Tarbiyyat Topics 2014-2015

1 Salat2 Conflict Resolution3 Importance of Taqwa4 Etiquettes of Salat 5 Why should We Respect our Parents 6 Love of Allah 7 On Visiting the Sick 8 What are Moral Values and Why are they Important 9 Cleanliness In Islam

10 How to Handle Western Holiday Celebrations Can be combined with 27e

11 Eidul Fitar 12 Eidul Adhia13 Patience in our daily lives 14 Etiquettes of Mosque 15 Etiquesttes of Meeting 16 Islamic Teachings of Helping Others17 Importance of Reciting The Holy Quran 18 Harms of Lying 19 Guidance in the Holy Quran 20 Modesty in Western World 21 Modesty in Western World 22 Truthfullness23 Why I belive in Islam 24 Who is Allah- Existence of Allah - Purpose of our Creation 25 Self Reflections and Self Improvement 26 Blessings of Khilafat 27 Challenges at School (Atfal Tarbiyyat Topics)

a Bullying

b Girls and Boys - Separation of Sexes

c School Dance / Prom

d Drugs /Alcohol

e Unislamic Holidays

f What is the best way to do well in school

Tarbiyyat Topics 2014-2015

Salat Salat is the second pillar of Islam and a very important form of worship of Allah. It is the best medium of interacting with Allah. There is no one day set aside exclusively for Salat, it is a part of everyday life. Just as eating and drinking throughout the day are necessary to sustain your physical existence, observing Salat five times a day is essential to preserve your spiritual subsistence. The Holy Qur’an states: ‘Verily, Prayer is enjoined on the believers (to be performed) at fixed hours.’ (4:104) The Holy Prophet Muhammad saw once asked, “If one of you had a stream flowing by his door and he takes a bath in it five times a day, would any dirt be left on him?” They replied, “No dirt would be left on him.” The Holy Prophet Muhammad saw said: “This is the case with Salat (the five daily prayers). Allah makes the Salat wipe out sins.” The Promised Messiah, Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad (as) once stated: “...Salat is the presenting of oneself before God Almighty and is a combination of praising God and an attempt at the expiation (asking for forgiveness) of one’s sins. One who does not keep these purposes in view derives no benefit from Salat.” (Al-Hakam, May 31, 1903, Hadhrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad as). Therefore, perform Salat in the best possible manner as illustrated below: • When you are in the standing posture, your whole appearance must reflect that you are standing before God in all humility and submissiveness. • When you bow before Him in Salat, it must be a reflection of the bowing of your heart. • When you prostrate, your manner must be that of a person who is inspired by fear of God. • Pray a lot for your spiritual as well as material uplift.

• Some Benefits of Salat • It provides a means of connection with Allah the Almighty. • It acts as a constant reminder of Allah. • It instills a continued love for Allah. • It purifies the heart and soul through humility and submission. • It demonstrates obedience to Allah, the Creator of the Universe. • It is a deterrent from immoral behavior and helps control evil desires throughout the day. • It helps develop discipline through punctuality, cleanliness, purity, and patience. • It helps maintain a healthy body through performing ablution five times a day and through physical prostrations. It also provides mental and emotional stability as you create a bond with your maker. • It promotes unity and brotherhood through congregational prayers. • It is a venue for the greater jihad – inner struggle for the sake of Allah. Review Chapter 2 from the first Religious Knowledge Workbook to complete the following activities. Also study Chapter 4 from “Welcome to Ahmadiyyat, The True Islam” by Dr. Karimullah Zirvi.

Conflict resolution

They are the ones who turn to God in repentance, who worship Him, who praise Him, who go about in the land serving Him, who bow down to God, who prostrate themselves in prayer, who enjoin good and forbid evil, and who watch the limits set by Allah. And give glad tidings to those who believe. (9:112) This verse of the Holy Quran applies to those believers who give precedence to their faith and conviction above all worldly affairs, and for such people are glad tidings from God Almighty. Those who possess the characteristics outlined in this verse truly are Believers (Momineen), because these are the people who carry out their worship in the best possible way, they ask for forgiveness in the true spirit of repentance, they bow before their Lord like they are supposed to, they follow the teachings of Islam and become the role models by practicing what they preach. These are the people who attain the status of those who are the guardians of the limits set forth by Allah Almighty. May Allah Almighty enable them to progress continually in their virtues and may all the participants at the Jalsa Salana attain this virtuous status so that they may be counted among this blessed group of Believers.

What are six qualities mention in this verse?

-Importance of Taqwa

Etiquette of salat Perform wudu and reach the place of worship gracefully without unseemly haste. Do not run to join the salat even if you are late. While preparing for salat, contemplate on your acts of goodness and piety, which, in a manner of speaking, you will present to God, as well as sins for which you will seek His forgiveness. You should answer to the call of nature before offering the prayer so you could be fully attentive. While offering prayers in congregation, ensure rows are aligned and all individuals are shoulder to shoulder with no gaps in between. Fill the empty spaces to the front. Before you start the salat, recite the Niyyat (intention) of salat: I have turned my full attention towards Him Who has created the heavens and the earth, being ever inclined to Him, and I am not one of those who associates partners with Allah. Offer prayers with poise, dignity and composure. Do not be hurried or rushed. Recite the prescribed prayers carefully and attentively, giving deliberate attention to what is being said. This will help prevent scattered thoughts on other matters. During salat, it is prohibited to look here and there, to point towards something, to talk or to listen to others talk or to indulge in other unnecessary movements. Do not lean against a support during salat, nor shift your weight to one leg. Offer salat with zeal and enthusiasm as opposed to feeling it as a burden or compulsion. During congregational prayers, do not move before the Imam. Do not get up to leave as soon as the salat is completed. Stay seated and spend some time in the remembrance of Allah. Do not cause a disturbance nor talk loudly near someone who is offering salat. Salat should be offered at its appointed time. During Juma prayers, listen to the khutba (sermon) attentively. If someone is to be silenced it should be done only with a polite gesture without speaking. Do not play with key chains or other trinkets during the khutba because that is also a part of the salat.

