Mosque of the Two Qiblahs – Read the Story

 

(The fools among the people will say, “What has turned them [Muslims] from the qiblah to which they were used?” Say: To Allah belong both East and West; He guides whom He pleases to a Way that is straight.)- (Al-Baqarah 2:142)

Qiblah Change

Nearly 18 months after the establishment of the Islamic state in Madinah, new Quranic revelations instructed the Prophet and the Muslims to turn towards the Kabah in Makkah when they prayed instead of Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem.

Before changing the Qiblah (Arabic for: the direction of the Ka`bah — Islam’s holiest mosque — that Muslim turn to when praying), Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) in his heart, was longing to face Ka`bah in his Prayers.

Answering his invocation, Almighty Allah ordered the change of Qiblah, from Jerusalem to Makkah.

( We have seen the turning of your face to heaven (for guidance, O Muhammad). And now verily We shall make you turn (in prayer) toward a qiblah which is dear to you. So turn your face toward the Inviolable Place of Worship, and ye (O Muslims), wheresoever you may be, turn your faces when you pray) toward it.) (Al-Baqarah 2: 144)

This happened in the middle of Sha`ban.

History of the mosque

The name of the mosque goes back to the event of Qiblah change. Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) was leading the prayer when he received a revelation from Allah instructing him to take the Kaaba as the Qiblah.

According to traditional accounts, Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), who had been facing Jerusalem during the prayer, upon receiving this revelation, immediately turned around to face Mecca, and those praying behind him also did so.

After this, the mosque in which this incident occurred came to be known as Masjid al-Qiblatain (i.e. ‘Mosque of the Two Qiblas’).

Masjid Al-Qiblatain used to uniquely contain two mehrabs (niches), one in the direction of Al-Aqsa mosque and the other towards Makkah. However, the old mehrab has now been removed.

Many pilgrims who go to Mecca for hajj often visit Medina where some end up visiting the notable Qiblatain because of its historic significance.

- aboutislam.net

Did Prophet Muhammad Contrive a Qiblah Change?

 

Muslims face a particular direction in their prayers. That direction is called the qiblah. While in Makkah, the Prophet Muhammad and the Muslims faced Jerusalem.

After migrating to Madinah, the Prophet Muhammad received revelation instructing him to face Makkah instead.

Critics have accused the Prophet Muhammad of masterminding this qiblah-switch to attract converts.

Questions on the Qiblah Change

Generally, changes draw attention, raise questions, and can cause speculation. After the qiblah change from Jerusalem to Makkah, Muslims and non-Muslims raised questions about the change.

The believers, on the one hand, were concerned about their prayers. If a new qiblah was to be followed, what was the status of their previous prayers? Would they have to repeat them? Would they lose out on their rewards?

Critics, on the other hand, met the transition with suspicion, questioning why a change happened in the first place. They thought a modification to God’s commandments was not proper. The insinuation was that with the new qiblah location God was correcting a mistake.

Modern day critics add to the skepticism by claiming that the qiblah change was disingenuous.

Critics argue that the Prophet Muhammad sought to placate Jews and Christians by setting a qiblah favorable to them: Jerusalem. And after some time, as the critics accuse, the Prophet directed his attention to the pagans and shifted the qiblah toward their homeland: Makkah.

Both questions can be answered through the Quran and its historical context. First, the believers’ concern about their prayers will be addressed. The Quran states:

And God would not have caused your prayers to be lost. Indeed, God is kind and merciful towards the people. (Quran 2:143)

By this verse, the believers were assured that their prayers would be counted and rewarded. But critics who were seeking to discredit Islam and flummox the believers continued to object to the qiblah change, using it to show Islam was inconsistent. If God’s modifications to His commandments is the premise critics use to make allegations against Islam, the argument is weak.

