30 Days of Giving

Obtain a list from the local food bank of items they are in need of. Use the month of Ramadhan to gather one item each day, gifting it on Eid to help those in need.

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Let Your Goodness Shine

Learning Objective:

- To understand how living like Imam Husayn shows in having beautiful manners that shine brightly to everyone around us. 

The names Hassan and Husayn come from the word hasana which means to be beautiful, to be good. Allah sent us Imams as examples to help us in our special mission on Earth; to beautify ourselves and everything around us by filling the world with good in everything we say and do. 

By going to mosque and listening to lectures, we learn about the Qur’an and Ahlulbayt. We are reminded of what we believe in, and how we should behave everyday. Living like Imam Husayn shows in having beautiful manners that shine brightly to everyone around us. When Imam Mahdi (atf) reappears, he will choose helpers who are shining brightest!

Activity: Glow Stick Flag

1. Hold up a dull, unactivated glow stick. Talk about what things we can say and do to make our goodness shine. 

2. As each child offers a suggestion, make a small break in the stick until eventually it glows all over.

3. Have the children fill out 3 ways they can make their manners shine bright.

4. Attach the glow sticks 
5. Switch off the lights and wave flags proudly while chanting 'Labbayk Ya Husayn'.

Activity: Operation Goodness

Activity: Be a Spark in the Dark

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Be A Spark In The Dark

Even after all the hardship, suffering and wrong done by Yazid, the goodness of Imam Zainul Abideen and Lady Zainab continued to shine. They showed people what beautiful manners they had in the way they spoke and behaved.

It doesn't matter how dark it becomes, you can still see the light. It doesn't matter how bad people around you may be or what mean words they may say, nothing and no one can stop you from being and doing good. Nothing can stop your goodness from shining bright!

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Wrinkled Heart

Learning Objective:
- Understand how different words feel differently when spoken. 
- Understand the effect of hurtful words as leaving a mark on the heart.
- Understand how to show goodness by using words correctly. 

Quran Verse:
Wa quloo lin naas husna
speak kindly to people 2:83

1. Have the children feel a piece of sandpaper and gently rub it over their arms. Talk about how it feels rough and hurts.
2. Have the children feel some cotton wool and talk about how it feels soft and gentle.
3. Discuss how different words feel differently when spoken. Some words feel rough and hurt the heart and others are soft and kind.
4. Use a large paper heart and ask for examples of 'sandpaper' words or phrases that make you feel sad. For each suggestion make a fold in the heart. Children can also do this on their own individual paper hearts or pass the heart around a circle and let each child have a turn.
5. Then talk about and have the children share 'cotton wool' words that make them feel good. For each response open back each fold.

Ask the children how the heart looks. Discuss the effects that hurtful behaviour can have on someone's heart as the wrinkles never come out completely.
Before we speak we must think and be smart. It's hard to fix a wrinkled heart.

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Operation Goodness

Activity: Fill the Earth with Good
How many beautiful acts of goodness can you do for everyone around you? Keep your mission instructions safely tucked inside the pouch and use it to remind yourself to fill the Earth with good in everything you say and do!

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30 Days Of Goodness

All the activities can be found in our book Islamic Values available to buy online.

Learning Objective: To spend the month of Ramadhan in doing good deeds!

Decorate a wall display using Goodness as the theme for the 30 days of Ramadhan.
Incorporate the activities below to fill the month with meaning, blessings and fun!

Good Deed Tree

Daily Acts Of Kindness Calendar

Good Deed Song

Good Actions

Good Deed Magnet

Fishing For Good

The Road Of Goodness

Rush To Do Good!
The Best Manners
Be A Bucket Filler

The Best Words

Power Of Words

What Is Charity?
Smiling Is Charity
Sharing Our Blessings

Spend, Save, Share

Can I Help?

Litter Picking

Charity Store Visit

Food Bank 

Reducing Waste

Only For Allah
Celebration Time

Goodness Workshop
Operation Goodness

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Surah Lahab 111

Download and Print Summary Sheet

Lesson Objectives:

- Surah background

- Wealth and power in the world are temporary and can not save you from Allah’s punishment

- Only actions done for Allah can help you in the hereafter.

- To become familiar with the meaning of surah Lahab through key Quranic vocabulary

Quranic Verse:

Surah Lahab 111

Activity: Surah Summary Sheet

Activity: Will your deeds reach Janna?

