praise, but you do not understand their glorification (tasbiha-hum).” (17:44)
BACTERIA
SEEN UNDER A
MICROSCOPE الحميد
Al Hameed: The Praiseworthy
a. To understand the nature of creation,
recite this Name of Allah many times.
b. To have good manners and polite
behaviour, recite this Name of Allah
many times.
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 6
Story: The Holy Prophet (S) and the Old Woman
One day, Prophet Muhammad (S)
was walking with his companions
when he saw an old lady working at
a spinning wheel*2. While she was
working, she was praising Allah for
all that He had given her.
The Holy Prophet (S) greeted her
and asked her: “Your faith is
admirable; will you tell me what
made you believe in Allah?”
The woman answered: “O
Messenger of Almighty Allah! If I
do not move my spinning wheel, it
does not spin. If a simple thing like
my spinning wheel cannot turn
without help, how can it be possible
that the whole universe can work
so efficiently by itself?
From the Hadith:
Extracts from Imam Sadiq (A.S.)’s discussion with Mufaddal Ibn Umar, Hadith Al Mufaddal, The Environment (Chapter Four)
Consider the universe together with its sun, moon, stars and zodiac (planets),
which revolve repeatedly in accordance with a definite decree (law) and
judgement to bring about numerous benefits to those living on earth.... Can any
person with a thinking mind think that such a perfect plan and design on which
depends the order and organisation of the universe come about without the
All-Knowing Designer?
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 7
There must be a Great Being running it; someone who controls every atom. The
Great Being can only be Allah, who is the Creator and Master of everything.”
The Holy Prophet (S) was very pleased with the old woman’s reply. Turning to his
companions, he said: “See how this old lady came to know about Allah through such
a fine and simple way. Your faith in Almighty Allah should also be as firm as hers.”
*2NOTE TO TEACHERS:
Show students the picture of the
Spinning Wheel in the page above
(as they may not know what it
means). Also, explain what a
Spinning Wheel does (spins
thread to make yarn – used in
olden times) and give an example
of how a Ferris Wheel (roller
coaster) is run either by a person
or a motor (machine) to make it
relevant to their understanding.
Questions for Student Discussion:
1. Imam Sadiq, in Hadith Al Mufaddal, says that Allah has created the universe for
our benefit. Reflect on this hadith by discussing one thing that is in our universe
and how it has been created for our benefit.
2. What do we learn from the story? (i.e., how does the existence of the universe
prove that Allah created it?)
3. [For older students only:] In Hadith Al Qudsi (conversation/ words of Allah with
Prophets, not part of Qur’an/ Revelation), Allah says: “I have created everything
for you and I have created you for me.” What does Allah mean by that?
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 8
ماوات والرض وإذا قضى أمراا فإنما ي قول له كن ف يكون بديع الس
Lesson 2: The Heavens
Originator of the heavens and the earth, and when He decrees a matter, He only says to it, Be! And it becomes. Surah Al Baqarah, 2:117
Tafseer: Student Discussion
Badeeu’ means the Originator; Allah is the Badee,’ meaning He is the inventor
who designs, creates, begins and brings into existence something out of
nothing; His creation is without any similar example which exists or is copied
and is the first of its kind.
The word “Badee’” is used in this Ayah and
many other Ayaat of the Qur’an to show that
Allah alone is the Designer/ Creator – He
does not need a helper or a son (as some
religions believe) to Create or Rule His
creation.
“Badee’” also means that creating something
does not change or affect Allah in any way.
This Ayah says that when Allah wants to
create something or wants something to
happen, all He has to do is say: “Kun” (“Be!”)
and the creation takes place. Imam Ali
explains about the “Kun!” that it is “not by
voice uttered or sound heard” – which means
that Allah doesn’t speak the words out loud
(He doesn’t need to speak them) – but it is
explained like this in the Qur’an so that we,
human beings, can understand it in our way;
we cannot comprehend how Allah creates.
Key Points:
1. One of Allah’s 99 Asma ul
Husna is “Al Badee’u.”
2. Al Badee’u means Allah is the
Originator – He creates by
Himself from nothing and
without any examples or any
help.
3. When Allah wants to create
something, His command is:
“Kun!” (“Be!”) - and the thing
comes into being.
4. Allah is the Creator of
heavens and earth.
5. The planet earth is just one
planet in our Solar System
and our Solar System is just
one galaxy amongst a billion
other galaxies.
6. “Al-Ardh” is the earth and
“Samawaat” are the galaxies.
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 9
Allah says in the Ayah that He is the Creator of “heavens” and earth. What are
the “heavens” referred to in this verse?
As explained in Lesson 1, Allah is the Rabb of the “Aalameen” (many worlds –
big and small, seen and unseen). In this Ayah, Allah says He created the
heavens and the Earth. The Earth is only one of the planets in the Solar
System.
The Solar System is made up of 8 major planets that revolve around (orbit) our
sun. In addition to major planets, the Solar System also consists of moons,
comets, asteroids, minor planets, dust and gas.
Nearest the sun are 4 fairly small, rocky planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth and
Mars. Beyond Mars is the asteroid belt: a region filled with millions of rocky
objects. On the far side of the asteroid belt are the four giant planets:
Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune. These planets are way larger than Earth.
Other than the eight large planets, our Solar System is made up of over a
hundred worlds, including minor planets and moons.
Our Solar System is just a small part of a galaxy called “The Milky Way.” And
the Milky Way is just one galaxy. There are billions of galaxies.
Allah is the Creator of our planet, the Earth (Al Ardh), and all these galaxies
which the Qur’an calls “Heavens” (Samawaat). Imagine how huge our universe is!
Allah only has to will it all into being – “Kun!” - and the entire “Samawaat” comes
into being! Subhanaka Rabbi! (Glory be to my Rabb!)
بديع ال Al Badee’u: The Originator or
The Designer
a. Recite 1000 times in one go (or
86 times daily for 14 days in a
row) to have your all your Dua’s
(wishes) fulfilled by Allah;
b. Recite regularly to be free from
worries.
OUR SOLAR SYSTEM
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 10
Story: Footprints in the Sand
One day, a man asked Imam Ali: “Is
there a god?” The Imam replied, “Yes,
of course, there is a God.”
The man asked him: “How do you know
there is a god?”
Imam pointed to the sand. There were
footprints in the sand. Imam asked:
“What do these footprints tell you?”
The man said: “A camel walked by here
some time ago.”
Imam asked: “Are you sure it was a
camel? Did you see this camel pass by?”
The man said he had not seen a camel but the footprints*1 were proof that a camel
had passed by because only a camel would leave behind such footprints - they were
camel prints!
