HAJJ A Journey Towards Allah
Creative ideas and activities 3-7 years
www.islamfromthestart.com
Teaching the faith to my little one has been a great learning journey. With a vision of making it fun and hands on, the aim has been to find creative ways to help instil the foundation of Islamic values, right from the start.
This eBook brings together the activities we have used to learn about Hajj. You can also find them on our website and Facebook page.
May Allah guide and help us in raising our children to learn, love and live the teachings of Islam.
“Let your child for 7 years. Let them learn through playing.” Prophet Muhammad (saw)
Contents
Hajj For Preschoolers
Good Deed Magnet
Make Tawaaf
Qibla Arrow
Pop Up Ka'ba Card
Exploring Different Cultures
What's Inside Counts
Paper Chain Dolls
What's In Your Heart?
In The Footsteps Of Prophet Ibrahim (as)
Maqame Ibrahim
Resources
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Hajj For Preschoolers Key Learning Point: Hajj is a very special journey to to visit the Ka’ba in Makkah, Saudi Arabia, It takes place once a year in the month of Dhulhijja and lasts for only a few days. Allah tells us in the Qur’an that if we can afford it, we must make the journey to Hajj once in our lifetime. Muslims from all over the world gather together to pray to Allah and do what He has asked them.
Keywords and concepts: What is Hajj? In month of Dhulhijja Going to Makkah, to see the Ka'ba, special 'house of Allah' Lots of people come from all over the world All wearing white - Ihram Go around the Ka'ba 7 times - Tawaaf Sleep in big white tents - Mina Ka'ba made by Prophet Ibrahim (as) Footprint in Makam Ibrahim Baby Ismail was in the desert, very hot, crying for water, mum Bibi Hajra ran between the mountains of Safa and Marwa, Allah made special water come up from the ground, Zam Zam
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ACTIVITY: Story Telling Story of Prophet Ibrahim (as), Zam Zam and building of the Ka’ba ACTIVITY: Hajj Landscape Set up an area marking out the landscape to help experience the journey of Hajj and become familiar with the basic rituals:
Ihram: Dress up in white sheets/towels Tents: Drape a white sheet over some chairs or gather under the dining table Ka'ba: A large box covered with black material/abaya Mountains: Pile up some cushions at the two ends of the room Zam Zam: Label small water bottles/jug of water
Run from the mountains of Safa to Marwa, do the rounds of tawaf chanting 'Labbaik Allahuma Labbaik', stop to drink some Zam Zam water and rest in the tents of Mina.
ACTIVITY: Hajj Picture Cards Print some images of the keywords associated with Hajj. Use to make a collage/stick onto a large cut out of the English/Arabic letter H Can also use the cards to play snap or memory pairs.
ACTIVITY: Hajj Mystery Object Bag Use objects that symbolise the hajj journey as storytelling/discussion props. ACTIVITY: 3D Ka’ba Cover a square tissue box with black paper/paint, and decorate with gold glitter/yellow paper. Can be used as a money box.
ACTIVITY: Hajj Wall Art Draw a black square in the centre of a paper plate. Use different paint techniques with fingerprints/brushes/cotton buds/cotton wool balls, to form a colourful circular tawaaf pattern around the Ka'ba, symbolising the different people coming together for Hajj.
ACTIVITY: Hajj Rhymes Round and round the Ka'baa seven times We will all go to Makkah on the Hajj See links in the resource section
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Good Deeds Key Learning Point: Every good deed brings you close to Allah!
Quran Verse: Wa ahsin, do good 28:77
Lesson Introduction: Allah is our Creator and the One who has given us so many blessings. We must to listen to Him and do what He has told us.
In the Qur'an, Allah tells us to be a 'mushin', the one who does good. Allah loves the muhsineen!
ACTIVITY: Good Deed Magnet
Materials Needed: Magnetic selection of 1p/2p coins Container of rice Large Magnet
For each coin, have the child say a good deed and place it into the rice. Brainstorm a few ideas, adding in a coin each time.
