Parents' Guide To Health Syllabus - Release

In the name of Allah, The Gracious, The Merciful
T H E
O N T A R I O ’ S
H E A L T H
C U R R I C U L U M
A brief guide to help parents address sensitive

issues in the Health Education Curriculum of
children.
CONTENTS
Introduction……………………………………………………………………….2
The Responsibility of Parents…………………………………………………..3
Religious Accommodation and Opting Out in Public School……………….5
Moral Training of Children………………………………………………….….6
Grade 1………………………………………………………………………….7
Grade 2………………………………………………………………………….8
Grade 3…………………………………………………………………………...10
Grade 4…………………………………………………………………………...13
Grade 5……………………………………………………………………...……16
Grade 6…………………………………………………………………………...22
Grade 7 & 8………………………………………………………………….…...28
Page 1
INTRODUCTION
In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful
The Tarbiyat Department along with Ta‘lim and Waqf e Nau Departments of Canada Jama‘at
have prepared this brief guide to help parents address sensitive issues in the Health, Physical
and Sexual Education Curriculum of children. It is possible that different School Boards have
different policies throughout various regions of Canada. However, this document is being
prepared in light of the curriculum released by the Ontario Ministry of Education in 2015.
This guidebook is simply being prepared to present the Ahmadi Muslim parents with Islamic tips
and solutions for their children in this regard. We have tried to collect guidance from Islamic
Sources (Holy Qur’an & Ahadith) and from our beloved Imam Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih V (may
Allah be his Helper!). It shouldn’t be deemed as professional advice and has not been approved
by any Ministry of Education. Therefore, this guide is for:
• Parents use only

• Tarbiyat Department will assess further to incorporate when necessary a modified
version for children in different classes and Nasir Academy
• If the school curriculum will pull out these topics then this guide can still be used
as reference material for these sensitive topics
We have selected certain topics from the Physical and Sexual Education Curriculum of each
grade. These can be discussed with your children as they pass along elementary schools. This
will enable you to educate yourself about concepts which are being taught to your children and
will help you in being proactive to face these challenges.
The guide below is set up as follows: Each chapter is broken up by grade, beginning at Grade 1
and ending at Grade 8. Each chapter is meant to be stand alone. A parent with a child in Grade
1, need only read the Grade 1 chapter. Although, it is suggested that parents take the time to
read the entire document. Relevant sections of previous chapters are repeated in each grade.
Each chapter is divided into 2 sections. The first is a summary of the curriculum expectations
and teacher prompts. The second is a ‘parent talk’ section which provides guidance for parents
on how to approach the curriculum from an Islamic perspective.
Another aspect to keep in consideration is that our public stance is not only for our
selfish motives of saving our children but society at large as per responsibility and pure
intentions of being an Ahmadi Muslim.
We are also very grateful to Miss Farrah Marfatia, whose book ‘How to talk to your Muslim Child
about topics in the Ontario’s Ministry of Education’s Health Curriculum’ was extremely helpful.
Copyright © 2018 Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama‘at Canada. First Edition. All Rights Reserved. Please
contact tarbiyat@ahmadiyya.ca if you would like to obtain printed copies of this document.
Feel free to print this at home but please consider the environment before printing.
Page 2
THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PARENTS
The primary responsibility of educating and safeguarding Ahmadi children from side effects of
such policies lies upon their parents. In his letter addressed to the National President of Canada
Jama‘at in this regard, Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih V (aa) said:

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“The fact of the matter is that children should be properly trained from the very
beginning. Parents should tell them, prepare them, educate them and bring their
attention towards this vice. In regards to this vice, the zealousness we see in
these people is short-lived and will cool down. They will realize it themselves in a
few years. During that time, you should make every effort and focus on
safeguarding your children.”
EDUCATE YOURSELF
Get to know what they are teaching before they actually teach. It is available online for everyone
to access. Read it, get to know it, understand it. Each grade is taught things according to their
level, and you can pre-empt a conversation with your children before anything is said to them at
school.
TALK TO THE TEACHER

It’s important to be in touch with your children’s teacher on all aspects of their educational and
behavioral development. Voice your concerns at the beginning of the year over a casual
conversation. Don’t blow this out of proportion, gently let them know that you are an involved
and concerned parent who would like to know when their child is being taught about sexuality
and diversity at school so you can have a conversation with them at home. Ask for the teacher’s
plan for introducing the subject matter and let them know that you’ve already read the
curriculum, you are interested in knowing how the teacher will handle it in class.
Page 3
GET INVOLVED AT SCHOOL
Spend time at school by volunteering in the class, going to all school events, and getting to
know the principal, vice principal and teachers in a more casual way. If they know you
personally, they will take you more seriously when it comes to matters concerning material
taught at school. Attend parent council meetings at school because this is the only way your
voice will be heard as if you’re actually there to speak up.
START TALKING TO YOUR KIDS

You need to start an open dialogue between you and your kids today. Ask them questions,
listen carefully and show interest in their lives and their troubles. By making that early
connection, you will open the doors to having more serious conversations later on.
DON’T DODGE DIFFICULT QUESTIONS

Children are not as complex or layered as we are. They are usually satisfied with a simple, clear
answer. Don’t overcomplicate it with long explanations or extreme reactions. If your child asks
you an uncomfortable question, don’t make a big deal out of it by losing your calm. Just take a
breath, collect your thoughts and give them a simple and true answer.
MONITOR THEIR EXPOSURE AND BE PROACTIVE

You might not realize it, but your children probably know a lot more than you think, and it wasn’t
the school that taught them! Children are exposed to inappropriate material everywhere.
Television shows, Hollywood & Bollywood movies, dramas, music videos, ads, cartoons,
magazines, signs at shopping malls, you name it, it’s all around them! Be watchful of what your
child is already exposed to and how well they understand the existing material before you
divulge into what the school will be teaching them. Allow yourself to build a loving environment
at home that is open to conversation and safe to discuss things. Be an involved and concerned
parent who knows what’s happening in the world around us.
AGE IS ON YOUR SIDE

If you are parenting little children, then you are already at an advantage. The younger your
child, the more they love and admire everything you say. There’s no one in the world as
amazing as you. Now is the best time to have those difficult conversations and instill good
values and explain how your family does things. Try saying the same thing to a teenager and
you’ll get a lot of pushback! The best time to teach your child about beliefs is at a young age.
They will absorb the information better, and coming from you, they will happily accept anything
you say. If your child is older it’s not too late to begin having these discussions. It may be
uncomfortable at first and youth may resist but continue pushing the dialogue and they will
respond.
Page 4
RELIGIOUS ACCOMMODATIONS AND OPTING OUT
IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Parents should also remember that many public

schools and public boards have a duty to provide
religious accommodations. Therefore, parents
have the option to opt-out their children from
sexual health portions of the curriculum. While
appreciating many good things that schools do
for our children, you can request that your
children be withdrawn from these lessons as you
would like to engage in these conversations at
home, as a family.
However, it is possible, that either in school or

through TV, internet etc., your child is exposed
to certain concepts that are contradictory to
Islam. Modern technology has enabled children
to have a plethora of information at their fingertips. Therefore, we need to work diligently to
equip our children to cope with the Western World, without jeopardizing their religion or identity.
This would require dialogue and open communication with our children. However, the first step
is to educate ourselves and we hope that reading and understanding this document will help
you in doing so.
PARTIAL OPT-OUT OPTION
Here in Ontario, teaching subjects is very subjective and generic instead of very specific
routines and depends from teacher to teacher that how they handle the course material and
sometimes they are extremely helpful in modifying the specifics as per input by parents.
Therefore, it is necessary to discuss and ask teacher to share their lessons plan. Based on this,
parents can evolve and plan which portion is feasible to attend by their children and which
portion to opt out.
Page 5
MORAL TRAINING OF CHILDREN
Moral training of a child begins long before the child is born. Here are a few guidelines for the
proper upbringing of children concerning the moral vices prevalent in society today. Most of
these have been taken from Hazrat Musleh Mau’ud’s (ra) book, Way of Seekers.
• Pray for your children. The Promised Messiah (as) says in Malfuzat vol.2 p4 “…the
supplications of parents on behalf of their children meet with special acceptance.”
• Inculcate the habit of five daily prayers in your children and go to mosque together to
offer prayers in congregation and participate in Jama‘at activities.
• Watch Friday Sermon together and other MTA programs with interest and everyone
should write a letter to Huzoor (aa) regularly for prayers.
• Children imitate you, so keep your actions and thoughts pure and set a good example.
• Keep children physically clean and do not let them remain naked.
• Feed the children at fixed times which, besides many other benefits, will develop the
inner strength to resist temptation, will fortify self-control and enable to exercise restraint.
• Children should not be allowed to choose their own friends. Help them choose and
communicate with their friend’s parents.
• Stop children from playing in privacy and keep TV, laptop (preferably desktop), tablets
etc. in a highly visible area.
• Screen time should be limited too. Research shows that extended screen time [including
tablets, TV and video games] leads to negative impact on heart health, obesity and even
depression. Furthermore, the child does not learn social skills [interacting with live
people] at an adequate pace.
• Keep children busy with small chores, sports, and other productive activities.
• Create friendship with your children. Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih V (aa) in his Friday Sermon
of May 20, 2016, advised us:
“If parents have friendly relations with children, they are made aware of
good and bad, the atmosphere in the house is made faith-oriented, and as I
said, Allah has favored us with the same means of entertainment (MTA)
that present sources for training. If all are sitting together, watching and
benefitting from them, and the children have the feeling that they have
importance in the house, then they will not venture out, will not fall into
improprieties, they will not seek peace outside, rather they will see peace in
their homes. It also is the duty of parents that they attach children to the
mosque; have them participate in the activities of auxiliaries.”
Page 6
GRADE 1
Physical Health Curriculum
Human Development and Sexual Health
C1.3 Identify body parts, including genitalia (e.g., penis, testicles, vagina, and
vulva), using correct terminology.
Teacher prompt: “We talk about all body parts with respect. Why is it important to know
about your own body, and use correct names for the parts of your body?”
Student: “All parts of my body are a part of me, and I need to know how to take care of
and talk about my own body. If I’m hurt or need help, and I know the right words, other
people will know what I’m talking about
Guidance and Teachings for Parents

• At this age, children are expected to learn the name of their private parts in schools. A
parent should explain that these words are ‘private words’ because they are used to
describe ‘private parts’ and should not be used as a joke.
• Parents should begin talking to their children about personal safety, and children should
be taught that they should tell their parents if anyone other than their parents have
touched their private area.
• By age 6, children should be taught to wash themselves properly after using the
washroom and not linger longer than necessary in the private areas.
• At age 7, children should be made to start offering Salat as our Holy Prophet (may
peace and blessings of Allah be upon him!) said “Advise your children to perform the
prayers when they reach the age of seven. When they reach the age of ten, you
should be strict with them in this matter, and you should also make them sleep in
separate beds” (Abu Dawood).
• Parents should teach their children that modesty is the best virtue, and when changing
clothes, one should remove one layer at a time, and replace that item with another piece
before moving on to the next.
• Parents are encouraged to actively supervise what their children watch and monitor what
they do on the internet.
• Keep the TV and laptop/desktop in a highly visible area.
Page 7
GRADE 2
C1.4 Outline the basic stages of human development (e.g., infant, child,
adolescent, adult, older adult) and related bodily changes, and identify factors
that are important for healthy growth and living throughout life.
Teacher prompt: “How does your body change as you grow? What helps you to grow
and be healthy?”
Student: “As you grow, you get taller and bigger. Your bones grow. Your muscles grow.
You grow faster at some stages than at others and not everyone grows the same
amount at the same time. When you’re an adult, your body doesn’t grow anymore,
but it still changes – for example, your skin gets more wrinkled and your hair might
turn grey. Things that help make you healthy all through your life are eating well, being
active, getting enough sleep, and having people to care for you.”
……………………………………………
Teacher: “If someone does something that you do not like, touches you in an
inappropriate way, or asks to touch you in a way that makes you feel uncomfortable
or confused, how can you stand up for yourself?”
Student: “I can say no and move away. My body is mine. I can tell someone – like a
parent, a teacher, an elder, a doctor – that I need help. I can keep telling until I get help.”

