The 5 courses of Exploring Islam textbooks include details of the pillars of belief in Islam, this includes belief in Allah I, His Angels, prophets, holy books and the Hereafter.  In addition various aspects of these beliefs are presented through stories featuring children and animals to clarify these issues to children of elementary level education.

“Why” The squirrel:  Belief in Allah

 The essence of a believer is: believing in Allah I and worshiping him and him alone.

Aya 21 of surat Albakara:

    Oh people! Worship your Lord, who created you and all those before you.  Then you may become righteous (good) people.

Zahra and Angels:  Belief in angels

Fatr فاطر, aya 1

    Praise Allah, the creator of skies and earth.  He who sent angels to us as messengers and gave them two, three or even four pair of wings.  He adds to His creations as He wishes, for He is most capable.

Hanan, Fatima and the messengers of Allah:  Belief in all of Allah’s Prophets

Alnahl النحل, aya 125

   Call people to Allah with wisdom and compassion and teach them with kind words.  Your Lord knows those who did not follow the right path and those who did.

ادْعُ إِلَى سَبِيلِ رَبِّكَ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالْمَوْعِظَةِ الْحَسَنَةِ وَجَادِلْهُم بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ

The Quran and other Holy books:  Belief in Holy Books

Al-hijr الحجر , aya 9

 We have sent down the Quran, the message of Allah, and We shall protect it.

 إِنَّا نَحْنُ نَزَّلْنَا الذِّكْرَ وَإِنَّا لَهُ لَحَافِظُونَ

Maryem and Beebompap:  Belief in mortality of all living creatures

Um Salma, a Muslim woman, went to the prophet one day to inform him of her husband’s death.  The prophet was kind to her and advised her to pray to Allah and say “Oh Allah, forgive me and my husband, and provide me with better than what I had.” 

Sure enough!  Allah soon provided her with better than what she had, she married again, and this time it was the Prophet r who became her husband!

Can We See Allah?:  Belief in Allah, even though we cannot see him

Yunis يونس , aya 6   

There is evidence of the presence of Allah in how the day and night change from one to another, and in what Allah has created on earth and in the skies.  Those are signs of Allah for God fearing people.

 إِنَّ فِي اخْتِلافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ وَمَا خَلَقَ اللَّهُ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ لَآيَاتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَّقُونَ

 The Prophet r is with us:  Belief in AllahI, his Prophet and the conduct we follow as Muslims.

Allah I:  Allah’s nature

Albaqara البقره , 255  Ayat Alkursi آية الكٌـرسي      

Allah, there is no god but he, the living, who needs no help from others.  He lives forever and never sleeps.  He has everything in the heavens and on earth.  Who can ask Allah for favors except with his permission?  He knows what we hide and what we show to others, and we do not know anything about Allah, except for what he had let us know.  The throne of Allah is so large that it is as big as the heavens and earth.  Allah will never get tired from protecting the heavens and earth, and he is the highest and most supreme.

 اللَّهُ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ لاَ تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلاَ نَوْمٌ لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلاَّ بِإِذْنِهِ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلاَ يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلاَّ بِمَا شَاء وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ وَلاَ يَؤُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ

Who’s My God?:  The true nature of our creator can be discerned if one is to examine God’s creation.

Alra’d الرعد , aya 16

Say, who is the Lord of heavens and earth?  It is Allah.  So do you worship gods other than Allah?  Those gods can do you no good, nor any harm.  Is it the same to be blind and to be able to see?  Or, is it the same to be in a very dark place or in a bright place?  Say, who is the Lord of heavens and earth?  It is Allah.  So do you worship gods other than Allah?  Those gods can do you no good, nor any harm.  s it the same to be blind and to be able to see?  Or, is it the same to be in a very dark place or in a bright place?  

 قُلْ مَن رَّبُّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضِ قُلِ اللَّهُ قُلْ أَفَاتَّخَذْتُم مِّن دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَاء لاَ يَمْلِكُونَ لِأَنفُسِهِمْ نَفْعًا وَلاَ ضَرًّا قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الأَعْمَى وَالْبَصِيرُ أَمْ هَلْ تَسْتَوِي الظُّلُمَاتُ وَالنُّورُ  ........

Dua’a:  The power of supplication

Albaqarah, البقره aya 186,

And if my servants ask you, I am nearby to hear their prayer and I will give to those who ask me in prayer what they need. 

So let them follow my guidance and believe in me, this will guide them to the right path.

 وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ أُجِيبُ دَعْوَةَ الدَّاعِ إِذَا دَعَانِ فَلْيَسْتَجِيبُواْ لِي وَلْيُؤْمِنُواْ بِي لَعَلَّهُمْ يَرْشُدُونَ

The Best and The Worst Things:  Belief in the Hereafter

Albaqara, البقره aya 25

Tell those who believe in Allah and do good things that they will go to Jenna with  rivers flowing underneath it.  Every time they are given fruits to eat they would say “Wow, this is just what ate before!”  But they would be happily surprised that it is different, but still very tasty.  They will also have companions who are pure.  Such people will live in Jenna forever and ever.

 وَبَشِّرِ الَّذِين آمَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ الصَّالِحَاتِ أَنَّ لَهُمْ جَنَّاتٍ تَجْرِي مِن تَحْتِهَا الأَنْهَارُ كُلَّمَا رُزِقُواْ مِنْهَا مِن ثَمَرَةٍ رِّزْقًا قَالُواْ هَذَا الَّذِي رُزِقْنَا مِن قَبْلُ وَأُتُواْ بِهِ مُتَشَابِهًا وَلَهُمْ فِيهَا أَزْوَاجٌ مُّطَهَّرَةٌ وَهُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ

Angel Jibril

This chapter narrates the event when Angel Jibril u appeared to the Prophet r and his companions and asked the Prophet questions about their religion to teach Muslims.  After Angel Jibril left, the Prophet r said to his companions: “He is angel Jibril.  He came to teach all of you our religion,” said the Prophet.

Drops of Rain:  Allah I is the creator

Allah I is the creator of all, be it living beings or innominate objects

Alanbya’, الأنبياء   aya 30

Can’t the disbelievers see how heavens and earth were together before we separated them?  We have created everything alive from water.  Will they not then believe?

أَوَلَمْ يَرَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا أَنَّ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأَرْضَ كَانَتَا رَتْقًا فَفَتَقْنَاهُمَا وَجَعَلْنَا مِنَ الْمَاء كُلَّ شَيْءٍ حَيٍّ أَفَلا يُؤْمِنُونَ

Seeing is Believing:  The 5 pillars of belief

Belief in Allah I, His angels, Messengers, scriptures He revealed to messengers and in the Day Of Judgment. 

Eat What You Like:  Being grateful to Allah I

Hazim Quits School:  Balancing acts of worship and daily life

“The best of matters is in moderation”

”خير ألأمور أوسطها“

Obedience to Allah and the Teachings of Prophet Muhammad:  Belief in Allah I is through what His Prophet r conveyed to us.

Cooperation, Justice & Sacrifice:  Belief in Allah I entails following his commands  

Belief in Allah I entails following his commands, such as cooperation amongst believers.

When the Prophet asked Muslims to donate money to prepare an army to defend Islam, Abu Bakr, the Prophet’s dear friend and companion gave all his money for the cause. 

“What have you left for your family?”  The Prophet r asked Abu Bakr.

“I left for them Allah and his Messenger,” replied Abu Bakr. 

Allah and His nature

Surat El-Nur, aya 40

The Non-believers are as if they were in the depths of darkness in a vast deep ocean, covered with a huge wave topped by more waves, topped by dark clouds.  The darkness is so deep, as if it was layer upon layer of darkness.  So dark, if one is to stretches out his or her hand, they will hardly be able to see it! Those whom Allah does not give light for guidance; there will be no light to guide them!”

أَوْ كَظُلُمَاتٍ فِي بَحْرٍ لُّجِّيٍّ يَغْشَاهُ مَوْجٌ مِّن فَوْقِهِ مَوْجٌ مِّن فَوْقِهِ سَحَابٌ ظُلُمَاتٌ بَعْضُهَا فَوْقَ بَعْضٍ إِذَا أَخْرَجَ يَدَهُ لَمْ يَكَدْ يَرَاهَا وَمَن لَّمْ يَجْعَلِ اللَّهُ لَهُ نُورًا فَمَا لَهُ مِن نُّورٍ

Allah’s attributes:  The glorious names of Allah I

Alhamdulillah :  Belief in Allah as the Protector

Allah and God; one and the same:  Muslims, Christians and Jews believe in the same one God

 Surat Al-An’am, aya 92

“And this Quran is a blessed Book which We have sent down, confirming the revelations which came before it, so that you may warn the people of Mecca and all those around it. Those who believe in the Hereafter believe in this Quran and they are constant in guarding their prayers.”

وَهَذَا كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ مُبَارَكٌ مُّصَدِّقُ الَّذِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ وَلِتُنذِرَ أُمَّ الْقُرَى وَمَنْ حَوْلَهَا وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالآخِرَةِ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِهِ وَهُمْ عَلَى صَلاتِهِمْ يُحَافِظُونَ

Lost and found:  Guidance through belief in Allah I

No Belief chapters in this course