‘Let’s see what happens when Allah sees you doing a good deed.' Hover a magnet over the rice and watch how the coins are pulled up.
Good deeds are magnetic! Every time you do a good deed, Allah pulls you close to Him! Every good deed brings you closer to Allah. Allah loves those who do good deeds :)
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Point out: - There is no such thing as a ‘small’ good deed, all the coins were magnetic! - It doesn’t matter if no-one saw you do the good deed. Even coins hidden at the bottom of the pile were pulled up by the magnet. Every good deed is seen by Allah and pulled towards Him!
Set a challenge for the first ten days of Dhulhijja to do as many good deeds as you can, that will please Allah and bring you closer to Him. Celebrate on Eid!
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Tawaaf Key Learning Point: When we make tawaaf and walk around the Ka'ba, we are doing what Allah has told us and are close to the House of Allah.
If we want Allah to pull us close to Him everyday, we must spend our time doing good deeds, because good deeds are magnetic and pull us towards Allah!
Quran Verse: Wa ahsin, do good 28:77 Lesson Introduction: One of the things we do in Hajj is Tawaaf, walking around the Ka'ba 7 times. The Ka'ba is sometimes called the House of Allah, because it is a special place to remind us about Allah.
The solar system is made of 7 planets which all go around the sun. This is because the sun is like a very strong magnet. It pulls the planets towards it, making them stay close to the sun as they go round.
The Ka'ba is in the centre like the sun, and when we do tawaaf, we are like the planets going around it.
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ACTIVITY:Make Tawaaf Materials Needed: Paper plate Few paperclips Different colours of paint Strong magnet Draw a black square, to represent the Ka'ba, in the centre of a paper plate. Place a few drops of paint and a couple of paperclips on the plate. Have the child move the paperclips around the Ka'ba by gliding the magnet from underneath, to illustrate the movement of different people performing Tawaaf.
Point out how the 'paperclip people' performing tawaaf are doing a good deed which is keeping them close to the House of Allah. Similarly, if we want to stay close to Allah everyday, we must spend our time doing good deeds, because good deeds are magnetic and pull us towards Allah!
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Qibla Key Learning Point: Muslims from all over the world pray facing the same direction, towards the Ka'ba in Makkah. It is called the Qibla. Everyday when we pray, we remember that we are facing the House of Allah. It helps us to check if we are doing good deeds that are taking us close to Allah. Quran Verse: Wa ahsin, do good 28:77 ACTIVITY: Qibla Arrow Materials Needed: Cardboard Colour pens Compass Map Use a map/globe to point out the locations of the home city and Makkah and have the children use a compass to locate the Qibla direction. Decorate an arrow with a picture of the Ka’ba and stick it in the bedroom.
Explain how it is good to try and face this special direction every time we do something. It reminds us of Allah and makes us think about what we are doing. Would it make Allah happy and take us close to Him?
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Hajj Card ACTIVITY: Pop Up Ka'ba Card Material Needed: Card Scissors Black colours, paper, felt Gold card or glitter
Fold a card in half and cut two small vertical slits inwards from the middle crease. Open the card and now fold back on itself in the opposite direction, while gently pulling out the rectangular cut out. Decorate the Ka'ba and write a farewell card for family travelling to Hajj or to celebrate Eid.
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Ihraam Key Learning Point: To Allah, it doesn’t matter what you look like on the outside, whether you’re tall, short, what colour your hair is or if you wear glasses. Allah looks inside us, at our heart to see if it is full of good deeds.
Quran Verse: Wa ahsin, do good 28:77 Lesson Introduction: In Hajj, people from all over the world gather together. All these people have different ways of dressing, speaking, eating etc. When we perform the Hajj, Allah tells us all to wear the Ihram, the same simple white clothes. You wouldn’t be able to guess who is rich or poor, what kind of job the person does, where he comes from, even if they're the king! Everyone is concentrating on doing good deeds and not what they look like!
ACTIVITY: Exploring Different Cultures Name some different nationalities and look through images that show their cultural ways of dressing. Talk about how some look a lot grander than others, some are more colourful, each one helps you identify where a person is from. Discuss how whether what you think of someone depends on how they look? We shouldn’t look at people and think we know what they are like just because they dress a certain way. Only Allah knows what their heart is like. If they have been doing lots of good deeds, their inside will be beautiful and that's what matters.
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ACTIVITY: What's Inside Counts Materials Needed: Two gifts, one dull and the other exciting! Wrap one in a plain box and the other in a box covered with fancy paper, bows and ribbons. Show the two gift boxes. Have the children point out which they would like to choose. Open each to reveal the more exciting present in the plain wrapper! The wrapping is like our appearance, and the gift inside is like our hearts. To Allah, it doesn’t matter what you look like on the outside. It is more important that our heart inside is full of good deeds.
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ACTIVITY: Paper Chain Dolls Materials needed: Paper Scissors Colours Heart stickers Fold a piece of paper acordain style like a fan. Draw the outline of a person making sure that the head touches the top edge, the feet touch the bottom edge of the strip and that the hands touch either side. Cut out the person, leaving the folds intact at the hands. Unfold to reveal a chain of paper dolls. Colour every person differently and place a heart sticker on each one. To Allah, it doesn’t matter what you look like on the outside, whether you’re tall, short, what colour your hair is or if you wear glasses. Allah cares about your heart inside. Is it full of good deeds?
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ACTIVITY: What’s In Your Heart? Materials needed: Large cardboard heart cut out Post it notes
Display a large cut out heart and have the child write and stick onto it a good deed they have done each day. The visual emphasises that good deeds beautify the heart.
For a group, have each child hold the heart cut out and say “Allah looks at what I do, not what I look like” before sticking onto it a note with a good deed they have done. Pass onto the next child to do the same.
Prayer: O Allah. Help me to remember that what I do is more important than what I look like. Help me to do lots of good deeds that make my heart beautiful.
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Prophet Ibrahim (as) Quran Verse: "ooshkuro lillah," be thankful to Allah 31:12
Lesson Introduction: Prophet Ibrahim (as) always remembered the blessings Allah had given Him and said thank you for everything. This good action was loved so much by Allah, that He chose Prophet Ibrahim to become His special friend, Khalilullah.
There is a place near the Ka’ba called ‘Maqam Ibrahim’. Inside it are the footprints of Prophet Ibrahim, from when he was building the Ka’ba. They remind us how with every step Prophet Ibrahim took, he said Alhamdulilah. He always thanked Allah and it made Allah love him so much!
ACTIVITY: In The Footsteps Of Ibrahim (as)
Materials needed: Large roll of paper and paint.
Paint the soles or have the child step into a tray of paint and walk along a large roll of paper. In each footprint starting on the 1st of Dhilhajj, write one thing to be grateful for each day. Celebrate all your blessings on Eid! For a less messy alternative, have the child think of one thing every day and write the list inside a pair of cut out footprints. Encourage and repeat the phrase Alhamdullilah throughout the day,
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Activity: Maqam Ibrahim
Materials needed: Card Gold glitter/paint
Cut out the shape of Maqam Ibrahim and have the child draw around their foot. Write inside, ‘I want to follow in the footsteps of Prophet Ibrahim (as) who was always thankful to Allah.' Decorate in gold.
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Resources Muslim Kids Worksheets, rhymes and creative play ideas including a Hajj passport!
Buzz Ideazz A collection of ideas on how to make Hajj inspiring for kids
We're going on a Hajj trip! Interactive children's storybook
Madressa.net Arts and craft ideas for the month of Dhilhajj
Rhymes for Muslim children Illustrated rhyme book with MP3 audio files
Towards Jannah Hands-on ideas and activities for instilling the love of Allah in kids.
Let us learn about Ashurral Hajj QFatima manual covering in detail the events of Hajj with worksheets
Academy Of Learning Islam A list of Hajj resources and activities
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