Commandment Substitution

The Quran tells us that modifications to commandments will occur and is to be expected:

And when We substitute a verse in place of a verse – and God is most knowing of what He sends down – they say, ‘You, [O Muhammad], are but an inventor of lies.’ But most of them do not know. (Quran 16:101)

The substituting verses can modify, replace, or completely remove pre-existing commandments.

Islam teaches us that our life on this earth is a test:

He created death and life to test you: who is the best in deeds. (Quran 67:2)

These substitutions are part of that test. The Quran clarifies that the qiblah direction is a test of faith:

We did not make the qiblah which you used to face except that We might make evident who would follow the Messenger from who would turn back on his heels. (Quran 2:143)

How are God’s modifications a test for man? Making changes is an effective method to examine man’s trust in God. Loyalty is truly tested in a milieu of change. If believers display their willingness to make the changes God asks of them, even when their practices have become customary, it is a sign of their faith in God.

The True Goal

Facing Jerusalem or Makkah is not the real goal. Facing the qiblah is only a means to an end: righteousness. God clarifies this for the believers:

Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but true righteousness is if one believes in God, the Last Day, the angels, the books, and the prophets; gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask, and for emancipating slaves; and who establishes prayer and gives charity; those who fulfill their promise when they make promises; and those who are patient in poverty and hardship, and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are righteous. (Quran 2:177)

As a result, the Quran considers getting hung up on means and making allegations about the qiblah modification baseless and foolish:

The foolish among the people will say: ‘What has turned them away from their qiblah that they were facing?’ (Quran 2:142)

Baseless, also, is the supposition that the qiblah change was orchestrated by the Prophet Muhammad to gain the favor of specific audiences: Jews and Christians by facing Jerusalem, and pagans by facing Makkah.

If we take a moment to examine precisely when the qiblah change occurred, we will see that the critics’ charge against the Prophet Muhammad is illogical. In Makkah, which was overwhelmingly populated by the pagans, the Prophet and the Muslims faced Jerusalem in their prayers. If the Prophet was seeking to appease the pagans, why was the qiblah toward Jerusalem instead of Makkah?

After the migration to Madinah, the Muslims neighbored Jewish and Christian settlements. During this time, the qiblah changed, and the Muslims faced Makkah instead of Jerusalem. If the Prophet’s goal were to appease the Jews and Christians, he would have kept the qiblah toward Jerusalem.

Critics of Islam often make claims against Islam without providing evidence. They make a correlation and mistakenly see it as causation, or present circumstantial evidence and incorrectly consider it direct evidence.

As shown above, the critics’ objection to a qiblah change is baseless from a philosophical point of view because modifications to commandments are part of Islam.

From a logical perspective, their argument that the qiblah change was contrived by the Prophet to appease his audience is illogical because the active qiblahs in their time and location were not favorable to his audience.

- aboutislam.net

About Shakiel Humayun

Shakiel Humayun, a dad, a husband, and an entrepreneur, was born and raised in New York City. He graduated from Baruch College with a BBA in Business Administration. He then completed postgraduate studies at the Umm-ul-Qura University in Makkah al-Mukarramah receiving an Associate’s Degree in Arabic and Islamic Studies with honors. He continued his studies at the College of Shariah at Umm-ul-Qura University. During his stay in Makkah, he had the opportunity to benefit from many scholars.He firmly believes in the importance of a strong community and as a result his non-profit endeavors include founding the Foundation for Knowledge and Development,Wellspring Elementary, the Hatebusters, and Masjid ‘Eesa ibn Maryam. He currently blogs at shakielhumayun.com.

Hijab – Unveiling the Mystery

 

One of the questions often asked by people is, “Why do Muslim women cover their heads?” The answer lies in understanding the essence of one’s existence as explained in Islam.

Muslims believe that their true purpose in life is to worship God according to His instructions, as revealed in the holy book of Quran and through the teachings of Muhammad, the final prophet of Islam.

