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Taleem Kids

Ilm

Seeking knowledge

The very first word revealed to the Prophet ﷺ was 'Read'. Islam treats studying as worship when it is done for Allah, and it gives learning its own manners: you sit quietly, you ask without showing off, you thank your teacher, you pass on what you were given, and you act on it. These five lessons give a child a reason to study and a way to behave while doing it.

A sage clay path leading towards an open gold archway with a clay book at its start
A winding sage clay path leading to a small open gold clay archway, an open clay book at the start of the path

Lesson 1 · Why we study · ages 8-11

A road that leads to Jannah

The Prophet ﷺ said whoever walks a path seeking knowledge, Allah makes easy for him a path to Paradise.

  1. The hadith

    The Prophet ﷺ said: he who treads a path in search of knowledge, Allah makes that path easy, leading to Paradise for him.

  2. Read was the first word

    The first revelation began: Read, in the name of your Lord who created — Islam opened with an instruction to learn.

  3. Knowledge raises people

    Allah says He raises in rank those who believe and those who are given knowledge.

  4. Ask Allah for more of it

    Allah taught the Prophet ﷺ the dua: my Lord, increase me in knowledge.

  5. For Allah, not for showing off

    Studying to look clever spoils it; studying to know Allah and serve people is worship.

Surah Al-Alaq · 96:1

بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ ٱقْرَأْ بِٱسْمِ رَبِّكَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ

Iqra bismi rab bikal lazee khalaq

“Recite in the name of your Lord who created -”

Surah Al-Mujaadila · 58:11

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ إِذَا قِيلَ لَكُمْ تَفَسَّحُوا۟ فِى ٱلْمَجَٰلِسِ فَٱفْسَحُوا۟ يَفْسَحِ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ ۖ وَإِذَا قِيلَ ٱنشُزُوا۟ فَٱنشُزُوا۟ يَرْفَعِ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ مِنكُمْ وَٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْعِلْمَ دَرَجَٰتٍۢ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌۭ

Yaaa ayyuhal lazeena aamanoo izaa qeela lakum tafassahoo fil majaalisi fafsahoo yafsahil laahu lakum wa izaa qeelan shuzoo fanshuzoo yarfa'il laahul lazeena aamanoo minkum wallazeena ootul 'ilma darajaat; wallaahu bimaa ta'maloona khabeer

“O you who have believed, when you are told, "Space yourselves" in assemblies, then make space; Allah will make space for you. And when you are told, "Arise," then arise; Allah will raise those who have believed among you and those who were given knowledge, by degrees. And Allah is Acquainted with what you do.”

Surah Taa-Haa · 20:114

فَتَعَٰلَى ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمَلِكُ ٱلْحَقُّ ۗ وَلَا تَعْجَلْ بِٱلْقُرْءَانِ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يُقْضَىٰٓ إِلَيْكَ وَحْيُهُۥ ۖ وَقُل رَّبِّ زِدْنِى عِلْمًۭا

Fata'aalal laahul Malikul Haqq; wa laa ta'jal bil Quraani min qabli ai yuqdaaa ilaika wahyuhoo wa qur Rabbi zidnee 'ilmaa

“So high [above all] is Allah, the Sovereign, the Truth. And, [O Muhammad], do not hasten with [recitation of] the Qur'an before its revelation is completed to you, and say, "My Lord, increase me in knowledge."”

Surah Az-Zumar · 39:9

أَمَّنْ هُوَ قَٰنِتٌ ءَانَآءَ ٱلَّيْلِ سَاجِدًۭا وَقَآئِمًۭا يَحْذَرُ ٱلْءَاخِرَةَ وَيَرْجُوا۟ رَحْمَةَ رَبِّهِۦ ۗ قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِى ٱلَّذِينَ يَعْلَمُونَ وَٱلَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ۗ إِنَّمَا يَتَذَكَّرُ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَٰبِ

Amman huwa qaanitun aanaaa'al laili saajidanw wa qaaa'imai yahzarul Aakhirata wa yarjoo rahmata Rabbih; qul hal yastawil lazeena ya'lamoona wallazeena laa ya'lamoon; innamaa yatazakkaru ulul albaab

“Is one who is devoutly obedient during periods of the night, prostrating and standing [in prayer], fearing the Hereafter and hoping for the mercy of his Lord, [like one who does not]? Say, "Are those who know equal to those who do not know?" Only they will remember [who are] people of understanding.”

“He who treads the path in search of knowledge, Allah would make that path easy, leading to Paradise for him.”

Sahih Muslim 2699

Memorise this

رَبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمًا

Rabbi zidni ilma

My Lord, increase me in knowledge.

Qur'an 20:114

Do this before next time

Say Rabbi zidni ilma before every lesson and every homework this week.

A white clay rain cloud with clay raindrops falling onto a green clay hill where small sprouts are growing

Lesson 2 · Three kinds of ground · ages 12-15

The rain parable

The Prophet ﷺ compared knowledge to rain falling on three kinds of land — and asked which one you want to be.

