Islam for Parents

Practical Tips for Raising Children & Useful Resources for Your Parenting Needs

Supplication for Entering the Home

As parents, we should make sure our homes are a place where Allah is remembered. This begins we enter our homes. This dua should be said as we are entering our homes. Feel free to download and print it out to put near your front door inshaAllah.

This dua, as well as all the printable duas on this site are taken from the well known book, Fortress of a Muslim.

Download Printable Version Here




Non-Muslim Parents

It is one of the beauties of Islam that, with respect to the treatment of parents, it forbids the Muslim to be disrespectful to them even if they should be non-Muslims who are fanatical to the point of arguing with him and putting pressure on him to renounce Islam. Allah Ta’ala says:

…Be grateful to Me and to thy parents; to Me is (the final) goal. But if they strive to compel thee to associate with Me that of which thou hast no knowledge, do not obey them; but keep company with them in this life in a kind manner and follow the way of those who turn to Me. Then to Me will be your return and I will inform you ((of the meaning of) all that you did. (31:14-15)

In these two verses the Muslim is commanded not to obey his parents in what they try to tell him to do in this regard, since there cannot be obedience to a creature in sin against the Creator-and what sin could be greater than Continue Reading…




The Civilised Family System

If the family is the basis of the society, and the basis of the family is the division of labour between husband and wife, and the upbringing of children is the most important function of the family, then such a society is indeed civilised. In the Islamic system of life, this kind of a family provides the environment under which human values and morals develop and grow in the new generation; these values and morals cannot exist apart from the family unit.

If, on the other hand, free sexual relationship and illegitimate children become the basis of a society, and if the relationship between man and woman is based on lust, passion and impulse, and the division of work is not based on family responsibility and natural gifts; if the role of women is merely to be attractive, sexy and flirtatious, and if women are freed from their basic responsibility of bringing up children; and if, on her own or under social demand, she prefers to become a hostess or a stewardess in a hotel or ship or air company, thus using her ability for material productivity rather than the training of human beings, because material production is considered to be more important, more valuable and more honourable than the development of human character, then such a civilisation is ‘backward’ from the human point of view, or ‘jahili’ in Islamic terminology. Continue Reading…




What Age should Children start Fasting?

What is the age at which children are obliged to fast? How can we encourage them to fast and pray in the mosque, especially Taraweeh prayer? Are there any simple religious ideas which can be used to fill children’s spare time in Ramadaan?

Praise be to Allaah.

Firstly:

Fasting is not obligatory for young children, until they reach the age of adolescence, because the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

“The pens have been lifted from three: from one who has lost his mind until he comes back to his senses, from one who is sleeping until he wakes up, and from a child until he reaches the age of adolescence.” Narrated by Abu Dawood, 4399; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.

Nevertheless, children should be told to fast so that they can get used to it, and because the good deeds that they do will be recorded for them.

The age at which parents should start to teach their children to fast is the age at which they are able to fast, which will vary according to each child’s Continue Reading…




How to Raise Children - Audio Lecture

This lecture (By Hasan Ali) deals with practical ways of dealing with children starting from pregnancy and moving on to early childhood. It offers general principles of controlling children in the correct manner without harshness or leniency, which are all backed up from the Quran and Sunnah

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Child Education in Islam - Free eBook

Author: Abdullah Nasih Ulwan

This book outlines the basic Islamic concepts in child education. The author has tried to coordiante the main ideas, as well as the basics precepts for raising Muslim children in all the different spheres of life.

First of all, the importance of correct belief and faith cannot be inculcated in young children except through the teaching and example of their parents; and obviously, the role of the mature and religious mother is foremost. This state of harmony can only be achieved when matrimonial relations are relatively stable.

Care is to be taken in providing young children with all the necessary elements in the fields of ethical, physical and psychological education. This cannot be overemphasized. It is established that the common ailments of human societies, personal as well as social, find their remedy in monotheism and justice. Therefore, emphasis on Continue Reading…




Islamic Word Search #007 - Ramadan Edition!