Worship in Islam is a holistic concept which encourages God-consciousness in every facet of daily life, from charity and neighborliness to prayer and honest dealings in business. Modest clothing is an integral aspect of worship in Islam as well.

In the Quran, God says:

And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms… (24:31)

When God revealed this verse, the female companions of the Prophet Muhammad promptly adopted these guidelines. In a similar spirit of obedience, Muslim women have maintained modest covering (hijab) ever since.

Hence, the primary motivation for wearing the hijab is to obey God (Allah in Arabic).

A Personal Journey

Wearing hijab is a personal and independent decision that comes from a sincere yearning to please God while appreciating the wisdom underlying His command.

Many people mistakenly believe that women are forced to wear the hijab. This concept is not based on Islamic teachings as God says in the Quran:

Let there be no compulsion in religion. (2:256)

Likewise, Prophet Muhammad never forced religion upon anyone. If a woman is being forced to cover, it is contrary to this clear Islamic principle and might be due to cultural or social pressure. According to Islam, a woman willfully chooses to commit to this act of worship.

Days of contemplation, an inevitable fear of consequences as well as reactions and, ultimately, plenty of courage weigh heavily in making the leap.

Katherine Bullock, a Canadian convert to Islam, stated:

“For me, the lead up to the decision to wear hijab was more difficult than actually wearing it. I found that, praise be to God, although I did receive negative comments from people, I appreciated the feeling of modesty that wearing the hijab gave me.”

Read: Muslim Women Speak Out on Hijab

Further, many people make the error of thinking that the hijab is a definitive statement of a woman’s religiosity, as if it is a clear indicator of her spiritual commitment. While veiling is a reflection of one’s beliefs, the hijab simultaneously becomes a tangible reminder to the woman herself: to embody the modesty and dignity it represents and to carry one’s self in a way that pleases God. In that sense, the hijab symbolizes a journey of devotion rather than the end-result of piety.

“After I started wearing hijab,” continued Bullock, “I noticed that people would often behave more cautiously with me, like apologizing if they swore. I appreciated that. I feel that wearing hijab has given me an insight into a decent and upright lifestyle.”

Another Muslim woman, Saba Baig, a graduate of Rutgers University who currently lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and children, reminisced:

“Before I started covering, my self-perception was rooted in other people’s perceptions of me. I dressed to elicit compliments, keep up with the latest trend, wear the most desired brand name … very little of it had to do with me, and more importantly, what God thought of me.

Pre-hijab, I was in bondage to the surrounding society; post-hijab, I became attached to God. With that connection to God came an enormous amount of freedom. Confidence and self-respect were just some of the benefits.”

Ambassadors of Faith

Generalizations and stereotypes about Islam and Muslims are rampant in today’s society and, by extension, in the minds of many people whose worldview is shaped by the media.

Muslim women in hijab are frequently stigmatized; they are regarded on the one hand as oppressed and, on the other, as religious fanatics.

Due to such misconceptions, unfortunately, the larger society fails to acknowledge and appreciate Muslim women’s courage in standing up to societal norms in their determination to preserve their modesty.

Hijab clearly identifies women as followers of Islam, which can have its disadvantages in a land where misinformation about the faith and its adherents abounds.

For instance, some Muslim women are discriminated against in the workplace while others are emotionally abused through insensitive remarks.

Read: Embracing the Hijab

Yet, drawing on inner strength and resolve, Muslim women take these incidents in stride. Their love for God and commitment to modesty empower them in the face of challenges.

Indeed, Muslim women identify themselves with Mary who is commemorated for her piety and modesty. Aminah Assilmi, who converted to Islam in 1977, was once asked about going out in public without her hijab and she responded, “I cannot help but wonder if they would have ordered Mary, the mother of Jesus, to uncover her hair.”

“By focusing on what God wants from me, and thinks of me, I am no longer a prisoner of other people’s desires,” declared Baig. “Knowing that I am doing what God, my Creator, has ordained for me gives me a contentment and happiness like no other.”

