Aya & Maelouma

Verse of the Week – Aya wa Maʿlouma Program

Allah, the Most High, says:
(( Until, when they came upon the valley of the ants, an ant said: “O ants! Enter your dwellings, lest Solomon and his soldiers crush you while they are unaware” ))
(Surah An-Naml – verse 18)

Educational Objectives for Contemplation and Reflection

1️⃣ Divine creativity in creation

• The child reflects on how Allah created a tiny ant that possesses:

  • language and communication: it calls and warns;

  • collective awareness: it thinks of others’ safety before its own;

  • precise organization: homes, paths, and roles.

• The child understands that size does not determine value, and that Allah placed wisdom even in the smallest creatures.

2️⃣ Divine mercy (toward all creatures and toward us)

• The child learns that Allah:

  • granted the ant the ability to protect and warn;

  • made a great prophet such as Solomon (peace be upon him) cause no harm unintentionally.

• The child understands that mercy:

  • is not only about strength, but about caring for the vulnerable;

  • includes humans, animals, and all creatures.

3️⃣ Gratitude

• The child learns to say:

  • Alhamdulillah for intelligence;

  • Alhamdulillah for the ability to speak and warn;

  • Alhamdulillah for the One who protects us even when we are unaware.

• The child realizes that many of Allah’s blessings work quietly in our lives… just like the ant.

 Amazing facts about ants (child-friendly)

• An ant does not have a large brain, yet it behaves with remarkable intelligence!

• Ants do not shout; they communicate through scents and vibrations.

• An ant can carry up to 20 times its own weight.

• Ants build underground cities with storage rooms and pathways.

• Some ant species take care of injured members of their colony.

✨ All of this in a creature we can barely notice!

❄️ Contemplative Activity: The Ant Behind the Window

Activity idea

The child reflects on the verse from a warm place
and connects with the meaning of:

• protection

• mercy

• gratitude
  just as the ant shelters itself in its home.

 Materials

• A window looking outside (snow / cold / grey sky)

• Paper + pencil / colors

Step 1

Say to the child:
“Imagine a tiny ant in this cold…
How does Allah protect it?”

Step 2: Guided reflection

Read the verse softly, then slowly ask:

• Where was the ant?

• What did it do to protect the others?

• How is Allah protecting you right now, while you are warm?
  (There is no need to answer immediately… silence is part of the activity.)

✍️ Step 3: Reflection outcome

The child chooses one option only:

Option 1: Emotional drawing

• The child draws:

  • an ant inside its shelter

  • the cold outside

• Warm colors are used inside, and cool colors outside.

✏️ Option 2: Reflection sentence
The child completes one sentence:

• “I am like the ant when…”

• “Allah protects me when…”

• “I am grateful because…”

Step 4: Closing with gratitude

The child places a hand on their chest and calmly says:

“Alhamdulillah for the warmth I feel; it is part of Allah’s mercy, just as He gave the ant a shelter to protect it.”