teaching little ones about Allah swt

[جوري]

My little is 3 yrs old.. Masha'Allah, she is full of questions as they usually all are..
Now on the topic of Allah swt, her questions stupefy me, I am not sure how to approach the subject that is befitting for a little 3 year old mind.

Some of the Questions she asks..
1-Who made us
2- Who is Allah
3- Where is Allah
4-Is Allah friends with the stars
5-Does Allah play hide and seek
6-I think I saw Allah in the skies

I remember when I was her age and had all these questions, my own aunts told me that Allah swt was light upon light.. and I used to think that meant he was in the street lamps and it prompted me to write all sorts of poems as an adult to deal with the terror I felt when the lights went out lol...

pls advise.. I sometimes rather ignore her questions until she is a little older, but she is so delicate and impressionable, that any misinformation I give her or if too adult in context I fear might scar her, as I spent many yrs dealing with my own fears, and it didn't help matters any, that any natural distaster that struck, my mother seemed to suggest that I was single handedly responsible for, for making Allah swt angry..
Like harsh thunder or sandstorms, or when the moon looked abnormal.. I really didn't appreciate that she did that, I often bring it up as an adult and she just laughs it off, but I really don't think folks fully appreciate the impact they have on someone giving misinformations ..

so pls suggest books for a curious child or what sort of answers you give your young ones..

Jazkoum Allah khyran

 

[coddles76]

Excellent topic,

My little beautiful son is 2.5 years and everytime he see's a Masjid he says "Oh look Allah". I guess we have to explain in the best possible way and it would be great to hear what people can advise. My little one also embarassed me in the street once cause he saw a Fellow Muslim Brother walking next to us with a beard and guess what he said......"Oh baba, look there's Allah". So what do you say??? Its hard isn't it. There minds are soo fragile and humurous sometimes. I just say "No daddy, Allah SWT is high above looking after us" then he replies "Oh, Allah is high" And I say yes daddy, Allah is high".

 

[جوري]

lol.. yes they say the funniest things..
I had car troubles the other week, and I took it for a quick fix, she was in her baby seat.. and she starts screaming at me, don't talk to strangers..
I told her it is ok we know this brother he is a Muslim.. when he gets into the car to fix something, she says out of the top of her lungs. .. 'what is this Muslim doing with the car'

I really need easy things for her to understand.. When I get too philosophical not only does she lose interest, she asks me the same question over and over.. sometimes her questions are hilarious though that I am just completely dumbfounded...

do you think this will blow over when she is a bit older or what? I wish there was an easy guide with suitable easy answers for her little inquisitive mind...

 

[coddles76]

Yes I'm sure there are many in the same situation and can only be attibuted to there growing minds. I would say that there questions and comments are sometimes a blessing as it indicates there willingness to understand. A inquistive mind has more chance to grow into knowledge inshAllah. The only issue is how we can help as parents to make sure our responses are right??

 

[جوري]

Good question I'll have to wait for more responses insha'Allah (I should add) she is my niece, I often think of her as my own, since out of all my nieces and nephews I spent the most time with her.. so it is really a double whammy as I certainly don't wish to be the one responsible for lack of understanding..

It is funny how you mentioned that part about Allah swt looking after us.. I was driving with her today to pick her mom who was on call, so she came out rather late, and the streets were obviously very empty, so I told her not to worry since Allah swt is looking after us.. and so she naturally responded and after he looks after us he'll go home and get some sleep...... gaaaaaahhhhhhhhh
so I got into the Allah swt never sleeps, then she goes does Allah get tired... and so on and on.. thankfully she fell asleep while I was driving and I was saved.. when I picked my sis up we laughed and laughed at her q's, and she actually agreed that she didn't want to bring religion talk just yet.. but I am so fearful if her questions arent answered that she'd lose interest in it all together.. I want her to be a pious Muslimah insha'Allah

 

[coddles76]

I want her to be a pious Muslimah insha'Allah

lol they are beautifully funny.

The quote above is what I'm always concerned about. I want him to grow to be a pious Muslim and I fear that I must always try to guide in the right way. I don't want to fail in my duties as a parent....InshAllah Allah SWT will help us all to be great parents.

 

[Woodrow]

Us adults tend to forget how simple a child's questions actually are and we respond with TMI (Too Much Information) a good thing to do is to find out what the question really is. Often this can be done by asking the child what they think the answer is and from there build upon their answer but keep the answer in the range of a simple concrete thought and avoid any non visible answers. Ask the child what he/she thinks the answer is, they often have a concept of what they want the answer to be. use that answer and simply correct any blatant errors in it.

Always remember with children KISS is the key (KISS= Keep it Simple, Sally)

 

[جوري]

hmmmmmmm.. Br. Woodrow you are such a psychologist lol... answering a question with a question will surely see me to the grave before it makes her bat an eye lash.