Write six etiquette of Salat?

Why should we respect our parent. God Almighty has repeatedly commanded us to obey our parents. Many Aadth also say this. Allah Almighty says: “And We have enjoined on man to be good to his parents.” (46: 15) The Holy Prophetsa said: Paradise lies under the feet of your mother. Parents are an irreplaceable blessing of God. Allah grants a very high status to parents in the Holy Qur’n. The Holy Qur’n states: “Your Lord commanded that you worship none but Him, and that you show kindness to parents. If one or both of them attain old age in your lifetime, never be harsh to them, nor reproach them, but always speak gently to them. Be humbly tender with them and pray, my Lord, have mercy on them, even as they nourished me when I was a child.” (17:24-25) One of the principal teachings of the Holy Qur’an is that one should show great respect to one’s parents. In Islam, the love of parents and the duty owed to them stands higher than the love of children and the duty owed to them. This shows that in old age, parents need to be tended to as carefully and affectionately as little children are looked after in their childhood, by their parents. This means – O mankind! God has ordained for you to worship Him alone and you should be very kind to your parents. If both of them or either one of them reaches old age in your lifetime, never say to them that they are a burden. Never be rude to them; instead be respectful to them. Extend your uttermost obedience to them and love them from the bottom of your heart. Always continue to pray to Allah that ‘Oh my Lord, have mercy on them since they raised me with kindness in my childhood’. Service of parents and obedience to them is the duty of every child. Children should not only outwardly obey their parents but should also consider it an obligation to routinely pray for the parents with love and affection. Prayers that parents make for their children find special acceptance with Allah. The love of parents for their children is a gift of God. Since parents can never bring themselves to curse their children except under extreme circumstances, one must dread their curse. Children should make every effort to collect as many prayers of their parents as possible because these prayers can improve their future. The easiest way to receive the prayers of one’s parents is to obey them, serve them and love them.

1. Why does the Holy Qur’an command us to take care of our parents like they took care of us when we were children?

-Love of Allah

Allahumma innee as'aluka hubbaka wa hubba man-yu- hibbuka wal `amal-alladhee yu-ballighu-nee hubbaka: Allahum-maj`al hubbaka ahabba ilayya min-nafsee, wa ahlee, wa minal maa’il-baaridi O Allah! I supplicate You to grant me Your love, and the love of those who love You and the action which may lead me to win Your love. And make my love for You dearer to me than myself, my family and cold (refreshing) water. (Tirmidhi Kitab-ud-Da`waat)) This grand prayer of the Holy Prophet (saw) demonstrates his intense love for God Almighty, and his strong desire to continue to become as near as possible to his beloved —Allah. God’s special love for His beloved Prophetsa is, in turn, manifested in this verse of the Holy Qur’an (3:32): Say, “If you love Allah, follow me: then will Allah love you and forgive your sins.” Thus, to win the love of God, it is obligatory upon us to follow the Holy Prophet saw , and say the above prayer as frequently as possible.

Why is it important to have the love of those who love God?

In this prayer,why do we ask for the love of Allah?

ON VISITING THE SICK

Abu Hurairahra relates that the Holy Prophetsaw said: “Allah, the Lord of honor and glory, will say on the Day of Judgment: ‘Son of Adam, I was sick and you did not visit me.’ The man will exclaim: ‘Lord, how could I visit You, and You are the Lord of the worlds!’ Allah will say: ‘Did you not know that my servant so and so was sick and you did not visit him. Did you not realize that if you had visited him you would have found me with him? Son of Adam, I asked you for food and you did not feed Me.’ The man will exclaim; ‘Lord, how could I feed You while You are the Lord of the worlds!’ Allah will say: ‘Did you not know that my servant so and so asked you for food and you did not feed him? Did you not realize that if you had fed him you would have found your reward with Me? Son of Adam, I asked you for drink and you did not give Me to drink.’ The man will exclaim: ‘Lord, how could I have given You to drink when You are the Lord of the worlds!’ Allah will say: ‘My servant so and so asked you for a drink and you did not give him to drink. Did you not realize that if you had given him to drink you would have found its reward with Me?’” (Muslim)

Allah Almighty does not need food and drink from humans. So what is this hadith suggesting when Allah asks why we did not feed Him when He was hungry or give Him water when He was thirsty?

Explain what is meant when Allah says that by visiting the sick, you are in Allah’s presence?

Why does Islam forbid anger? Explain why it is important for us to control our anger.

Make a list of the good deeds you have done today and write down how they make you feel. Do any of the deeds include forgiveness?

What are moral values, and why are they important Nothing is heavier in the scales (of Allah) than the excellence of conduct (Abu-Dawood) In a large number of Ahadith, the Holy Prophet saw laid much emphasis on the improvement of moral and social conduct. In this Hadith, he declares that nothing is heavier in the scales of Allah than the excellence of conduct. Hadith No.46 is another example, which states that the one who is not thankful to people is not thankful to Allah. In fact, excellence of conduct is the root of all virtues, and spirituality is but an advanced state of good conduct. According to the Qur'an, the Holy Prophet saw possessed sublime moral excellence (68:5), and he was an excellent model for mankind (33:22). That is why, he repeatedly emphasised on the importance of good moral conduct, and he is undoubtedly the best authority to do so.

Cleanliness in Islam The Holy Prophet Mohammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: Cleanliness is a requirement of faith. Explanation This means that faith is not complete without cleanliness. All Muslims have to be clean in everything that they do. Allah likes cleanliness and order among His creations. When we keep ourselves and our environment clean, we please Allah! Here is a true story that shows how important it was for the Holy Prophet MohammadSAW to keep the mosque clean. One day, a non-Muslim came to the mosque and asked to sleep there because he had no place else to spend the night. The Holy ProphetSAW told him that he could spend the night in the mosque.The man was not very civilized. In the early morning he used the prayer area as a bathroom, made a big mess, and left the mosque.When the Holy ProphetSAW saw this mess, he started cleaning it right away. His companions asked him to let them do the dirty work, but he cleaned it himself. He wanted to make sure that the mosque was clean. The moral of the story is that we should keep ourselves, our houses, and especially our mosques clean and tidy.

