NameClassDate
?The Big Question
Who can you trust when your own people turn against you?
Write your first answer now. You will come back to it at the end.
1Put the story in order
Number the parts of the chapter from 1 to 6, in the order they happen.
- Too Early Home
- The Hardest Question
- A Land Where No One Is Wronged
- Ja'far Speaks
- A Word from Abyssinia
- Two Envoys with Gifts
2Match the words
Write the letter of the right meaning next to each word.
- Hijrah هِجْرَة
- Al-Najashi النَّجَاشِي
- Isa عِيسَى
- A The title of the king of Abyssinia (in English, the Negus).
- B Leaving one's home for the sake of Allah, to be able to live as a Muslim.
- C The Qur'an's name for Jesus, son of Maryam (Mary): a great prophet and messenger of Allah.
3True or false?
Circle T for true or F for false. Correct the false ones on the line.
The first hijrah in Islam was to Abyssinia, across the Red Sea.
TFJa'far recited the opening of Surah Maryam to the king.
TFThe Muslims hid what they believe about Isa to please the king.
TFThe Najashi handed the Muslims back to Quraysh.
TF“Sanah, sanah” is an Abyssinian word meaning “lovely”.
TF
4Quick quiz
Circle the best answer.
Why did the Prophet ﷺ advise the believers to go to Abyssinia?
- ABecause it was rich
- BBecause its king did not allow anyone to be wronged
- CBecause it was close to Makkah
What did Ja'far recite to the king?
- ASurah al-Fatihah
- BThe opening of Surah Maryam
- CSurah al-Masad
What did the Muslims say about Isa?
- AThat he was the son of God
- BThat he was the servant of Allah and His messenger, His word placed in Maryam
- CThat he was not a prophet
What is true about the “cranes” story?
- AIt is in Sahih al-Bukhari
- BAll its chains are weak or broken, and great scholars rejected it
- CThe Prophet ﷺ told it himself
5From the Qur'an: read, copy, understand
وَٱذۡكُرۡ فِي ٱلۡكِتَٰبِ مَرۡيَمَ إِذِ ٱنتَبَذَتۡ مِنۡ أَهۡلِهَا مَكَانࣰا شَرۡقِيࣰّا ١٦ فَٱتَّخَذَتۡ مِن دُونِهِمۡ حِجَابࣰا فَأَرۡسَلۡنَآ إِلَيۡهَا رُوحَنَا فَتَمَثَّلَ لَهَا بَشَرࣰا سَوِيࣰّا ١٧ قَالَتۡ إِنِّيٓ أَعُوذُ بِٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ مِنكَ إِن كُنتَ تَقِيࣰّا ١٨ قَالَ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ رَسُولُ رَبِّكِ لِأَهَبَ لَكِ غُلَٰمࣰا زَكِيࣰّا ١٩
“Mention in the Book Maryam, when she withdrew from her family to a place in the east and screened herself from them. Then We sent her Our angel, who appeared to her as a man. She said, “I seek refuge from you in the Most Merciful, if you fear Him.” He said, “I am only a messenger from your Lord, to give you a pure son.””
Surah Maryam 19:16–19 · meaning in plain English
Copy the verse carefully in Arabic:
What does this verse teach you?
6Think and write
Ja'far could have avoided the question about Isa. Why do you think the Muslims chose to answer honestly?
If a friend of another faith asked what Muslims believe about Jesus, what would you say?
?Back to the Big Question
Who can you trust when your own people turn against you?
Has your answer changed? Write it again using what you learned.
Imagined scene: A Land Where No One Is Wronged
Colour the place where this part of the story happened. No people are shown.
Eight-pointed stars like these decorate mosques and books across the Muslim world. Choose three colours and repeat them.
1Story order
- A Land Where No One Is Wronged
- Two Envoys with Gifts
- Ja'far Speaks
- The Hardest Question
- Too Early Home
- A Word from Abyssinia
2Words
- Hijrah → B
- Al-Najashi → A
- Isa → C
3True or false
- True. Its king did not allow anyone to be wronged in his land.
- True. The Najashi wept until his beard was wet.
- False. They agreed to say only the truth, whatever happened.
- False. He refused, gave them safety and sent the gifts back.
- True. The Prophet ﷺ said it to Umm Khalid, who was born in Abyssinia.
4Quiz
- B · Because its king did not allow anyone to be wronged
- B · The opening of Surah Maryam
- B · That he was the servant of Allah and His messenger, His word placed in Maryam
- B · All its chains are weak or broken, and great scholars rejected it
Questions 5 and 6 have no single right answer. Look for answers that use details from the chapter.