From the Hadith:
Abu Shakir asked Imam Sadiq (A.S.):
“Isn’t it a myth that there is Allah? You want us to believe in a thing which
doesn’t exist [and which cannot be perceived by the five senses].”
Imam Sadiq replied: “Abu Shakir, if there was no Allah there would have been
no universe and no you and me. The sentence, “There is no Allah” is
meaningless. The existence of Allah is a must. If attention of Allah is
diverted, even for a moment, from the affairs of the universe to something
else, it would be destroyed. Everything in the universe obeys His laws, which
are permanent and eternal. Because of His Absolute Wisdom and Knowledge,
He could make such wonderful laws which will last forever. Each and every law,
made by Him [Allah] serves some special and useful purpose.”
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 11
The Imam said: “So, when you see the sun, the moon, the stars and all the living
things on earth, doesn’t that tell you that someone has created them all? That
being is Allah.”
*1 NOTE TO TEACHERS:
Show students the picture of the
camel prints as well as the
footprint left behind by a human
being (left). With younger
students, ask if they know what
other animal prints look like.
Discuss how you may not be able
to see Allah but you see the proof
of His existence in His creation.
Questions for Student Discussion:
1. What does Imam Sadiq mean when he tells Abu Shakir that everything in the
universe obeys Allah’s laws? How does the sun or moon obey Allah’s laws, for
example?
2. Can you make your own story to answer the man’s question to Imam Ali: “How do
you know there is a god?” (Pretend your friend at school asked you this question).
3. How does Allah create something?
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 12
ن يا بمصابيح وحفظاا ماء الد وزي نا الس
Lesson 3: The Sky
And We adorned the lower heaven with lamps and (made it) to guard. Surah Al Fussilat, 41:12
Tafseer: Student Discussion
Allah calls heaven “Sama’a” (plural: “Samawaat”). There are many heavens as we
learned in lesson 2. Allah says in the Qur’an there are 7 heavens. Seven in the
Qur’an means “many” and not necessarily the number 7. “Sama’ ad-dunya” is the
lower heaven (the very first layer of heaven, right above the “dunya” or earth).
So, “Sama’ad-dunya” means the sky (or atmosphere) we see above us.
When Allah says “We” in any Ayah in the Qur’an, He does not mean that He
makes something with the help of someone; when Kings talk about themselves,
they say We because they are royal (special). Allah uses “We” the same way.
Allah says in this Ayah that He has “adorned”
the sky – meaning He has made it beautiful for
us. On a cloudless night, when we look up at
the sky, we can see the stars, planets, comets,
etc shining like “masaabeeh” (lamps).
The word “masaabeeh” is plural
of “misbah” meaning “lantern” or
“lamp.” When planets are lit by
the sun, they glitter - just as
the glass on the outside of the
lantern makes the flame look
bright and glittery. Sometimes
we see shooting stars in the sky
– they also glitter.
Allah says the lower heaven is made to
“guard.” Which means that the earth’s
atmosphere protects or guards earth: How?
Key Points
1. The lower heaven (sama’ad-
dunya) is our sky/ atmosphere.
2. Allah refers to Himself as We.
3. Allah has made the sky
beautiful for us.
4. Allah has put “lamps” in the sky.
5. The sky or atmosphere guards
our earth:
a. From meteoroids and
asteroids;
b. From harmful ultraviolet rays
of the sun;
c. It keeps us from freezing or
frying;
d. It regulates temperature and
brings us wind, rain and snow.
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 13
Every day meteoroids enter the Earth's atmosphere. These
are pieces of rocks that are traveling through space. When
they reach the atmosphere, most of them burn up due to the
friction of the air. The ones that don't completely burn up
reach the surface of the earth in a much smaller form. When
they reach the earth we call them meteorites. The
atmosphere protects us from this “space junk” (meteoroids)
that would do damage to us, to our homes, and to the earth.
The earth’s atmosphere protects us from the harmful (ultraviolet) rays of the
sun (which can destroy skin cells and cause skin cancer in human beings).
The atmosphere also keeps us warm. It prevents the heat on earth from
escaping to space. We call this the greenhouse effect. In a greenhouse*1
people grow plants under the protection of glass or plastic which lets the light
come through for the plants to grow, while protecting the plants from cold.
That's the way the atmosphere protects us. Without the blanket of the
atmosphere we might freeze or fry.
Closely related to temperature regulation, the atmosphere also gives us
weather including wind, rain, and snow. The atmosphere provides cool breezes
on a hot day and rain to make the trees and flowers grow.
Allah ends this Ayah by reminding us of two of His Asma Al-Husna; He says:
That is the decree of the Mighty, the All-Knowing (Surah Al-Fussilat, 41:12)
لك ت قدير العزيز العليم ذ
*1 Green House
العليم Al ‘Aleem: The All-Knowing
a. If recited 6 times every day,
knowledge and wisdom increase.
b. If recited a great deal, the light of
Allah illuminates the heart and mind.
c. If recited 6 times after every wajib
salaat, it unravels the secrets of nature.
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 14
Story: The Holy Prophet (S) is Born
Prophet Muhammad (S), the mercy to all
mankind, was born on Friday, the 17th of
Rabi ul Awwal, 29th August 570 A.D..
When Prophet Muhammad (S) was born,
shooting stars were seen in the sky.
A Jew named Joseph came
to Mecca the next day to
ask the Quraysh if a male
child (son) was born to
anyone in their tribe. They
did not know.
Joseph told them that it was written in Pentateuch (the Jewish Holy Book)
that when the last prophet of Allah would be born the devilish forces will
be driven away from the heavens forever. There will appear shooting stars
in the sky.
From the Hadith:
Extracts from Imam Sadiq (A.S.)’s discussion with Mufaddal Ibn Umar, Hadith Al Mufaddal, The Environment (Chapter Four)
Look at the colour of the sky and see how appropriate the design is! This
particular colour is the most appropriate refresher compared with all the
other colours. Even doctors tell people to look at the green hue [green shade]
or on some other darker hue in case of some illness of the eye.
Just see how the Almighty Allah has created the sky with a green colour
inclined to be dark, so as not to cause, by repeated looks, some imperfection
[in the eyesight of people].
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 15
The people of Quraysh then asked around and found out that a son
was born the night before to Abdullah bin Abd Al Muttalib and
Aaminah Bint Wahb.
In the same night, it was reported that
the palace of Kisra (Khosrow) in Persia
(Iran) showed large cracks. Persians
followed the Zoroastrian religion.
Zoroastrians always pray in the fire
temple where a fire is kept burning
continuously and never turned off.