How to handle western holiday Celebrations Muslims, especially Ahmadis, do not celebrate birthdays in the same fashion as they are celebrated in Western society. A birthday is seen as the decrease of the life span by a year, thus a cause for prayer rather than a celebration. Muslims take part in national holidays, such as Independence day and Thanksgiving, but do not celebrate Christmas, Easter, Halloween and Valentine's day. MUSLIM FESTIVALS AND CEREMONIES All religions have their own special days of worship, celebrations, rituals and observances. Islamic festivals and ceremonies are also distinct ways of glorifying Allah and sharing the joy that flow from the blessings of being the "best people" who are guided to the true faith. Some Islamic observances are as follows: Friday Prayer Service (Juma) Friday is the holy day for Muslim worship, with a congregational service held at the time of Zuhr prayer. The Imam delivers a sermon (khutba), and then the Zuhr prayer is offered in congregation. This is known as Juma prayer. Attendance is obligatory for Muslim men, and women should attend whenever they are able to as the blessings received for attending are very great. At a particular moment during the service, angels come near to the worshipers and they ask Allah to especially bless the faithful who are present in the congregation. Before attending Juma prayers, a Muslim should follow the sunnah of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be on him) and take a complete bath, put on clean clothes, use perfume and avoid eating odorous food. After Juma prayers, Muslims may go back to their businesses.

Other Ceremonies Other occasions celebrated by Muslims include weddings, births and religious gatherings. At weddings, the nikah and walimah are usually celebrated. The birth of a child is celebrated by sacrificing an animal and inviting relatives friends and the poor to a feast called the "Aqiqa." When a child finishes the Holy Qur'an for the first time, his parents celebrate with an "Ameen," where friends join in prayer for the child, and sweets are distributed. The Ahmadiyya Movement holds many functions, on the national, regional and local scale. Not only do these gatherings, known as jalsa and ijtemah, provide great moral and spiritual uplift, they also give members the opportunity to meet old and new friends. Some days that are especially celebrated are Seeratun - Nabi Day (celebration of the exemplary character of the Holy Prophet), Masih Mauood Day (Promised Messiah Day), Musleh Mauood Day (celebration of the Promised Son) and Khilafat Day (to celebrate Allah's mercy in providing the blessings of Khilafat). Another celebration is that of Religious Founders' Day, where people of other faiths are invited to talk about their religion and its founder.

Eid ul Fitr (Festival at the end of Ramadhan) The end of the Holy month of Ramadhan is marked by the festival of Eid ul Fitr. This joyous day is celebrated to give thanks for the blessings of Ramadhan. Muslims attend the congregational Eid prayer service which is held in the morning, and then spend the rest of the day exchanging greetings and gifts with family and friends. They wear new clothing, cook delicious food and invite friends and neighbors to celebrate with them. Fasting during Ramadhan inspires sympathy for the hungry and needy, and encourages Muslims to donate generously to the poor. Eid ul Azhia (Festival of Sacrifice) This festival comes about ten weeks after Eid ul Fitr, and marks the completion of Hajj (Holy pilgrimage to Mecca). It is the festival of Sacrifice, commemorating the time when the Prophet Abraham (peace be on him) was ready to sacrifice his son, Ishmael (peace be on him) for the sake of Allah. As a result of Abraham's willing obedience, Allah did not permit Ishmael to be sacrificed, and an animal was substituted instead. It is their obedience to Allah that is celebrated by Muslims the world over. On this Eid, those that can afford it sacrifice an animal and share the meat among families, neighbors and the poor.

List all the Islamic holidays.

List all the western holiday and why we don't celebrate that?

-Patience in our daily lives The strong person is not he who defeats others in wrestling. The strong person is he who has full control over himself during his anger (Bukhari--Kitabul Adab) As one’s ego constantly incites one to do evil deeds, one’s real jihad is with one’s own self. Anger leads to extreme behaviour and deprives one of the chance to have a balanced conduct which is a characteristic of a true believer. The Holy Qur'an (3:135) describes the God-fearing people as those who suppress their anger and forgive oth- ers. So, one’s true strength is revealed only when one succeeds in suppressing one’s rage and does not behave in an extreme manner. Islam forbids us to be a source of annoyance or trouble to anybody. One should be kind and compassionate to them. We should be ready to protect the life, wealth, and honor of our fellow being. One should exchange gifts with them to form a mutual bond of love and affection. The Holy Prophet saw said: “He shall not enter Paradise whose neighbor did not feel safe from his mischief.” One of the ways to achieve nearness to Allah is to be kind to one’s neighbors. One should be caring and helpful to each other. If somebody is in need of anything, one should try to help them. If a neighbor is sick, they should be looked after. One should be kind to each other.

What is the prayer for entering and leaving the mosque?

Etiquette of mosque One should be physically clean as well as wearing clean clothes when going to the mosque. Step into the mosque with the right foot first, and recite the following prayer: In the name of Allah, all blessings and peace be upon the Prophetsa of Allah. Oh Allah! Forgive my sins and open the doors of your Blessing and Mercy upon me. Upon entering, greet the people already in the mosque with Assalmo ‘Alaikum. Do it at the appropriate volume. On arriving, if possible offer two nawfil prayers. These are called Tahyyat-ul- Masjid. Do not go to the Mosque after eating onion, garlic, radish or other strong smelling foods. It is prohibited to spit, to clean one’s nose or to perform any such action which compromises the cleanliness of the mosque. The mosque should be kept clean and fragrant. Keep yourself occupied in quiet remembrance of Allah and do not indulge in unnecessary conversations. If you must talk, it should be such that those in alt are not disturbed in any way. It is forbidden to walk in front of someone who is praying. The front rows should be occupied first. Those coming in late should not attempt to reach the front by disturbing people already seated. Find an easy to reach spot and get there with minimum inconvenience to others. A mosque is designated for the worship of God where there should be no hindrance to anyone from remembering and worshiping Allah. Shoes should be put at the appropriate place such as in a shoe-rack. It is not allowed to walk in shoes in the area designated for worship. When leaving the mosque, say Assalmo ‘Alaikum. Put the right shoe on before the left shoe. Step out of the mosque with the left foot first. On exiting the Mosque, recite the following prayer: In the name of Allah, (I leave). And all Blessings and peace be upon the Prophet of Allah. O Allah! Forgive me my sins and open the doors of your blessings upon me. Young children should be supervised and kept under control.

