Friday, April 15, 2016

Book Recommendation: Field Trips

السلام عليكم ورحمة الله وبركاته

Allaah, aza wa jal, says, in suratul Mulk: 

تَبَارَكَ الَّذِي بِيَدِهِ الْمُلْكُ وَهُوَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

and 

الَّذِي خَلَقَ سَبْعَ سَمَاوَاتٍ طِبَاقًا ۖ مَّا تَرَىٰ فِي خَلْقِ الرَّحْمَـٰنِ مِن تَفَاوُتٍ ۖ فَارْجِعِ الْبَصَرَ هَلْ تَرَىٰ مِن فُطُورٍ

ثُمَّ ارْجِعِ الْبَصَرَ كَرَّتَيْنِ يَنقَلِبْ إِلَيْكَ الْبَصَرُ خَاسِئًا وَهُوَ حَسِيرٌ

Blessed is He in Whose Hand is the dominion, and He is Able to do all things.

Who has created the seven heavens one above another, you can see no fault in the creations of the Most Beneficent. Then look again: "Can you see any rifts?"

Then look again and yet again, your sight will return to you in a state of humiliation and worn out. {Al-Mulk: 1, 3-4} 

 
There are many ways we can help children see that there is no doubt Allaah is the sole creator, the only Rabb. How?

If you have a child or class who loves the outdoors, and the birds, insects, and amphibians and mammals to be found there, a child or class who loves observing the creation of Allaah and noting how each creature is so varied yet has so much in common with other creatures in the world, or a child or a class who loves to draw the natural world (without facial features, of course), introducing Field Trips by Jim Arnosky, might help develop that love and give it method and focus. The book can also, and most importantly, help draw children's attention to the fact that there can be no other creator, other than Allaah.

The book has short chapters that introduce children to different types of outdoor trips (shore walking, bird watching, bug hunting, and animal tracking), but each chapter also has illustrations that will help children learn to identify the various creatures they see. The book is also small enough and light enough to be taken along on outdoor trips, without adding much additional weight to your list of essentials things (magnifying glass, notebook to record what is seen, etc.). 

Field Trips also has important warnings and guidelines for observing, so Allaah's creation is not harmed or endangered and so the observing child (also part of His creation) is safe, as well.

A book that can be used to introduce children to the natural world or further encourage the child who is already enamored with the outdoors and the various creatures who live there, Field Trips is a book that will help children see further proof of Allaah's Power and Greatness.




 

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