• At this age, the parent should start to highlight, encourage, and celebrate the differences
between girls and boys. Our children should be taught that if you are born a boy, your
gender identity is Male. If you are born a girl, your gender identity is Female.
• The masculine qualities should be encouraged in boys and the feminine qualities should
be encouraged in girls. We should discourage our boys and girls from acting like the
opposite gender, and try to avoid close contact and hugging and kissing across opposite
genders.
• Parents should also avoid changing in front of their children and stress the importance of
keeping their bodies covered at all times. Teach the children that when they change,
they should not take off all the clothes at once. Remove one piece of clothing, wear a
new one, and then change the other.
• Parents should emphasize the importance of offering Salat on time. Explain to children
how Salat protects us. The Holy Qur’an states
Page 8
ِ ‫ ﻋَ ِﻦ اﻟ ْ َﻔﺤ َﺸ‬
ِ ‫ﺂء وا ْﳌﻨ ْ َﮑ‬
‫ﺮ ۝‬ ٰ ْ ‫اِ َّن ا َّﻟﺼﻠ ٰ ْﻮةَ ﺗَﻨ‬
ُ َ ْ
“Surely, Prayer restrains one from indecency and manifest evil.”[29:46]
• At this age, (7 years) children are eligible to enter the Auxiliary Organizations of Nasirat
or Atfal. Parents should encourage participation in these auxiliaries as they will provide a
safe place for the children to flourish and grow. Children can see it as a ‘club’ to promote
a sense of belonging and sister/brotherhood.
• There is a good book called, Love You Forever by Robert Munsch, which highlights the
importance of family values and taking care of one another. Read this book.
• Active parental supervision is critical for children while playing video games and playing
games on phones and tablets. We should also try to reduce the time spent on these
devices as much as possible and try to engage our kids in more productive activities.
Engaging our children in daily prayers and in all Jama‘at programs also helps us to do
so.
• Refer to ‘Moral Training of Child’ on page 5 for further guidance.
Page 9
GRADE 3
C3.3 Describe how visible differences (e.g., skin, hair, and eye colour, facial
features, body size and shape, physical aids or different physical abilities,
clothing, possessions) and invisible differences (e.g., learning abilities, skills and
talents, personal or cultural values and beliefs, gender identity, sexual
orientation, family background, personal preferences, allergies and sensitivities)
make each person unique, and identify ways of showing respect for differences in
others.
Teacher prompt: “Sometimes we are different in ways you can see. Sometimes we are
different in ways you cannot see – such as how we learn, what we think, and what we
are able to do. Give me some examples of things that make each person unique.”
Student: “We all come from different families. Some students live with two
parents. Some live with one parent. Some have two mothers or two fathers. Some
live with grandparents or with caregivers. We may come from different cultures. We
also have different talents and abilities and different things that we find difficult to do.”
Teacher: “How can you be a role model and show respect for differences in other
people?”
Student: “I can include others in what I am doing, invite them to join a group, be willing
to be a partner with anyone for an activity, and be willing to learn about others.”

• Parents are encouraged to actively supervise what their children watch and monitor what
they do on the internet.
• Avoid TV shows and books that can allude to homosexuality.
• It’s important to keep the lines of communication open with your kids and work together
in a friendly manner.
• Keep stressing the importance of the five daily prayers. The Holy Qur’an states
Page 10
ُ َ ْ
“Surely, Prayer restrains one from indecency and manifest evil.”[29:46]
• Children in this grade are introduced to the concept of families with either two mothers or
two fathers. As we know that many countries have legalized same-sex marriages,
children might come across such situations.
• Children should be made aware of the Islamic concept of family which is a male and a
female. The concept of two men or two women living together as husband and wife with
children is against the teachings of Islam. The Holy Qur’an says:
•
‫ﺎر ُﻓ ْﻮا ط إ َِّن‬ ‫ﻌ‬َ ‫ﺘ‬ِ ‫ﻳ ٓﺎ َﻳُﻬﺎ اﻟﻨَّﺎس إِﻧَّﺎ َ ﺧﻠ َ ْﻘﻨ ُﻜﻢ ِّﻣﻦ ذَ َﻛ ٍﺮ َواُﻧ ْﺜ ٰﻰ وﺟﻌﻠْﻨ ُﻜﻢ ُﺷﻌﻮﺑﺎ َ وﻗَﺒﺂ ِﺋ َﻞ ﻟ‬
َ َ َ ّ ً ُ ْ ٰ َََ ّ ْ ْ ٰ ُ َّٰ
‫ﻴﻢ َ ﺧﺒِﲑٌ۝‬ ِ ِ ِ َ ‫ا َﻛ َْﺮﻣ ُﻜﻢ ِﻋ‬
ٌ ‫َﻠ‬D ‫ﻨﺪ اﻟﻠ ;ـﻪ ا َﺗْﻘ ٰ ُﻜ ْﻢ ◌ۚ ا َّن اﻟﻠ ; َـﻪ‬ ْ َ
[49:14] O mankind, We have created you from a male and a female, and We have
made you into tribes and sub-tribes that you may recognize one another. Verily,
the most honorable among you, in the sight of Allah, is he who is the most
righteous among you. Surely, Allah is All-knowing, All-Aware.
• One of the reasons that God created us was for marriage. Marriage can only happen
between a man and a woman.
ِ ‫و ِﻣﻦ اٰﻳﺘِ ٖﻪ ا َن َﺧﻠَﻖ ﻟ َ ُﮑﻢ ِﻣﻦ اَﻧْﻔ ِﺴ ُﮑﻢ ا َزو‬

‫ط‬ َ ْ ‫ْﻨ َ ُﮑ ْﻢ َّﻣ َّﻮدَة ً َّو َ ر‬Hَ‫ َ ْﺴ ُﮑﻨُ ْٓﻮا اِ ﻟَﻴْﻬَﺎ َ و َ ﺟﻌَ َﻞ ﺑ‬Jّ ‫اﺟﺎ ﻟ‬
ً‫ﲪﺔ‬ ً َْ ْ ُ ْ ّ ْ َ ْ ٓ ٰ ْ َ
‫ﮏ َ ﻻٰﻳ ٰ ٍﺔ ﻟ ِ ّﻘَ ْﻮ ٍم ﻳَّﺘ َ َﻔ َّﮑ ُﺮ ْو َن ۝‬ ِ
َ ‫اِ َّن ِ ﰱْ ذٰﻟ‬
[30:22] And one of His Signs is this, that He has created wives for you from among
yourselves that you may find peace of mind in them, and He has put love and
tenderness between you. In that surely are Signs for a people who reflect.
• Our children should be taught to never make fun of other children or bully them because
their parents are gay or lesbian. We must never be disrespectful to others. Even though
we do not agree with their choice of lifestyle, Islam teaches us to be accepting and never
get involved in mockery. It is essential that we teach our children to never make any
homophobic remarks. The Holy Qur’an says:
Page 11
ٍ‫ ا َ ْن ﻳَّ ُﻜ ْﻮﻧ ُ ْﻮا َ ﺧ ْﲑ ًا ِّﻣﻨ ْ ُﻬ ْﻢ َ و َﻻ ﻧِ َﺴﺂ ٌء ِّﻣﻦ ﻧِ ّ َﺴﺂء‬Vٰٓ َ‫ﻳ ٰٓﺎ َ ◌ﻳُّﻬَﺎ اﻟ َّ ِﺬﻳ َﻦ ا ٰ َﻣﻨُ ْﻮا َ ﻻ ﻳ َ ْﺴ َﺨ ْﺮ ﻗَ ْﻮ ٌم ِّﻣﻦ ﻗَ ْﻮ ٍم ﻋ‬
‫ﺎب ط ﺑِ^ َْﺲ ِ اﻻ ْﺳ ُﻢ‬ ِ َ‫ أَن ﻳَّﻜ َُّﻦ َ ﺧ ْﲑ ًا ِّﻣﻨ ْ ُﻬ َّﻦ ◌ َۖ و َﻻ ﺗَﻠ ْ ِﻤ ُﺰ ْٓوا ا َ ُﻧﻔ َﺴ ُﻜ ْﻢ َ و َﻻ ﺗَﻨَﺎﺑَ ُﺰ ْوا ﺑِ ْﺎﻻ َﻟْﻘ‬Vٰٓ َ‫ﻋ‬
o‫ﻚ ُ ﻫ ُﻢ ا ;ﻟﻈﻠِ ُﻤ ْﻮ َن‬ َ ِ‫ﺐ ﻓَﺎُ وﻟ ٰٓﺌ‬ ‫ﻮق ﺑَﻌْ َﺪ ْ اﻻِ ْﳝَ ِ ﻣ‬
ْ ُ‫ﺎن ◌ۚ َ و َﻦ ﻟ َّ ْﻢ ﻳَﺘ‬ ُ ‫اﻟ ْ ُﻔ ُﺴ‬
[49:12] O ye who believe! Let not one people deride another people, who may be
better than they, nor let women deride other women, who may be better than they.
And defame not your own people, nor call one another by nicknames. Bad indeed
is evil reputation after the profession of belief; and those who repent not are the
wrongdoers.
• Tell the story of the people of Prophet Lut (peace be upon him). Allah sent Prophet Lut
(as) to warn these people that these un-natural relationships were not pleasing to Allah
because He wanted the best for His creation. These people did not listen to Prophet Lut
(as) and did not want to follow Allah’s guidance so they were punished for their
disobedience.
Page 12
GRADE 4
C1.5 Describe the physical changes that occur in males and females at puberty
(e.g., growth of body hair, breast development, changes in voice and body size,
production of body odour, skin changes) and the emotional and social impacts
that may result from these changes
Teacher prompt: “During puberty, the male and female bodies undergo many
changes. Everyone experiences these changes at different rates and at different times.
Increases in weight and body fat are normal. Sometimes it is difficult getting used
to the changes that are happening so quickly. Feelings can be much more
intense. What are some of the feelings you might have as you start to experience
changes with puberty?”
Student: “Excitement, happiness, embarrassment, confusion, and fear are some
of the feelings I might have. It is sometimes hard to recognize what I am feeling and
why things feel different.”
Teacher prompt: “What can change socially as you start to develop physically?”
Student: “Relationships with friends can change, because sometimes people start being
interested in different things at different times. Some people start ‘liking’ others. They
want to be more than ‘just friends’ and become interested in going out. Sometimes
people treat you as if you are older than you actually are because of how you look.
Sometimes classmates, friends, or family make comments or tease you about the
changes.” • • • • •
C2.4 Demonstrate an understanding of personal care needs and the

