Dua Kumayl

Quran Verse:
In it every single affair is made clear Surah Dukhan 44:4

Learning Objective:
- Gain an introduction into Dua Kumayl recommended to be recited on 15th Sha'ban

Kumayl Ibn Ziyad was a companion of Imam Ali (as). Kumayl reports that he was sitting with Imam Ali (a) in Masjid Kufa with a group of companions on the night of 15th Sha'ban and one of them asked Imam if he could explain to them the Quran verse from Surah Dukhan, 44:4 "In it every single affair is made clear."

Imam Ali (a) said that this was the 15th of Sha'ban and explained that on this night every good and bad that will reach him in the year will be divided and handed. 15th Sha'ban is when preparation begins for Laylatul Qadr in the month of Ramadhan. Imam Ali (a) continued that the one who stays up at night and recites Dua of Khizr on 15th Sha'ban will have all his duas answered.

Kumayl asked Imam Ali (a) what is the dua of Khizr? Imam Ali (a) told him that he would teach it to him and entrust him with it. The dua became known as Dua Kumayl.

Dua Kumayl is also one of the duas recommended to be recited every Thurday. When recited with understanding and application, Dua Kumayl has the power to transform you!

Activity: the Isms of the Dua
Read the first paragraph of Dua Kumayl. Notice how we start the dua by asking Allah through His beautiful names. How does the first Ism, "I ask You by Your Mercy", compare to the next few qualities that are used? Strength, Invincibility, Might, Tremendousness, Force - Which umbrella quality do they all fall under? Reflect on what this means to you. Can you find the corresponding Isms in Arabic?

All of creation is in need of asking Allah. Look at the Mercy of Allah all around us and our own helplessness. Our wealth or status may give us the illusion of being powerful but human power provides no protection from harm if Allah wills it - just look at Covid 19! It shows us how powerless we are and how true Power belongs only to Allah.

Activity: Asking for Forgiveness

To highlight five phrases in the first section which identify different sins in Dua Kumayl. Ponder on these lines and the consequences of the stated actions as you ask for forgiveness.

O Allah, forgive me for those of my sins which tear apart the parts of me that want to do good!

Gossip, Engaging in idle, vain/useless talk

O Allah, forgive me for those sins which bring down calamities!

Not helping the oppressed

O Allah, forgive me for those sins which alter blessings!

Being ungrateful

O Allah forgive me for those sins which stop my duas being answered!
Delaying Salaa, Violating duty to parents, Doing things without faith.

O Allah, forgive me for every sin I have committed and for every mistake I have made!

Listen: Dua Kumayl recited in English

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Dhikr Square

Numbered Dhikr Square For Younger Children

Use the hundred grid Dhikr Square as a tracker to mark tasbeeh recitation during a’amaal nights and the special seasons of worship.

Older children (or parents alongside their little ones!) can use the plain grid to set their own targets and draw up a key accordingly. They may for example colour one square for every 5-10 recitations. 

Plain Grid To Be Used For Individual Targets

Activity: Rajab Dhikr
The Holy Prophet (S) emphasised great reward in reciting Suratul Ikhlas in the month of Rajab. Younger children can recite and colour 3-4 squares of the numbered grid every day to complete 100 Surah Ikhlas by the end of the month. Older children can use the plain grid to set their own targets, draw up a key and aim to complete the square by the end of the month. 

Activity: Sha’ban Salawaat

Activity: Laylatul Qadr A'maal

Use the Dhikr Square to help you recite one hundred Surah Qadr through the night!

Activity: Ashura A'maal
Use the Dhikr Square to help you recite one hundred Surah Ikhlas throughout the day

Download: Dhikr Square Template

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Dhikr Breaks

Take dhikr breaks, time out throughout the day to remember Allah. It's amazing how many Salawaat, Alhamdulilah and even Surah Ikhlas you can recite in just one minute! It's a fun way to get little ones involved in dhikr and it takes just 60 seconds!

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Dhikr Meter

To motivate little ones to make a daily habit reciting their chosen dhikr during the special months of worship, have the children pick their own targets and design how to track their progress.

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Season of Worship

It is the beginning of a very special season. The next three months, Rajab, Sha’ban and Ramadhan are three special months that make it a season of worship. A special time to increase in our remembrance of Allah. In Rajab, we clear the weeds, prepare the soil and plant the seeds by asking Allah for forgiveness to clean our hearts from all that is wrong and recite lots of Surah Ikhlas. In Sha'ban, we water the seeds by continuing to do good deeds and reciting lots of salawaat! Our seeds begins to sprout. Finally, we are ready to be the guests of Allah in the month of Ramadhan. During this month, we can see the fruits of our hard work and worship and harvest the rewards.  

