Introduction
Islam, the religion of natural inclination and truth is widely accepted and followed by over a billion people across the world. Parents usually face a tough time when it comes to how to explain Islam to a child.
We know you are keen to teach but the majority are stuck when it comes to practical reasoning. Children ask so many questions regarding Allah, His presence, His will, and much more.
How do I make my kids love Islam? – Islamic Comics
If you want to answer these questions and want to know how to make your kids love the beautiful religion of Islam, then skim through the lines to enlighten your knowledge and get an easy guideline.
1. Instill the love of Allah in children
To help your kids love Islam, the first and foremost helpful tip is to instill the creator’s love in their hearts. Now, the question arises:
How do you instill the love of Allah in children?
It is simple if tactfully handled. Firstly, you need to tell kids about Allah’s Mercy. It is narrated in the most authentic book of Hadith by Al-Bukhari:
“Allah has made mercy into one hundred parts. He kept with Himself ninety-nine parts and sent down one part to the Earth so because of that part the creation is merciful such that a horse raises a hoof over its child for fear of hurting it.”
You can find many such references through which you can tell kids how much Allah loves His creation and especially kids.
Instead of discussing Allah’s Ghadab (anger), His accountability traits, His punishment, tell children about His love, forgiveness, and Mercy.
Design a checklist for this task and mark it every day, and tell trivial facts about Allah’s love through stories, historical references, Asma-al-husna, etc.
Remember, Allah’s love is already in their innate nature, all you have to do is to nurture it and make it grow with age.
For further help, learn about online Islamic classes for kids. You will get many new ideas about how to make your children love Allah.
2. Introduce and teach Allah’s names with meaning
Keep your kids’ age and levels into consideration and shortlist the names you think you can start with.
Tell them the meaning and ask them to make du’a (supplication) by saying this specific name.
For instance, you can start with AR-RAHMAN, AL-WADOOD, AR-RAHEEM, ASH-SHAKOOR, etc. Tell them about the meaning with detailed connotation so that they can differentiate between the Names and the attributes.
Connecting them to Allah through His 99 names will help you teach your kids about Islam.
3. Introduce Islamic toys, activities, games, and nasheed
Engage your kids in Islamic activities that are designed to connect them with their religion.
Try buying the cars, dolls, and bears that speak in Arabic, or recite surahs or nasheeds. It doesn’t make you an extremist, rather helps your kids get to know the introduction of their religion. There are many vendors available online who sell Islamic toys
You can also design Islamic colouring worksheets, puzzles, match-and-join activity, etc.
Next, you can play games through which you can intend to teach something from the perspective of Islam. For example: play snap and clap for the names of Islamic months, names of salah, names of 4 famous angels, etc. Or you can play an alphabet game for the names of the prophets starting with each alphabet, etc.
Last but not the least, if you are going for a drive and really want to play something, do play Arabic nasheeds so that your kids know since childhood that music is haram but you can still enjoy nasheeds when you drive.
4. Narrate stories of Prophets, companions, and warriors.
Order the Prophets – Islamic Activity Page
Stories have a great impact on little minds and hearts. Narrating Islamic stories to kids regarding Prophets, companions, and the warriors of Islam will help you inculcate the love for the religion and Allah.
Do not force them to listen to the story every day or when you are willing to narrate. Instead, see if they are curious to listen to the story.
Choose the story wisely. Select the Prophets you want them to know first. Like you can ask them: Do you know who Khaleelullah (friend of Allah) was? This will incite them to know why Allah made Ibraheem (AS) His friend. And so on.
Narrate the stories of the companions as they are full of lessons and will definitely help your kids know more about Islam.
5. Engage children in Islamic History
Surah Al Fil Illustration by Sumayya Henshaw, Age 12 Years
As I have said before, keep your children’s age and level in your mind before designing the study map for them. Engaging very young kids in history might not bear fruitful results as they can get bored soon.
If you are trying to teach Islam to toddlers then history is a good option as toddlers get engaged with curiosity.
Narrate historical events chronologically in order not to create any confusion. You can tell toddlers about Jews and Christians at the time of the advent of Islam. You can tell about other religions that people left after knowing about Islam.
You can skillfully select portions from Islamic history that can appeal to your kids and tell them to enlighten their knowledge.
6. Give them a salah-friendly environment
Salah is an obligation and the very 1st question to be asked on the Day of Judgement will be about Salah. Now, we all know if we want our kids to offer salah without being forced or asked repeatedly, we need to inculcate the love for Salah in their hearts.
Many parents ask: How do I make my child love Salah?
The answer is very simple! Follow the given tips to make your kids love and offer salah regularly and punctually.
- Be a role model and offer your Salah regularly.
- Create a salah-friendly environment.
- Set an alarm for every salah.