application of personal hygienic practices associated with the onset of
puberty (e.g., increased importance of regular bathing/showering and
regular clothing changes; use of hygiene products; continuing
importance of regular hygiene practices, including hand washing, oral
health care, and care of prosthetic devices and residual limbs)
Teacher prompt: “Why is it important to shower and change clothes more often as
you approach puberty? What other things do you need to think about?”
Student: “As our bodies change, we perspire more. We should also be aware of
spreading germs, and avoid sharing hats, lip gloss, hairbrushes, drinks, or towels.”
Page 13
• Parents must actively help their children manage how much time they are on electronic
devices. In addition, active parental supervision is critical for children. Much of the
exposure our children have with sensitive material happens outside of the classroom.
• Avoid TV shows and books that can elude to homosexuality.
• Engage children in daily prayers and in all Jama‘at programs and other useful activities.
This will also help manage their time better and thus achieve this task. The Holy Qur’an
states

ُ َ ْ
“Surely, Prayer restrains one from indecencies and manifest evil.”[29:46]
• At the age of 10, children should be regular in offering daily prayers and their beds
should me made separate as our Holy Prophet (sa) has instructed us.
“Advise your children to perform the prayers when they reach the age of seven.
When they reach the age of ten, you should be strict with them in this matter, and
you should also make them sleep in separate beds” (Abu Dawood).
• Parents are encouraged to begin speaking with their children about puberty. The age of
puberty varies from child to child. If your child is not showing signs of puberty, it is still
advisable to introduce the topic as they may be noticing that others around them are
beginning to change. Ministry’s curriculum begins discussing these changes extensively
at this grade level.
Page 14
• It is important to talk to children about their responsibilities at this stage and how they
need to protect themselves from evils of society. This includes talking about showering,
appropriate Purdah (dressing) for girls and more regularity in prayers.
• At this age, with the onset of puberty, the meaning of modesty and Purdah becomes
more important, and children should be taught not only to observe Purdah (also
applicable for boys) but also how they should explain it to their peers. For example, if a
girl starts to cover her hair, how will she explain this to her friends and others at school?
This is a great way to instil the love and pride for self-identity in children, so they can be
confident and not embarrassed about who they are. They should not have any inferiority
complex of being different in their dressing and other things.
• Parents should make their children understand that it is the inner beauty which is the
real beauty and that they should be proud of their identity. Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih II (ra)
has advised:
“It is not the apparent look in the beauty that attracts the hearts but rather it is the
good morals and conduct…. The person who wastes his time on these minor
things deprives himself from a lot of good works”
(Mashal-e-Rah, Volume 1, P 343)
Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih IV (rh) has advised

“…Women think that if in this day and age, they go out with their friends in full
burqas they’ll be mocked and portrayed as being backward. Their friends will say
that they are crazy, simpletons and that this is not the era of burqah anymore; and
that the world has advanced and this is the same problem that the men are also
starting to develop. However, they forget that self-respect and respect of another
is born out of their own character. There remains no value of modest dressing in
the world. Respect is earned through good character only and this respect should
first be established in one’s self. High morals start with one’s own self first. When
you have self-respect in you, then you have no care for the respect from others.
This is a very delicate matter towards which I am inclining you. Establish high
morals within and then respect yourself for it. In result, the law of God Itself will
make you respectful, and this respect will leave you with no desire of the worldly
respect….”
(Khutbat-e-Tahir, Vol 1, P 361-368)
NOTE: In September of Grade 4, it is important for parents to have a conversation

with the Health teacher and Homeroom teacher to request for their child to be
withdrawn when the above expectations are taught (C1.3, C1.4)
RECOMMENDATION: (After grade 4 consider withdrawal but keep in mind that

your child may hear of the lesson from their peers instead of the teacher)
Page 15
GRADE 5
C1.3 Identify the parts of the reproductive system, and describe how the body
changes during puberty.
Teacher prompt: “Female body parts that mature and develop as a part of
puberty include the vagina, cervix, uterus, fallopian tubes, ovaries, endometrium, and
clitoris. Male body parts that mature and develop during puberty include the penis
(with or without the foreskin), scrotum, urethra, testicles, prostate gland, seminal
vesicles, and vas deferens. These changes occur as people become capable of
reproduction. What are some physical changes that happen during puberty?”
Student: “During puberty, girls will develop breasts and get their periods for the first
time. An increase in weight and body fat is normal. Boys will become more
muscular, get deeper voices, and grow facial and body hair. The penis and
testicles will grow larger. Both boys and girls will grow hair under their arms, on their
legs, and in their pubic area. The rate at which these changes occur will vary for each
individual.”
C1.4 Describe the processes of menstruation and spermatogenesis, and explain

how these processes relate to reproduction and overall development.
Teacher prompt: “Menstruation is the medical term for having a ‘period’ and is the
monthly flow of blood from the uterus. This begins at puberty. Not all girls begin
menstruation at the same age. Generally, every month, an egg leaves one of the ovaries
and travels down one of the fallopian tubes towards the uterus. In preparation, the walls
of the uterus develop a lining of extra blood and tissue to act as a cushion for the egg in
case fertilization occurs. When an egg is fertilized, it attaches itself to the lining of the
uterus and begins to develop into a baby. If fertilization does not occur, the lining of the
uterus is no longer needed and is discharged through the vagina. This is the monthly
flow of blood. The whole process is called the menstrual cycle. Can you summarize its
purpose?”
Student: “It is how the female body gets ready for pregnancy.”
Teacher: “The testicles are glands within the scrotum that produce sperm and
hormones, beginning at puberty. After sperm develops in the testicles, it can travel
through the epididymis until it reaches the vas deferens where it is stored until
Page 16
ejaculation occurs. During ejaculation, the prostate gland releases a liquid that mixes
with the sperm from the vas deferens to make semen, which then leaves the body
through the urethra. Fertilization can occur when the penis is in the vagina, sperm is
ejaculated, and the sperm and egg connect. Babies can also be conceived by having the
sperm and egg connect using assisted reproductive technologies. What is the purpose
of sperm production?”
Student: “Sperm is needed for fertilization. When the sperm from the male and the egg
from the female join together, pregnancy occurs.”
Teacher: “We’ve described what menstruation and spermatogenesis mean from a

physical point of view. How do these changes affect you in other ways?”
Student: “Not everyone experiences these changes at the same time and in the same
way, so teasing people about these changes isn’t right. It can be very hurtful.” “In my
culture and my family, becoming an adult is a cause for celebration.” “We don’t talk
about it in my family. What I see in the media and online is a bit confusing, so it’s good to
know what these changes in my body actually mean. The more I know, the better I can
take care of myself.”
C2.4 Describe emotional and interpersonal stresses related to puberty (e.g.,

questions about changing bodies and feelings, adjusting to changing
relationships, crushes and more intense feelings, conflicts between personal
desires and cultural teachings and practices), and identify strategies that they
can apply to manage stress, build resilience, and enhance their mental health and
emotional well-being (e.g., being active, writing feelings in a journal, accessing
information about their concerns, taking action on a concern, talking to a trusted
peer or adult, breathing deeply, meditating, seeking cultural advice from elders).
Teacher prompt: “Think about some things that could lead to stress for adolescents.
For example, as they grow, people sometimes feel self-conscious about their bodies, but
we all grow at different rates and you can’t control how fast you grow. When you think
about how to respond to stress, consider what is within your control and what is not.”
Student: “Things I can control include whether I have a positive or negative attitude
about things, how I show respect for myself and others, whether I ask for help when I
need it, whether I am involved in activities at school and in my community, actions I take,
whether I am open to new ideas, and whether I make my own decisions about things or
let myself be influenced by others. Things I cannot control include where I was born, who
is in my family, how much money my family has, and personal characteristics such as
Page 17
my skin colour, hair colour, whether I am male or female, my gender identity, sexual
orientation, and overall body shape and structure. I could have a learning disability, a
physical disability, or a health issue. All of these things are a part of who I am. I cannot
control these things, but I can control what I do and how I act.”
Teacher prompt: “It is normal to have stress and to have different feelings, including
being happy, sad, angry, and excited at different times. Part of taking care of your
mental health and emotional well-being is learning to be aware of and to monitor your
own feelings. How do you know if you need help with your feelings?”
Student: “If you feel one way for a very long time – for example, if you always feel sad,
anxious, or tired – that might be a sign that you need to get help to learn what is causing
those feelings and what you can do about them.”
Teacher prompt: “As you enter adolescence, you may begin to develop new kinds of
relationships and new feelings that you have not had before. Your relationships with your
peers can become more stressful. Understanding how to respond to these new feelings
and situations can reduce some of the stress that goes with them. For example, if you
feel you ‘like someone in a special way’, what are some appropriate ways of sharing that
information with someone else and what are ways that are inappropriate?”
Student: “You can show that you like someone by being extra nice to them, talking with
them more, spending time with them, or telling them that you like them. Ways of showing
that you like someone that is inappropriate include touching them without their
permission, spreading rumors about them to others or online, and making fun of them
in order to get attention. Sharing private sexual photos or posting sexual comments
online is unacceptable and also illegal.”
C3.2 Explain how a person’s actions, either in person or online, can affect their
own and others’ feelings, self-concept, emotional well-being, and reputation (e.g.,
negative actions such as name-calling, making homophobic or racist remarks,
mocking appearance or ability, excluding, bullying, sexual harassment [including
online activities such as making sexual comments, sharing sexual pictures, or
asking for such pictures to be sent]; positive actions such as praising,
supporting, including, and advocating).
Teacher prompt: “Negative actions that hurt the feelings of others can also result in
stigma. When someone appears to be different from us, whether it is because of some-
thing visible like a physical disability or something less visible like having an illness such
as HIV/AIDS or a mental health problem like depression, we may view him or her in a
stereotyped manner and make assumptions. Stereotypes can have a strong, negative
impact on someone’s self-concept and well-being. On the other hand, you can also
Page 18
make a big difference in a positive way with your actions. Give an example of an action
that can affect someone’s feelings, self-concept, or reputation in a positive way.”
Student: “Actions that can have a positive effect include asking someone who has been
left out to be a partner, praising someone for their accomplishments, recognizing some-
one’s talent or skill, and making sure everyone gets a turn.”
Teacher: “How do your actions – positive or negative – have an impact on your own
self-concept and reputation?”
Student: “Having a positive attitude towards other people can make you feel good about
yourself. It can also make people want to be around you. Always being negative or
putting other people down reflects badly on you and can make you feel worse about
yourself.”