The night Prophet (S) was born, the fire
burning in the temple for a thousand
years went off by itself.
(Source: Qummi)
Questions for Student Discussion:
1. In Lesson 1, Imam Sadiq, in Hadith Al Mufaddal, says that Allah has created the
universe for our benefit. How does the “sama’ ad-dunya” benefit us?
2. Why is the sky blue according to Imam Sadiq? (See Hadith box)
3. What miracles happened on the night the Prophet (S) was born?
Present-day picture of ruins of
palace of Kisra (Khusrow) in Iran
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 16
ره منازل لت علموا عدد مس ضياءا والقمر نوراا وقد هو الذي جعل الشنين والحساب الس
Lesson 4: The Sun
He it is who made the sun a shining brightness and the moon a light and ordained for it phases that you might know the number of years and the accounting. Surah Yunus, 10:5
Tafseer: Student Discussion
The Sun and Moon both shine but their light is not the same as this Ayah says.
Allah calls the light of the sun “dhiaa” (shining
glory) while the moon is simply called “noor”
(light) – In other Ayaat, Allah calls the sun
“wahhaaj” (blazing lamp) or “siraaj” (torch).
It is known by scientists today that the sun is
a star that makes intense heat and light
whereas the moon does not make its own heat
or light – instead it reflects the light of the
sun. The Qur’an explains this difference to
people of all time using simple words like
“dhiaa,” “siraaj” or “wahhaaj” for the sun and
“noor” or “muneer” for the moon.
Allah says in this Ayah that the moon goes
through different stages. We will look at this
in the next lesson in more detail.
The Prophet (S) has said: “I am like the sun
and Ali is like the moon.” [Prophet Muhammad
brought new laws – sun makes its own light and
heat - while Imam Ali continued the rules and
Key Points
1. The sun and moon have different
kinds of light according to the
Qur’an (and also proven by
science).
2. The sun creates its own light and
heat. The Qur’an calls the sun
“dhiaa” (shining brightness),
“Siraaj” (torch) or “Wahhaaj”
(blazing lamp). The sun is the
source of the moon’s light.
3. The moon does not have its own
light – it reflects the light of
the sun. It is called “noor” (light)
or “muneer” (light giving object).
4. The moon goes through different
stages and is useful in calculating
time.
5. Prophet (S) = sun;
Imam Ali = moon
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 17
laws brought by Prophet Muhammad (S) – the sun is the source of the moon’s
light.]
One of the Asma ul-Husna is “Al Khaaliq.” Allah ends this Ayah in the following
words: “Allah did not create it but with Truth.” (Surah Yunus, 10:5).
لك إل بالحق ما خلق الله ذ
From the Hadith:
Extracts from Imam Sadiq (A.S.)’s discussion with Mufaddal Ibn Umar, Hadith Al Mufaddal, The Environment (Chapter Four)
It is with the movement of the sun that one year is complete and a correct estimate
of time is established.
Just see how the sun sheds its light on the world.... If it shone only at one spot of
the earth without changing its place, the benefits of its rays would not penetrate in
all direction due to the interruption of mountains and walls.
It has, therefore, been designed to rise from the East in the morning, to move on
constantly, extending its light from side to side till it goes on to the West to shed
its light on objects which failed to received it in the morning....
[If the sun did not rise from the East and set in the West for even part of the
year] you can imagine the problems - what chance would humans have for survival?
سورة يونسSurah 10: Yunus (Makki, 109 verses)
Those who recite this Surah once every
two or three months, Allah will raise them
on the Day of Judgement with the group
of the favourites of Allah.
The Sun makes its
own heat and light
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 18
Story: The Sun Moves for Imam Ali (A.S.)
One day, Imam Ali was with Prophet Muhammad
(S) when Prophet (S) was recieving revelation
(wahi) from Allah. As usual, when revelation
began, the Prophet (S) felt heavy. He lay his
head down on the thigh of Imam Ali. In respect,
Imam Ali did not move the entire time that the
Prophet’s head was on his thigh so as not to
disturb him while he was recieving revelation.
It was time for the afternoon prayer, Imam Ali could not get up without
disturbing the Prophet (S) who was still recieving revelation. So Imam Ali
recited his Salaah while seated using signs to show rukuu and sujood.
When the revelation finished, the sun had begun to set. Prophet (S) lifted his
head and asked Imam Ali: "Have you missed the afternoon prayer?"
"I could not pray it standing because of your position, Ya Rasulallah, and the
circumstances of hearing revelation which you were in," Imam Ali answered.
The Prophet (S) told Imam Ali to ask Allah to
send the sun back to the place it should be in for
salaat time. Imam Ali prayed to Allah. His du’a was
answered and the sun moved in the sky from the
West - where it was setting – back towards where
it should be for the Afternoon Prayer.
Imam Ali said the Afternoon Prayer at its proper
time. When he was done praying, the sun set again.
Questions for Student Discussion:
1. How is The Prophet (S) like the sun and Imam Ali like the moon?
2. Imam Sadiq tells Abu Shakir that even non living things like the sun worsip
Allah. How does the sun worship Allah? After students respond, read hadith
below. [Imam Sadiq:”… the lifeless and inanimate objects also, with whatever instinct they have, obey Allah and
worship Him. If they did not worship Him, they would not have followed the laws made by Him.”]
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 19
رناه منازل حتى عاد كالعرجون القديم والقمر قد
Lesson 5: The Moon
And (as for) the moon, We have ordained for it phases until it becomes again like an old dry palm branch. Surah Ya Seen, 36:39
Tafseer: Student Discussion
This Ayah describes the “Phases of the Moon.” The Islamic calendar follows
the lunar (moon) calendar.
The calendar used by most countries is the
Gregorian calendar which is based on the solar
(sun) calendar. It uses the movement of the
earth around the sun to mark months. There
are 30 or 31 days per month except February,
which has 28 days (29 days every leap year –
every 4 years). There are 365 days a year in
the solar calendar (366 per leap year). The
solar calendar corresponds with seasons:
Spring, summer, autumn/ fall and winter.
Christians use the solar calendar and the year
is marked from the time when Prophet Isa was
born. So we are in the year 2012 A.D, (Anno Domini – Latin for “Year of the Lord Jesus
Christ.”). Sometimes C.E. is used, meaning
Christian Era. Whatever occurred before
Prophet Isa’s birth is B.C. (Before Christ).
The lunar calendar marks time as the moon orbits around the earth. There are
29 or 30 days in each lunar month, depending on the sighting of the crescent
moon. The total days in the lunar calendar are 354; the lunar calendar is 11
days shorter than the solar calendar. The Islamic Hijri Calendar is purely lunar.
