Children’s booksFrom the archive
Surah Al-Fil, as Nurin told it
Nurin's own book on Surah Al-Fil, from Abraha's march to Abdul Muttalib's answer, ending with a lesson on how to draw an elephant.
Nurin wrote this book in her primary school years, around 2014 to 2016. It is her own retelling of Surah Al-Fil, made as a piece of journaling. She opens with a question for the reader: "Surah Al-fil is my favourite surah. Do you know what does Al-fil means? it means: THE ELEPHANT".
Then she tells the story in order. Abraha builds a huge church in Sana'a, in Yemen, and wants people to visit it instead of the Ka'bah. He goes to Makkah and takes camels belonging to its people. Abdul Muttalib, the grandfather of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, goes to ask for them back.
The book is not finished. Most pages have her words at the bottom and an empty space above, left for pictures she meant to add. The story itself is all there, from start to end.
Surah Al-fil is my favourite surah. Do you know what does Al-fil means? it means: THE ELEPHENT.
OK, let me tell you the story of the elephant.
Abraha built huge church in the City of sana'a in Yemen.
He wanted people to visit the church and not visit the ka'ba in Makah.
Abraha went to Makkah and took many camels that belong to the people. Prophet Muhammad s.A.W's grandfather, Abdul Muttalib went to as Abraha to return the camels.
But Abraha said, "I have come to destroy the ka'bah and you all can think about the camels?" Abdul Muttalib answered his quistion "I am the owner of the camels and that's why I'm asking you to return them. The owner of the ka'ba, Allah will look after it"
This is how to draw an elephant! / 1. Outline 2legs with pencil / 2. Care fully Join them together / 3. at the back, make a curve up. / 4. then down / 5. do the trunk.
6. add your eyes and ear then.... ALHAMDULILLAH! you got yourselves an elephent.
The answer at the heart of it
Abraha asks how Abdul Muttalib can think about camels when he has come to destroy the Ka'bah. In Nurin's words, Abdul Muttalib answers: "The owner of the ka'ba, Allah will look after it". It is a good line to talk about with a child who is learning this surah.
Teaching it on
She ended with a lesson of her own: how to draw an elephant in six steps, finishing with "ALHAMDULILLAH! you got yourselves an elephent." That is the Impart step of our 4-I: a child taking what she has learned and teaching it to someone else.