• The topic of sexting is introduced in this grade. Sexting is sending sexually explicit
messages, primarily between mobile phones. It can also include sending naked photos
or sexual photos to others via the phone or internet. Studies show that sexting has
become a common practice among teens and young people. Even if your child is not
one to send these types of images or texts to peers, they may receive them. It is
important that you talk to your child and ensure that they understand that this is not
something that is permissible in Islam. This is also another very important reason for you
to monitor your child’s internet use.
• At this age, children begin having questions about sexuality, puberty and relationships.
Often times they find it easier to search for answers online because they feel
embarrassed to ask questions and thus end up having the wrong information. Under this
or any other influence, they could begin accessing explicit content online including
pornography. Parents should develop a friendly relationship with their children from the
beginning and shouldn’t feel ashamed to explain the questions that arise in the minds of
growing children. This is a good opportunity for the parents to explain these things from
an Islamic perspective.
• It is also very important to discourage our children by explaining both the physical and
moral harms of pornography. We have to constantly remind our children about the
message of the Holy Qur’an of restraining our eyes from looking at people of opposite
gender.
Page 19
‫ ٰ َﳍ ُ ْﻢ ط إ َِّن اﻟﻠ ; َـﻪ َ ﺧﺒِﲑٌ ِﲟَﺎ‬lْ‫ﻚ ا َز‬
َ ِ ‫وﺟ ُﻬ ْﻢ ط ذَٰﻟ‬ ِ
َ ‫ﲔ ﻳَﻐُ ُّﻀ ْﻮا ﻣ ْﻦ ا َﺑْ َﺼﺎ ِر ِﻫ ْﻢ َ و َﳛ ْ َﻔ ُﻈ ْﻮا ُﻓ ُﺮ‬ ِِ ِ
َ ‫ُﻗ ْﻞ ﻟّﻠ ْ ُﻤ ْﺆﻣﻨ‬
‫ﻳ َ ْﺼﻨ َ ُﻌﻮن ۝‬
َ
‫َﺘ َ ُﻬ َّﻦ إ َِّﻻ َ ﻣﺎ َﻇﻬَ َﺮ ِﻣﻨْﻬَﺎ‬q‫َو ُﻗ ْﻞ ﻟِّﻠ ْ ُﻤ ْﺆ ِﻣﻨ ٰ ِﺖ ﻳَﻐ ْ ُﻀ ْﻀ َﻦ ِﻣ ْﻦ ا َﺑْ َﺼﺎ ِر ِﻫ َّﻦ َ و َﳛ ْ َﻔ ْﻈ َﻦ ُﻓ ُﺮو َﺟ ُﻬ َّﻦ َ و َﻻ ﻳُﺒ ْ ِﺪﻳ َﻦ زِﻳ‬
[24:31] Say to the believing men that they restrain their eyes and guard their
private parts. That is purer for them. Surely, Allah is well aware of what they
do.
[24:32] And say to the believing women that they restrain their eyes and
guard their private parts, and that they disclose not their natural and
artificial beauty except that which is apparent thereof.
• The following steps are also extremely important in this regard:
a. Having the television in a highly visible area.

b. Placing the desktop in a highly visible area and ensuring that our kids do
not have open access to the internet in private.
c. Not giving cell phones in their possession at this young age
• We should also remember that Allah has reminded us in the Holy Qur’an that regular
observance of prayers keeps us away from all evils. Therefore, it is extremely important
to make them regular in offering five daily prayers. The Holy Qur’an states

ُ َ ْ
• Involve the children in all Jama‘at programs to achieve success in this regard. Involving
them in beneficial extracurricular activities is also an important step.
Page 20
• In terms of Homosexuality, it is considered to be a sin in all major religions including
Islam. For Grade 5 it can be discussed as follows: Allah created men and women as
complements of one another, each with their own special qualities so that they could
help one another live happily. The Holy Qur’an says:
‫ﺎر ُﻓ ْﻮا ط إ َِّن‬ ‫ﻌ‬َ ‫ﺘ‬ِ ‫ﻳ ٓﺎا َﻳُﻬﺎ اﻟﻨَّﺎس إِﻧَّﺎ َ ﺧﻠ َ ْﻘﻨ ُﻜﻢ ِّﻣﻦ ذَ َﻛ ٍﺮ َواُﻧ ْﺜ ٰﻰ وﺟﻌﻠْﻨ ُﻜﻢ ُﺷﻌﻮﺑﺎ َ وﻗَﺒﺂ ِﺋ َﻞ ﻟ‬
َ َ َ ّ ً ُ ْ ٰ َََ ّ ْ ْ ٰ ُ َّ ٰ

‫ط‬ َ ْ ‫ْﻨ َ ُﮑ ْﻢ َّﻣ َّﻮدَة ً َّ و َ ر‬Hَ‫ َ ْﺴ ُﮑﻨُ ْٓﻮا اِ ﻟَﻴْﻬَﺎ َ و َ ﺟﻌَ َﻞ ﺑ‬Jّ ‫اﺟﺎ ﻟ‬
• And one of His Signs is this, that He has created wives for you from among
tenderness between you. In that surely are Signs for a people who reflect. (30:22)
• The gender we should marry was chosen for us by Allah when He created us. In Islam,
only men and women can get married to each other. Men and men cannot get married
and women and women cannot get married. We cannot go against what Allah wants for
us because Allah knows what is best for us. When we do go against the commandments
of Allah, we lose out on the benefits of His commandments. Allah created us and knows
what is best for us. By going against His teachings, we can only do trial and error and
run into problems, including mental health issues, immorality, promiscuity, etc. Allah has
perfect knowledge and is only teaching us that which is best for us in every way.
• In the Holy Qur’an, Allah shares a story of a people who did not follow His guidance.
These people wanted to have relationships with their same gender. Allah sent Prophet
Lut (as) to warn these people that these relationships were not pleasing to Allah
because He wanted the best for His creation. These people did not listen to Prophet Lut
(as) and did not want to follow Allah’s guidance so they were punished for their
disobedience.
• Parents can also explain this to their children in this way that every body part has a role
like eyes are for seeing, the nose is for smelling etc. Similarly, the reproductive organs
have a role in reproduction and if a man is married to a man or vice versa that role
cannot be fulfilled for which Allah has created them.
• Again, it is very important to remind our kids to not make fun of or make any derogatory
comments towards those who choose a homosexual lifestyle. We have to impart in them
tolerance and respect for fellow human beings, even if we do not agree with their choice
of lifestyle.
Page 21
GRADE 6
C1.3 Identify factors that affect the development of a person’s self-concept (e.g.,
environment, evaluations by others who are important to them, stereotypes,
awareness of strengths and needs, social competencies, cultural and gender
identity, support, body image, mental health and emotional well-being, physical
abilities)‫۔‬
Teacher prompt: “A person’s self-concept and emotional health and well-being can be
affected by a number of factors. Some of these are external factors – they come from
outside ourselves. Others are internal factors – they come from within ourselves. Can
you give me examples of external and internal factors that are protective – things that
help a person develop a positive self-concept and improve their emotional well-being?”
Student: “Protective external factors include having support from family and caring
adults, having a safe place to live, and being involved in activities that make you feel
proud of what you’ve accomplished. Protective internal factors include having a sense of
purpose in life, being able to attain and sustain a clear sense of who you are, feeling that
you have the right and are capable of taking steps to make things better, having clear
boundaries, being optimistic, having high expectations of yourself, and having the skills
you need to solve problems.”
C2.5 Describe how they can build confidence and lay a foundation for healthy
relationships by acquiring a clearer understanding of the physical, social, and
emotional changes that occur during adolescence (e.g., physical: voice changes,
skin changes, body growth; social: changing social relationships, increasing
influence of peers; emotional: increased intensity of feelings, new interest in
relationships with boys or girls, confusion and questions about changes)‫۔‬
Teacher prompt: “By getting questions answered and understanding that

questions and changes are ‘normal’, adolescents will be better equipped to
understand themselves, relate to others, respond to challenges and changes in
relationships, and build confidence. What are some questions that young people might
have as changes happen during puberty.
Student: “Is how I am feeling normal? Why is my body different from everybody else’s?
How do you tell someone you like them? Who can answer my questions about…?”
Page 22
Teacher prompt: “Things like wet dreams or vaginal lubrication are normal and happen
as a result of physical changes with puberty. Exploring one’s body by touching or
masturbating is something that many people do and find pleasurable. It is common and
is not harmful and is one way of learning about your body.
C3.3 Assess the effects of stereotypes, including homophobia and assumptions