Etiquette of jalsa meeting “The aim of the gathering is that the sincere members of the Jama’at should be able to derive religious benefits and at the same time they should acquire more knowledge and advance in their nearness to God. One advantage is that meeting their friends will broaden their circle of brotherhood and it will strengthen the mutual ties.” (Asmani Faisla) Pray for safe travel of all members to and from Jalsa. Try to portray the true and beautiful image of the Jamaat, especially to our guests. Cooperate with Khuddam on duty to help you park in appropriate spaces. Register as soon as you come to Jalsa and put on your name badge. Notify security about any suspicious characters not wearing a badge. Offer Salat in congregation at designated times. Observe proper mosque etiquette when in the prayer area. Listen quietly during recitation of the Holy Quran. Not disturb others by talking among yourselves during the formal sessions. Attend Jalsa sessions in marquees at proper times. Do not visit the dining, bazaar or exhibition areas during formal sessions. Not waste food and keep the dining area clean. Keep the bathrooms clean and report any nonfunctional bathrooms ASAP. Be courteous to fellow attendees of the Jalsa. Show respect to your elders and act in a kind manner to those younger than you. Not waste time in idle gossip but spend their spare time in remembering Allah. Wear Islamic clothing. Men and women should cover their heads. Women must observe Purdah and men must observe “Ghaze-Basr”(lowering of the eyes). Families should fix their meeting points beforehand to avoid crowding. Make sure that children as well as teenagers are at their best behavior. Mothers should come prepared and bring formula, supplies and diapers etc for their infants. Constantly pray for the success of the Jalsa.

What is jalsa?

Islamic teachings of helping others

God helps a person who helps his brother (in mankind) (Bukhari; Muslim Kitabuz Zikr) The Holy Qur’an (5:3) commands us to help one another in acts of righteousness and piety, and prohibits us from helping one another in matters of sin or in commit- ting excesses against others.If adopted, this golden principle would win a twofold re- ward: i. helping one’s fellow human beings in righteous deeds would make one righ- teous too, and ii. one would be fulfilling one’s duty towards them. The Qur'an (45:20 and 7:129) tells us that only the righteous receive God’s help and only they prosper.

How can you encourage someone (or yourself)to stop“time-wasting”talk?

Explain what the beauty of this hadith is and what it means to you?

Importance of reciting The Holy Qur’an

The recitation of the Holy Qur'an is a spiritual experience and provides an enlightenment of the mind and comfort for the soul. To maximize the plea- sure of its recitation and the understanding of its content, a summary of the etiquette and correct recitation is presented in the following pages: Allah says in the Holy Qur'an: And when you recite the Qur'an, seek refuge with Allah from Satan the rejected. (16:99) As such, we recite the prayer ( ta'awwuz) before every recitation session: I seek refuge with Allah from Satan the rejected. It is important to understand the philosophy of seeking Allah's protection while reciting the Qur'an. We must seek Allah's protection so that: ♦ We may not miss any teaching of the Qur'an due to our negligence, sins or evil company. ♦ We may not fail to understand rightly any teaching of the Qur'an. ♦ Having understood, may Allah provide us the strength to act upon these teachings and never forget or ignore them. We should say, Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem, before starting any thing. In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful. This is the first verse of every chapter of the Holy Qur’an, except the 9th Chapter, At-Taubah, which is not an independent Chapter, but a continuation of the Chapter, Al-Anfaal. There is a saying, reported by Ibn` Abbas, to the effect that whenever a new Chapter was revealed, Bismillaah was the first verse to be revealed, and without Bismillaah the Holy Prophet did not know that a new Chapter had begun (Abu Dawood). Even when we recite from the middle of a Chapter, we should say, Bismillaahir Rahmaanir Raheem. In a majestic declaration about the Qur'an, Allah says: That this is indeed a noble Qur'an; In a well preserved book; Which none shall touch except those who are purified. (56:78-80) We should be physically clean and, preferably, perform Wudu before its recitation. Also, to fully absorb the blessings of the Qur'an and to understand its real meanings, one should be spiritually pure, clean and sincere in one's beliefs. Exhorting believers in 73:21, Allah advises: (partial verse) Recite, then, as much of the Qur'an as is easy for you. We may read the Holy Qur’an at any convenient time. The best time is dawn, after Fajr prayers. In 17:79, Allah says: (partial verse) Verily, the recitation of the Qur'an at dawn is specially acceptable to God. On the subject of listening to the Holy Qur’an, Allah says:

And when the Qur’an is recited, give ear to it and keep silent that you may be shown mercy. (7:205) To understand the meaning of the Holy Qur’an well, we should recite it with complete attention. The best way has been described by Allah: And recite the Qur’an slowly and thoughtfully. (73:5) In addition, the Holy Prophetsa declared: One who does not recite the Qur’an in a pleasant voice is not from among us. (Bukhari, Mishkat-Kitabul Faza’il) During the recitation of the Holy Qur’an, if you come across a verse that indicates Sajdah (prostration), the reciter should perform the prostration and recite the following prayer in that posture: O Allah, my spirit, my body and my heart prostrate before You. (Tirmizi--Fee Sujoodul Qur’an) Regular recitation (e.g. daily) should be started from the first chapter and continued to the last chapter. Finishing the recitation in this way is known as a “complete cycle”. On completion of each “cycle,” you should start again from the beginning of the Holy Qur’an in the same session — and recite this prayer: O Allah, show mercy on me through the Qur’an, and make it a Director and a Light and a Guidance and a Mercy for me. O Allah, remind me of that which I forget of it; and teach me of it that which I am ignorant of; and bestow on me its recitation through the hours of the night and the day; and make it a decisive reasoning for me; O Lord of the Worlds.

