Below is a child-friendly list of activities to help you and your children connect this Rajab and Sha’ban.
Somehow, we’re already in the blessed month of Rajab, and days are flying by! Before we know it, we’ll be sitting down for Iftar with our families.
In the business of our everyday lives, especially with young children around, even our best intentions to prepare for this spiritual season can go amiss. I find it so helpful to remind myself of which important dates are coming up (see the list at the end), so that as a family, we can share beautiful stories of the relevant members of the Ahlulbayt (Peace be upon them). For ideas of stories about different members of the Ahulbayt see here.
Below is a child-friendly list of activities to help you and your children connect this Rajab and Sha’ban.
Rajab
Birthday of Imam Ali (PBUH)
1) Tell them the Story of Surah Insaan
وَيُطْعِمُونَ ٱلطَّعَامَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِۦ مِسْكِينًۭا وَيَتِيمًۭا وَأَسِيرًا
‘And they give food out of love for Him, to the needy, the orphan, and the captive’.
Use your storytelling abilities, or this book, or even recreate it in a play at home! You can discuss how Imam Ali (PBUH) used to make every effort to feed those who had no food, often giving away the little he and his family had. Follow in his footsteps, visit the local grocery store with your children, and take the items to a food bank near you.
2) Fast Feet Race
Learn about the Imam (PBUH) through this fun game where children race to find a household object that teaches them a part of his story. This one also works well on Zoom.
https://buzzideazz.com/fast-feet-race-to-learn-about-the-imams-and-find-the-object/
Me’raj
1) Salaah – the Gift of Me’raj
The Prophet of Allah (S) said: ‘Rajab is the month of Allah.’ Especially with Me’raj in this month, it’s a great idea to let our kids know that the gift the Prophet (PBUH) received on this magical journey was Salah. We have this incredible opportunity to have a one-to-one with the Rabb of the Universe, in our daily Prayers. A lovely way to reinforce Salah is to give them a small gift e.g. their own mini Prayer-mat or a Tasbih in their colour of choice. I love these baby-friendly Tasbihs by FormyImaan.
2) Call all the Angels
Something that often works well is playing the Adhaan at Salaah time at home, to ‘call all the angels’. It creates an atmosphere of peace and emphasises the importance of Salah time. Younger children can get excited about getting to pick which Adhaan will precede Salah that day.
Sha’ban
Salawaat!
With the Holy Prophet (PBUH) saying ‘Sha’ban is my month’, a beautiful thing to focus on within our families is Salawat. Imam Sadiq (PBUH) says: ‘Indeed, whoever sends one Salawat on the Prophet, Allah will send a thousand Salawats on him in the form of a thousand queues of angels…’
Introducing to our kids the idea that angels arrive to pour blessings on the Prophet (PBUH) and on us when we recite Salawat is incredibly powerful.
- Teach them the basic Salawat اللّهُمّ صَلّ عَلَى مُحَمّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمّد
- Have fun making angels together and stick one up everytime someone recites a Salawat.
- For younger children, have them hold on to a string of fairy lights and recite a hearty Salawat, in order to ‘produce the energy’ to switch them on!
Birthday of Imam Mahdi (May Allah hasten his reappearance)
1) Run when the Imam Calls
Here’s a really cool game from BuzzIdeas and Islam From The Start to play with your little ones. It really helps explain how the Imam of our time is hidden, we need to eagerly wait for his call and run to be with him when he calls.
– Set a running timer/stopwatch at random times.
– Hide it in random places in the house.
– Get kids to wait for it to ring.
– Get them to follow the sound and find it.
– Whoever finds it gets to recite Dua e Faraj! (Allahumma kulli waliyika…)
They love this game! After they’re done, explain to them how our Imam is hidden, and how eager we should get (just as they did during the game) and run towards his call.
2) Balloons Quiz by Islam From The Start:
Quiz questions about Imam Mahdi ready to put inside balloons for the kids to pop!
http://www.islamfromthestart.com/2013/07/imam-mahdi-atf-quiz.html
Important Upcoming Dates in Rajab & Sha’ban 2023 (may differ by 1-2 days)
5 Feb/ 13 Rajab- Birthday of Imam Ali’s (PBUH)
7 Feb/ 15 Rajab- Shahadat Lady Zaynab (PBUH)
17 Feb/ 25 Rajab- Shahadat Imam al Kadhim (PBUH)
18 Feb/ 27 Rajab- Me’raj of the Holy Prophet (PBUH)
24-26 Feb/ 3-5 Sha’ban- Birthdays of Imam Husayn, H.Abbas & Imam Sajjad (Peace be upon them all)
7 March/ 15 Sha’ban- Birthday of our Imam al Mahdi (AF)