Key Points
1. The solar calendar corresponds
with the 4 seasons (12 months)
2. It takes 365 days for the earth
to orbit the sun
3. Solar calendar used by most
countries today. Years marked
from birth of Prophet Isa. Today
is 2012 A.D. (Gregorian Calendar)
4. Muslims follow the lunar calendar.
Years marked from the time
Prophet (S) did Hijra from Mecca
to Madina. Today is 1433 A.H.
5. The lunar calendar is 11 days
shorter than the solar calendar
6. The lunar calendar depends on the
8 Phases of the Moon – i.e., The
way the moon is seen from earth
as it orbits around the earth
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 20
We learned in the previous lesson that the moon reflects the light of the sun
(and doesn’t have its own light). As the moon orbits around the earth,
observers on earth get to see only that part of the moon that is lit by the sun.
These are called “The Phases of the Moon” and there are 8 of them as follows:
1. The First Phase: The New Moon - The moon is not visible from earth.
2. The Second Phase: The Waxing Crescent - The right part of the moon is visible
in the shape of a crescent.
3. The Third Phase: The First Quarter - Half of the moon is visible (right side).
4. The Fourth Phase: The Waxing Gibbous - More than half of the moon is visible.
5. The Fifth Phase: The Full Moon - The moon is completely lit by the sun.
6. The Sixth Phase: The Waning Gibbous - More than half of the moon is visible
(on the left side). This is the opposite of the Waxing Gibbous (fourth phase).
7. The Seventh Phase: The Last Quarter or Third Quarter - Half of the moon is
visible (left side). This is opposite of the First Quarter (third phase).
8. The Eighth Phase: The Waning Crescent - The left part of the moon is visible in
the shape of a crescent. Opposite of the Waxing Crescent (second phase).
The Cycle is thus complete and begins all over again. This takes 29 or 30 days.
Fun Homework: Go to: http://www.islamicity.com/PrayerTimes/hijriconverter1aPartner.htm and figure out what your Islamic Birthday is. Find the Islamic Birthday for your family too! Please note, this works best on Internet Explorer.
The Phases of the Moon for July, 2012 (Part of Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H.)
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 23
Story: The Moon Splits in two
Surah Al-Qamar (The Moon) begins
with the words: “The hour has drawn near and the moon is cleft asunder.”
The unbelievers of the tribe of
Quraysh and the Jews of that time
challenged Prophet Muhammad (S)
to prove to them that he really was
the Messenger of Allah by showing
them a miracle. The Prophet asked
them what they wanted to see.
They told him they wanted to see
the full moon split into two pieces.
The Prophet (S) pointed to the
moon with his index finger.
From the Hadith:
Extracts from Imam Sadiq (A.S.)’s discussion with Mufaddal Ibn Umar, Hadith Al Mufaddal, The Environment (Chapter Four)
There is a sign revealed by the Almighty Allah in the creation of the moon -
a fine sign. People in general calculate months on its basis, but the year is
not correctly established by it. Its motion does not comprehend the
changes of season or the times of the blossoming and the ripening of the
crops. That is why lunar months and years differ from solar months and
years. The lunar months change, so that sometimes the same month has
reference to the summer and sometimes to winter. So is the case with
other months. For example, the month of Muharram may occupy a period in
summer sometimes, in the rainy season at other times and in winter at yet
another time. This shows that the lunar and solar months continue to
change and do not correspond to each other.
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 24
The full moon split into two! The two pieces moved far apart from each other.
People were amazed to see one piece on one side of the mountain and the other
piece on the other side of the mountain. The two pieces then returned and the
moon became one full moon again. Prophet (S) turned to the Quraysh and the Jews
and said: “Be witnesses!”
The Jews who saw this miracle became Muslims. However, from the ignorant people
of the Quraysh, Abu Jahl – the father of ignorance – said: “This is just magic.”
Questions for Student Discussion:
1. Imam Sadiq, in Hadith Al Mufaddal, says that the lunar calendar changes
(sometimes Muharram or Shahru Ramadhan is in summer and sometimes in winter).
Why do you think that is so? How does it show Allah’s justice and mercy [in relation
to fasting in the month of Ramadhan]? [We fast in different seasons so sometimes our
fasts will be long till 9 p.m. (summer) and sometimes short till 4.30 p.m. (winter)]
2. When will Shahru Ramadhan end? [When the New Moon of Shawwal is sighted.]
3. What do you notice about the shape of the palm branch (see picture above) –
why does Allah compare the moon to an old, dry palm branch? Which phase of the
moon does that refer to?
4. What symbol for Islam is on a masjid dome or minaret? Is it a waxing crescent
or waning crescent? Why? [Show student the picture below. Waxing Crescent on minaret to
symbolize new crescent moon because Muslims follow lunar calendar & new moon = new lunar month].
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 25
هار مس ينبغي لها أن تدرك القمر ول الليل سابق الن وكل في ل الش ف لك يسبحون
Lesson 6: The Day
Neither the sun is permitted that it overtakes the moon and nor can the night outstrip the day; And all float, each in an orbit. Surah Ya Seen, 36: 40
Tafseer: Student Discussion
The earth has two movements: It spins (like a top) and it orbits around the sun.
Looking down from the North Pole, the earth
spins in a counter-clockwise direction on an
imaginary line called its axis once every 24
hours (giving us day and night). That is why
the sun rises in the east and sets in the west.
From the North Pole, we would see that the
earth also orbits the sun in a counter-
clockwise motion, coming to the same position
among the stars every 365 earth days (or 1
year). This gives us the four seasons.
From the North Pole, we would also see that the
Key Points:
1. The earth takes 365 days to
revolve (orbit) around the
sun, giving us four seasons
2. The earth also rotates on its
own axis once every 24
hours giving us day and
night, sunrise and sunset
3. The moon also orbits the
earth as discussed in Lesson
5 (giving us the 8 Phases)
4. The sun has its own orbit
5. People in Prophet
Muhammad’s time thought
the earth stood still and the
sun moved around it
6. The Qur’an told the people
of that time that the sun,
earth and moon all orbit in a
perfect way as Allah has
planned and designed
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 26
moon orbits the earth in a counter-clockwise motion. That is why we can see
the Phases of the Moon (as discussed in Lesson 5). This movement of the moon
around earth also affects tides (giving us high during full moon or low tides).