List some etiquette of Recitation of Holy Quran?

Harms of lying Truth saves, falsehood destroys. Explanation Falsehood means telling a lie. It is one of the greatest sins. When someone lies on a habitual basis, their faith becomes weak. Some times such a person lies without even feeling bad about it. Telling a lie is something that Allah and the Holy Prophet MohammadSAW have told us not to do. Lying increases our sins and eventually leads to a punishment in this world and in the hereafter. Telling the truth saves us in this world and also in the hereafter.Here is a story that explains how falsehood destroys. Once upon a time, there was a young boy who used to take his goats and sheep to the mountain so that they could graze there. While his animals were grazing,he would get bored waiting for them to finish eating.One day, he thought it would be a lot of fun if he yelled that a wolf was chasing him and wanted to eat him. He thought that all the people would come up the mountain to save him and then he could laugh at them for being such fools. He acted upon this mischievous scheme. He cried, “Wolf! Wolf! Please save me. A big wolf is after me. He is going to eat me!” When the people in the valley heard the boy’s screams, they grabbed different farm instruments and weapons and ran up the mountain to save the boy from the wolf. When they came close to him, they did not see any wolf. The shepherd boy started laughing at them and told them that he was just joking with them. The people became quite upset because they had left all their work to come save the boy. They told him not to do that again and went back to work. The next day, the shepherd boy thought about how much fun he had crying wolf yesterday. He decided to do it again, and he did. People came up to save him again because they thought maybe this time a wolf is after him for real. When they came up, just as the day before they saw no wolf and the boy laughing at them. They decided they would not come to help the boy again, even if a wolf really came to eat him. On the third day, while the shepherd boy was watching his animals graze, a wolf came and started to attack him. He cried very loud, “Please help me! This time a real wolf has come to eat me. I am not joking. Please save me!” But, no one came to his aid, and the wolf killed him. Later on, people found out about the boy and said, “Surely, if the boy had not lied before, he could have still been alive.” The boy’s story clearly shows how falsehood can destroy. Since truth is the opposite of falsehood, if falsehood destroys, then truth saves!

What is the relationship between faith and truthfulness?

Guidance in the Holy Qur’an

This is a perfect Book; bthere is no doubt in it; it is a guidance for the righteous. Dhalika is primarily used in the sense of “that,” but is also sometimes used in the sense of “this” (Aqrab). Sometimes it is used to indicate the high rank and dignity of the subject to which it refers. Here it signifies that the Book is, as it were, remote from the reader in eminence and loftiness of merit (Fath). The particle al, like the definite article “the” in the English language, is used to denote a definite object known to the reader. In this sense the word Dhalika al-Kitab would mean, this is the Book, or this is that Book – the promised Book. The particle is also used to denote the combination of all possible attributes in one individual. The expression thus means, this is a Book which possesses all those excellent qualities which a perfect book should possess. Or it means, this alone is a perfect Book. Raib means, disquietude or uneasiness of mind: doubt; affliction or calamity and evil opinion; false charge or calumny (Aqrab). The verse does not mean that nobody will ever entertain any doubt about the Qur’an. It only means that its teaching is so rational that a right-thinking person, who approaches it with an unbiased mind, will find it a safe and sure guide. Muttaqi is derived from Waqa which has the sense of guarding against that which harms or injures. Wiqayah means, a shield and Ittaqa bihi (Muttaqi is the nominative case of Ittaqa) means, he took him or it as a shield (Lane). Ubayy bin K’ab, a distinguished Companion of the Holy Prophet, aptly explains Taqwa by likening Muttaqi to one who walks through thorny bushes, taking all possible care that his clothes are not caught in, and torn by, their branches (Kathir). A Muttaqi, therefore, is one who is ever on his guard against sins and takes God for his shield or shelter and is very regardful of his duty. The words, “a guidance for the righteous,” mean that guidance contained in the Qur’an know no limit. It helps man to attain limitless stage of spiritual perfection and makes him more and more deserving of God’s favors.

Surah Al-Baqarah’s opening verse is, “This is a perfect Book, there is no doubt in it; it is a guidance for the righteous.” Define “perfection.” What are the characteristics embedded in this quality? Discuss these qualities in relation to the Holy Qur’an.

Modesty in the Western world

In every matter, moderation is best. Explanation Doing something in moderation means not doing too much and not doing too little. Allah wants us to be moderate in everything that we do. He does not want us to become monks by forgetting about our families, neighbors, and friends to only spend time in worship and nothing else. At the same time, Allah does not want us to become too involved with our worldly lives by forgetting about Him and just having fun and partying all the time. Instead, He wants us to be moderate by spending time in worship, taking care of our families, neighbors, and friends, and sometimes having fun in Islamic ways. Here is a story that explains how moderation is the best way of doing things. Once upon a time, there was a little girl who used to get up every morning in the month of Ramadhan. She would eat breakfast with her parents, would pray with them, and then would want to fast for the entire day. Since Allah has commanded only adults to fast everyday in Ramadhan, her parents told her not to fast. But, she would not listen to them. During the day, she would get very tired and sleepy due to of hunger and thirst. She was not able to pay attention in class. After coming home, she would go straight to bed and forget her Zuhr and Asr prayers. At the time of breaking the fast, she ate too much and got sick everyday. Therefore, she was not able to do her homework. She wanted to fast because she wanted to get a reward from Allah. Instead, by forgetting her prayers, she was getting the displeasure of Allah. After a few days, her parents explained to her that Salat was obligatory upon her and fasting was not. They said, “By fasting at your age, you are not being moderate in your actions. Her immoderate actions lead to bad grades in school and to receiving Allah’s displeasure for missed prayers. The moral of the story is that we should not do too much of anything, nor too little of anything. Instead we should try to do just the right amount of everything. In other words, the middle way is the best way.

Make-Believe Problem: You go to a party where there are lots and lots of your favorite things to eat. The host announces that you can have anything you want and as much as you want. What would you do?