Despite all the odds, Muslim women in hijab have managed to carve a niche for themselves while upholding their Islamic identities.

They actively participate in their surroundings, be it as homemakers or professionals, on the sports field or in the artistic arena, in public service or in charitable activities. Conspicuous in their head-coverings, these women have become ambassadors of the Islamic faith.

Mutuality in Modesty

More than a dress code, the hijab encompasses modest behaviors, manners and speech. The inner humility as exhibited through etiquettes and morals completes the significance of the physical veil. However, contrary to popular belief, these characteristics are not limited to women alone.

God also commands men to maintain their modesty in the Quran:

Tell believing men to lower their glances and guard their private parts: that is purer for them. God is well aware of everything they do (24:30).

In reality, Muslim women wear the hijab to seek the pleasure of God and to uphold Islam’s code of modesty. The majority of women who wear hijab consider it a constant reminder that they do not adorn their bodies for men.

Islam is a religion of moderation and balance; it does not expect women alone to uphold society’s morality and dignity. Rather, Islam asks men and women to strive mutually to create a healthy social environment of practical values and morality.

In short, the concept of modesty in Islam is holistic, and applies to both men and women. The ultimate goal is to please God and to maintain a wholesome and stable society.

As more and more Muslim women embrace hijab, they renew their commitment to God through their appearance as they continue their lifelong spiritual journey.

Abridged from https://www.whyislam.org.

Why Do I “Owe” God Missed Prayers If He’s Not In Need?

 

Yes, God Isn’t Benefitted By Our Worship

First, you are right that God (Allah) does not need prayers and other acts of worship that we do every day. It is we who benefit from these acts of worship.

We read in many places in the Quran the repeated message that our acts of worship serve us alone.

And whoever purifies himself only purifies himself for [the benefit of] his soul. (Quran 35:18)

And whoever is grateful – his gratitude is only for [the benefit of] himself. And whoever is ungrateful – then indeed, my Lord is Free of need and Generous. (Quran 27:40)

So whoever is guided is only guided for [the benefit of] his soul, and whoever goes astray only goes astray [in violation] against it. And I am not over you a manager. (Quran 10:108)

And whoever strives only strives for [the benefit of] himself. Indeed, Allah is free from need of the worlds. (Quran 29:6)

[And said], “If you do good, you do good for yourselves; and if you do evil, [you do it] to yourselves.” (Quran 17:7)

Having said that, I have to rush to add that God made people well-prepared to obey God so that they live a good life and get rewards in the Hereafter.

We read in the Qur’an what means:

Whoever does righteousness, whether male or female, while he is a believer – We will surely cause him to live a good life, and We will surely give them their reward [in the Hereafter] according to the best of what they used to do. (Quran 16:97)

We pray to God because he deserves this act of worship and no one else should be worshiped beside Him.

He is the Creator, the Provider, the Sustainer, and He is the one who controls this universe.

All this makes him worthy of our prayers and other acts of worship.

Mu`adh ibn Jabal (may Allah be pleased with him) reported:

I was riding a pillion with the Prophet (peace be upon him) on a donkey. He (peace be upon him) said, “O Mu`adh, do you know what is the right of Allah upon His slaves, and what is the Right of His slaves upon Allah?” I said: “Allah and His Messenger know better”. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, “Allah’s Right upon His slaves is that they should worship Him Alone and associate nothing with Him; and His slaves’ right upon Him is that He should not punish who does not associate a thing with Him.” He (Mu`adh) added: I said to the Messenger of Allah: “Shall I give the glad tidings to people?” He (peace be upon him) said, “Do not tell them this good news for they will depend on it alone.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim)

Why Worship?

