Children's Education in Islam

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيم

Praise be to God the Creator of the world, the One Who exists without beginning, without end, without location, without a "how" and Who does not depend on time. Nothing resembles Him in anyway and He hears and sees everything without organs. Whatever you imagine, God is different from that. May the elevation in degree and preservation of his community of what he fears for it, be granted to our master MuHammad Al-'Amin, the Honest One, who called for following Islam, the religion of truth, the religion of all the Prophets: of the first, Adam, to the last MuHammad.

Allâh the exalted said in the Holy Qur'ân in Surat-TaHrim:

﴿ يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَهْلِيكُمْ نَارًا وَقُودُهَا النَّاسُ وَالْحِجَارَةُ عَلَيْهَا مَلَائِكَةٌ غِلَاظٌ شِدَادٌ لَّا يَعْصُونَ اللَّـهَ مَا أَمَرَهُمْ وَيَفْعَلُونَ مَا يُؤْمَرُونَ ﴾

This ayah means: « O you who believed protect yourselves and your families from Hellfire, which is fuelled by people and stones. »

Prophet MuHammad peace be upon Him said what means: « Every one of you is a guardian over his dependents and is responsible for the action of these persons who are dependent on him. »

Allâh the Exalted created us into many tribes, colours and languages. He created us as individuals with diverse traditions and understandings.

Allâh ordered the entire mankind to follow the only acceptable Religion, Islam. He revealed many different rules upon His messengers in order to teach it to the people.

Allâh the Exalted bestowed upon Prophet Muhammad the last and the simplest set of rules to mankind, so we should follow and practice it.

The good society is the society where all its individuals possess good manners.

The question is; who are the individuals that make up the society ?

They are in fact the fathers, the mothers and their children.

The parents should be good role models for their children and teach them the proper manners and principles of Islam in order to establish the righteous society.

In the subject of teaching children well, Sheikh Mustafa Naja who was a former mufti of the city of Beirut said: « Younger children are easier to teach, unlike those who are pubescent. What you teach the child from a younger age, is what will make the major effect in his adulthood. The child is like an empty jug that will take whatever you fill it with.  If you fill it with a pure substance, that is what will pour out. »

The role of parents is very important in raising the children Islamically. Let us remember what the prophet had said:

« مروا أولادكم بالصلاة وهم أبناء سبع »

We understand from this Hadîth that it is obligatory upon the guardian of a child who reached the age of mental discrimination to order the child to perform prayer, to teach him the rules of prayer after the child has completed seven lunar years.

The same is done in the case of fasting if the child can bear fasting. Moreover the guardian must teach the child the fundamentals of Islam such as Allâh does not resembles any of

يا أيها الذين ءامنوا قوا أنفسَكم وأهليكُم نارا وقودُها الناسُ والحجارة

 his creations and that Allah exists without a place and that Allâh sent messengers and prophets, the first was Adam and the last was MuHammad.

The guardians must also teach the child what is lawful and what is unlawful. Examples of some unlawful matters include stealing, drinking alcohol, and adultery.

They should teach the child what is obligatory such as the daily five prayers, and what is rewardable such as using siwak and praying in congregation.

What we are witnessing today such as murders, stealing, and drug consumption are all a result of the absence of the parents’ role models and the incorrect teachings given to the child and their negligence in raising the child in an Islamic way.

Therefore it is important for us as guardians to consider seriously the way we raise our children.

Finally let us remember the saying of the Prophet:

« المرء على دين خليله فلينظر أحدكم من يخالل »

Which means: « A person is likely to follow the habits of his friend so be aware of whom you take as a friend. »

We ask Allâh to enable us to raise our children Islamically and develop them into righteous members of society.