Truthfulness

Abdullah ibn Mas'udra relates that the Holy Prophetsaw said: Truth guides to virtue and virtue guides to Paradise. A person persists in telling the truth till in the sight of Allah he is named Truthful. Lying leads to vice and vice leads to the Fire; and a person goes on lying till in the sight of Allah he is named a Liar. (Bukhari and Muslim) • Hasan ibn Alira relates that he learnt the following from the Holy Prophetsaw: Leave alone that which involves thee in doubt and adhere to that which is free from doubt, for truth is comforting, falsehood is disturbing. (Tirmidhi) • Hakim ibn Hizamra relates that the Holy Prophetsaw said: A sale agreement is revocable till the buyer and seller part company. If they tell the truth and disclose everything relevant to the transaction, it becomes full of blessings for both of them; but if they speak falsely and conceal that which should be disclosed, the blessing of the transaction is wiped out. (Bukhari and Muslim) • Abu Sufyanra relates as part of his statement about Hiraclius that the latter asked him what does he (i.e. the

Holy Prophetsaw) teach you, and Abu Sufyanra said: Worship Allah alone and do not associate anything with Him, and discard all that your ancestors said; and he commands us to observe Prayer, to tell the truth, to be chaste and to strengthen the ties of kinship. (Bukhari and Muslim)

What religious book is the only one in the world that talks about Truth most extensively and its relationship with being righteous? Explain.

Why I believe in Islam I believe in Islam because it does not compel me to accept religion merely on authority, but furnishes convincing arguments in support of its doctrines. Islam gives detailed explanations of: o The existence of God and the nature of His attributes o Angels o Prayer and its effects o Divine decrees and their sphere o Worship and its need o Divine Law and its benefits o Revelation and its importance o Resurrection and life after death o Heaven and Hell Islam therefore, furnishes me not only with faith, but also with the certainty of knowledge, which satisfies my intellect and compels it to admit to the need for religion. • I believe in Islam because it does not base itself upon the experience of people who have passed away, but invites everybody to a personal experience of that which it teaches and guarantees. Islam claims that every truth can, in some manner or the other, be put to the test in this world and thus satisfies my reason. • I believe in Islam as it teaches that there can be no conflict between the word of God and the work of God, and thus resolves the supposed conflict between science and religion. This religion does not ask me to ignore the laws of nature and to believe in things that are contrary to them. On the contrary, it exhorts me to study the laws of nature and derive benefit from them. I learn that, as revelation comes from God and that He is the Creator of the universe, there can be no conflict between that which He does and that which He says. It invites me, therefore, in order to understand His revelation, to study His work, and in order to realize the significance of His work, to study His word, and thus satisfies my intellectual yearning.

What do you understand from the quote “there can be no conflict between the word of God and the work of God”?

-Who is Allah -Existence of Allah -Purpose of our creation

When we look around us, we see different things that have been made by different makers. A maker is someone who makes something. For example, the baker makes the bread; bees make honey; you make drawings and art work; your parents make dinner, and so on. Hence, everything around us has a maker. Allah is the maker of humans. He made us, He made the Earth, the sky, the Sun, the Moon, the mountains, the seas, and everything else. He either made everything Himself or He gave His creatures the ability to make other things. For example, Allah made bees, and they make honey. We cannot see Allah, but we can see all the things that He created. This is why we know that Allah is real. There is only one God, and that is Allah. The Oneness of God is also called the unity of God. He loves us and wants us to follow the right path which leads towards Him. To stay on the right path, we have to make sure that we pray five times a day, listen to our parents, and do good things. By doing these things, Allah is happy with us and we become closer to Him. We can also make sure that we do not hurt anyone and take care of all of Allah’s creatures, so He will love us more. We know Allah because we know the things that He can do and the powers that He has. The beautiful names of Allah are called the Attributes of Allah. They are not just names. They explain the things that Allah has done, and the things that He can do, and the things that He will do. Islam emphasizes the Unity and Universality of God. It teaches that God is the ultimate cause of all creation. He is the All-Knowing and living God. None of His attributes has been suspended and, therefore, He communicates with mankind as before. Islam holds that there is no contradiction between God’s words and His actions, and provides far greater insight into the various attributes of God, compared to the other religions. In addition to the proper name ‘Allah’, Allah has many beautiful names called al-Asmaa'ul Husnaa (59:25), signifying His various attributes. The opening Chapter of the Qur’an (Surah al-Fatihah) explains (commen- tary follows) that those Divine attributes that relate to human beings in any manner, branch out from His four principle attributes as follows: ♦ Rabbul-`Aalameen (Lord of all the Worlds). This means that Allah creates everything and then fosters everything gradually towards perfection; ♦ Ar-Rahmaan (the Gracious). This means that without any effort on the part of His creatures, Allah provides everything that is necessary for their development and progress; ♦ Ar-Raheem (the Merciful). This means that Allah is the Giver of the best and highest reward for those who do good voluntarily, and that reward continues indefinitely; and, ♦ Maaliki-yaumiddeen (Master of the Day of Judgment). This means that the ultimate judgment concerning everything rests with Allah alone. The Holy Qur’an & Ahadith refer to over one hundred attributes of Allah. Islam stresses the need to have firm belief in them and to follow them. The Holy Prophetsa advises in one of his Ahadith: “Follow the attributes of Allah.”

Allah is the Creator and the Master of all of us. Therefore, He alone can appoint a purpose for us. The Holy Qur’an, which is the word of God, makes reference to this objective as follows: And I have not created the Jinn and the men but that they may worship Me. (51:57) Thus, according to Islam, the purpose of man’s creation is the understanding and worship of Allah with complete devotion to Him. We can achieve this goal if — ♦ we are firm in the Six Articles of Eeman (Set of Beliefs), ♦ we comply with the Five Pillars of Islam (Acts of Worship), and ♦ we abide by the rules of social and moral behaviour. Our Allah, the Gracious, has bestowed upon us all the necessary faculties to fulfill these conditions of Islam. Thus we achieve nearness to Allah, and lead a happy and peaceful life on earth. In his book, The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam, the Promised Messiahas writes: “. . . It is obvious, therefore, that the highest reach of man’s faculties is to meet Allah, the Exalted. Thus the true purpose of his life is that the window of his heart should open towards Allah” (The Philosophy of the Teachings of Islam, p.86)

Why is the belief in Allah the first article of faith?

