In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
USOOL AD-DEEN
(ROOTS OF RELIGION)
FOR CHILDREN
The "Usool ad-Deen" course has been put together by volunteer experts and teachers in the Mohammad (PBUH) Scientific and Cultural Foundation Center for Kids and Teens (Khaane Koodak va Nojavan in Farsi). This course is appropriate for children between the ages of 8 to 12. It aims to make students familiar with the basics of Shia Islam, including beliefs and doctrine...
Lesson 2: The Oneness and Uniqueness
(Tawhid – Part 1)
Written by: Zahra Moradi
Translated by: Shamsi Nasiri
Edited by: Marzie Salehi and Ali Mansouri
INote to Instructor: Being able to recite Surah al-Tawhid from memory.
Content:
In the previous lesson, we discussed the Usool ad-Deen. We explained that just like a tree has roots, branches and fruits, Islam has also roots, branches and fruits.
{As a review of the previous lesson, the teacher will ask the students the following questions while drawing a tree on the board. Then, the teacher will write "Usool ad-Deen", "Furoo ad-Deen", and "good morals" next to the roots, branches and fruits of the tree respectively.}
- What are the roots of the tree of Islam? Usool al-Deen
- What are the branches of the tree of Islam? Furoo al-Deen
- What are the fruits of the Islam tree? Good Morals
Well done!
Now, let’s label roots with the list of Usool ad-Deen which we learned during last session.
{At this point, the students will call out the Usool ad-Deen to help their teacher complete the list of all five, written next to the roots.
After finishing, teacher will continue:}
Today, we are going to explain Tawhid. What does Tawhid mean?
Tawhid or Monotheism means the belief in the Oneness and Unity of God. Tawhid declares that there is only one God.
So, what does this mean? What does the "Oneness and Unity of God” mean? It means:
First, we do not have multiple gods. Only one God exists, and we only worship this one God.
Secondly, God is unique! There is nothing like or similar to God. When talking about humans, it would not be unusual to describe someone that is extraordinarily talented as being “exceptional” or “unique” and even telling them “Nobody is like you!”. Yet we do not literally mean that they are the only one of their kind and that there never was or will be anyone like them. But when we say God is only one, we mean that we only, and only, have one God. We also mean God is absolutely unique. Nothing else, nobody else, is even similar to God!
All of you have learned Surah al-Tawhid. In this Chapter of the Quran, we read:
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
(Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Rahim)
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ
(Qul Huwal-laahu Ahad)
This means: “Say: He is Allah the One and Only God”. Allah is Ahad.
{The teacher will write "Ahad" on the board; and then, will continue :}
What do we read next?
اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ
(Allah us Samad)
This means: God is “Samad”
{Again, the teacher will write "Samad" on the board and will continue:}
What does “Samad” mean? The word “Samad” means a lot of different things, which you can learn Insha’Allah as you grow up. Here, we are going to explain only one of the meanings of Samad.
Samad means that God is eternally enduring and impenetrable. No thing or person can find a way to Him. Imperfections, mistakes, drowsiness, weariness, hunger, thirst, weakness, sickness, old age, and death have no way to Him.[1] Thus, there is no way to govern or overcome God.
Next it follows:
«لَمْ يَلِدْ وَ لَمْ يُولَدْ»
(Lam yalid wa lam yoolad).
This means God begets not and is not begotten. In other words, God has never had a child, and was never born. God does not have a mother, father, or child.
Next, we read:
«وَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُواً أَحَد»
(Wa lam yakun lahoo Kufuwan Ahad).
This means nor is there anything or anyone like God. Not only God is only one, and not multiple, but also there is no one like God in any aspect. Nothing is similar or equivalent to God; this is what we mean by unity and uniqueness!
In conclusion, one of our Usool ad-Deen (Roots of Religion) is "Tawhid". Tawhid means God is the One and Only and that there is no equivalent to God. He has no mother or father; no defect, disability, weakness, or disease. Believing in such a God is one of the principles of our religion. Remember, belief in Tawhid is one of the roots for the tree of our religion. Anyone who does not have a strong belief in Tawhid, no matter how much they pray, fast, and do other Islamic actions, will eventually lose their religion just like rotten roots will cause a mighty tree to fall!
{The teacher will continue with a question and will explain the answer, as shown below:}
Today we also learned some of the names of God. What are those names? Those names are Allah, Ahad, and Samad.
My dear children! God has 100 names, which are called “Asma ul-Husna”. In the Arabic language, “Asma” is the plural of “name” and “Husna” means “nice and beautiful”. Put together “Asma ul-Husna” means the most beautiful and nice names that belong to God, so we can call on God by them. Among the 100 names, “Allah” is the most complete one in terms of its meaning. Each of the other names has a specific meaning and pays attention to a particular characteristic of God. For example, the name “Ahad” means Unity and Oneness, and “Samad” tells us that God is free from any degradation, deficiency, defect, or disability.
{The teacher will write the words “Ahad” and “Samad” on board. At the same time, they will explain the meanings of the words and continue as below:}
Another name of God is “Rahman” which means generous.
The name Allah stands for all the names. In the other words, all other 99 names of God, together, are represented in the name of “Allah”.
During the next session, we will learn some of the other names from Asma ul-Husna.
My dear children! Let’s now recite Surah al-Tawhid together and go through the meaning of its verses.
{The teacher should write each verse and its meaning on the board while giving the following explanation:}
«بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم»
In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
«قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ»
Say: He is Allah the One and Only God
«اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ»
God is eternal. There is no way (such as defect, disability, sleep, fatigue, hunger, thirst, weakness, or illness) to overcome or rule over God or for God to fade away
«لَمْ يَلِدْ وَ لَمْ يُولَدْ»
God begets not and is not begotten. God does not give birth and was not born. God is free from having a child, mother, or father.
«وَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُواً أَحَد»
nor is there like to God in any aspect. There is no similarity or equality to God.
Well done everybody!
Surah al-Tawhid is so important that by reciting it three times, Allah will give us a reward equivalent to reciting the whole Quran! Thus, if you can recite it every night before bed, it would be great! While you recite, please pay attention to the meanings of the Surah.
[1]Imam Hussain (AS) says:
«الصمد الذی لَا جَوْفَ لَهُ وَ الصَّمَدُ الَّذِي قَدِ انْتَهَى سُؤْدُدُهُ وَ الصَّمَدُ الَّذِي لَا يَأْكُلُ وَ لَا يَشْرَبُ وَ الصَّمَدُ الَّذِي لَا يَنَامُ وَ الصَّمَدُ الدَّائِمُ الَّذِي لَمْ يَزَلْ وَ لَا يَزَال»
which means “Samad” is the One that is Free from Defects. “Samad” is the One Who has the highest levels of honesty, greatness and mastery. “Samad” is the One Who does not eat and drink. “Samad” is the One Who does not sleep. “Samad” is the One Who is eternal and does not fade away.