- Explain the meaning of salah.
- Narrate the story of how salah was gifted.
- Tell the reward of each salah.
- Promote the offering of salah wherever you are.
- Do not be harsh and guide patiently.
7. Follow sunnah in daily routine to teach Islam to toddlers
Dua When You Wake Up – Hafsa & Jamal’s Dua Coloring Book
For every age group, there is a different way to deal. Toddlers, being really observant and keen learners, need a very cautious practical guideline that they will observe and try to imitate.
If you want to teach Islam to toddlers, you need to give them an environment where you are the role model and follow the sunnah of everyday life.
Let them nurture and grow up seeing you doing everything according to Islam. For example, recite supplications (duas) of everyday things taught to us by Prophet Muhammad SAWW, sit and drink, say salaam to everyone, etc.
Use the words like ALHAMDULILLAH, SUBHAAN ALLAH, MA SHA ALLAH, instead of yayyy, hurrah, wow, oh no! etc… when your kids turn 2 and above, introduce the meanings and reason for using such beautiful words so that they know when and where to use these words.
They will eventually get attached to these words and gradually love and admire Islam.
8. Give them the concept of Jannah
Children always have a sparkle in their eyes and get excited about the very word Jannah. Even when you tell them by using as many adjectives as you can, you will also enjoy it!
Begin by telling them what Jannah will look like. Relate it to the beautiful gardens, mountains, water cascades, huge crystal castles, lush green valleys, etc.
Share with them this beautiful hadith in a story-like manner:
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated:
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) passed by him while he was planting a plant. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “O Abu Hurayrah what are you planting?” I said: “A plant for me.” He said: “Would you like me to tell you about a plant better than this?” I said: Of course, O Messenger of Allah.” He (peace and blessings be upon him) said,
“Say: Subhan-Allah, Wal-hamdu-lillah, wa la ilaha illallah, wa Allahu Akbar (Glory is to Allah, praise is to Allah, none has the right to be worshipped but Allah, and Allah is the Greatest) for each one a tree will be planted for you in Paradise.”
Another hadith tells about building a palace in Jannah.
Mu’adh ibn Anas reported: The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Whoever recites the chapter ten times completely, ‘He is Allah, the One’ (112:1), Allah will build a palace for him in Paradise.”
There are kids’ games in which you clear and pass levels by planting trees and building castles. You have a golden chance to inculcate admiration for Islam through these hadiths. Instead of fake games, motivate kids to grow trees and build palaces in Jannah.
9. Join online classes like Islamic studies for kids
There are times when parents get so distracted and busy that they find it difficult to make activities, narrate stories, or devise strategies to instill the love of Islam in their kids. So, we suggest enrolling kids to learn Islam online through any reliable platform.
They already have courses related to Islamic studies and they teach through interactive activities. All you need to do is to look out for a credible platform like HIDAYAH NETWORK and see how it works.
Their professional staff is experienced enough to customize Islamic studies according to the age of the enrolled children. They make the classes really fun-filled and interesting so that kids never get bored.
10. FAQs about how to explain Islam to a child
There are so many questions that bother parents regarding the concept of Islam. I have tried to answer them here.
What if my kids are not getting interested in Islamic stories?
It is natural that not all the kids will show utmost interest in the stories. You have to choose the time in which they are not busy playing, studying, or eating. Bedtime is the best for stories.
Secondly, try to make the story very engaging and provoke their curiosity to know what happened next.
How to deal with boredom when explaining the history of Islam?
Do not explain or even tell historical details every day and every time. Keep a day for it and just give a little detail. If you are going to start teaching them like a teacher in the school, then kids will definitely get bored after a few lessons. So, keep their interest and mood intact.
How to motivate kids to observe a fast other than Ramadan?
Ramadan – The 9th Islamic Month – Hijri Calendar Book
Tell them the importance of fasting, rewards, Allah’s happiness, etc. and do not force them to fast. Give them a choice so that they decide on their own to fast for the sake of Allah’s love and not your anger and fear.
Secondly, appreciate them by giving gifts at the time of iftar to motivate them.
How to make the pillars of Islam easily understood to kids?
Be like a mirror for them. You will do, they will do! There are numerous activities and games designed for teaching the pillars of Islam. Search for age-appropriate activities for your kids.
What role does repeating stories play in the understanding of Islam?
Kids tend to forget very soon or they mix up the details when they are narrating the story. So, keep on repeating the stories after a few months so that they know all the names and events properly.
Conclusion
Teaching Islam is not an easy task. It requires time, patience, perseverance, and dedication. If you really want your kids to love Islam and follow it out of the love of Allah then keep giving them a little dose every day. These tiny drops of education will turn out to be like a sea full of water!
By Samia Tariq, Hidayah Network.