regarding gender roles and expectations, sexual orientation, gender expression,
race, ethnicity or culture, mental health, and abilities, on an individual’s self-
concept, social inclusion, and relationships with others, and propose appropriate
ways of responding to and changing assumptions and stereotypes‫۔‬
Teacher prompt: “Can you give examples of some stereotypes that might have a
negative effect on a person’s self-concept and social inclusion? What can we do to
change stereotypes and discrimination?”
Student: “People who are overweight are sometimes labeled as lazy. That’s not fair.
And it’s not fair to make assumptions about what people with disabilities are able to do.
We need to base our opinions of people on who they are and what they do and not
judge them by their appearance or make assumptions about them. There are also
negative stereotypes about people who receive extra help or people who receive good
marks in class. These can be hurtful and cause people to avoid getting help when they
need it or, sometimes, to hide their abilities. Someone who has a mental illness like
depression or an anxiety disorder may be seen as being different. We need to
remember that mental illness can affect anyone, and it can be treated. Cultural
stereotypes are also common. Sometimes people make assumptions that people from
a certain cultural background all like the same things or are all good at the same things.
That makes us misjudge them. To change stereotypes, we need to get to know people
and respond to them as individuals. We need to challenge stereotypes when we hear
them.
Teacher prompt: “Assumptions are often made about what is ‘normal’ or expected
for males and females – for example, men take out the garbage; nursing is a woman’s
job; boys play soccer at recess and girls skip rope or stand around and talk; boys are
good at weightlifting and girls are good at dancing. Assumptions like these are usually
untrue, and they can be harmful. They can make people who do not fit into the expected
norms feel confused or bad about themselves, damaging their self-concept, and they
can cause people to discriminate against and exclude those who are seen as ‘different’.
Assumptions about different sexual orientations or about people with learning disabilities
or mental illness or about people from other cultures are harmful in similar ways.
Everyone needs to feel accepted in school and in the community. Why do you think
these stereotyped assumptions occur? What can be done to change or challenge
them?”
Students: “Stereotypes are usually formed when we do not have enough information.
We can get rid of a lot of stereotypes just by finding out more about people who seem
different. By being open-minded, observing and listening, asking questions, getting more
information, and considering different perspectives, we can work to change stereotypes.
We can understand people’s sexual orientations better, for example, by reading books
that describe various types of families and relationships. Not everyone has a mother and
Page 23
a father – someone might have two mothers or two fathers (or just one parent or a
grandparent, a caregiver, or a guardian). We need to make sure that we don’t
assume that all couples are of the opposite sex, and show this by the words we use.
For example, we could use a word like ‘partner’ instead of ‘husband’ or ‘wife’. We need
to be inclusive and welcoming.” “If we have newcomers from another country in our
class, we can try to find out more about them, their culture, and their interests.” “If we
hear things that are sexist, homophobic, or racist, we can show our support for those
who are being disrespected.” “If we hear someone using words like ‘crazy’ or ‘nuts’ to
describe a person who has a mental illness, we can explain that mental illness is no
different from other illnesses, and that we wouldn’t call someone names if they were
suffering from any other illness.”

• At this age, children begin having questions about sexuality, puberty, and relationships.
Often times they find it easier to search for answers online because they feel
embarrassed to ask questions and thus end up having the wrong information. Under this
or any other influence, they could begin accessing explicit content online including
pornography. Parents should develop a friendly relationship with their children from the
beginning and shouldn’t feel ashamed to explain the questions that arise in the minds of
growing children. This is a good opportunity for the parents to explain these things in
Islamic perspective.
• The following steps are extremely important in this regard:
• Having the television in a highly visible area.

• Placing the desktop in a highly visible area and ensuring that our kids do not
have open access to the internet in private.
• Also not give cell phones at this young age
• Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih V (aa) has given the following guidelines about the use of
internet and cell phones
“It has been brought to my attention that young children, in particular girls, own
iPhone’s, iPod’s, iPad’s and Blackberry’s etc., which are freely accessible to the
Internet while many are listed on Facebook as well. This is in total contrast to my
directives to be cautious towards this area where e-modes can have disturbing
effects…. This is not merely a fashion or trend which will go away after a while.
The damage caused by these websites can leave serious and lasting impacts on
young minds. The parents need to be made aware of their responsibilities and to
be educated on making their children feel secure before they, the children, turn to
other means of finding comfort and become wayward.”
(Instructions of Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih V (aa) July 30, 2012)
• Children that are regular in prayers and participate in Jama‘at programs are more likely
to not only follow Islamic commandments but also be able to successfully avoid peer
pressure in this regard. The Holy Qur’an states
Page 24
ُ َ ْ
• The topic of dating is also introduced at this point that it is normal for people to be
romantically involved. Our children should know the Islamic perspective on dating and
why Islam prohibits it.
• Islam does not allow any kind of premarital (or extramarital) relations. We know that
there is no purpose of going on a date with a member of the opposite gender other than
to develop a relationship. All humans carry an innate attraction to the opposite gender.
• The Holy Qur’an says:
‫ ٰ َﳍ ُ ْﻢ ط إ َِّن اﻟﻠ ; َـﻪ َ ﺧﺒِﲑٌ ِﲟَﺎ‬lْ‫ﻚ ا َز‬ َ ِ ‫وﺟ ُﻬ ْﻢ ط ذَٰﻟ‬ ِ

َ ‫ﲔ ﻳَﻐُ ُّﻀ ْﻮا ﻣ ْﻦ ا َﺑْ َﺼﺎ ِر ِﻫ ْﻢ َ و َﳛ ْ َﻔ ُﻈ ْﻮا ُﻓ ُﺮ‬ ِِ ِ
َ ‫ُﻗ ْﻞ ﻟّﻠ ْ ُﻤ ْﺆﻣﻨ‬
‫َﺘ َ ُﻬ َّﻦ إ َِّﻻ َ ﻣﺎ‬q‫ﻮن ۝ َو ُﻗ ْﻞ ﻟِّﻠ ْ ُﻤ ْﺆ ِﻣﻨ ٰ ِﺖ ﻳَﻐ ْ ُﻀ ْﻀ َﻦ ِﻣ ْﻦ ا َﺑْ َﺼﺎ ِر ِﻫ َّﻦ َ و َﳛ ْ َﻔ ْﻈ َﻦ ُﻓ ُﺮو َﺟ ُﻬ َّﻦ َ و َﻻ ﻳُﺒ ْ ِﺪﻳ َﻦ زِﻳ‬َ ‫ﻳ َ ْﺼﻨ َ ُﻌ‬
‫َﻇﻬَ َﺮ ِﻣﻨْﻬَﺎ‬
private parts. That is purer for them. Surely, Allah is well aware of what they do.
[24:32] And say to the believing women that they restrain their eyes and guard
their private parts and that they disclose not their natural and artificial beauty
except that which is apparent thereof.
• The Holy Prophet (sa) tells us that “When a male and female are alone together,
there is a third with them and that third one is Satan” (Bukhari). Satan will incite
them to act on their passions. It is foolish to think we can develop an informal
relationship with members of the opposite gender and go on dates with them and not
expect to fall into sinful passions.
• The concept of gender identity is introduced to children in the curriculum. According to

the curriculum, gender identity is ‘each person's internal and individual experience of
gender’. It is their sense of being a woman, a man, both, neither, or anywhere along the
gender spectrum. A person's gender identity may be the same as or different from their
birth-assigned sex.’
• But our children should be taught that if you are born a boy, your gender identity is Male.
If you are born a girl, your gender identity is Female. You cannot be a boy if you are
born a girl and you cannot be a girl if you are born a boy. Allah does not make mistakes
and we should not interfere in His creation. The Holy Qur’an says:
Page 25
ِ ِ
‫۝‬ ِ ِ َّ ‫ﻚ ا‬
َ ‫ﻟﺴ ٰﻤﻮ ٰت َ و ْاﻷ َ ْرض ط َﳜْﻠ ُ ُﻖ َ ﻣﺎ ﻳ َ َﺸﺂ ُء ط ﻳَﻬَ ُﺐ ﳌ َ ْﻦ ﻳَّ َﺸﺂ ُء إِﻧَﺎﺛًﺎ َّ وﻳَﻬَ ُﺐ ﳌَﻦ ْﻳَّ َﺸﺂ ُء اﻟ ُّﺬ ُﻛ‬
‫ﻮر‬ ُ ْ ‫ﻟِﻠ ;ـ ِﻪ ُ ﻣﻠ‬
ٌ ِ َ‫ﻴﻢ ﻗ‬ ِ ِ
‫ﺪﻳ ﺮ ۝‬
ٌ ‫َﻠ‬D ‫ﻴﻤﺎ ط إِﻧ َّ ٗﻪ‬ً ‫ا َ ْو ﻳُ َﺰ ِّو ُﺟ ُﻬ ْﻢ ُ ذﻛ َْﺮاﻧًﺎ َ وإِﻧَﺎﺛ ًﺎ ◌ۚ َو َﳚْﻌَ ُﻞ َﻣﻦ ﻳَّ َﺸﺂ ُء ﻋَﻘ‬
[42:50, 51] To Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He creates
what He pleases. He bestows daughters upon whom He pleases, and He bestows
sons upon whom He pleases; or He mixes them, males and females; and He
makes whom He pleases barren. Surely, He is All-Knowing, Powerful.
• Hazrat Ibn Abbas (ra) relates that the Holy Prophet (sa) stated:
“Allah the Almighty has accursed those men who try to resemble women, and
upon the women who try to resemble men” (Bukhari)
• Students are also taught about masturbation in this grade. To properly teach our
children, parents must bear in mind that such urges are normal and therefore should
approach the situation that builds mutual trust. Masturbation is not in any way
encouraged in Islam. It has many harmful effects on the body, including physical, mental
and spiritual. To control one’s sexual urges, Islam recommends fasting.
• The children should be taught to absolutely stay away from all such actions.
Furthermore, masturbation in most cases is always connected with pornography. We
should remind them about purdah of our eyes that Allah has ordered us to uphold and
stay away from such actions.

Islam. It can be discussed as follows: Allah created men and women as complements of
one another, each with own special qualities so that they could help one another live
happily. The Holy Qur’an says:
ِ ِ ِ
ََ ‫ﺎس إِﻧَّﺎ َ ﺧﻠ َ ْﻘﻨ ٰ ُﻜ ْﻢ ّﻣ ْﻦ ذَ َﻛ ٍﺮ َّواُﻧ ْﺜ ٰﻰ َ و َﺟﻌَﻠْﻨ ٰ ُﻜ ْﻢ ُﺷ ُﻌﻮﺑًﺎ َّ وﻗَﺒَﺂﺋ َﻞ ﻟﺘَﻌ‬
‫ﺎر ُﻓ ْﻮا ط إ َِّن‬ ُ َّ‫ﻳ ٰٓﺎا َﻳُّﻬَﺎ اﻟﻨ‬
Page 26
• The gender we should marry was chosen for us by Allah when He created us. In Islam,
only men and women can get married to each other. Men and men cannot get married
and women and women cannot get married. We cannot go against what Allah wants for
us because Allah knows what is best for us. When we do go against the commandments
of Allah, we lose out on the benefits of His commandments. Allah created us and knows
what is best for us. By going against His teachings, we can only do trial and error and
run into problems, including mental health issues, immorality, promiscuity, etc. Allah has
perfect knowledge and is only teaching us that which is best for us in every way.
• In the Holy Qur’an Allah shares a story of a people who did not follow His guidance.
These people wanted to have relationships with their same gender. Allah sent Prophet
Lut (peace be upon him) to warn these people that these relationships were not pleasing
to Allah because He wanted the best for His creation. These people did not listen to
Prophet Lut (peace be upon him) and did not want to follow Allah’s guidance so they
were punished for their disobedience.
• Parents can also explain this to their children in this way that every body part has a role
to play. For example, eyes are for seeing, the nose is for smelling etc. Similarly, the
reproductive organs have a role in reproduction and if a man is married to a man or vice
versa that role cannot be fulfilled for which Allah has created them.
• Again, it is very important to remind our kids to not make fun of or make any derogatory
comments towards those who choose a homosexual lifestyle. We have to impart in them
tolerance and respect for fellow human beings, even if we do not agree with their choice
of lifestyle.
• Gender roles are questioned in the curriculum and named as stereotypes for example
certain activities are associated with men like earning, taking out garbage etc. and some
with women like nursing, taking care of children etc.
• This can be discussed with your children in this way. Men and Women differ physically in
nature and thus Allah has justly assigned different roles to them according to their
capabilities. Men are stronger so they have to earn for their family and protect them, and
women are more caring and loving so they are more capable to look after family and this
is their foremost duty. This in no way degrades women. In fact she has more to offer
than men as she is more responsible for the upbringing of future generation.
Page 27
GRADE 7 & 8
Physical Health Curriculum Grade 7
C1.3 Explain the importance of having a shared understanding with a partner