• We worship God and we pray to Him because we need him and need His help and support. We read in the Qur’an what means:

O mankind, you are those in need of Allah, while Allah is the Free of need, the Praiseworthy. (Quran 35:15)

• We worship God because He commanded us to do so. We read in the Qur’an what means:

O mankind, worship your Lord, who created you and those before you, that you may become righteous. (Quran 2:21)

And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me. (Quran 51:56)

• We worship God as a sign of thanking Him for his countless blessings and favors on us.

And He gave you from all you asked of Him. And if you should count the favor of Allah, you could not enumerate them. Indeed, mankind is [generally] most unjust and ungrateful. (Quran 14:34)

Then eat of what Allah has provided for you [which is] lawful and good. And be grateful for the favor of Allah, if it is [indeed] Him that you worship. (Quran 16:114)

Prophet Muhammad’s Example

The Prophet (peace be upon him) used to offer night prayers till his feet became swollen. Somebody said, to him, “Allah has forgiven you, your faults of the past and those to follow.”

On that, he said,

“Shouldn’t I be a thankful slave of Allah)?” (Al-Bukhari)

Mu`adh ibn Jabal reported:

The Prophet (peace be upon him) held my hand and said, “O Mu`adh, By Allah, I love you and advise you not to miss supplicating after every prayer saying: ‘Allahumma a`inni `ala dhikrika wa shukrika, wa husni `ibadatika,’ (O Allah, help me remember You, expressing gratitude to You and worship You in the best manner).” (Abu Dawud and An- Nasa’i)

Prayer Is Not a Fine To Pay

From the above, we can conclude that prayer is not a fine that you have to pay; rather it is a trust from Allah that you have to offer five times a day.

Prayer is a sign of the purity of the heart and the soul. Prayer is a sign of being thankful to God.

If someone gives you a gift, won’t you respect him and wish to give him something in return? Putting your head on the ground is thanking God for His favors on you.

Prayer is an obligation that has to be offered on time perfectly. Once you miss a prayer, you have to make it up once you remember it.

We do not offer prayer for fun or pleasure. We offer it because we have to offer it. Prayer is what connect us with God five times a day. Prayer is the first act of worship about which we be held accountable in the Hereafter.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said:

“Between disbelief and faith is abandoning the Prayer.”

Now, does prayer deserve to be a debt on you that you owe to God when you miss it and that you have to make it up? Doesn’t God deserve to be the center of our prayer?

- aboutislam.net

About Dr. Mohsen Haredy

Dr. Mohsen Haredy holds a PhD in Hadith literature from Leiden University, the Netherlands. He is the former Executive Manager and Editor-in-Chief of E-Da`wah Committee in Kuwait, and a contributing writer and counselor of Reading Islam. He graduated from Al-Azhar University and earned his MA in Hadith literature from Leiden University.

Al-Fatihah: Turning Sleep Into Ibadah (Act of Worship)

{It is You we worship and You we ask for help.} (Al-Fatihah 1:5)

A Muslim recites Surah Al-Fatihah multiple times daily, the words roll easily off our lips. But do we really understand the words we’re saying?

In this series, Dr. Yasir Qadhi breaks down Surah Al-Fatihah in bite-size pieces. He explains the Surah in a way that both the beginner and the more learned Muslim can reflect upon.

The essence of worship

To properly worship our Creator, we need to understand the true meaning of worship – to serve Allah (Subhanahu wa ta`ala).

To attain worship level 100, this requires ibadah. What is ibadah, you ask? 

Do you know there are 3 levels of ibadah? Or that you can turn the mundanest of tasks into rewarded acts of worship (HINT: It has to do with your heart)?

Rewarded for prayer and sleep?

Today, try this exercise. Everything you do, from household chores to praying, visualize Allah standing in front of you. After all, He does see everything.

By visualizing this, we will see an increase of ibadah.

When we expand our consciousness of Allah, there is great potential in obtaining rewards in all tasks, both ritualistic tasks (prayer, fasting, Hajj) and worldly everyday tasks (working, grocery shopping, even being intimate with your spouse). 

