Series 01 for Islamic schools, madrasahs and teachers

Series 01 began as a family's search for books they could trust, and teachers have the same need: sourced, well-made material, in an order that builds, that a whole class can see at once. Here is how Series 01 is put together, how it works in a classroom, and how to talk to us about using it in your school, madrasah or homeschool co-op.

How is Series 01 sequenced?

The 100 books are meant to be read in order. Each one builds on what came before, so a class meets the foundations first:

• Books 1 to 6, who Allah is: the Creator, the Sustainer, the Most Merciful, the Most Forgiving, the Prophets He sent and the books He revealed.
• Books 7 to 11, His creation: birds, animals, fruit, vegetables and water.
• Book 12, the Prophet ﷺ.
• Book 13, salah, and then Books 14 to 18, worship and the holy places: fasting, charity, Makkah, Madinah and Palestine.
• Books 19 to 21, everyday manners: sleeping, eating and walking.
• Books 22 to 100: the stories of the Prophets and the Qur'an, the seerah and the Companions, good deeds, duas and dhikr, and more on the prayer, each building on the foundations above.

By theme, the hundred books look like this:

The full list of 100 books shows every title in reading order.

What is in each book?

• Twenty pages, one idea per spread, with short sentences a new reader can manage. Most books take about four minutes to read aloud.
• Original illustration drawn for that book alone: no stock images and no generated art.
• A named source. Every line traces to the Qur'an or authentic hadith, named in the book, and every book is reviewed by Sheikh Abu Omar Parvez Nakwa (Umri, Madani) before any art begins.
• Arabic where it matters: the names of Allah, key terms and the ayah the book is built on, fully vowelled and always translated.
• Narration for every book. Read to me reads each page aloud and lights up every word as it is said; Watch reads the book and turns its own pages.
• A "Review your reading" page of questions at the end of each book.

How do teachers use it in class?

• On the projector or whiteboard

  Open a book in the browser, full screen, so the whole class sees the pictures. With Read to me, every word lights up as it is read, so early readers follow the text while they listen and you are free to watch the room.

• Read, pause, ask

  Read the story through once, then go back to two or three pages and ask what happened, why, and what the children would have done. Show the ayah or hadith the book is built on.

• Review with the questions

  The "Review your reading" page gives you ready-made questions for pairs, the whole class, or a short written check.

• Plan a term in order

  One book a lesson, taken in sequence, gives you a term's plan that builds on itself. Themes make it easy to pick a book for a particular lesson too, such as charity before Ramadan or the holy places before Hajj.

• Link home

  Send one question home after each lesson so families can continue the conversation at dinner.

There is a full lesson structure, with timings, in Picture books in the classroom, and a plan by age for home educators in Homeschool Islamic studies plan.

Which ages and classes does it suit?

• Ages 4 to 6Early years and the first madrasah classes. Children listen with Read to me and talk about the pictures; the first books, about Allah and His creation, are written for them.
• Ages 7 to 9Lower primary. Children read along, retell the story, and answer the review questions in pairs or in writing.
• Ages 10 to 11Upper primary. Children read on their own, look up the source behind each story, and can lead discussions with younger classes.
• Mixed agesWeekend madrasahs and homeschool co-ops. One book for everyone, with a different follow-up task for each age.

Does it work on school devices?

Yes. The books run in any web browser: a classroom PC on a projector, an interactive whiteboard, tablets or school Chromebooks. There is no app to install and no account needed on a child's device. Once a book has opened, it keeps working if the connection drops, which helps in classrooms with unreliable Wi-Fi. There are no adverts and no autoplay into anything else.

How does it work for a school?

The family purchase covers one family's children at home. For classroom use, printing for a class, or access for a whole school or madrasah, we agree terms directly with you, whether you are a large Islamic school, a weekend madrasah or a small homeschool co-op. Tell us how many children you teach, their ages and how you would like to use the books, and a person will reply by email.

Can we try it first?

Yes. The first three books, Allah is the Creator (Book 01), Allah is the Sustainer (Book 02) and Allah is the Most Merciful (Book 03), are free for anyone to read in full, with narration, with no sign-up. Open one on your classroom screen and see how it looks from the back of the room before you write to us.

Frequently asked questions

Can we use ilmbee in our Islamic school or madrasah?

Yes, and we would be glad to hear from you. The family purchase is for one family's children at home; for a class, a madrasah or a whole school we agree terms directly. Tell us about your school through the contact page or at schools@ilmbee.com.

What ages is Series 01 for?

Ages 4 to 11. Younger children listen with Read to me, middle primary children read along and answer the review questions, and older children read on their own and study the sources behind each story.

Does it work on a projector, an interactive whiteboard or school Chromebooks?

Yes. The books run in any web browser, so anything that opens a website can show them, with no app to install. Once a book has opened, it keeps working without a connection.

Is there a way to check what pupils have understood?

Each book ends with a "Review your reading" page of questions, which you can use for class discussion, pair work or a short written check.

How is the content checked?

Every line traces to the Qur'an or authentic hadith, named in the book, and each book is reviewed by Sheikh Abu Omar Parvez Nakwa (Umri, Madani) before any illustration begins.

Do you work with homeschool co-ops and weekend madrasahs?

Yes, please get in touch. Terms are agreed directly with each school, madrasah or group, whatever its size.