Self reflections and self- improvement If the ego is built up, or, is already strong, but the difficulty lies with the will or the intervening obstacles between the ego and the will, the following treatment would be appropriate: Let external conduct be put in accord, even artificially, with what is desired internally, thus inducing a corresponding inner reaction. The Promised Messiah -- peace be on him -- has laid great stress on this. Concentrating attention on God. This is essential for success. All thinking should flow in one direction only and every conception beside that of God should be obliterated from the mind. The Holy Quran says: We cite in evidence those who pursue their efforts vigorously. (79:2) This means that those who seek success in an enterprise, become wholly immersed in it. They direct their thinking in such manner that the particular enterprise becomes their goal, and they cease to be aware of anything else. When a project occupies the whole expanse of the mind then alone can success be achieved in it. When a person who is a habitual liar makes up his mind to give up lying, he will succeed only if he concentrates every moment on the idea that he must not tell a lie and must give up lying altogether. Repeated and constant thinking on a particular subject generates an inner strength. But such strength is subject to a risk; it can go berserk and run out of the control of the will. Many people complain that their thoughts wander during prayer and they seek a remedy. This means that their faculty of thinking has run amok. They concentrate on something other than God. They seek to direct their attention on God, but their attention runs away after something else. It is wrong to think that such people cannot concentrate. They can concentrate, but their trouble is that their attention is not under the control of their will. It has broken loose and become independent. It strays and wanders. In such a situation effort should be made to bring it under the control of the will. How can this be done? I will discuss this point later. I would, however, make one suggestion here. Those people whose attention wanders during prayer should not consciously try to concentrate. They should pray just as they do other normal things. This would bring relief from their condition. Constant exercise of will-power. Determination that an action embarked upon will be continued regardless of any obstacles that might be encountered. But will-power is not always adequate and strong. A person resolves to perform an action but then falters. Will-power has, therefore, to be strengthened. For this purpose I suggest a "tonic" which is composed of as many as fourteen ingredients, which are called from the Holy Quran and the traditions of the Holy Prophet -- on him be peace: Repetition of and reflection upon the verse of the Holy Quran: I have created men, high and low, that they may worship me. (51:57)

God says I have created man for the sole purpose that he should worship Me and thus be My true servant. Man should, therefore, think along the following lines. God has created me for nearness to Him. His purpose cannot be frustrated. I shall become His true servant; it is not possible that I should fail of this purpose, He should not imagine that he cannot accomplish anything. He should conceive as if God has taken hold of him and urges him to action. The mystics call this Muraqbah, deep reflection. But it does not mean mere passive thinking. It means repeated reflection and conviction that God having created him for becoming His servant, he could not possibly become anything else. Reflection on the purport of the verse of the Holy Quran: Surely, We have created man in the best mould. (95:5) He should reflect: God has invested me with the best faculties. Whatever good can be achieved by any other person can be achieved by me also. The attainment of the highest status is possible for me also. Then how can I fall? He should concentrate on this and revolve it in his mind frequently. He should reflect on the verse: Assuredly We have created man and We know well what kind of doubt his mind throws up. We are nearer to him than his jugular vein. (50:17) His line of thinking should be: God has created me, and He knows the subtlest doubts that rise in a person's mind and distract it. But God is closer to man than his mind, and can instantly resolve the doubts that rise in his mind. God has comforted man in this verse by reassuring him that he has nothing to fear from doubts, as the means of resolving doubts is closer than that which prompts doubts.

How can you improve yourself?

Blessings of Khilafat The word Khilafat means succession, and the Khalifa is a successor to a Prophet of Allah whose goal is to carry to completion the tasks of reformation and moral training that were seeded by the Prophet. The community of followers of a Prophet of Allah continues to nurture its faith and practices under the blessing of the institution of Khilafat for as long as Allah wishes. Allah says in the Holy Quran: Allah had promised to those among you who believe and do good works that He will surely make them Successors in the earth, as He made Successors from among those who were before them; and that He will surely establish for them their religion which He has chosen for them; and that He will surely give them in exchange security and peace after their fear: They will worship Me, and they will not associate anything with Me. Then whoso is ungrateful after that, they will be the rebellious. (Surah Al-Nur, Verse 56). Hadrat Mirza Bashir Ahmad ra writes: God Almighty does everything through wisdom and foresight, and there is always a good reason and logic behind it. According to nature’s physical laws, man has only a limited life span, but the task of reformation and training of society requires a much longer time. So, Allah has established the system of Khilafat after the system of Prophethood. The Khalifah continues and carries on the task of the Prophet. The seed sown by the Prophet is protected and nurtured by the Khalifah till it becomes a strong and sturdy tree. It shows that in fact Khilafat is an offshoot or branch of the system of Prophethood, that is why the Holy Prophet sa says that after every Prophet, the system of Khilafat is established. (taken from Welcome to Ahmadiyyat). Just as Allah appoints a Prophet, it is He who appoints a Khalifa as well. He chooses the person who is most eligible to become a Khalifa, and guides a group of pious believers into manifesting His Will through a process of selection of the Khalifa. Thus, it may apparently seem that the Khalifa is chosen by a group of pious people, but it is in fact the Will of Allah that guides their faculties into choosing the Khalifa of His Choice. Once a Khalifa is selected, he remains a Khalifa for the rest of his life as a living testament to Divine Will. Khilafat establishes the authority of Allah on earth, and the Khalifa strives to uphold that authority within the community of followers. For the believers, Khilafat is an embodiment of Allah’s Unity, as they choose to take divine authority through the person of the Khalifa. The believers partake of the blessings of Khilafat by holding firm to their faith and practices, united under him.

What is khilafat means?

Challenges at School Tarbiyyat Topic – September 2014 Majlis Atfal ul Ahmadiyya USA

Let’s talk about School Today!

Think about it...

What challenges do we face at School?

You are the expert!

