14.    MUHAMMED.           (part 2 – Laws.)

Preparation:     Creative work:   Crayons and a paper for each child as in Diagram 13. Prepare the verse for this week.  Could you invite a Persian or Arabian friend along to chant a short, melodic prayer from the Koran ?

Prayers: ...  with a chant from the Koran.

Song:    "God is One, Man is one."

News Time and Birthdays.

Revision of the previous week, linking with today's lesson.

Introduction.     Last week we spoke of Muhammad.  What can you tell me about Him?   Before Muhammad came the people were very cruel.  Muhammad gave them laws to stop them being unkind.  These laws were given to Muhammad by God.  Do you remember how God gave Moses laws for the Israelites ?   The Arabic people needed laws just like that. Muhammad could not write but His followers used to remember what He said and wrote it down.  Muhammad's Holy Book is called the Koran.   It is very important that we obey God's commandments and here is a story to show why.

Story:   God always sends His Messengers to show people how to live peacefully. The Arabs who lived at the time of Muhammad were always fighting.   When Muhammad spoke to them they did not listen and they decided to kill Him and His followers.   The Muslims had to form an army to protect themselves.  They did not try to start wars but they would fight if people attacked them.  The Muslims read in the Koran that they would always be victorious, (that means they would always win).  One day an army came to fight them and although the Muslims tried very hard, they were losing the battle.  They rushed to Muhammad to ask Him why. The Messenger told them that it was because they were disobedient.  He told them to read the Koran to find out what they were not doing.   There are lots of laws in the Koran and as they read them out everybody nodded to say they had kept that law.  Which one could it be?   At last they found one law which they had not kept.  Can you guess what it might have been ?

They had forgotten to clean their teeth!    Such a small thing to forget, but if a Messenger of God tells us to do it then it is very important.   The followers were so happy to find out which law they had broken.  They found some bushes with twigs that could be used to brush their teeth.  Nobody had a tooth­brush like we do now.

The army who had come to fight them were hiding a little way off and they looked with great surprise to see the Muslims breaking off branches to rub over their teeth_.  Whatever were they doing?   Then, one man thought he knew and he said,   "Look, the Mus1ims are sharpening their teeth. They know that they will win the battle and they are sharpening their teeth to eat us..'"

"Yes."'   Agreed his friends and they grew frightened.  They did not want to be eaten so they ran away and left the Muslims alone.   They were very silly to think that the Muslims would eat them.   I am sure the Muslims were very pleased that they did not have to fight and said prayers to God, thanking Him for His law which said they should clean their teeth.

What other laws did the Muslims have in the Koran ?

Here are four more:-
1)     Pray to God every day
2)     Welcome guests and share things with them.
3)     Be polite and kind to women
4)     Be kind to Jews and Christians because they have Holy Books from God.

Reading:  "Glorify God therefore when you reach the evening, and when ye rise at morn:  And to Him be praise in the Heavens and on the Earth; and at twilight, and when ye rest at noon."
Type or write this out for each child.  Explain the meaning.

Creative work.   Diagram 13 shows four of the Islamic laws with pictures to colour.

Diagram 13.

 Last modified: May 22, 2001

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