During Prophet Muhammad’s time, astronomers all over the world, including in
Arabia, believed that the earth was the center of the universe and stood still
while the sun rotated around it. They also believed the earth was flat. The
Qur’an revealed this Ayah and Ayah 21:33 that the sun, moon and earth all have
their own orbits. This was a shocking Ayah for people of that time. Today,
scientists have shown that the sun, moon and earth all move and all of them
have their own orbit. We also know the earth is not flat, it is round!
In this Ayah, Allah also points to the fact that since the creation of earth, day
and night follow a pattern: One comes after the other. The sun always rises in
the east and sets in the west. Winter is always followed by spring and then
summer and then autumn or fall. Allah has made a perfect system for us.
Orbit of planet Earth
around the sun (black
arrow) and orbit of the
moon around the Earth
(gray arrow)
سورة يسSurah 36: Ya Seen (Makki, 83 verses)
Known as the Heart of the Qur’an
1. Whoever recites Surah Ya Seen for
the pleasure of Allah, all their sins will
be forgiven and they will be given
reward equal to reciting the Qur’an 12
times.
2. Keeping this Surah in one’s possession
as ta’widh protects one from the
jealousy of people. It also acts as a
cure from disease.
3 Imam Ja’far as-Sadiq says: Whoever
recites this Surah in the morning will
be protected from all problems during
the day and whoever recites it at
night will be protected from Shaytan
by 70,000 angels.
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 27
Story: Prophet Ibrahim (A.S.)’s Lesson
Azar was an *1astrologer. He also
made idols that represented
different gods. Namrud often asked
for Azar’s advise.
Prophet Ibrahim lived in Azar's
house, since Azar was his uncle.
Prophet Ibrahim called Azar: "My
father" (as a sign of respect since
he was living in Azar’s house).
Allah blessed Prophet Ibrahim with
great intelligence. He had a pure
heart and was a Prophet of Allah. He
did not believe in idols. He was
amazed to find people worshipping
either nature or idols (which they
had made with their own hands). He
knew that Allah was greater than
those idols. He wanted to teach
people that they were wrong to worship anyone other than Allah. But he did not
want to just tell them - he wanted to show them so they would really understand.
From the Hadith:
Extracts from Imam Sadiq (A.S.)’s discussion with Mufaddal Ibn Umar, Hadith Al Mufaddal, The Environment (Chapter Four)
Just consider the relative hours of the day and night.... Do you know that if
days were extended to a hundred or two hundred hours, animal and plant life
would have perished? Such a long interval without rest and comfort would have
killed the animals, while four-legged animals would have continued grazing on.
People, too, would have continued to work on without stopping, thus harming
their life. Plant life [also] would have dried up under the prolonged effect of
heat of the daytime.
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 28
When it got dark, Prophet Ibrahim went to the city. The people who worshipped
the planet Venus humbly looked at the sky where Venus was twinkling brightly.
They thought that Venus was their god, and that it supplied them with their
livelihood and gave them blessings. They prayed to Venus.
In the meantime, while Venus was shining in the sky and people were praying to it,
the moon was also shining in the sky with its silvery light. Prophet Ibrahim stood
besides the worshippers as Venus began to fade and said: "The moon is my god!”
As night began to turn to day, the moon could no longer be seen in the sky for the
sun shone. Prophet Ibrahim said: “The sun is greater than the moon! It is god.”
Some people said to each other: "Perhaps, he is right as the sun gives us benefits."
Again, day turned to evening and the sun set. Prophet Ibrahim looked at the night
sky and said: "I am going to stop worshipping the sun also, for it sets and the true
god should not set!”
The people said: “You worshipped the moon, then you
worshipped the sun and now you say that you don’t even
worship the sun. So, what do you worship?”
Prophet Ibrahim said: “I worship the One God who
created Venus, the moon, the sun, the earth and all of us.
I worship Allah, the Creator of everything!"
*1 NOTE TO TEACHERS: Someone who predicts the future by the position of the planets,
sun and moon is an Astrologer. Astrology is haram as only Allah knows the future.
Questions for Student Discussion:
1. Why did Prophet Ibrahim pretend to worship Venus, the sun and moon?
2. What does Imam Sadiq say about daytime – why did Allah assign a certain
number of hours to the day? What would happen if we had very long days?
The people who worshipped Venus turned to him and
asked him: "Why have you chosen the moon as your god?"
Prophet Ibrahim said: "Venus has set so it is not a true
god; god should not set!"
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 29
هار على الليل ر الن هار ويكو ر الليل على الن مس والقمر يكو ر الش وسخى كل يجري لجل ار مسم أل هو العزيز الغف
Lesson 7: The Night
He coils the night over the day and coils the day over the night; and He has made subservient the sun and the moon; each running for an assigned term. Surely He is the Mighty, the Forgiver. Surah Zumar, 39:5
Tafseer: Student Discussion
Allah uses the word “yukawwir” to explain how night turns to day and day turns
to night. Yukawwir comes from the word “kawwara” which means to coil or wind.
Astronauts have described and photographed the
earth from the moon as day turns to night and
night turns to day.
The sun permenantly lights
up one half of the earth
that is facing it. This half
of earth is in daytime. The
part not facing the sun is in
shadow – that shadowed
part of earth is in night
time.
Earth keeps rotating on its axis and so from
space, it looks exactly as if day coils into night
and night coils into day as the Qur’an says!
Allah says He has made the sun and moon
subservient – which means they follow the
command of Allah and obey Him (i.e., they follow
the laws of Allah).
Key Points
1. When astronauts see the
earth’s day and night from
space, it looks like day is
coiling into night and night
is coiling into day – as the
Qur’an says in this Ayah
2. The sun and moon obey
Allah’s commands
3. The sun and moon both have
a specific time in their
present form and then they
will no longer be as they are
now
4. Scientists say the sun as we
know it today will cool down
when it is 10 billion years
old – as other suns known as
“the white dwarf” have
done so in the past
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 30
This Ayah says the sun and the moon have “an assigned term” – which means
they are there for a specific period of time - and that time will come to an end.
Modern Astrophysicists say the sun is about 4.5 billion years old today. A star
the size of the sun will burn out by the time it is 10 billion years old before it
cools off as observed in other stars like the “white dwarf” star.
Science believes that the Solar System, including the sun, will not be the same
in a few billion years. Scientists predict that the sun as well as the Solar
System will run its “assigned term” and then come to an end as the Qur’an says.
In this Ayah, Allah calls Himself “Al ‘Azeez” (The Mighty) and “Al Ghaffaar”
(The Forgiver). These two are very special attributes of Allah (Asma ul-Husna).