Have the children standing in pairs to face each other a small distance apart.

Give one child labelled up as 'Earth', some balls to throw across to ‘Jannah’.

Actions and deeds which are done to please Allah, will last forever and benefit us in the hereafter.
Have the children continue, naming an action which will benefit us in the hereafter, before each throw. E.g. Charity, kindness, listening to parents, learning useful knowledge.

Next give ‘Earth’ some bubbles to blow across for ‘Jannah’ to catch. They will pop!

Actions and deeds which are done to build a good life only in this world, are temporary and will be left behind on Earth when we die. They will be of no use to us in the hereafter.
Go through a list of actions and deeds which are done to build a good life only in this world. E.g. having lots of money, having a fast car, lots of toys, watching tv, eating delicious food.

For older children:

Discuss the concept of intention and how sometimes even good actions can become bubbles and pop – why? If an action is done to show off etc, not only to please God, even if it is a good deed, will not reach Jannah. Similarly, an action may appear a waste of time like watching tv, but if done in moderation and with the intention to relax and refresh ourselves so that we can serve God better, it becomes beneficial. Use the activity as a self reflection tool - How many balls and bubbles have I thrown across today?

Download Complete Lesson Plan: Surah Lahab

Book: Quranic Treasures: Surah Al Masad 
Part of an enlightening series which helps children to understand the story and context behind the surahs. It ends with a section on practical lessons which can be learnt and applied to our own daily lives.

Book: Yasser and Zahra Discover Surah Lahab
Join Grandfather, Yasser, Zahra, and their friends on a journey through time as they learn lessons from Surah Lahab!

See Also: Juz Amma Rescources

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Self Accounting

A felt heart, with felt dots/pompoms on velcro to make it reusable. 

Lesson ideas kindly shared by a teachers delivering a lesson on Goodness.


Activity: Self Accounting Heart

We talked about how our hearts are sticky: whatever actions you do stick to your heart. If they are good actions, they make your heart clean and shiny and if they are bad they make the heart dark and dirty.

At the end of the day the little ones had to think about how their heart would look and think about their actions. They had to add the gold felt dots on the felt heart for good actions and black for bad. If they had good actions they had to thank Allah for making them good and for His help in doing good and if they had bad actions to ask for forgiveness and try to be better the next day.

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Goodness Workshop

A Lesson on Goodness delivered for Year 2 children at Mini Momins, interactive workshop sessions focused around lessons from the Qur'an. Links are given for all the activities and demonstrations used to help engage the children and provide a fun, practical and hands-on experience. 

Quranic verses:

Wa Ahsin, Do good 28:77

Innallaha yuhibul Muhsineen, Allah loves those who do good 2:195

Allah tells us in the Qur’an that the reason He has created us is to see who is the best in deeds (67:2)

Our time on Earth is like a race, a competition, to try and do as many good deeds as we can before we return back to Allah.

Visual Demo: Pop Before It Drops

In the Qur’an, Allah has given us clear rules on how to live.

Allah tells us wa ahsin, do good. Allah loves the Muhsineen!

Prophet Muhammad (SAW) is the best example of goodness.

Goodness In Actions

We must show what it means to be a Muslim by behaving in the way Allah has told us. Spend your time doing good to everyone around.

ACTIVITY: Guess The Deed

Good deeds are magnetic. Every time you do a good deed, Allah pulls you closer to Him! It’s like getting a special hug from someone who loves you so much! To stay close to Allah, do what He loves.

ACTIVITY: Good Deed Magnet

Goodness In Words

Think before you speak: Is it true/helpful/kind?
VISUAL DEMO: Think Before You Speak

Goodness In Thoughts
You always have a choice to make the right decision.
Before you do anything, think, would this action take me closer to Allah and make Him happy?
Every good deed must be done with the right intention, ‘fisabililah’, only for Allah, otherwise our good deed goes to waste.

VISUAL DEMO: The Right Intention

TAKE HOME CRAFT: The Road Of Goodness

TAKE HOME PACK: 
Use the pack containing objects used in the lesson as a review at the end. 
The reverse of the sheet within the pack, contains the lesson summary for parents to discuss together with their child.

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The Road Of Goodness

Quran Verse:

Wa ahsin, Do good 28:77

This craft is best done as a follow up to the visual activity Good Deeds Magnet.

Good deeds are magnetic. Every time you do a good deed, Allah pulls you closer to Him! It’s like getting a special hug from someone who loves you so much! To stay close to Allah, do what He loves. 