Asking friends for help or asking Allah the Almighty?

Have you thought about what it really means when we say, ‘wa iyyaka nasta`een’? 

Allah (Subhanahu wa ta`la) wants us to only ask Him for help but what about that heavy piece of furniture that you need help moving? Surely asking a friend to help is alright, right?

By investing in ourselves and spending a few minutes watching this video, we will understand what ibadah is and how to obtain it.   - aboutislam.net

When the Heart is Clean, Something Amazing Happens!

 When the heart is clean of anything that competes with Allah, something really amazing happens. Everything that the person loves will be through, by, and because of Allah; and that you will be left loving only what Allah loves and not loving what Allah does not love.

Once this happens, obedience is a direct consequence. Because your love is in line with of what Allah wants.

There is a very beautiful dua:

“O Allah, I want that I do not want except what You want.”

That is the heart that’s cleaned of anything competing with the love of Allah.

Getting Nearer to Him

Consider this: Allah says in talking about the nearness of Allah that a slave does not do anything more is nearing to Allah other than the obligations. Those are the things which Allah loves most.

And when the slave continues to do those things and then do the nafl, the extra prayers, the extra fast… that person continues to do those things until something amazing happens! Allah said:

… until I love him.

So how do we get the love of Allah?

We focus on the obligatory first and then he adds nafl, and then Allah loves that servant.

And once that happens, now this is amazing! Allah says:

Then I become his hearing with which he hears, his sights in which he sees, his hands with which he strikes…

In this hadith Allah is describing a state where everything you do is in line with what Allah loves; and it comes naturally because you have gone to a state where you are acting upon your love of Allah.

- aboutislam.net

About Yasmin Mogahed

Yasmin Mogahed received her B.S. Degree in Psychology and her Masters in Journalism and Mass Communications from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. After completing her graduate work, she taught Islamic Studies and served as a youth coordinator. She also worked as a writing instructor at Cardinal Stritch University and a staff columnist for the Islam section of InFocus News. Currently she’s an instructor for  AlMaghrib Institute, a writer for the Huffington Post, an international speaker, and author, where she focuses most of her work on spiritual and personal development. Yasmin recently released her new book, Reclaim Your Heart, which is now available worldwide. Visit her website, yasminmogahed.com , where you can find a collection of her articles, poetry, and lectures. 

Is Religion Too Much for Your Children?

 

Faith and religion are important to every God-fearing family when it comes to raising a child.

Written on the side of every Islamic school and children’s play center is the infamous Arabic proverb that says what it means in English: 

“Instruction in youth is like etching in stone.”  That’s not very far from the Biblical proverb that says, “Train a child in the way he should go and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

I am sure that if time allowed, one would find that each and every culture is full of proverbs that mean the same as the above because it is a proven human tendency that children reflect how they have been raised.

Raising children is no easy task and it is the burden of everyone that comes in contact with the child.

This is the reason that parents will also do their best to make sure that their child is surrounded by examples of people they approve of.

The conviction of faith sometimes causes parents to draw very tight strings around their children. 

But when can religion be too much for children?  When does adherence to faith become dangerous?

Going Too Far…

Can religion go too far when it comes to children?  Is devoted servitude to God too much to ask of a child?

I will admit that like any God-fearing Muslim mother, I consider it my duty to teach my children how to be good Muslims.

One interpretation of the Glorious Qur’an explains that Allah states,

“And I have not created mankind and Jinn kind except to worship me.”

Teaching my children how to worship Allah is as important as teaching them not to touch the hot stove because both are saving them from grave consequences.

Mark Galli states in his article “Focus on Grace, Not Control” that,

“Parents who are attracted to religion because it gives them a sense of control can sometimes act too authoritatively toward their children.”

I understand his argument and I am thankful that Islam has taken the middle path.

Muslims are to raise their children and have mercy on their age, frail bodies and growing minds.