From the Hadith:
Extracts from Imam Sadiq (A.S.)’s discussion with Mufaddal Ibn Umar, Hadith Al Mufaddal, The Environment (Chapter Four)
Just consider the relative hours of the day and night.... If the night had been
made longer, all species of living beings would have been prevented from moving
about and finding nourishment resulting in starvation. The plants would have
lost their vital heat, delayed and died, just as you see those plants which are
placed so as to receive little sunshine [also dying].
The White Dwarf Star as seen from
The Hubble Telescope in space ار الغفAl Ghaffaar: The Forgiver
a. Recite to cool down your anger.
b. Recite 100 times after Salaat Al
Jumua’h for forgiveness of
previous week’s faults.
c. Recite to have your sins forgiven.
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 31
Story: The Best Sleep Imam Ali (A.S.) Ever had
People visiting the idols hanging on the Kaaba did a lot of shopping in
Mecca and made the Quraysh rich. How dare Prophet Muhammad say the
idols were useless and that there was only one god, Allah, who couldn’t be
seen?! So, they secretly decided to call a representative from every
tribe to kill the Prophet (S) so that he would no longer spread Islam and
stop people from worshipping the idols hanging on the Kaaba.
At midnight the enemies of Islam
surrounded the house of Prophet
Muhammad. But Allah was the supporter
and protector of His beloved Prophet.
Allah already informed the Prophet (S)
about this secret plot. He was given the
command to journey from Mecca to
Medina and live in Medina from then on.
This event would be known as Hijrah
(migration) and the Islamic Calendar
would begin from that date.
On the night of Hijrah, Prophet Muhammad left his house to begin his
journey. As he came out of the house he threw some sand towards the
men who were waiting to kill him and recited the following verse of Surah
Ya Seen: "And We have made before them a barrier and a barrier behind them, then We have covered them over so that they do not see." (36:9)
Because of this, the men surrounding his house did not see the Prophet
(S) pass by. It was as if they became blind for a moment!
So that the enemies would be tricked into believing that the Prophet
(S) was still at home, the Prophet asked Imam Ali to sleep in his bed.
This was a dangerous thing for Imam Ali to do because the enemies
could easily come in and kill him thinking the Prophet was in his bed.
But Imam Ali loved the Prophet (S) and was happy to help him.
On his way out of Mecca, the Prophet (S) met Abu Bakr who asked if he could go
with him also. The Prophet took him. The Prophet knew that his enemies would soon
find out that they had been tricked and they would track him down. So, he
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 32
"And among mankind is he who sells his nafs (self) in exchange for the pleasure of Allah."
sheltered in the cave of Thawr. Allah commanded a pigeon to build a nest and lay
eggs right at the entrance of the cave and a spider to spin its web across the
opening of the cave after the Prophet (S) entered the cave.
Back at the Prophet’s house, the enemies looked in
the house. They saw Prophet Muhammad in bed,
covering himself with his blanket. They rushed in,
swords drawn and ready. But instead of the Prophet,
they were surprised to find Imam Ali fast asleep in
the Prophet’s bed. They were enraged. They asked
Imam Ali: “Where is Muhammad?”
Imam Ali told them that the Prophet (S) had left the city.
They sent someone to track Prophet Muhammad. The expert
tracker followed the footsteps to the opening of the cave
but when he saw the undisturbed nest with the eggs in it
and the unbroken web the spider had spun, he knew that no
one could have entered the cave. So, the tracker turned
back without entering the cave.
Prophet Muhammad then continued on his
journey and reached Yathrib safe. Yathrib
exploded in joy and celebration and was
renamed Madinat un-Nabi or the City of the
Prophet. Today, we call it Madina. Masjidun
Nabawi is in Madina.
About that night, Imam Ali says he had the best sleep! Allah was so pleased with
Imam Ali for sleeping in the Prophet’s bed that night – while endangering his own
life – that a verse was revealed in Imam Ali’s honour in Surah Al Baqarah (2:207):
Questions for Student Discussion:
1. Imam Sadiq, in Hadith Al Mufaddal, says to consider the length of night time.
What would happen if the night was very long?
2. How does the sun and moon obey Allah’s command as the Ayah says?
3. What do we learn from the story?
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 33
هو الذي جعل لكم النجوم لت هتدوا بها في ظلمات الب ر والبحر قد فصلنا اآليات لقوم ي علمون
Lesson 8: The Stars
It is He Who made the stars that you may guide yourselves with them through the darkness of the land and the sea; Certainly, We have made clear the signs for a people who know. Surah An’am, 6:97
Tafseer: Student Discussion
Allah says in this Ayah that he has made stars as guides for human beings.
Some commentators of the Qur’an say that “stars” in this verse refers to the
Ahlul Bayt (A.S.) who guide us.
When you look at the night sky you can see
many beautiful stars. If you are away from
the bright city lights - for example if you are
camping - you may see thousands of stars. You
may even be able to see part of the Milky
Way. In a big city like ours, the lights create a
glow in the sky and the stars are hard to see.
There are several different kinds of stars in
the sky. Some are very big. A couple of stars
have been found that are 100 to 200 times
larger than the sun! Some very old stars are
smaller than the planet Earth.
Does your car have a Global Positioning
System, or GPS unit? This amazing machine
can tell you where you are going or how to get
somewhere while traveling.
Key Points
1. Stars in this verse refers
to the Ahlul Bayt as our
guides
2. Today we use GPS systems
or a compass to tell
direction and travel
3. Stars were used to guide
travellers in the past
before the GPS or
compass was invented
4. Travel using the stars was
called Wayfaring
5. The North Star in the
constellation “Little
Dipper or Little Bear”
points to the North Pole
6. Two of the stars in the
“Southern Cross” point to
the South Pole
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 34
Most modern travel – whether by boat, car, plane or train – makes use of the
GPS machine, which takes its information from satellites to tell your location.
How did people in the past travel when they did not have GPS or even a
compass to tell direction? They used stars as Allah says in this Ayah.
The Polynesians, for example, travelled
thousands of miles through the Pacific
Islands using celestial (sky) navigation
called “Wayfaring.” Wayfaring means
using information about the position of
the stars, sun, moon, planets as well as
wind direction to know which way to go.
They built boats with a system of
rungs that would line up with the main
stars on the horizon for the navigator
to tell direction. It took many years to
train a navigator to use Wayfaring.
This very accurate system of rungs is
called the Hawaiian Star Compass.
There are several stars that are important for travel, depending on where you
want to go. The most famous navigational stars are the North Star, called
Polaris, and the Southern Cross. The North Star (Polaris) is a part of the
constellation Ursa Minor, commonly known as the Little Dipper or Little Bear.
The Southern Cross is a constellation of four stars called Crixa, two of which
point towards the celestial south pole.