Activity: Ahsin Street: The Road Of Goodness

We must show what it means to be a Muslim by behaving in the way Allah has told us. Spend your time doing good to everyone around.

1. Have the children draw a road around the paper plate.

2. Have them write a few good deeds onto the green circular signposts and stick them along the road.

3. Cut out a cardboard figure and attach some paperclips over it.

4. Glue a small magnet onto a lolly stick

5. Place the stick under the paper plate and use it to control the figure and make him walk along 'Ahsin Street'. 

Before you do anything, think, is this a magnetic good deed that would take me closer to Allah? Would this action make Allah happy? Make sure you always stay on Ahsin street, the road of goodness!

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Time On Earth Is Short

Lesson Objective:
- Understand how short our time on Earth is compared to the Hereafter
- Reinforce how we must use our time on Earth 

Qur'an Verse:
wal aakhiratu khairun wa abqa
The hereafter is better and more lasting'. 87:17 

Activity: Live For Allah
Imagine this rope goes on forever. Imagine that this rope is a timeline of your existence. The small red part at the beginning, represents your time on Earth. You've got a few short years here on Earth and then you've got the whole of the rest of your life somewhere else. 

Allah teaches us in the Qur'an that what we do in this little time we have on Earth, this small red part of our timeline existence, is what determines how we will live for the whole of the rest of our existence forever! The deeds we plant on Earth, will determine how and what kind of life we live, for the the whole of the rest of our lives. So would you spend the red part, the time on Earth, to be as comfortable as possible, enjoying yourself as much as you can and forget about the time that will come after?! 

We must use our time on Earth, the only one small chance we have, to make sure we have done everything we can, filled our life with all the good we can, so that when we face Allah on the Day of Judgement, He can reward us with goodness that will never end, for us to enjoy forever and ever! There are so many things around us that tempt and take us away from living the way Allah has said, but we must remind ourselves all the time, 'wal aakhiratu khairun wa abqa, the hereafter is better and more lasting'.

Watch: Video Clip Illustatration

Activity: Will your deeds reach Janna?
Actions and deeds which are done to please Allah, will last forever and benefit us in the hereafter

Activity: Sweet Choices

Lessons from Karbala:
On the night before Ashura, Hurr could hear the children crying of thirst. He walked up and down and could be seen to be in a worried state. When one of the soldiers asked him why, Hurr replied, “What answer shall I give to Allah when He will ask me about the grandson of His Prophet being thirsty?” Hurr believed in Allah and knew that his responsibility was to obey Allah and serve His creation. Hurr knew that he would return to Allah and be accountable for his actions. He had to make a choice; Obey Yazid and gain power and wealth which he would enjoy only for a short time in this world or obey Allah and be rewarded with endless treasures in the hereafter.

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In The Footsteps Of The Prophet (SAW)

Learning Objective:
- To understand that the Holy Prophet (SAW) lived the words of the Qur'an in his manners and actions.

Quran Verse:
lakad kana lakum fi rasoolilahi uswatun hasanah 33:21
In the Messenger of Allah, you have the most beautiful example.

Activity:
Spend the week leading upto the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) by emulating his beautiful example. Each day pick a Quranic verse and talk about how the Prophet showed this behavior in his life. Practice living the Qur'an in your day, and follow in the footsteps of the Prophet (SAW).

Download 7 Day PDF Plan complete with practical activity suggestions: In The Footsteps of the Prophet (SAW)

Download: Prophet Muhammad (S) eBook

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Sweetness of Good Deeds

Materials Needed:

Two white plastic cups
Sweet drink
Bitter drink
Heart sticker/draw onto each cup 

Place the drinks into each cup but do not make the children aware of the difference. Explain how when we wear the Ihram, Allah is teaching us that what we see on the outside is not the most important part of us. It's what's on the inside that matters. Have the children take a small sip out of each cup and taste the difference. 

At Hajj we wear the Ihram. Rich or poor we all look the same on the outside. Allah looks at your heart inside. Is it full of sweet good deeds? 

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Acts Of Kindness Are Sweet!

Learning Objective:

- Celebrate the birth of Bibi Fatima (as) by spending the day in doing acts of kindness.

