A picture
is worth a thousand words. I think in some way this is also comply to our
children. Most of the time an example is more valuable than our words to them.
If we want our children to be good, then first and foremost we have to be good
first. Below is a great article that I translated from Eramuslim.com, hope you
all can benefit from it. Aaamiiinn...
Teach your kids fall in love to the mosque, and then Paradise will come to you!
eramuslim - Certainly, every
parents dreams their children to be soleh/solehah (Pious): regularly read Al-Quran, obey their parents and
consistence in worship, especially salat. In addition, when their
kids are prefer to go to mosque for
salat al-jama'ah (congregational prayers), their parent must be proud and
happy. On the other hand, is that dreams already aligned
to their activity treated to their children? This question should be answers
honestly by every parent.
One of Islamic principles is emphasize on attitude
of consistency. That is to say that, a Muslim should have a correlation between
what they believe in their heart to their statement and their behavior. Where
in Ash-Shaff verse 2, Allah 'Azza wa Jalla (Glorious and Exalted), remind us; "O
ye who believe! Why say ye that which ye do not?. Grievously odious is it in
the sight of Allah that ye say that which ye do not."
If this message attach to our children
education, then the parents should be a pioneer in kindness on their family.
Where, our attitude and behavior will be a reference figure to all our family
members. It should strange that, if a father asked his children to go to mosque
for salat al-jama'ah but he is calmly sitting and watching a television. Then, it
has becomes a requirement
to the head of family (read: father) to owned a leadership
credibility that should be references figured by every parts of family member.
In other words, parent should have a moral
credibility and works on righteousness. What we mean by moral credibility is,
parent should be able demonstrated an example of goods moral, such as: honesty
in words, low-tempered, gentle, easy to forgive, and
Islamic-dressed.
Additionally, moral credibility is demonstrated
highly by a mu'min (believer) during their activity, wether
in their office and/or at their home. They should do frequent good deeds in
form of ibadah mahdhah (dealings
between God and man or such religious rites) and ghoiru
mahdhoh (dealings between men), for example, a
husband who conveniently helping his wife activity when he has
opportunity. Another sample of moral credibility are paying
attention and handy to any problems of their
house and also its environment clean & tidiness.
Additionally, the head of household certainly should be able a figure of a
servant of it master, Allah SWT, loyal in His order. It should be better
that way; a head of household is a main precedent
in maintaining Islamic deeds for all family members.
In the context of salat, parent should be
able to be a pioneer in creating atmosphere of salat in their family. Ask the
children to be inured to go to the mosque; even when they
are still in a childhood which usually is
not being able orderly in salat. But it should be perform frequently and
continuously. We should not be a-weary to give a good
figure and ask them to go to mosque, particularly for salat. If we continuously
ask our children to the mosque, one times they will be familiar going to the
mosque and established salat al-jama'ah, orderly, independently, Insya Allah (God willing).
Now, the
problem is, how can we make our children easy to going and falling in love to
the mosque? Before we are continue farther, we should be read below hadith:
Narated by Jabir ibn Samurah ra: “I prayed along with Allah's Messenger (peace be upon
him) the first prayer. He then went to his family and I also went along with
him when he met some children (on the way). He began to pat the cheeks of each
one of them. He also patted my cheek and I experienced a coolness or a
fragrance of his hand as if it had been brought out from the scent bag of a
perfumer.” (Sahih Muslim Hadith)
The hadith explained that Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
welcomed warmly and kindness to the children who comes for salat al-jama'ah in
the mosque. Jabir ibn Samurah is one of a Companions child who
treated tenderly by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh).
Moreover, Jabir fells softly to the wipe of cold and scented Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
hands.
The hadith above explained us, how The
Companions of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) enthusiasm trained their kids to be falling
in love to the mosque, by familiarization to do
salat al-jama'ah in the mosque imam/lead by Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh). By providing those practical exercises, the children will
delight in do Islamic deeds.
In fact, we are capable in follows practical
method to children education, as demonstrated by Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and The
Companions, particularly in training our children habit in perform salat
al-jama'ah in the mosque. One of the tips is, we should ask them earlier to go
together with us to the mosque for salat al-jama'ah. Because this is a great
opportunity in educating our children in love to the mosque, during
their childhood period. Moreover for the parents who are bustle on
their job outside their home.
By all means, this activity should be act
continuously, not only once or two times only. Since, it must be different when
we can explained to the children how to turn off/on the radio once or two times
with practical example only once or two times. But
we are on the way on practice our children in applying good-will Allah SWT by
habitual practice.
This good-will is unlimited by time, but it
should be act consistent and continuously until the end of our
life. Ulama/scholar state that; "Teach your kids fall in
love to the mosque, and then Janna (Paradise) will come
to you” Let's bring our kids to the mosque! (sulthoni)
check related article " Start from the end "
