Aim

To introduce children to the life story of the Prophet Muhammad.
To introduce children to the concept of respect.
To give children opportunity to devise their own guidelines.

Preparation

Before the lesson photocopy necessary images.

Lesson

Begin by reminding children that this term they have been considering the different stages of life.

Show children images of people at different stages of life. Who do the children think is the most important and why? Discuss.

A person called Muhammad once taught that all people are important because they were all made by Allah, the name Muhammad used for God. Muhammad had many stages in his own life.

He was born in a city called Mecca over a thousand years ago. When he was just six, he became an orphan and went to live with his uncle. When he grew up and left home, he led camel-trains across the desert. Then he married his boss, Khadijah. Then he became a father.

One day, he met an angel in a cave who told him that he was one of God's messengers. When he told people in his home city, Mecca, what God told him, they didn't like what they heard and planned to kill him. So Mohammad escaped to another city where he became the leader.

The city was called Medinah. Show image of plate of the city. The city contained all different types of people at different stages of their lives. Muhammad wanted all the people in his city to feel important.

• What makes the children feel important?
• What has anyone ever done to make the children feel as if they are not important?

Role play a number of situations. You assume the roles of parent, teacher, friend. Your behaviour will vary from the respectful and caring, to the insensitive and rude.

Muhammad made sure that everyone in Medinah felt important by making new laws which he believed came from God.

Help the children to compile a list of very practical ways in which they can help to make others feel important.

Conclusion

Conclude lesson by challenging the children to live out these new guidelines.

Notes

The government of Medina was based partly on the following Koranic principles.

Umma

the community of believers, including Christians and Jews.

Justice

as opposed to the blood feud

Manumission

compassion to all weak and dependent persons

Right to life

an end to infanticide

Marriage

offering legal protection to women