about the following: delaying sexual activity until they are older (e.g., choosing to
abstain from any genital contact; choosing to abstain from having vaginal or anal
intercourse; choosing to abstain from having oral-genital contact); the reasons
for not engaging in sexual activity; the concept of consent and how consent is
communicated; and, in general, the need to communicate clearly with each other
when making decisions about sexual activity in the relationship.
Teacher prompt: “The term abstinence can mean different things to different people.
People can also have different understandings of what is meant by having or not having
sex. Be clear in your own mind about what you are comfortable or uncomfortable with.
Being able to talk about this with a partner is an important part of sexual health. Having
sex can be an enjoyable experience and can be an important part of a close relationship
when you are older. But having sex has risks too, including physical risks like sexually
transmitted infections – which are common and which can hurt you – and getting
pregnant when you don’t want to. What are some of the emotional considerations to
think about?”
Student: “It’s best to wait until you are older to have sex because you need to be
emotionally ready, which includes being able to talk with your partner about how you
feel, being prepared to talk about and use protection against STIs or pregnancy, and
being prepared to handle the emotional ups and downs of a relationship, including the
ending of a relationship, which can hurt a lot. Personal values, family values, and
religious beliefs can influence how you think about sexuality and sexual activity. A
person should not have sex if their partner is not ready or has not given consent if they
are feeling pressured, if they are unsure, or if they are under the influence of drugs or
alcohol.”
C1.4 Identify common sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and describe their
symptoms.
Teacher prompt: “Common sexually transmitted infections include human

papillomavirus (HPV), herpes, chlamydia, gonorrhea, and hepatitis B. Some have
visible symptoms but most do not, so it’s hard to tell if you or someone else has an
STI. All STIs can have a significant impact on your health. What are some
symptoms of an STI? If an STI has no symptoms, how can you find out if you have
it?”
Page 28
Student: “You can see some STIs, such as pubic lice or genital warts, and other STIs
have symptoms such as redness or pain while urinating. Even if you don’t see or
experience any symptoms, you should be tested by a doctor if you are sexually active.
Depending on the STI, tests can be done by taking swabs from the cervix, vagina, or
urethra or by taking urine or blood samples.”
C1.5 Identify ways of preventing STIs, including HIV, and/or unintended

pregnancy, such as delaying first intercourse and other sexual activities until a
person is older and using condoms consistently if and when a person becomes
sexually active.
Teacher prompt: “Engaging in sexual activities like oral sex, vaginal intercourse,
and anal intercourse means that you can be infected with an STI. If you do not have
sex, you do not need to worry about getting an STI. (By the way, statistics show that
young people who delay first intercourse are more likely to use protection when they
choose to be sexually active.) If a person is thinking of having sex, what can they do to
protect themselves?”
Student: “They should go to a health clinic or see a nurse or doctor who can provide
important information about protection. People who think they will be having sex some-
time soon should keep a condom with them so they will have it when they need it. They
should also talk with their partner about using a condom before they have sex, so both
partners will know a condom will be used. If a partner says they do not want to use a
condom, a person should say, ‘I will not have sex without a condom.’ If you do have sex,
it is important that you use a condom every time, because condoms help to protect you
against STIs, including HIV, and pregnancy.”
Teacher prompt: “HIV (Human Immunodeficiency Virus) is a serious viral infection that
can be controlled with treatments. HIV attacks the cells in the body that help to fight
infections until they are no longer able to do their job. With treatment, the damage that
HIV does to the body’s immune system can be slowed or prevented. But HIV infection
cannot be cured. The only way to know if you have HIV is to get an HIV test. Today,
when people get tested for HIV early in the infection and access HIV treatments, they
have the opportunity to live a near-to-normal lifespan. HIV can lead to AIDS (Acquired
Immune Deficiency Syndrome), a state of health in which a person’s immune system
has been weakened by HIV and the person can no longer fight other infections. It is
common for a person with AIDS to develop other infections, such as pneumonia or some
kinds of cancer. HIV can be transmitted whether or not someone has symptoms of the
infection. However, HIV treatment can reduce the amount of HIV in someone’s body to
the point where it is much less likely that HIV will be transmitted. HIV transmission
results from specific activities and does not occur through everyday contact with
someone living with HIV/AIDS. What are some of the ways a person can be infected with
HIV and what can be done to prevent the transmission of HIV?”
Page 29
Student: “HIV is transmitted through contact with bodily fluids – semen, blood, vaginal
or anal fluid, and breast milk. HIV cannot live outside the body. For you to be infected,
the virus must enter your bloodstream. That can happen through the sharing of needles
as well as through unprotected sexual intercourse, which is the most common method of
infection. To prevent the transmission of HIV, avoid behaviours associated with greater
risks of HIV transmission, like vaginal or anal intercourse without a condom and injection
drug use. It is very important that you use a condom if you do have sex. Avoid sharing
drug use equipment or using needles that have not been sterilized for any purpose,
including piercing, tattooing, or injecting steroids. One of the best things you can do to
stop HIV is to stop the stigma that is associated with having the infection.
C2.4 Demonstrate an understanding of physical, emotional, social, and

psychological factors that need to be considered when making decisions related
to sexual health (e.g., sexually transmitted infections [STIs], possible
contraceptive side effects, pregnancy, protective value of vaccinations, social
labelling, gender identity, sexual orientation, self-concept issues, relationships,
desire, pleasure, cultural teachings).
Teacher prompt: “Thinking about your sexual health is complicated. It’s important
to have a good understanding of yourself before getting involved with someone else.
It’s not just about making a decision to have sex or waiting until you are older. It’s
also about things such as your physical readiness; safer sex and avoiding
consequences such as pregnancy or STIs; your sexual orientation and gender
identity; your understanding of your own body, including what gives you pleasure;
and the emotional implications of sexual intimacy and being in a relationship. It can
include religious beliefs. It includes moral and ethical considerations as well, and also
involves the need to respect the rights of other people. Can you explain what is meant
by a moral consideration?”
Student: “A moral consideration is what you believe is right or wrong. It is
influenced by your personal, family, and religious values. Every person in our society
should treat other people fairly and with respect. It is important to take this into
account when we think about our relationships, sexual behaviour, and activities.”
Teacher: “Like any other decision, a decision about sexual health requires you to
look at all sides of an issue. How can you do that?”
Student: “You need to consider the pros and cons of any decision you are making, and
how those decisions will affect both you and others.” Gossiping about someone with HIV
or avoiding everyday contact with them makes it more challenging for people to tell
others that they have HIV or to get tested for HIV. These things make it easier for HIV to
spread.”
C3.3 Explain how relationships with others (e.g., family, peers) and sexual health
may be affected by the physical and emotional changes associated with puberty
(e.g., effect of physical maturation and emotional changes on family
Page 30
relationships, interest in intimate relationships and effect on peer relationships,
risk of STIs and/or pregnancy with sexual contact).
Teacher prompt: “How can the changes experienced in puberty affect relationships
with family and others?”
Student: “Adolescents may be interested in having a boyfriend/girlfriend. They may feel
‘grown up’, but still get treated like a kid, and this sometimes leads to conflicts with
parents. They may want more independence.”
Physical Health Curriculum Grade 8
C1.4 Identify and explain factors that can affect an individual’s decisions about
sexual activity (e.g., previous thinking about reasons to wait, including making a
choice to delay sexual activity and establishing personal limits; perceived
personal readiness; peer pressure; desire; curiosity; self-concept; awareness and
acceptance of gender identity and sexual orientation; physical or cognitive
disabilities and possible associated assumptions; legal concerns; awareness of
health risks, including risk of STIs and blood-borne infections; concerns about
risk of pregnancy; use of alcohol or drugs; personal or family values; religious
beliefs; cultural teachings; access to information; media messages), and identify
sources of support regarding sexual health (e.g., a health professional [doctor,
nurse, public health practitioner], a community elder, a teacher, a religious leader,
a parent or other trusted adult, a reputable website)
Teacher prompt: “How would thinking about your personal limits and making a personal plan
influence decision you may choose to make about sexual activity?”
Student: “Thinking in advance about what I value and what my personal limits are would
help me to respond and make decisions that I felt comfortable with in different situations. I
would be able to approach a situation with more confidence and stick to what I had planned.
I would be less likely to be caught off guard and have to react without having thought through
the options and possible consequences.”
Teacher prompt: “Why is it important to get information from a credible source before
making a decision about being sexually active? Why is this important for all students –
including those with physical or cognitive disabilities?”
Students: “Having more information – and information that you can trust – helps you make
better decisions for yourself. Taking time to get more information also gives you more time to
think. Teens who consult a health professional before being sexually active are more likely to
use protection, such as condoms, if they choose to be sexually active.” “Teens with physical
or cognitive disabilities still need information about sexual health, just like everybody else.
They may be dealing with different issues, like adapting sexual health information to their
particular needs, or with variations on the same issues, like privacy and self-image.” • • • • •
Page 31
C1.5 Demonstrate an understanding of gender identity (e.g., male, female, two-
spirited, transgender, transsexual, intersex), gender expression, and sexual
orientation (e.g., heterosexual, gay, lesbian, bisexual), and identify factors that
can help individuals of all identities and orientations develop a positive self-
concept.
Teacher prompt: “Gender identity refers to a person’s internal sense or feeling of being
male or female, which may or may not be the same as the person’s biological sex. It is
different from and does not determine a person’s sexual orientation. Sexual orientation refers
to a person’s sense of affection and sexual attraction for people of the same sex, the
opposite sex, or both sexes. Gender expression refers to how you demonstrate your gender
(based on traditional gender roles) through the ways you act, dress, and behave. Gender
identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation are connected to the way you see
yourself and to your interactions with others. Understanding and accepting your gender
identity and your sexual orientation can have a strong impact on the development of your
self-concept. A person’s self-concept can develop positively if the person understands and
accepts their gender identity and sexual orientation and is accepted by family and
community. It is harder to develop a positive self-concept, however, if the way a person feels
or identifies does not meet perceived or real societal norms and expectations or is not what
they want, or if they do not feel supported by their family, friends, school, or community. A
person’s self-concept can be harmed if a person is questioning their gender identity or
sexual orientation and does not have support in dealing with their feelings of uncertainty.
What kind of support do people need to help them understand and accept their gender
identity and sexual orientation?”
Student: “Having role models that you can relate to – for example, people of similar ages or
cultures – is important. So is having all gender identities and sexual orientations portrayed
positively in the media, in literature, and in materials, we use at school. Family, school, and
community support are crucial. Additional help can come from trusted adults, community
organizations, and school support groups such as gay-straight alliances.”
C2.4 Demonstrate an understanding of aspects of sexual health and safety,
including contraception and condom use for pregnancy and STI prevention, the
concept of consent, and matters they need to consider and skills they need to
use in order to make safe and healthy decisions about sexual activity (e.g., self-
knowledge; abstinence; delaying first intercourse; establishing, discussing, and
respecting boundaries; showing respect; need for additional information and
support; safer sex and pleasure; communication, assertiveness, and refusal
skills).
Teacher prompt: “What do teenagers need to know about contraception and safer sex
in order to protect their sexual health and set appropriate personal limits?”
Student: “Teenagers need to know about the benefits and risks of different types of
contraception. They need to understand that the only 100 per cent sure way of not
becoming pregnant or getting an STI, including HIV, is not having sexual contact. Those
who choose to be sexually active also need to know which contraceptive methods
Page 32
provide a protective barrier against disease as well as pregnancy. Condoms provide
protection against both pregnancy and STIs – but to be effective, they need to be used
properly and used every time. Teenagers need to understand how important it is to talk
with their partners about sexual health choices, consent, and keeping safe. They have to
develop the skills to communicate their thoughts effectively, listen respectfully, and read
body cues in these conversations. This takes practice.”
C3.3 Analyse the attractions and benefits associated with being in a relationship
(e.g., support, understanding, camaraderie, pleasure), as well as the benefits,
risks, and drawbacks, for themselves and others, of relationships involving
different degrees of sexual intimacy (e.g., hurt when relationships end or trust is
broken; in more sexually intimate relationships, risk of STIs and related risk to
future fertility, unintended pregnancy, sexual harassment and exploitation;
potential for dating violence).
Teacher prompt: “There are pros and cons to being in a relationship, and when you
are in a relationship, there are positive things and drawbacks associated with
different levels of intimacy. All of them are important to think about. There is a range
of intimate behaviours that people can use to show caring and connection in a
relationship, and different levels of risk associated with different levels of intimacy.
Intimate behaviours can include holding hands, hugging, kissing, touching bodies and
genitals, and engaging in sexual intercourse. When considering the level of intimacy that
is appropriate for their relationship, what does a couple need to think about?”
Student: “Both individuals need to consider their own values and beliefs and treat
each other’s choices and limits with respect. If one partner chooses to abstain from
a sexual activity – for example, a person might want to kiss but not want to have any
genital contact – the other partner needs to respect that decision. Both partners need
to have the confidence and comfort level to talk about how they can show their
affection while respecting each other’s decisions.”
Teacher: “Being intimate with someone includes having a good understanding of