Share stories which show the kindness and generosity of Bibi Fatima (as)

- Giving away wedding dress

- Feeding the poor 3 days in a row when fasting Sura Dahr 76:9 'no reward do we desire from you, nor thanks'

Activity:

Today we are celebrating the birth of Lady Fatima (as). She spent her life doing good acts of kindness for the love of Allah. She did not expect reward or thanks.

This candy bracelet looks a bit like a tasbeeh! Wear it to remind yourself of Fatima (as) and how she lived. Spend your day finding ways you can do kind things for people. Acts of kindness are sweet! For each one, snap off a candy to eat/share/save
CHALLENGE: Can you finish the whole bracelet?!

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Serving God's Creation

Lesson Objectives:

- To understand the honour of serving others

- To understand that we can be helpers of Allah, by helping others

- To understand why it is important to share our blessings and help others.

- To know that one way of being a servant of Allah, is to serve His creation.

Quran Verse:

Koonoo ansarallah

Be helpers of Allah 61:14

Lesson Introduction:

Allah is Al Qadir, the Most Powerful. He can do anything, and he doesn't need anyone. But in the Qur'an, Allah asks us to be his helpers. He gives us the opportunity to work for him, and become close to him. What an honour to be a helping hand for Allah!

The helpers of Allah, serve the creation. They share the blessings Allah has given them, to help and be useful to those around them. They help to make the world a kinder, more peaceful place.

Serving the creation is a way of serving Allah. We shouldn’t expect anything from those we help. Our actions are only to please Allah.

When we share the blessings of Allah with those around us, our manners show people what a beautiful religion Islam is.

Activities:

Blessings Are For Sharing

Help Each Other

You Can Make A Difference

Pray Together

O Allah, help me to be your helper and serve your creation, using everything I have.

Rabbana Dua: Our Lord! Accept this service from us

Extended Home Activity

Make a service jar and fill with slips of paper, with different ways to serve each family member. Make bed/Give a hug,” or “Do the dishes.”
100 Acts Of Kindness For Kids

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Guess The Deed

Use picture cards to play charades, acting out different ways we can be helpers of Allah.

Discuss how in the game you had to show people with your actions. In the same way, you cant just say you are a helper of Allah, you must make sure that you show it, by always acting in the right way and doing lots of good deeds for those around us. Actions speak louder than words!

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You Can Make A Difference

Quran Verse:

Koonoo ansarallah

Be helpers of Allah 61:14

Activity: You can make a difference

Show the group a ballpen, out of which the spring has been removed. Ask what they think the most important part of the pen is. Ink is a common answer. Let several kids try to use the pen, and see if it works properly. They will conclude something is broken. Yes, the reason this pen is not working properly is that it is missing a part. It may seem like an insignificant part, but the pen cannot work without it. It is the spring! Insert the spring back into the pen, and let a few children confirm that it is now working properly.

For the pen to work correctly, it needs all it’s pieces. Every part is important.

To Allah, each helper is important, even if we're little. Every act of kindness, every blessing we share, makes a difference.

Download Complete Lesson: Serving God's Creation

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Blessings Are For Sharing

Lesson Objective:

- To understand why it is important to share our blessings and help others.

Allah has given each of us many different blessings, and He tells us to spend and give from what He has given us. 

Activity: Role play ‘It’s mine!’

Scenario: You’re eating a pack of crisps. Your mum cant resist and takes a large handful from the pack. Hey! You get annoyed. She stole YOUR crisps! But think about it, who paid for those crisps? You or your mum?! So it was your mum who used her money to buy you crisps so really is it your crisps or her crisps that she kindly let you have?!

Sometimes it’s difficult to give, but we must remember, everything we have is from Allah, it’s not really ours! The blessings we enjoy, are gifts from Allah. Everything we have is from Him and for Him! We must use our time, money, our possessions, our talents, for Allah, to help His creation.

Activity: Sweet Blessings

Divide some sweets between the group, leaving some children without any. Explore how the children could leave them ‘poor’, or be helpers of Allah and share their sweet blessings

Allah has made the Earth large enough for everyone to live comfortably and provided enough food for everyone to eat well. It is our responsibility to ensure no one is left without, by sharing the blessings Allah has given us. When we all behave in this way and share what we have, we help to build a more peaceful world. As helpers of Allah, we must do what we can, to ensure blessings like food, water, clothes, toys etc are made available to everyone.