  1. The parable

    The Prophet ﷺ said the guidance and knowledge he was sent with is like rain falling on land: some land absorbs it and grows plants, some land holds the water for people to drink and use, and some land is hard and keeps nothing.

  2. The first ground

    The student who learns, understands and produces something with it — they teach, they act, they grow.

  3. The second ground

    The one who may not be a scholar but preserves what they heard and passes it on accurately.

  4. The third ground

    The one who hears everything and keeps none of it — not because they cannot, but because they do not care.

  5. You choose your ground

    Attention, notes, revision and questions are how a person stops being hard ground.

“The example of guidance and knowledge with which Allah has sent me is like rain falling on the earth.”

Sahih al-Bukhari 79

Do this before next time

After your next lesson, write three sentences of what you learned from memory — become the first ground.

A low clay book stand holding an open blank clay book with a small sage cushion in front of it on a round mat

Lesson 3 · Adab of the student · ages 8-11

Manners with a teacher

Knowledge is carried by people, so how you treat your teacher decides how much you receive.

  1. Understanding is a gift from Allah

    The Prophet ﷺ said if Allah wants to do good to a person, He makes him comprehend the religion — so we ask Allah, and we stay humble.

  2. Angels lower their wings

    The Prophet ﷺ said the angels lower their wings out of pleasure with the one who seeks knowledge, and the scholars are the heirs of the prophets.

  3. Sit properly and listen

    No interrupting, no talking over the teacher, no phone on the desk. Ask your question when there is space for it.

  4. Ask, do not pretend

    The companions asked plain questions. Saying 'I don't understand' is how you learn.

  5. Thank them and make dua

    Say jazak Allahu khayran to your teacher and make dua for them — they are handing you something they were given.

“If Allah wants to do good to a person, He makes him comprehend the religion.”

Sahih al-Bukhari 71

“The angels will lower their wings in their great pleasure with one who seeks knowledge... The learned are the heirs of the Prophets.”

Sunan Abi Dawud 3641

Do this before next time

Thank your Qur'an or school teacher properly this week and make one dua for them by name.

Two clay lanterns side by side, one lit and one catching light, beside a closed plain clay book with a gold band

Lesson 4 · Passing it on · ages 8-11

Learn it, then teach it

The Prophet ﷺ said the best of you are those who learn the Qur'an and teach it. A lit lamp loses nothing by lighting another.

  1. The hadith

    The Prophet ﷺ said: the best among you are those who learn the Qur'an and teach it.

  2. Start small

    Teach a younger sibling one surah, one dua or the letters — that already counts.

  3. Teach only what you are sure of

    Never invent an answer about Islam. 'I will ask and come back' is the honest reply.

  4. It keeps giving after you

    The Prophet ﷺ named knowledge that people benefit from as one of the three things whose reward continues after death.

  5. Teaching teaches you

    You never really know a surah until you have had to explain it to a five-year-old.

“The best among you are those who learn the Qur'an and teach it.”

Sahih al-Bukhari 5027

“When a man dies, his acts come to an end, but three: recurring charity, or knowledge by which people benefit, or a pious child who prays for him.”

Sahih Muslim 1631

Do this before next time

Teach one younger child a short surah or dua this week, correctly, and listen to them say it back.

An open blank clay book lying flat with a small sage clay watering can and young clay saplings growing from the pages

Lesson 5 · Knowledge with legs · ages 12-15

Act on what you know

Knowledge you do not use is a weight, not a treasure. On the day of judgement we are asked what we did with it.

  1. We will be asked

    The Prophet ﷺ said a servant's feet will not move on the Day of Judgement until he is asked about five things, including his knowledge and what he did with it.

  2. Say and do the same thing

    Allah asks why people say what they do not do, and calls it hateful to Him.

  3. One thing at a time

    Learn a sunnah, keep it for a month, then add the next. That is how the companions were taught.

  4. Knowledge changes character

    If someone studies for years and is still unkind at home, something has gone wrong with the studying.

  5. Ask for useful knowledge

    The Prophet ﷺ taught duas asking for beneficial knowledge — because not all information is worth carrying.

Surah As-Saff · 61:2

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لِمَ تَقُولُونَ مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ

Yaa ayyuhal lazeena aamanoo lima taqooloona maa laa taf'aloon

“O you who have believed, why do you say what you do not do?”

Surah As-Saff · 61:3

كَبُرَ مَقْتًا عِندَ ٱللَّهِ أَن تَقُولُوا۟ مَا لَا تَفْعَلُونَ

Kabura maqtan 'indal laahi an taqooloo maa laa taf'aloon

“Great is hatred in the sight of Allah that you say what you do not do.”

“The feet of the slave of Allah shall not move on the Day of Judgement until he is asked about five things... about his knowledge and what he did with it.”

Jami' at-Tirmidhi 2417

Do this before next time

Pick one thing you learned this month that you have not done yet — and do it today.

Every ayah on this page comes from the Tanzil Uthmani text of the Qur'an with the Sahih International translation, and every hadith carries its collection and number so you can check it yourself. Back to the learning path

Next on this shelf: Living with the Qur'an — 6 lessons.

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