the concept of consent. What are some of the important things that we need to
understand about consent?”
Student: “Consent to one activity doesn’t imply consent to all sexual activity. It is import-
ant to ask for consent at every stage. Consent is communicated, not assumed. You
can ask your partner simple questions to be sure that they want to continue: ‘Do you
want to do this?’ or ‘Do you want to stop?’ A ‘no’ at any stage does not need any further
explanation.”
Teacher: “How can being in an intimate relationship affect other relationships in your
life?”
Student: “When you have a boyfriend or a girlfriend, sometimes friends treat you differ-
ently. You might start hanging out with different people or spending less time with some
Page 33
friends. You might have less time to spend with family. It’s important to be aware of what
is happening, so that you can take steps to avoid neglecting other relationships that are
important to you.”

• In grade 7 and 8, the students are made aware of adult relationships including oral,
vaginal and anal sex. Since it is expected that students will be engaging in these
activities very soon, they are also encouraged to plan their activities carefully and are
introduced to birth-control products
.
• It is very important for our children to understand that all sexual activities between men
and women are strictly forbidden in Islam until marriage. The Holy Qur’an says:
ً }‫و َﻻ ﺗَ ْﻘ َﺮ ُﺑﻮا ﻟ ِّﺰ ٰٓﱏ اِﻧَّﻪ ٗ◌{َﺎن ﻓَﺎ ِﺣ َﺸﺔً ط وﺳﺂء ﺳ‬

‫ِﻴﻼ۝‬
ََ ََ َ َ
[17:33] And come not near unto adultery; surely, it is a foul thing and an evil way.
• We have to explain to our children that Allah has commanded us to abstain from sexual
activities until after marriage. From a religious point of view it is important that you begin
talking to your child about abstaining from dating, relationships and intercourse. It is not
enough just to tell your child not to engage in impermissible behaviour, you must teach
them how to say no.
• Allah says in the Holy Qur’an
‫ ٰ َﳍ ُ ْﻢ ط إ َِّن اﻟﻠ ; َـﻪ َ ﺧﺒِﲑٌ ِﲟَﺎ‬lْ‫ﻚ ا َز‬ َ ِ ‫وﺟ ُﻬ ْﻢ ط ذَٰﻟ‬ ‫ﺮ‬ ‫ﻓ‬
ُ ‫ا‬ ‫ﻮ‬ ‫ﻈ‬
ُ ‫ﻔ‬
َ ‫ﳛ‬َ ‫ و‬ ‫ﻢ‬‫ﻫ‬ِ ِ
‫ر‬ ‫ﺎ‬ ‫ﺼ‬ ‫ﺑ‬َ ‫ا‬ ‫ﻦ‬ ِ ‫ُﻗ ْﻞ ﻟِّﻠْﻤ ْﺆ ِﻣ ِﻨﲔ ﻳَﻐُ ُّﻀﻮا‬
‫ﻣ‬
َ ُ ْ َ ْ ْ َ ْ ْ ْ َ ُ
‫َﺘ َ ُﻬ َّﻦ إ َِّﻻ َ ﻣﺎ‬q‫ﻮن ۝ َو ُﻗ ْﻞ ﻟِّﻠ ْ ُﻤ ْﺆ ِﻣﻨ ٰ ِﺖ ﻳَﻐ ْ ُﻀ ْﻀ َﻦ ِﻣ ْﻦ ا َﺑْ َﺼﺎ ِر ِﻫ َّﻦ َ و َﳛ ْ َﻔ ْﻈ َﻦ ُﻓ ُﺮو َﺟ ُﻬ َّﻦ َ و َﻻ ﻳُﺒ ْ ِﺪﻳ َﻦ زِﻳ‬َ ‫ﻳ َ ْﺼﻨ َ ُﻌ‬
‫َﻇﻬَ َﺮ ِﻣﻨْﻬَﺎ‬
private parts. That is purer for them. Surely, Allah is well aware of what they do.
[24:32] And say to the believing women that they restrain their eyes and guard
their private parts, and that they disclose not their natural and artificial beauty
except that which is apparent thereof.
• Islam does not allow any kind of premarital (or extramarital) relations. We know that
there is no purpose of going on a date with a member of the opposite gender other than
to develop a relationship. All humans carry an innate attraction to the opposite gender.
• The Holy Prophet (saw) tells us that “When a male and female are alone together,
there is a third with them and that third is Satan” (Bukhari). Satan will incite them to
act on their passions. It is foolish to think we can develop an informal relationship with
members of the opposite gender and go on dates with them and not expect to fall into
sinful passions.
Page 34
• Stress on the importance of Purdah for both girls and boys
“Similar to the western culture, people are stressing on leaving the Islamic
purdah which is not tolerable. This very form of freedom for women is the root
cause of evil and vices. Look at the moral decadence of the countries that have left
purdah for affording such freedom! If their chastity and morality have improved
then we will admit that we are at fault. Nonetheless, this thing is very apparent that
when the boy and girl become mature, and are free and without Purdah, then their
intermixing can be very detrimental. To ogle and to give into the temptation of the
self is the specialty of human beings. When there are transgressions by cutting
corners in veiling, how much more so evil, circumstantially, it should be when
there is absolute freedom from the veil.” (Malfoozat, Volume 4, Page 104)
• Make them understand that this special feeling should be kept for that special person
who they are going to spend their whole life with and that the charm will be all gone
before they enter that beautiful bond of marriage, that there are so many things to do
before they enter into such relationships, their studies are more important etc.
• It is important to explain the ills of such practices and why Islamic practices present a
better alternative. The children should be made aware of the fact that all Islamic
teachings are based on logic and that Allah has not given any commandment without
any reason.
• Sexting is sending sexually explicit messages, primarily between mobile phones. It can
also include sending naked photos or sexual photos to other via the phone or internet.
Studies show that sexting has become a common practice among teens and young
people. Even if your child is not one to send these types of images or texts to peers, they
may receive them. It is important that you talk to your child and ensure that they
understand that this is not something that is permissible in Islam. This is also another
very important reason for you to monitor your child’s internet use.
• Huzoor Anwar (aa) has instructed us about the use of internet and cell phones.
“It has been brought to my attention that young children in particular girls own
iPhone’s, iPod’s, iPad’s and Blackberry’s etc., which are freely accessible to
Internet while many are listed on Facebook as well. This is in total contrast to my
directives to be cautious towards this area where e-modes can have disturbing
effects…. This is not merely a fashion or trend which will go away after a while.
The damage caused by these websites can leave serious and lasting impacts on
young minds. The parents need to be made aware of their responsibilities and to
be educated on making their children feel secure before they, the children, turn to
other means of finding comfort and become wayward.” (instructions of Hazrat
Khalifatul-Masih V (aa) July 30, 2012)
• Outer appearance vs. inner beauty is an important conversation to have with your child.
This complex about self-image and beauty can lead to resorting to finding acceptance in
non-traditional, non-Islamic ways i.e. homosexuality.
• Parents should make their children understand that it is the inner beauty which is the
real beauty and that they should be proud of their identity.
Page 35
“It is not the apparent look in the beauty that attracts the hearts but rather it is the
good morals and conduct…. The person who wastes his time on these minor
things deprives himself of a lot of good works”
(Mashal-e-Rah, Volume 1, P 343)
“…Women think that if in this day and age, they go out with their friends in full
burqas they’ll be mocked and portrayed as being backward. Their friends will say
that they are crazy, simpletons and that this is not the era of burqah anymore; and
that the world has advanced and this is the same problem that the men are also
starting to develop. However, they forget that self-respect and respect of another
are born out of their own character. There remains no value of modest dressing in
the world. Respect is earned through good character only and this respect should
first be established in one’s self. High morals start with one’s own self first. When
you have self-respect in you, then you have no care for the respect from others.
This is a very delicate matter towards which I am inclining you. Establish high
morals within and then respect yourself for it. In result, the law of God Itself will
make you respectful, and this respect will leave you with no desire of the worldly
respect….”
(Khutbat-e-Tahir, Vol 1, P 361-368)
• Another important component of the curriculum is the concept of gender identity which
when put in simple words is ‘each person's internal and individual experience of gender.
It is their sense of being a woman, a man, both, neither, or anywhere along the gender
spectrum. A person's gender identity may be the same as or different from their birth-
assigned sex.’
• Hazrat Ibn Abbas (ra) relates that the Holy Prophet (saw) stated:
“Allah the Almighty has accursed those men who try to resemble women, and
upon the women who try to resemble men” (Bukhari)
• Our children should be taught that if you are born a boy, your gender identity is Male. If
you are born a girl, your gender identity is Female. You cannot be a boy if you are born
a girl and you cannot be a girl if you are born a boy. Allah does not make mistakes and
we should not interfere with his creation. The Holy Qur’an says:
‫ﻟﺴ ٰﻤﻮ ٰ ِت َ و ْاﻷ َ ْر ِض ط َﳜْﻠ ُ ُﻖ َ ﻣﺎ ﻳ َ َﺸﺂ ُء ط ﻳَﻬَ ُﺐ ِﳌ َ ْﻦ ﻳَّ َﺸﺂ ُء إِﻧَﺎﺛًﺎ َّ وﻳَﻬَ ُﺐ ِﳌ َ ْﻦ ﻳَّ َﺸﺂ ُء‬ ُ ْ ‫ﻟِﻠ ;ـ ِﻪ ُ ﻣﻠ‬
َّ ‫ﻚ ا‬
‫ﻴﻢ ﻗَ ِﺪﻳ ٌﺮ‬ِ ِ
‫۝‬
ً ‫ﻮر۝ ا َ ْو ﻳُ َﺰ ِّو ُﺟ ُﻬ ْﻢ ُ ذﻛ َْﺮاﻧًﺎ َّ وإِﻧَﺎﺛ ًﺎ ◌ۚ َو َﳚْﻌَ ُﻞ َﻣﻦ ﻳَّ َﺸﺂ ُء ﻋَﻘ‬
ٌ ‫َﻠ‬D ‫ﻴﻤﺎ ط إِﻧ َّ ٗﻪ‬ َ ‫اﻟ ُّﺬ ُﻛ‬
[42:50, 51] To Allah belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He
creates what He pleases. He bestows daughters upon whom He pleases, and He
bestows sons upon whom He pleases; or He mixes them, males and females; and
He makes whom He pleases barren. Surely, He is All-Knowing, Powerful.
Page 36
• Sexual orientation means which gender you feel like marrying. The gender we should
marry was chosen for us by Allah when he created us. In Islam, only a man can marry a
woman and only a woman can marry a man–we are not allowed to marry people of the
same gender.