سورة النعامSurah 6: Surah An’am -
The Cattle (Makki, 165 Verses)
Write with saffron and wash
with water. Then drink the
water. You will become free
from all illness, Insha Allah.
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 35
Story: The Stars Prostrate to Prophet Yusuf (A.S.)
Prophet Yaqub had two wives and twelve sons. Prophet Yusuf and Benyamin had the
same mom whereas the ten older brothers were from a different mom. Prophet
Yusuf’s ten half brothers were always jealous of him because he was handsome,
kind and smart. They thought Prophet Yusuf was their father’s favourite child.
When Prophet Yusuf was nine years old, he dreamt that eleven stars along with the
sun and the moon were prostrating. When he woke up, he related the dream to his
father. Prophet Yaqub realized that the dream was describing that Prophet Yusuf
From the Hadith:
Extracts from Imam Sadiq (A.S.)’s discussion with Mufaddal Ibn Umar, Hadith Al Mufaddal, The Environment (Chapter Four)
Just as the Pleiades*1 were ordained to appear and disappear at different
times for particular benefits to people, similarly the constellation of the
Bear has been ordained...never to disappear, as it has an aim to serve, as a
sign-post for people to seek their way through the unknown paths amidst
forest and oceans. As the stars of this constellation are ever in view, people
look to them immediately when they need to know the path for any direction.
The stars are just bright enough to give light in the absence of the moon
and to enable us to move about in their glimmer. People sometimes need to
journey at night, and in the absence of their glow, they would have found it
difficult to find their way.
*1 Note to Teachers: Pleiades is a cluster of more than 300 stars in the constellation
Taurus, several of which are blue-white giants visible to the naked eye on a clear night.
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 36
would be powerful in the future. Prophet Yaqub was afraid that if Prophet Yusuf’s
brothers came to know of the dream, they would envy him more. So, he told
Prophet Yusuf not to tell his brothers about the dream.
But as time passed, Prophet Yusuf’s brothers disliked him even more.
Whenever the brothers took their goats out for grazing
they would ask their father if Prophet Yusuf could
accompany them. Prophet Yaqub always refused, saying that
the boy was too young and might get hurt in some way.
When Prophet Yusuf reached the age of sixteen, his
brothers insisted that he was now old enough to accompany
them. Prophet Yaqub did not want Prophet Yusuf to go with
his brothers but they promised they would take care of him
and keep him safe. Prophet Yaqub reluctantly let Yusuf go.
Prophet Yusuf loved his brothers and was very happy to go with them. However, as
soon as they were far away from the house, his brothers began to yell at him and
hit him. At first, Prophet Yusuf asked them why they were hurting him – he did not
believe they really meant to harm him. Soon, however, he realized that his
brothers truly disliked him and wanted to hurt him.
At first, the brothers planned to kill Prophet Yusuf. But one
of the brothers suggested that instead of killing him, they
should throw him into a well where he would die of hunger.
So, they took Prophet Yusuf’s white shirt and threw him in a
well. They bloodied the shirt with sheep blood so they could
tell their father a wolf had eaten their brother Yusuf and
show the shirt as proof.
When Prophet Yaqub heard this, he knew his sons were
lying to him because Prophet Yusuf’s bloodstained shirt
did not have a single rip in it. How could a wolf eat Yusuf
and not tear Yusuf’s shirt at all? Prophet Yaqub accepted
this test with patience and prayers. However, he missed
Yusuf a lot and cried so much that in time, he lost his
eyesight.
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 37
In the meantime, travellers stopped at the well where
Prophet Yusuf was lying down, hungry and hurt. They went
to draw water from the well and Prophet Yusuf held on to
their bucket. He was, thus, rescued from the well. He was
taken to Egypt and sold as a slave at the market.
Everyone wanted to buy Prophet Yusuf because he was very good looking. But the
Aziz (Governor) of Egypt offered the most silver for him and so he bought Prophet
Yusuf. He took the handsome young boy to the Pharoah’s palace to his wife,
Zulaikha. He told Zulaikha they would adopt Yusuf as a son.
Many years later, when all the wise men of the king couldn’t
figure out what the Pharaoh’s dream meant, Prophet Yusuf
correctly interpreted the dream because he was a Prophet of
Allah and the miracle given to him was interpreting dreams.
He said the Pharaoh’s dream meant that Egypt would
have seven years when the land would grow a lot of
crops followed by seven years when there would be
drought in the land. He suggested the people of
Egypt make good use of the first seven years and
grow and store their food for the hard times ahead.
The Pharaoh was impressed by this young man’s wisdom. At the age of thirty,
Prophet Yusuf was made the Aziz of Egypt in charge of distributing food to the
people of Egypt during the seven years of abundance followed by drought.
The famine also extended to the lands of Palestine and Kanaan where Prophet
Yaqub lived with his sons. One day he called them and said, “My sons! We are in
great distress due to the famine. You should go to the al-Aziz of Egypt whose
reputation as a kind and just person has spread everywhere in the country. Leave
Benyamin with me so that I am not lonely.”
As commanded by their father, the brothers of
Prophet Yusuf set off for Egypt to purchase grain
and bring it back to the family in Kanaan.
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 38
Prophet Yusuf was a powerful man. He wore the royal
uniform. Guards and soldiers surrounded him. He held the
keys to the wheat stores of the King of Egypt. His
brothers did not recognize him. When they saw the Al-
Aziz (Prophet Yusuf), they bowed to him respectfully.
Prophet Yusuf recognized them immediately.
Prophet Yusuf told his brothers who he was and they asked to be forgiven for
their meanness. He asked them to bring his whole family from Kanaan. When his
parents, his brother Benyamin and his ten half-brothers came back to Egypt, they
all prostrated to Allah in thankfulness for reuniting the family.
This is how Prophet Yusuf’s dream about the eleven stars along with the sun and
the moon prostrating came true. After many trials, Almighty Allah raised him from
the position of a slave to the highest rank in the land and gave him power to punish
his brothers for their evil – but this great Prophet chose to forgive his brothers
and invited his family to come and live with him.
Prophet Yusuf raised his hands and thanked Allah
for all His blessings as the Qur’an says (12:101):
“My Rabb, You have given me the kingdom and taught me of the interpretation of sayings. Creator of the heavens and the earth, You are my Guardian in this world and the hereafter. Make me die a Muslim and join me with the good.”
Prophet Yaqub (who is also known as Israel) settled in Egypt with his family, and
their clan came to be known as the Bani Israel (Children of Israel). The entire
story of Prophet Yusuf is narrated in Surah Yusuf (Surah 12 of the Holy Qur’an).