Challenges? Take 3 Minutes to think. Make a List.

You have the list ready? then go to next slide

DONE?

• Bullying • Peer Pressure • Girls - A lot of the boys have girlfriends • Drugs in High School - some even have gangs! • Pressure to participate in events like Valentine Day, Halloween,

Christmas, etc • School Dances/Proms • Homework/Tests • Others? You must have more

Challenges at School

Are there any solutions?

Woh! there are so many challenges!

What is that? Only ONE? That should be easy...

There is

ONE solution

Do you know yourself? Who are you? Who are we?

“KNOW YOURSELF”

We are not like every other kid

We are Ahmadi Muslim Atfal We are preparing ourselves to be leaders of

tomorrow

Who Are We?

We always tell the Truth

We believe in One God and follow the example

of the Holy Prophet (SAW)

We are not afraid of anyone but Allah

Who Are We?

We ask Allah for help

We obey the Khalifa

We are honest and we work hard

Who Are We?

We are friendly and caring

We are proud to be Ahmadi Muslim Atfal

We are NOT worried about being cool but we

always do the right thing

Who Are We?

We are prepared to deal with any challenge

We now “know ourselves”

Discuss each challenge on the list and ask for everyone’s input

How do YOU(Atfal) deal with these

challenges

What is Bullying? What do bullies do/say?

Have you experienced it ?

How do you stop it?

Bullying

Ignore the Bully - Don’t show a reaction Be Brave and Confident If this doesn’t help, ask parents/teachers for help

Bullying - How do you stop it?

Ask Allah for help - How do you do that? Appear friendly and greet classmates Make friends - Bullies avoid people with friends

Bullying - How do you stop it?

Once an enemy of the Holy Prophet (SAW) came to him with a sword when he was sleeping alone and asked: Who will save you from me today?

Hadhrat Muhammad (SAW) replied:

Almighty Allah will be my protectorThe sword immediately fell from his hand with the fear of Almighty Allah and he could do no harm

Bullying - How do you stop it?

Girls

Can we have girlfriends? Why Not?

Can we talk to girls in school?

Where do we draw the line?

Girls - where to draw line?

Islam requires separation of the sexes especially as boys and girls grow up

We have separate Atfal and Nasirat classes and

separate prayer halls for men and women

Girls - where to draw line?

We should respect girls - Women/Girls have a high status in Islam

We can talk to girls in class/school but should not make friendships We should not even be “just friends”

Girls - where to draw line?

By avoiding interactions in social settings, we can prevent a lot of other challenges later on When in school we should focus on our education - that is the primary goal of going to school

Girls - where to draw line? The Holy Quran says: “Say to the believing men to restrain their

looks” (24:31) Don’t stare at girls - that is not respectful

Be Confident - If asked tell people that Ahmadi Muslims don't have girlfriends.

School Dances/Prom Why can’t we go to prom? Should Atfal participate in Dances? Is it Mandatory to go to prom or dances? How to say NO if you are invited?

School Dances/Prom

Dancing is against the dignity of Ahmadi Atfal Proms/Dances are optional so avoid them

We already know that we should not have girlfriends

- so whats the point of going to prom?

School Dances/Prom Our friends should know what our beliefs are They should know “Who We Are” Then no one will ask us to do anything against our beliefs People respect individuals who stay true to their beliefs

Drugs/Alcohol

What would you do if a close friends asks you try it? Not even a little bit? Do you stay friends with that person?

Drugs/Alcohol

Intoxicants(drugs/alcohol) are forbidden in Islam They are bad for you health so even a little quantity is

forbidden Drugs are addictive - very hard to stop if started

Drugs/Alcohol

Be firm and steadfast in saying NO Dont be friends with such people who ask you to do

things against Islam regardless of who they are

Allah says:

Keep company with the righteous [9:119]

UnIslamic Holidays Which Holidays are against Islam? How can we tell the difference? Is it OK to give Valentine Day gifts? Should we go Trick or Treating?

UnIslamic Holidays Halloween is a pagan holiday Valentine’s Day has pagan and Christian roots Christmas and Easter are Christian holidays Most of these holidays are celebrated for

commercial purposes

UnIslamic Holidays Ahmadi Muslim Atfal don’t celebrate holidays that

are unislamic

We can convey our best wishes when someone is celebrating a religious holiday but should not join in Holidays that are not against Islam like Thanksgiving, National Holidays like 4th July should be celebrated

UnIslamic Holidays If we “know ourselves” and are confident about our

beliefs it is very easy to explain to others why don’t we celebrate certain holidays There are other holidays that Americans don’t celebrate like Chinese New Year and Pakistan’s Independence day because they are not relevant

Similarly we only celebrate holidays that are

relevant to our beliefs

Grades/Exams/Tests

What is the best way to do well in school? How can we ask for help when stuck?

How can we focus on Studies?

Grades/Exams/Tests

Main purpose of going to school is education

Studies should be our focus and priority Ahmadi Muslim Atfal are hardworking so we should

strive for the best grades

Grades/Exams/Tests

Recite this prayer(dua) often:

‘O my Lord, increase me in knowledge’

Grades/Exams/Tests Ask teachers and parents for help if you don’t

understand anything We can only learn by asking and practice - Don’t be

shy or afraid to ask for help Be disciplined in studies - reduce distractions What distractions can we reduce? How?

Open discussion on other topics not covered here

Other Challenges &

Solutions?

Key to Success - Remember this Know yourself

Be confident and dont be afraid of telling anyone who you are - your beliefs (don’t hide)

Be steadfast in your beliefs to earn respect of others

Be brave and constantly Ask Allah for help & guidance

Monthly Tarbiyyat Questions (survey for monthly report)

i) Do you offer 5 daily Salat?

ii) Do you recite the Holy Quran daily?

iii) Are you studying the translation of the Holy Quran?

iv) Are you currently enrolled in a Al-Furqan Quran Class online?

v) Are you currently enrolled in a local Jama’at Quran Class?

vi) Did you write a letter to Huzoor (aba) this month?

vii) Do you listen to Huzoor's Friday Sermon?

?