{"_id":"668da0ab0b76658b4c233d66","title":"{\"ops\":[{\"attributes\":{\"background\":\"transparent\",\"color\":\"#000000\"},\"insert\":\"How can we nurture building prayer habits and the love of Allah in young children?\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\"}]}","question":"{\"ops\":[{\"insert\":\"I have a 4 year old daughter and my wife is a revert. When we pray together at home, I let my daughter pray next to me (and in reality she usually bounces back and forth between my wife and I and lasts about two rakat). My goal is to set an example of praying with ease, without imposing any restrictions or rules on our daughter that might make it feel difficult or inaccessible. However, I’m not sure if I’m doing this properly. \\n\\nCan you tell me about the permissibility of some of the things that we do or allow?\\nShe prays next to either of us. She sometimes splits it 2 rakats with me and 2 with my wife. \"},{\"attributes\":{\"list\":\"ordered\"},\"insert\":\"\\n\"},{\"insert\":\"We don’t ask her to make proper wudu each time. We don’t force her to pray. She chooses to join instead, sometimes after we've already started, so we can’t make her perform wudu each time.\"},{\"attributes\":{\"list\":\"ordered\"},\"insert\":\"\\n\"},{\"insert\":\"She often recites out loud with me. MaShaAllah she does a great job and has learned a lot from this. \"},{\"attributes\":{\"list\":\"ordered\"},\"insert\":\"\\n\"},{\"insert\":\" I sometimes recite aloud (above a whisper) and slowly during some of the quiet recitations or dhikr so she can copy and learn.\"},{\"attributes\":{\"list\":\"ordered\"},\"insert\":\"\\n\"},{\"insert\":\"\\nAre these things I should continue doing? Sometimes it means that 100% of my focus isn’t on my personal salah. It feels right to do these things, but perhaps I should adjust some behaviors.\\n\"}]}","answer":"{\"ops\":[{\"attributes\":{\"color\":\"#000000\",\"background\":\"transparent\"},\"insert\":\"May Allah safeguard your family and nurture your daughter into a resilient and devout woman.\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"color\":\"#000000\",\"background\":\"transparent\"},\"insert\":\"In Islamic tradition, children are not instructed to perform acts of worship until they reach the age of discernment, typically around seven. At this stage, children can comprehend right from wrong, distinguish harm from benefit, and take care of basic needs independently. Scholars emphasize that acts like prayer and fasting are not valid before this age, and parents should refrain from directing children to perform such acts. However, parents should not hinder or discourage children if they express a desire to engage in these practices.\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"color\":\"#000000\",\"background\":\"transparent\"},\"insert\":\"In your specific situation, allow your daughter to join your salah or leave as she pleases. Avoid instructing her to perform wudu or prayers, and don't be concerned about correcting any mistakes, given her age of four. Regarding maintaining focus in your salah, refrain from worrying about your daughter's actions and correctness; this might enhance your concentration. If reciting louder and slower hampers your focus, limit it to prayers like Maghrib and Isha, where vocal recitation is recommended. If it doesn't affect your concentration, continue the practice.\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"color\":\"#000000\",\"background\":\"transparent\"},\"insert\":\"It's important to emphasize that, in the Islamic tradition, children should have the freedom to be children. They shouldn't bear the burden of structured learning and religious duties until reaching the age of discernment. In their early years, the emphasis should be on nurturing a love for Allah by linking their life experiences to Him. Foster expressions of gratitude to Allah and seeking refuge in Allah during both enjoyable and challenging situations. \"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"color\":\"#000000\",\"background\":\"transparent\"},\"insert\":\"Teach them to begin and conclude every action with bismillah and alhamdulillah, and to say subhanAllah when marveling at the wonders of the world.\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"underline\":true,\"color\":\"#000000\",\"background\":\"transparent\",\"bold\":true},\"insert\":\"Here are some of the methods that were prevalent in parts of the Muslim world:\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"color\":\"#000000\",\"background\":\"transparent\"},\"insert\":\"1. Breastfeeding mothers would repeatedly recite Ayat al-Kursi, Surat al-Falaq, and Surat al-Nas over their babies.\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"color\":\"#000000\",\"background\":\"transparent\"},\"insert\":\"2. When a child first began to speak, it would be taught to say:\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"color\":\"#000000\",\"background\":\"transparent\"},\"insert\":\"   رَضِيتُ بِاللهِ رَبًّا، وبِالإِسْلامِ دِينًا، وبِسَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ صلى الله عليه وسلم نَبِيًّا ورَسُولًا\"},{\"attributes\":{\"align\":\"right\"},\"insert\":\"\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"color\":\"#000000\",\"background\":\"transparent\"},\"insert\":\"‘I am content with Allah as my Lord, with Islam as my religion, and with our Master Muhammad, may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him, as my Prophet and Messenger.’\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"color\":\"#000000\",\"background\":\"transparent\"},\"insert\":\"3. Parents would teach their children the importance of making good intentions and what intentions to make.\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"color\":\"#000000\",\"background\":\"transparent\"},\"insert\":\"4. Parents would teach their children to call upon Allah in every situation. If a child asked for something, his parents would tell him to ask Allah to fulfill his need. After he had done this, they would give him what he wanted and tell him that Allah had answered his prayers.\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"color\":\"#000000\",\"background\":\"transparent\"},\"insert\":\"5. Children would be assigned specific tasks around the house and rewarded for completing them.\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\n\"},{\"attributes\":{\"color\":\"#000000\",\"background\":\"transparent\"},\"insert\":\"6. Parents would wake up young children in the last part of the night, even for a brief moment, to accustom them to being awake at that time. Fathers would take their young sons to the mosque at that time.\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\n7.\"},{\"attributes\":{\"color\":\"#000000\",\"background\":\"transparent\"},\"insert\":\" Parents would hold family gatherings in their houses on a daily or weekly basis. They would recite a portion of the Qur’an and read from the books of fiqh and hadith. They would conclude the gathering with duas and salawat.\"},{\"insert\":\"\\n\\n8. Parents would gather their children together before blessed days or months, such as Ramadan, and ask them what good deeds they planned to perform. They would ask them, for example, how much of the Qur’an they would recite and how much charity they would give.\\n\"}]}","tags":[{"_id":"668d9fef0b76658b4c232985","tag":"Salah: Validity","count":156},{"_id":"668da0010b76658b4c232b9d","tag":"Relationships: Parent and Child","count":111},{"_id":"668d9fe30b76658b4c232826","tag":"Worship: Etiquettes","count":79}],"createdOn":"2024-07-09T20:42:19.007Z"}