Download Complete Lesson: Serving God's Creation

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The Soul

Lesson Objectives:

- To understand that we are a soul and have a body

- To understand how every action impacts our soul

- To know Allah has given us instructions how to look after our soul

- To understand that our aim is to return to Allah with a clean soul

Quran Verse:

Man amila saalihan, falinafsi
Whoever does good, it is for his own soul 45:15

Key Learning Point:

Each of us is a soul. It is the soul which gives life to the body. Allah put the soul inside the body, so that we could come to Earth and do as many good deeds as we can.

Allah out of His love and Kindness has given us instructions on how to look after the soul. Everything we do, has an affect on the soul. You can keep it clean and become close to Allah, by following Allah’s rules. When we obey what Allah has said, it doesn’t affect Allah, but rather it benefits our own soul. 

Our body will die and be buried in the ground, but the real us, our soul will return to Allah. Allah tells us that those who choose to do good and purify their souls are successful.

Activities:

Allah is Al-Muhyi, The Giver Of Life

Who Am I?

The Soul Gives Life To The Body

Is It Good For My Soul?

Feed the Soul

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Is It Good For My Soul?

Lesson Objective:

- To know that Allah has given us instructions on how to look after our soul

- To understand how every action impacts our soul

- To understand that our aim is to return to Allah with a clean soul.

Quran Verse:

Man amila saalihan, falinafsi

Whoever does good, it is for his own soul 45:15

Key Learning Point:

We must focus on doing what Allah loves, and keep away from what He tells us is wrong, so that we can return to Allah with a clean soul.

Lesson Introduction:

Allah is Al-Quddus, He is the most Pure, the Perfect. To reach close to Him and become what He wants us to be, we have to make sure we keep our souls clean and spotless and away from anything that will mark it. In sura shams, Allah tells us that those who purify their souls are successful.

Allah out of His love and Kindness has taught us how to keep our souls pure, so that we can become close to Him. He has made certain actions wajib, because they are good for our soul and keep it clean. And He has made some actions haram, because they are harmful to our soul. 

Sometimes we might not understand why something is good or bad for us, because we can’t see what it does to our soul. But Allah the Creator of our soul knows what things benefit/harm our soul. He loves us 70x more than our mothers! He is our Rabb, He knows what we need. 

When we obey what Allah has said, it doesn’t affect Allah, but it benefits our own soul.

When we lie, we might think its ok because no one found out. But by doing something that Allah has told us not to do, think about what damage and affect it had on your soul.

Activity: Is it good for my soul?
Give each child a different coloured glass, label with their names 

'Allah created us all with different bodies, we all look different on the outside. But inside each of us, Allah placed a perfect pure soul.' 

Fill each cup with water.

Write corresponding numbers or label up a dice with the terms 'Wajib', 'Haram', 'Makrooh' and 'Mustahab', reminding what each one means. Alternativelty, you could also write actions to represent these terms. 

Have the children take turns to roll the dice once each. Depending on what the dice lands on, ask 'If you did something that was __________, would it make Allah happy? If yes, then it is good for our soul and keeps it clean and pure. If it is a negative action, then it harms our soul and puts a mark on it. If that is the case, have the child place a drop of food colouring into their cup.

Explain how the colour of the glass on the outside didn’t change. From the outside, you still look the same. The body doesn't change, but your soul inside has blackened.

The winner is the child whose water at the end of the round remains clean and pure!

We must focus on doing what Allah loves, and keep away from what He tells us is wrong, so that we can return to Allah with a clean soul.

Activity: Feed the Soul

Extension:
The game can also be incorporated when learning about tawba and seeking Allah's forgiveness. The term tawba could be added onto the dice, which upon landing on, the child could be given fresh clean water. This dimension could be used to emphasize the necessity and importance of astaghfar daily, as a means of keeping our soul clean.

Extension:

Blow a trumpet sound and announce that it is the Day of Judgement. 

Have the children place their cups in a line before a clear glass. 

Explain how our soul will return to Allah who can see what it looks like.

Role play and say to the 'cups', oh but you look so lovely, you must be a good person.' Then empty the coloured water into a clear glass for all to see. 'Oh no, even though your outside looked so good, your soul is not!' With another cup say 'oh you're so bad at sports, you always wear mismatched clothes and aren't really good at anything'. Pour the cup with the clear water into the clear glass. Oh but your soul is so pure and clean! Discuss and emphasise how the body is just a covering for the soul, the "real" person inside. In this world, Allah has hidden our deeds from the people around us, but Allah can see our soul and who we really are. 

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