Islam Allah created men and women as complements of one another, each with their
own special qualities, so that they could help one another live happily. The Holy Qur’an
says:
‫ﺎر ُﻓ ْﻮا ط إ َِّن‬ ‫ﻌ‬َ ‫ﺘ‬ِ ‫ﻳ ٓﺎا َﻳُﻬﺎ اﻟﻨَّﺎس إِﻧَّﺎ َ ﺧﻠ َ ْﻘﻨ ُﻜﻢ ِّﻣﻦ ذَ َﻛ ٍﺮ َواُﻧ ْﺜ ٰﻰ وﺟﻌﻠْﻨ ُﻜﻢ ُﺷﻌﻮﺑﺎ َ وﻗَﺒﺂ ِﺋ َﻞ ﻟ‬
َ َ َ ّ ً ُ ْ ٰ َََ ّ ْ ْ ٰ ُ َّ ٰ
‫ﻴﻢ َ ﺧﺒِﲑٌ۝‬ ِ‫َﻠ‬D ‫ﻨﺪ اﻟﻠ ;ـ ِﻪ ا َﺗْﻘ ٰ ُﻜﻢ ◌ۚ اِ َن اﻟﻠ ; َـﻪ‬
َ ِ ‫ا َﻛ َْﺮﻣ ُﻜﻢ‬
‫ﻋ‬
ٌ ّ ْ ْ َ
[49:14] O mankind, We have created you from a male and a female; and We have
made you into tribes and subtribes that you may recognize one another. Verily,
the most honourable among you, in the sight of Allah, is he who is the most

• Research has shown the harmful effects of a homosexual lifestyle as well as the
unnatural form of intercourse i.e. oral and anal sex. In addition to the extremely high and
real risk of developing HIV/AIDS and other STI’s, people who are in a homosexual
relationship are more prone to depression and are prone to risky behavior.
• Gender expression or stereotype gender roles are also mentioned in the curriculum.
Gender expression according to the curriculum refers to how you demonstrate your
gender (based on traditional gender roles) through the ways you act, dress, and behave.
Also, certain activities are associated with men like earning, taking out garbage etc. and
some with women like nursing, taking care of children etc.
• This can be discussed with your children in this way. Men and Women differ physically in
nature and thus Allah has justly assigned different roles to them according to their
capabilities. Men are stronger so they have to earn for their family and protect them, and
women are more caring and loving so they are more capable to look after the family and
this is their foremost duty. This in no way degrades women in fact she has more to offer
than men as she is more responsible for the upbringing of the future generation.
Page 37
• Children that are regular in prayers and participate in Jama‘at programs are more likely
to not only follow Islamic commandments but also be able to successfully avoid peer
pressure in this regard. The Holy Qur’an states “Surely, Prayer restrains one from
indecency and manifest evil.”[29:46]
Why there is no reason to change the commandments

given by Allah in the Holy Qur’an

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The Holy Qur’an has fixed the responsibilities according to human
nature and when they have been fixed then there is no need for any
kind of change. The need for change is only felt where there are
shortcomings…. Thus, if I look at my religious book, the Holy Qur’an,
I see that it is the word of that God who knows what is hidden and
what is disclosed. He knows of the past and the present and He
knows what is going to happen in the future. Thus, when we believe
in this God and this Book which has encompassed everything then
why should I feel that there is a need for change in the
commandments of Islam
(Address of Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih V (aa) to Ladies on the occasion of Jalsa Salana UK 2016)
Page 38

Parents' Guide To Health Syllabus - Release

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In the name of Allah, The Gracious, The Merciful

A brief guide to help parents address sensitive

The Responsibility of Parents…………………………………………………..3

Religious Accommodation and Opting Out in Public School……………….5

Moral Training of Children………………………………………………….….6

Grade 7 & 8………………………………………………………………….…...28

In the Name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful

• Parents use only

TALK TO THE TEACHER

START TALKING TO YOUR KIDS

DON’T DODGE DIFFICULT QUESTIONS

MONITOR THEIR EXPOSURE AND BE PROACTIVE

AGE IS ON YOUR SIDE

Parents should also remember that many public

However, it is possible, that either in school or

PARTIAL OPT-OUT OPTION

Guidance and Teachings for Parents

• Keep the TV and laptop/desktop in a highly visible area.

Guidance and Teachings for Parents

• Keep the TV and laptop/desktop in a highly visible area.

• Refer to ‘Moral Training of Child’ on page 5 for further guidance.

Guidance and Teachings for Parents

• Avoid TV shows and books that can allude to homosexuality.

ِ ‫و ِﻣﻦ اٰﻳﺘِ ٖﻪ ا َن َﺧﻠَﻖ ﻟ َ ُﮑﻢ ِﻣﻦ اَﻧْﻔ ِﺴ ُﮑﻢ ا َزو‬

C2.4 Demonstrate an understanding of personal care needs and the

• Keep the TV and laptop/desktop in a highly visible area.

• Avoid TV shows and books that can elude to homosexuality.

ِ ‫ ﻋَ ِﻦ اﻟ ْ َﻔﺤ َﺸ‬

(Mashal-e-Rah, Volume 1, P 343)

Hazrat Khalifatul-Masih IV (rh) has advised

(Khutbat-e-Tahir, Vol 1, P 361-368)

NOTE: In September of Grade 4, it is important for parents to have a conversation

RECOMMENDATION: (After grade 4 consider withdrawal but keep in mind that

Human Development and Sexual Health

C1.4 Describe the processes of menstruation and spermatogenesis, and explain

Teacher: “We’ve described what menstruation and spermatogenesis mean from a

C2.4 Describe emotional and interpersonal stresses related to puberty (e.g.,

Guidance and Teachings for Parents

• The following steps are also extremely important in this regard:

a. Having the television in a highly visible area.

ِ ‫ ﻋَ ِﻦ اﻟ ْ َﻔﺤ َﺸ‬

ِ ‫و ِﻣﻦ اٰﻳﺘِ ٖﻪ ا َن َﺧﻠَﻖ ﻟ َ ُﮑﻢ ِﻣﻦ اَﻧْﻔ ِﺴ ُﮑﻢ ا َزو‬

Teacher prompt: “By getting questions answered and understanding that

C3.3 Assess the effects of stereotypes, including homophobia and assumptions

Guidance and Teachings for Parents

• The following steps are extremely important in this regard:

• Having the television in a highly visible area.

• The Holy Qur’an says:

‫ ٰ َﳍ ُ ْﻢ ط إ َِّن اﻟﻠ ; َـﻪ َ ﺧﺒِﲑٌ ِﲟَﺎ‬lْ‫ﻚ ا َز‬ َ ِ ‫وﺟ ُﻬ ْﻢ ط ذَٰﻟ‬ ِ

• The concept of gender identity is introduced to children in the curriculum. According to

• In terms of Homosexuality, it is considered to be a sin in all major religions including

C1.3 Explain the importance of having a shared understanding with a partner

Teacher prompt: “Common sexually transmitted infections include human

C1.5 Identify ways of preventing STIs, including HIV, and/or unintended

C2.4 Demonstrate an understanding of physical, emotional, social, and

Physical Health Curriculum Grade 8

Human Development and Sexual Health

Teacher: “Being intimate with someone includes having a good understanding of

Guidance and Teachings for Parents

ً }‫و َﻻ ﺗَ ْﻘ َﺮ ُﺑﻮا ﻟ ِّﺰ ٰٓﱏ اِﻧَّﻪ ٗ◌{َﺎن ﻓَﺎ ِﺣ َﺸﺔً ط وﺳﺂء ﺳ‬

• Allah says in the Holy Qur’an

(Khutbat-e-Tahir, Vol 1, P 361-368)

• In terms of Homosexuality, it is considered to be a sin in all major religions including