Questions for Student Discussion:
1. What is Wayfaring?
2. What are the many lessons we learn from the story of Prophet Yusuf (A.S.)? [Miracle of dream interpretation given to Prophet Yusuf, jealousy and its effects,
importance of family, not misusing power or authority if you are given that by Allah,
forgiveness, thankfulness, patience with Allah’s decree, etc]
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 39
ماوات نس إن استطعتم أن تنفذوا من أقطار الس يا معشر الجن والل تنفذون إل بسلطان والرض فانفذوا
Lesson 9: Explore Space
O Assembly of the jinn and the human! If you are able to pass through the regions of the heavens and the earth, then pass; you cannot pass except with power. Surah Rahman, 55:33
Tafseer: Student Discussion
In this Ayah, Allah challenges us: Explore earth and explore space!
In the time of Prophet (S) when human beings
were still using camels, horses and mules for
transport, Allah sent this challenge – how hard
it must have been for people of that time to
even imagine space travel. They would surely
have thought it impossible!
The word “tanfudhu” is used in this verse –
“nafadha” means to penetrate and come out on
the other side (like a needle passes through a
cloth and comes out on the other side). This is
exactly what space travel involves.
This verse says “if you are able to pass
through” - the Arabic word for “if” in this
Ayah is “إن” (in-is-ta-ta’tum). In Arabic, when
the word “إن” is used, it means the challenge
given is achievable. So, this Ayah doesn’t mean
“if” in the sense “let’s see if you can do it.”
Instead, it actually means “you will be able to achieve this if you try hard.”
Key Points
1. Challenge given to explore the
regions of earth and to
explore space
2. Challenge given in the time of
the Prophet (S) when people
had not even discovered the
car or the train, let alone
space shuttles!
3. “Tanfudhu” means to
penetrate and come out on
the other side – like a needle
goes through cloth
4. Allah assures that space
travel is possible if humans
(and jinns) use authority
(sultan) given
5. Power through knowledge and
exploration
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 40
And how can you try hard? The answer is given – “you cannot pass through but
with authority (illa bi sultan)” - This means you need to educate and explore and
experiment so you can have power.
What should we educate ourselves about?
All the things that we learned in the past few lessons; i.e.,the laws of physics
that Allah has made to govern the universe so perfectly. For example:
There are many worlds – seen, unseen, microscopic and huge
The sun is a blazing lamp, having its own light while the moon reflects the
light of the sun (i.e., the sun is the source of the moon’s light)
The moon goes through phases and when the moon completes its orbit
around the earth, we have a lunar year
The earth rotates on its axis once every 24 hours giving us night and day
The earth revolves around the sun every 365 days giving us seasons
That the earth and sun and moon swim in their orbits as do planets
Can you think of other lessons you have learned from the Qur’an?
Space Shuttle Atlantis Liftoff (right)
and a Lunar Roving Vehicle (left)
سورة الرحمنSurah 55 – Surah Rahman:
The Beneficent (Makki, 78 Verses)
Knowns as the Bride of the Qur’an
a. Cures eye problems
b. Allah appoints an angel to
safeguard the recite
c. If written on a wall, it keeps
pests away from the house
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 41
From the Hadith:
Extracts from Imam Sadiq (A.S.)’s discussion with Mufaddal Ibn Umar, Hadith Al Mufaddal, The Environment (Chapter Four)
If someone says that mere chance
has brought this [universe] about,
why does he not say that same thing
in connection with the Persian-wheel*1
which he sees revolving, irrigating a
garden planted with trees and
vegetation? He sees all its component
parts manufactured according to a
definite plan, each part coupled with
the other on a pattern to serve the
needs of the garden and its contents.
...In the case of a wooden
Persian-wheel, will he deny that
it is a piece of workmanship
planned and designed – and yet
will be able to say that this
stupendous universe which is full
of projects beyond human
understanding, functioning for
the entire earth's surface and
its contents, has come into being
by mere chance without Skill,
Design or Measure?
*1 Persian water wheel is an irrigation machine made of wood used to get water
out of a well to water a garden. It is a system of a chain of buckets slung
around a vertical wheel, which is turned by cogs and interlocking wheels
powered by an ox or bull. This machine was used in the past. Later on, it was
modified and a metal wheel was used. Today, there are some villages in Pakistan
that still use this machine to irrigate their gardens or fields.
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 42
Story: The Holy Prophet (S) Journeys to the Heavens
It was the 27th of Rajab. The Prophet (S) was finishing the Night Prayer in the
house of Umm Hani, Imam Ali’s sister and the Prophet’s cousin. Angel Jibraeel paid
him a visit. He was asked to accompany the angel on a special visit to the heavens.
It has been narrated from Shaykh Saduq (in the book, Amali), Imam Sadiq said:
"When the Prophet along with
Jibraeel mounted on Buraq - one of
the horses of Paradise - to go on
the Me'raj, they first went to Bait
al-Muqaddas. The Mehrab (prayer
Niche) of the previous Prophets
was shown to the Holy Prophet, and
he also performed Salaah there.”
Some narrators say the Prophet did
not go to Bait Al-Muqaddas in
Jerusalem – instead Bait al-Muqaddas
is the “farthest masjid” in heaven.
Angel Jibraeel accompanied the
Prophet (S) on this journey from
earth to Sidrat al-Muntaha (the place
in the seventh heaven beyond which
even Angel Jibraeel is not allowed to
go). From there, Prophet went alone.
During Me’raj, the Prophet (S) saw many different angels, heaven and hell.
It is on this visit that the Prophet (S) met many of the other Prophets who came
before him, including Prophet Isa, Yahya, Haroon, etc. When the Prophet returned
from this journey, he gave the order from Allah to all Muslims that from then on,
the Five Daily Prayers were wajib on all Muslims.
Shahru Ramadhan, 1433 A.H. / July, 2012 Page 43
The Me’raj is one of the most amazing journeys recorded in the Qur’an in Surah Al
Israa (17:1)
“Glory be to Him Who made His servant to go on a night from the Sacred Mosque
(Masjid Al-Haraam) to the farthest mosque (Masjid al-Aqsa) of which We have
blessed the precincts, so that We may show to him some of Our signs; surely He is
the Hearing, the Seeing.”
Questions for Student Discussion:
1. What is Imam Sadiq trying to say in Hadith Al Mufaddal when he gives
the example of the Persian wheel?
2. Who does Allah give authority to when it comes to space exploration?
3. Over time, as we gained knowledge what inventions have human
beings achieved when it comes to transportation? [See chart]
