Educational Objectives – Verse: “We will make you recite, and you will not forget” (Surah Al-A‘la, 87:6)
First – Faith-Based and Reflective Objectives
The child should understand that memory is a gift from God, placed in every living being, and that it is proof of His creativity and wisdom in organizing life.
➤ The bee remembers the path to the flower, the fish knows the way back to its home, and the human being remembers faces, places, and words.
The child should reflect on God’s mercy in creating both remembrance and forgetfulness: remembrance is a means of learning, while forgetfulness is a mercy for the heart — a relief from sadness and worry.
The child should feel that it is God who establishes knowledge in the mind, just as He firmly placed revelation in the heart of the Prophet ﷺ through His care and mercy.
Second – Scientific and Cognitive Objectives
The child should learn about the role of the brain in memory function:
➤ Short-term memory keeps what we see or hear for a few moments.
➤ Long-term memory stores experiences and important information for long periods.
The child should understand that all creatures have memory, in varying degrees, which helps them survive:
➤ Birds migrate and return to the same place.
➤ Cats remember the way to their home.
➤ Dolphins recognize each other’s voices even after many years.
The child should connect these scientific facts with God’s words:
“We will make you recite, and you will not forget” — meaning that God is the One who grants the ability to memorize and remember.
Third – Practical and Skill-Based Objectives
The child should conduct a simple research project about a scientific fact related to memory or the brain and present it to their group.
The child should discover and try methods that help strengthen memory, such as:
➤ Getting enough sleep and rest.
➤ Repeating information several times.
➤ Eating foods that are beneficial for the brain (such as walnuts and berries).
➤ Focusing and paying attention while learning.
➤ Linking information to a picture or a story.
The child should practice thanking God whenever they remember a blessing, a fact, or a friend.
The child should recognize habits that harm the brain and memory, such as excessive use of electronic devices — opening a discussion about what is sometimes called “brain decay” or the negative impact of screen overuse on memory.
Fourth – Emotional and Behavioral Objectives
The child should feel grateful to God for the gift of intellect and memory.
The child should act kindly and compassionately, remembering that God shows him mercy just as He allows him to forget what causes him pain.
The child should learn that using one’s memory for good — memorizing a verse, keeping a beautiful remembrance, or recalling a useful lesson — is a form of worship and gratitude.
Practical Activity: “My Memory is a Gift from God”
Objective:
To help the child understand that memory is a blessing created by God for all living beings, and that He has honored humans with a mind and brain capable of learning, remembering, and recalling — and that even forgetfulness is a form of mercy.
Steps of the Activity
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Start with a discussion:
Ask the children questions such as:
– Who remembers what they ate yesterday?
– Do you remember your first friend?
– Do you think animals have memory like us? How do birds find their way back? -
Try a short experiment:
Place 10 small objects (a key, a pen, a flower, a leaf, an apple...) on a table.
Give the children 30 seconds to look at them, then cover them with a cloth.
Ask: Who can remember the most objects? -
Discuss afterward:
Why couldn’t we remember everything?
How do repetition and focus help us remember better?
Repeat the experiment using a memory technique, such as linking each object to a sound, number, or image — we usually remember more that way!
Finally, ask: Who gave us this amazing ability?
Connecting to the Verse
Recite the verse together beautifully:
“We will make you recite, and you will not forget.”
Explain that God is the One who teaches us and helps what we learn stay firm in our minds, just as He firmly placed revelation in the heart of His Prophet ﷺ.
Final Reflection
God created for us a brain that works day and night, recording sounds, faces, and memories.
All of this is a sign of His mercy, which forgets no one.
List of references at this link: