Surah Names
To create the love of the Qur'an, and instil it in the children at a young age, it would help give them some tools that they can relate directly to the Qur'an. Here are some stories created around the surah names of the Qur'an. It helps in creating familiarity and some Arabic words and their meanings. It is not meant to be all inclusive of what the surahs talk of. Sometimes it links with the message of the surah, but the main aim is to get familiar with the names and the order the surahs are in. This is a way to help recall. Ali (RA) said a good way to memorise is by association of ideas. That is what is attempted here. · Story 1: Invitation 1. Al Fatiha – the opening; you open up your home to invite the Jews 1 2. Al Baqara – the Cow and you invite the Christians 2 3. Al'e Imran – family of Imran You invite also their 4. An Nisa – Women. You set for them a 5. Al Maida – table or table spread. You feed them kebabs and meat stuff from 6. Al Anaam – cattle/livestock. It makes you feel happy and you are on a high, on 7. Al Araf – the Heights. You then serve them all desert and extra special stuff – 3 8. Al Anfaal – Booty or 'extras' Before you get proud about it, do some 9. At Tawba – repentance. The prophet who did lots of tawba was 10. Yunus. – the prophet who prayed while in the fish. Another prophet was 11. Hud, - whose people didn't listen to him. Then another prophet was 12. Yusuf. – He was thrown in the well by his brothers; just imagine small child hearing 13. Ra'd – the thunder; scared, Allah gave him solace. He is the only prophet in a line of four generations of prophets, Yaqoob, Ishaq, and his great grandfather was 14. Ibrahim – he had a father who disbelieved and was stubborn as a rock in a 15. Al Hijr – rocky tract; now think of hills, flowers and the humming of 16. An Nahl – bees. (Incidentally this surah is strong on Allah's signs in nature) End of story. · Story 2: next story starts with the Israelites, 4 17. Bani Isra'il – talks about the Jews and