It is quite painful to see some Muslim families raising their children without teaching them Arabic, or to see other parents relegating their responsibility of raising their own children to maids. Moreover, there are parents who might neglect teaching their children to perform prayers at the age of seven as the Prophet, ordered us: "Command your children to perform prayers at the age of seven, and beat them for (neglecting) it (Salah) at the age of ten and separate them in their beds."[Saheeh] [Sunan Abu Daawood]
If the child reaches the age of seven, he would probably soon reach the age of discernment and consequently his parents should teach him purification issues, prayers, Khushoo‘ (performing due prayers humbly and submissively), and respecting mosques so as not to be like many children nowadays who are more than seven years old and yet laugh, look around and play while performing prayers in the mosque.
Moreover, they should teach their children all the Islamic obligations. Additionally, they should instill love for Allah The Almighty and His Messenger, , in their hearts. They should bring them up loving and glorifying Allah The Exalted so that the child grows up with these imbued principles of loving Allah The Exalted and glorifying Him whenever He is mentioned. Thus, whenever the child recites “Allahu Akbar” or “Subhaan Allah”, he would sense a great feeling of the glorification of Allah The Almighty.
Furthermore, Muslim parents should instill love for the Prophet, , in their children and teach them that he is our role model and leader who leads humanity to their own good. In addition, parents should inculcate love for the Prophet, , in their children and teach them that whenever they hear his name they should ask Allah The Exalted to confer His blessings on him and grant him peace.
Moreover, once the child reaches the age when he is capable of memorization, his parents should encourage him to memorize the Noble Quran. Were one to read the biographies of the righteous ancestors, he would find that they had memorized the Noble Quran before reaching the age of ten. Indeed, it is such a great honor that Allah The Exalted bestows upon those whom He chooses.
Muslim parents should teach their children to respect the Noble Quran and its people. Many Muslim children do not know the difference between the Noble Quran and any other book!
Indeed, the Noble Quran is not like any other book; it is the Word of Allah The Exalted, it is a guide to the eternal and best way of life and it is the constitution of the Muslim Ummah (nation). Therefore, the Muslim Ummah should treasure their Quran. The Muslim Ummah can never attain prosperity unless they implement the principles and values of the Quran, inspire maturity from it and seek in it the right path [to success]. In fact, the prophetic Hadeeths (narrations) confirm that other nations deviated from the right path when they abandoned the Divine books that Allah The Almighty had conferred upon their prophets and favored their scholars’ books. Undoubtedly, the Noble Quran is the source of ultimate goodness; this is why we should encourage our children to memorize, respect and glorify it. Moreover, Muslim parents should also inculcate respect for books of Islamic knowledge in their children.
Many parents see their children playing with [Islamic] books, throwing them away and maybe stepping on them without chastizing them or expressing any disapproval against such improper behavior.
Books of Islamic knowledge in which the Name of Allah The Exalted is mentioned along with the name of His Messenger, , and that contain valuable Islamic knowledge should be respected, taken care of, treasured and duly valued as they are the books of Islam.
In addition, Muslim parents should teach their children the Hadeeths (narrations) of the Prophet, , and encourage them to memorize as much as they can [of them] depending on the age, the capabilities and the skills of the child. Perhaps a child with a higher level of intelligence would be capable of memorizing the Hadeeths of the Prophet, , with greater ease than other children, whereas, other older children would find it rather difficult to memorize them. Therefore, parents should take into consideration their children’s capabilities and accordingly teach them what they are able to comprehend and learn.
Our scholars used to pay great attention to teaching children Hadeeths and Seerah (biography), and helping their children to familiarize themselves with the refined morals of the Prophet, ; and this is the way Muslims should be. Imaam Maalik said, “This Muslim Ummah will never attain success and find the right path unless it follows in the footsteps of the former generations.”
Scholars wrote many great Islamic references on the foundations of Islam such as Imaam An-Nawawi’s book Al-Arba‘een An-Nawawiyyah. They did not intend such references to be for well-versed scholars but for novice Muslim children. Therefore, we should teach our children these Islamic references and the Seerah of the Prophet, , as well. How disgraceful it is to find Muslim parents and their children knowing nothing about the Seerah of the Prophet, , or his battles. It is a real tragedy.
Dear Muslims, teach your children the prophetic Hadeeths and the Seerah of the Prophet, . There are many booklets covering these subjects that were written especially for children to teach them the Seerah of the Prophet, , and the history of the first four caliphs so that the children would look up to them and emulate them. Indeed, they are worthy of this as they are guided to the right path and whoever follows in their footsteps will never go astray.
What really hurts is to find some Muslim children who know the names of famous football players, singers, actors, actresses, boxers, and wrestlers off by heart, whereas, if they are asked about Abu Bakr or ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab, may Allah be pleased with them, they will not know who they are! What is the world coming to?
We need a pious Muslim generation; this nation needs Muslim homes to be schools from which the descendants of ‘Umar and Abu ‘Ubaydah, may Allah be pleased with them, and Salah Al-Deen would graduate. We need a pious Muslim generation to free Al-Aqsa Mosque from its occupiers.