Question:
I may have some children, forcing prayer into them. Then I discover that I had some other, but he lives with her non-Muslim mother… her mother then dies, so I have to care for him. Am I also to nag this one forcing him to prayer?
Answer:
This is a problem all parents are facing today. Forcing anything is of no benefit; the children may grow to dislike it. Teach by coaxing and rewarding and let love of Sayyidina Muhammad (s) grow in their hearts. Mawlana Shaykh Hisham Kabbani says:
“You can use wise methods to teach your children. Tell them, ‘pray this prayer, you get rewarded.’ Is that better or to say ‘If you don’t pray this prayer you will be punished in hellfire’?”
So reward the children for each prayer with a candy or a quarter, you will be representing the Lord’s characteristic of rewarding the good deeds.
Allah knows best.
Taher Siddiqui