Word Search #007 is available by clicking the link below. Insha Allah this word search will familiarise your children with some concepts in Ramadan. Continue Reading…




Show Your Children You Love Them

It goes without saying that most parents love their children dearly. It is a natural instinct placed by the Almighty into the heart of all parents. This love for children is a sign of the wisdom of Allah, for without it no parent would have borne all the pains and troubles of raising a child. However, many parents think that children know, without being told, that parents love them. They do not realise that children need to be reassured constantly.

Ayesha (May Allah be pleased with her) narrated that once a villager came to the Prophet and asked him, “Do you kiss young children? We do not kiss them.” The Prophet said,

“What can i do about it? Allah has removed the essence of mercy from your heart.” (Bukhari)

The effects of love must be evident in the speech and behaviour of the parents. Children do not have the wisdom and insight of adults to realise that even punishments and reproaches are signs of love. They often perceive the actions of the parents as a proof of Continue Reading…




Tips on Getting Your Children to Make and Enjoy Salah

Salah was the first act of worship that was made obligatory by Allah. Therefore, due to its extreme importance to the Believer, salah should be one of the first acts of worship that parents should teach their children.

In a hadeeth narrated by Abdullah ibn Qart the Messenger of Allah (saws) said,

“The first act that the servant of Allah will be accountable for on the Day of Judgment will be salah. If it is good, then the rest of his acts will be good. And if it is evil, then the rest of his acts will be evil.” (Tabarani)

When discussing teaching children how to make salah parents typically ask when is it necessary to begin teaching their children. Let us be realistic; learning how to make salah is not easy for children or in some cases adults. It can take a lot of work to Continue Reading…




Being a Good Muslim Father

On Eid-ul-Adha, Muslims commemorate the Prophet Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his first-born son at the command of Allah, and how Allah spared his son and made him a Prophet. When Ibrahim told his son that he had had a vision that Allah wanted him as a sacrifice, Ismail agreed to it without hesitation, as the Qur’an narrates:

Then, when the son reached the age of serious work with him, He said: “O my son! I see in vision that I offer thee in sacrifice: Now see what is thy view!” The son said: “O my father! Do as thou art commanded: Thou will find me, if Allah so wills one practising Patience and Constancy!” So when they had both submitted their wills to Allah, and he had laid him prostrate on his forehead for sacrifice, We called out to him, “O Abraham! Thou hast already fulfilled the vision!” - thus indeed do We reward those who do right. For this was obviously a trial - And We ransomed him with a momentous sacrifice. (37:102-107)

What is most remarkable about this story is how Ismail had complete trust in the wisdom of his father’s vision. How many of our children would react this way if we said to them, “God told me to sacrifice you”? Probably they would say, “Are you crazy?” They might accept the idea of martyrdom for the sake of Allah but they would not have the complete trust in his father’s relationship with Allah as Ismail had, which enabled him to believe in his father’s vision, and in his father’s interpretation of that vision. Continue Reading…




Luqman’s Advice to His Son

The issue of raising children is very important, the interest of both parents and children depends on it; the interest of the Ummah (Muslim society) as well as the community’s future is directly impacted by our ability to succeed in this. Islam takes great interest in it, and so do the educators, the first of whom is the Messenger Muhammad [Sallallahu Alayhi Wa Sallam (SAWS) / peace be upon him] whom Allah sent as a teacher and guide to parents and children to ensure their happiness in both worlds.

The Qur’an contains many examples of good character such as the story of Luqman, the wise, who gave his son valuable advice.

Luqman’s advice

1. Luqman had advised his son, and Allah the Exalted disclosed his words:

“O my son, do not associate partners with Allah. Verily, Shirk (polytheism) is a grievous sin.” (31:13)

Therefore, beware of committing Shirk in worshipping Allah such as supplicating to dead or absent people. Continue Reading…




How to Pray - Step by Step

Below is a short video outlining the steps of the prayer. The prayer being demonstrated is a 4 rek3aa (cycle) prayer such as Dhuhr, Asr or Maghrib. For parents teaching their children to pray, inshaAllah it will be useful.

You can download this video from here. Once you have downloaded the file you will need to rename the file to end with .avi or .flv (e.g. “get_video.avi” or “get_video.flv”) in order to watch it. It’s about 4mb in size.