I instruct my children with all that Allah has commanded His servants with and I explain the beauty and the wisdom of all His commands.

There have been times when rather than ask if the religion was too much for the children, I have asked myself if I think that was Allah’s intention. 

Some issues such as hijab, prayers and manners may need a little customizing, while other issues such as diet and cleanliness do not.

My Daughter’s Headscarf

My eldest daughter has been wearing a headscarf since she was seven years old.

It was what she wanted and when I tried to trick her into going out without it, we never got very far because of the scene she would make.

At that age, I know that she just wanted to imitate mommy, just like every girl plays house with a pocketbook and heels…like mommy.

As she got older, I gave her many opportunities to change her mind and not wear the scarf.

The religion does not obligate her to wear a scarf until puberty and I plan on offering her the choice to remove it until she reaches puberty.

I know of others who actually insist that their girls start to wear the scarf at the age of six and seven. 

I was afraid that if I forced my daughter to wear it at such a young age, when it finally came to time for her to have to wear the scarf, she would not want to anymore.

I was afraid that if she wore the scarf without understanding its importance and significance, she would burn out.

Without love of hijab in her heart, burn out would be easy because the reward of Allah would not keep her strong and focused.

Islam commands that children begin to pray the obligatory five prayers at the age of seven.

As expected, seven year olds can only achieve a certain level of commitment and dedication.

The same narration that commands the seven year old to prayers, considers the growing mind of the seven year old and ends in stating,

“And discipline them if they refuse to do so by age ten.”

The religion of Islam has mercy built in.  If anyone were to claim that Islam is harsh on children, they have to blame the people and not the religion. 

Mankind sometimes takes matters into his own hands and messes it all up.

Islam has been sent by Allah with perfection and for this reason, I am convinced that all falsities come from the hand of man.

What Punishment Do You Use?

Islamic manners very easily can run into tradition more than religion.  The general consensus is that Muslim children should be generous, fair, truthful, polite, neat and obedient to parents and adults.  That makes enough sense…right?

Well what happens when your child tells a lie and lying is against your religious doctrine?

Will soap in the mouth, bed with no dinner or a beating whip the lying tendency out of the child?  I certainly say not.

I do say that children of any and every age should not be allowed to lie.

Parents have to customize their discipline tactics so that they are effective but not excessive.

Parents must show their children mercy as Allah shows on His creation.

How else can we teach our children about mercy and forgiveness if we do not show that example?

The diet and cleanliness of a Muslim are measures that allow no room for interpretation or personal opinions.

Pork is absolutely prohibited in Islam unless it is a life and death situation; Notice the mercy factor, yet again.

Meat should be slaughtered in the name of Allah and with a sharpened knife to alleviate unnecessary pain to the animal.

I don’t give my children the option of choice when it comes to our dietary laws.

“Allah has commanded such for your own good.  You show your gratefulness through your obedience,”

is what I preach to my children.

Their hygiene is another topic of unwavering submission to Islamic law.

Again where one might ask if religion is too much, I would argue and say that Islam is inclusive of all aspects of life, thorough, perfect…but not too much.

Proper cleansing after using the bathroom, ablution before prayer and full showers protect our health.

There are skeptics that say that religious upbringing can stifle children.

Others claim that religious upbringing can be oppressive.

The current debate poses the question,

“With children, when does religion go too far?”

My response to that question is precise and nonnegotiable.

With children, religion goes too far when the religion is other than Islam.

Allah has blessed and safeguarded Islam with mercy, the mercy that He shows to us, which obliges us as parents, to show to our children as we raise them.

First published: February 2013

- aboutislam.net

About Dorothy Salah

Dorothy Salah is an ESL teacher boasting 10+ years experience with both adults and adolescences. She currently works as a English/Arabic interpreter in Ohio. She enjoys writing and lecturing about the empowerment of American Muslims both home and abroad.