Activity: Seed Planting

Plant some sunflower seeds into a pot and label with the seasons of worship

Rajab: The month for planting

Sha'ban: The month for watering

Ramadhan: The month for harvest

Activity: Recitation of Surah Ikhlas
A special time to increase in our remembrance of Allah. In this month, we have been taught to try and recite laillaha illa/astaghfirullah and sura Iklhas as much as we can. 

Activity: Dhikr Tasbeeh Tracking Ideas 

Lots of different ways to engage and motivate little ones to keep up their Dhikr recitations; from stickers, digital counters, tally charts, timers, colouring in square and even sweets! 

Activity: Rajab Calendar

Rajab Dua by Buzz Ideazz

Rajab A'mal Daily Checklist by Kisa Kids

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Imam Mahdi (ATF)

Lesson Objectives: 

- To know Imam is still alive but in ‘ghayba’

- To know the etiquette of behaving when we hear Imam’s name.

- To become familiar with the hadith ‘Imam is like the sun behind the clouds’, deriving lessons from it.

- To become conscious of Imam’s presence even though not visible to us.

- To instil a habit of how we can remember Imam daily and be in waiting for his reappearance.

Activities:
Sun Behind The Clouds
Imam Knows!
Imam Can See Us
Areeza: A Special Letter to Imam
What would make my Imam happy?
Remembering Imam Mahdi (ATF) 
Read and listen to Dua Hujjat
Balloon Banner Quiz
Imam Mahdi Wordsearch Quiz

Download complete lesson plan: Imam Mahdi (ATF)

Resources:
Celebrating the Milad of Imam al-Mahdi (af) by Academy For Learning Islam
15th Shabaan Mini-Amaal Book & Game by Teaching Young Muslims

QFatima Rhymes about Imam
How to connect with Imam by Islamic Lessons Made Easy
10 Ways to Connect to Imam Mahdi byTowards Jannah

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Practical ways to build a relationship with Imam Mahdi (ATF)

Notes from a lecture: A few practical ways to help us and our children build a relationship with Imam Mahdi (ATF)

- When instructing the child, slip in the phrase "because Imam Mahdi is watching and will choose a helper who does this". Much better than 'look, that aunty is watching and she'll get angry'!

- Instil in the child that there are times when Mummy and Papa won't always be there for you but Imam Mahdi will and always is!

- Have the child write down their hajaats and look back at them the following year. This helps them remember that their dua was granted insa.

- start a special journal especially dedicated to the Imam where every Friday the child writes a good deed they have done that would make Imam happy. Have them gift this to the Imam and once the habit is established you will find children eagerly anticipating to write their good deeds 'to show Imam'.

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Sun behind the Clouds

Learning Objective: Understand the hadith  "As for deriving benefit from me in my ghayba; it is like deriving benefit from the sun when it hides behind the clouds."

Imam is in ghayba which means that he is still alive but we can not see him. Imam has said that he is like the sun hidden behind the clouds. Even though the Earth is the third planet away from the sun, around 90 million miles away, we still receive the sun's warmth and light! SubhanAllah! The sun is so important, that without it there would be no light, no heat, no plants, no animals, no life! 

Imam Mahdi (ATF) is like the sun. Even though we can't see him, we need him to live! The world can’t exist without a guide of Allah on it. Imam prays for us and a comes to our help whenever we call him.

Activity:
Demo: Shine torch behind paper drawn up like a sun.
Even though we can't see the torch, we can benefit from the light.

Activity:
Make a chart, painting some clouds and a sun. Use it to both visually reinforce the hadith and record the remembrance of Imam every morning by joining a line from the sun to a dot making a ray. Try to continue the habit for 40 days and inshallah the love of Imam (and the sun chart!) will be shining brighter!

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Imam Mahdi (ATF) Quiz

Learning Objective: 
To recap and summarise learning about Imam Mahdi (ATF)

Fill 12 balloons with a question about Imam Mahdi (ATF) and tie them onto a string banner.
Print a list of questions here.

Have the child pop each one to release the rolled up question paper. To add to the noise and mess, reward the correct answer with a party popper!

Can also be used with alongside the Imam Mahdi Wordsearch Quiz

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Salawaat Sticker Tracker

Encourage the recitation of salawaat in young children while sitting at mosque by using stickers or stamps. Helps to keep them engaged and allows them to be able to see how many they've recited. 

Older children could make a tally chart or use a digital counter as a fun alternative to a tasbeeh.

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