Teaching Children about Allah in Simple Terms

Praise be to Allaah.

A child can be taught about Allaah in a suitable manner, according to his level of understanding. He can be told that Allaah is One and has no partner. He can be told that He is the Creator of all things, so He is the Creator of the earth, the heavens, people, animals, trees, rivers, etc.

The educator can make the most of some situations by asking the child, whilst walking through a garden or in the countryside, about Who made the water, rivers and things in the natural scenery around him, to draw his attention to the greatness of the Creator. Continue Reading…




Ruling on differentiating between children in gift-giving

Question: Is it permissible for me to give something to one of my children and not to his brothers? What if that is done for a reason, such as his good attitude or his obeying his parents?

Praise be to Allaah.

The scholars are agreed that it is prescribed in Islam to treat children fairly when it comes to gift-giving; they should not single out one or some of them and not give to others.

Ibn Qudaamah said in al-Mughni (5/666): “There is no dispute among the scholars that it is mustahabb to treat children equally and that it is makrooh to differentiate between them.”

But there are differences of opinion concerning the ruling on differentiating between them. The strongest views in terms of evidence are two opinions - and Allaah knows best. These two opinions are: Continue Reading…




Supplication for Entering and Exiting the Toilet

The Religion of Islam is a complete way of life. There are even dua for entering and exiting the toilet. We should teach these duas to our children as it is an easy way to earn rewards and remember Allah. If you think it’s required, download this dua from the below link and put it near your child’s bed so they are reminded to say it.

Download Printable Version Here




Becoming a Parent

The birth of a first child can have a major impact on a couple’s relationship. Here are some tips to help with your transition from partner to parent.

  • Make regular time to talk to one another about how you both feel.
  • Recognise that the woman giving birth must deal with sometimes difficult and dramatic changes to her body, relationships and lifestyle.
  • Be Patient with each other. Allah loves those who are patient.
  • Acknowledge that the woman’s partner is often faced with new and challenging emotional, physical and economic demands.
  • As with everything, make dua to Allah for help.
  • Plan ways to make one another feel appreciated and cared for, both during the Continue Reading…



Don’t Be Negative

Life is miserable for those children who have to deal with parents who are constantly negative. Such parents do not forget mistakes, harp on small issues, and are always predicting the worst.

  • “You are not studying hard, you are bound to fail”
  • “Your room is such a mess, I wonder how sloppy your house will be when you grow up”
  • “Stop troubling your younger sister, you have no love for her at all”

The Above are examples of negative and perhaps destructive comments. A parent may sometimes say such things in anger, but it is the constant repetition of negative comments that affect a child greatly.

A happy home is one in which children know that they will be disciplined when necessary, but do not have to Continue Reading…




Don’t make your Child too Dependent on You

Some parents believe that to love children means to do their work. They take excessive pity on the child and feel that as a parent it is their duty to do things for him. So at six years old a child is still be dressed by the parents. He is considered too young to tie his own shoes, or comb his hair. Such constant fussing over the child does not instill confidence and independence in the child. Rather it is selfish and irresponsible for a parent to allow their child to excessively depend on them.

A ten year old who never cleans his room, and lets mum or dad do it, will learn to always depend on others. This may also foster laziness, sloppiness and a lack of Continue Reading…




Children and Play

Most parents view playing as a waste of time. They would like a child to grow out of the love for playing and get into more serious things like studies, research, or even household chores. It seems more like a childish behavior that must be tolerated, and the sooner it is over the better. However Islam is a balanced religion. Play is an important part of growing up, and is vital for the physical and emotional development of the child. Play is the first source of learning basic social skills necessary for life.

A child loves to play, and it is a form of punishment for the child to be deprived of playtime. This desire to play, anywhere and with anything, is most evident in the early years. It is a sign of emotional and physical health. A child who does not Continue Reading…




How not to Teach Islam

Here are some quick don’ts in religious training.

Don’t do it harshly. Getting angry with the child and forcing them leads to resentment. It is better to explain, and discuss with the child.

Don’t overdo it. Teach religion in moderate doses. Overdoing it can be harmful and can be a burden for Continue Reading…