I'll heed your advise and ameen to br. Coddles du3a

 

[coddles76]

Us adults tend to forget how simple a child's questions actually are and we respond with TMI (Too Much Information) a good thing to do is to find out what the question really is. Often this can be done by asking the child what they think the answer is and from there build upon their answer but keep the answer in the range of a simple concrete thought and avoid any non visible answers. Ask the child what he/she thinks the answer is, they often have a concept of what they want the answer to be. use that answer and simply correct any blatant errors in it.

Always remember with children KISS is the key (KISS= Keep it Simple, Sally)

Well that sounds like a good start, I'll certainly try that one as soon as his vocabulary grows.

 

[syilla]

:salamext:

ukhtee...i'm not sure how to reply personally to your questions. My son usually blurted out the things that i seem can't remember when did i say that?

My family is big (my aunt and her family is my neighbour and my relatives visit us every week) and they influenced my son alot. And i sent him to an islamic preschool because it is important for me to teach the remembrance of Allah every single minute. So i couldn't say that i teach him Who is Allah swt...because one day teaching and one teacher would not be enough...when comes to learning islam.

Alhamdulillah, i didn't need to teach him too much...since everybody is teaching him . Everyday at school he learn to pray, read quran, memorise quran, akhlaq and etc.

Sometimes he becomes an islamic patrol...lol. For example the other day he said to me... my aunty should take care of her aurah. He said it to me...out ot the blue, and i know what he says is true...bcoz that cousin of mine is really poor in taking care of her aurah.

And sometimes you can say that i'm very strict because i will make sure my son do salah 5 times a day eventhough he is six years old. But i'm not that strict on the actions itself...i'm only strict on respecting the prayer times.

I don't know whether i'm instill fear in him but sometimes i guess i do. Not really on the islamic perspective but in everyday activities. For example don't go there or someone will kidnap you. Don't walk on the stairs (when he is only two years old) or you will fell down, bleed and it is very painful.

Only now that i know i shouldn't instill fear in children especially two year old baby... :hiding:.

However, you can find lots of good website especially islamic homeschooling when comes teaching kids about islam.

http://caliph.wordpress.com/articles/the-khalifah-child/
http://islam4parents.com/2008/09/tawheed-for-children-level-one-knowing-allah/

 

[جوري]

ooh Jazaki Allah khyran dearest sis..
your son sounds adorable Masha'Allah.. my niece likes to simulate prayer.. she is always asking for scarves and then stands next to someone and makes believe she is praying or as she likes to call it 'salying' lol..

Sometimes I ask her to make du3a for me, then she'll go get some prayer gear and says 'awight awight, mumbles some nonsense then says I am done salying' lol

I won't worry about it too much for now, I am glad I read Br. Coddles' story.. kids seem to be the same all over wal7mdlilah, she is not a singular case...

 

[coddles76]

ooh Jazaki Allah khyran dearest sis..
your son sounds adorable Masha'Allah.. my niece likes to simulate prayer.. she is always asking for scarves and then stands next to someone and makes believe she is praying or as she likes to call it 'salying' lol..

Sometimes I ask her to make du3a for me, then she'll go get some prayer gear and says 'awight awight, mumbles some nonsense then says I am done salying' lol

I won't worry about it too much for now, I am glad I read Br. Coddles' story.. kids seem to be the same all over wal7mdlilah, she is not a singular case...

lol Yes Yes as I do wudu my Son says "Baba, you wanna sali Alla Akbar?" And I say " Yes, come sali Alla Akbar with me" then he comes and prays with me and Screams out "Alla Akbar" at the top of his lungs. I think its great for the young ones to integrate with oldies like that as they will become more aware when they are older.

 

[HopeFul]

Assalamoalaikum,

I have three kids, my eldest it still just 6 and Iahve Alhamdolillah suffeccfully answered his questions as strange as:

"Why did Allah make us, then give us food and then ask us to be good in the world and then He'll take us to paradise, He knows everything then why doesnt he just make us born in paradise directly?!!!"

he asked me that when he was just 4 I think...

The answer to Who made is Allah made us,

He is the CReator of All worlds and stars and universe and everything that we see or feel is created by Him, see your little hands Allah amde them Allah made you and then you were born, now He gives me food to cook for you so that you can get bigger,

Who is He?

He is Our Lord, that means we should pray to him and ask Him whatever we need, whenever you need something just cup your hands or say it in a whisper, Allah i need a new jumper, first ask Him then ask us..He gives us everything..

Allah does not have a shape, He is like a light, but we cannot see him even though He is very close to us..We can see Him in paradise , if we are good and then we go to paradise we can see Him there.

he can see us from a very close distant, He knows what we think, hear or feel in our hearts, sometime when Im in the kitchen and youa re playing I cannot see you but Allah ca see you everywhere.

because He is like a light He is everywhere...

When they ask if He is like a lamp or lightbulb, say, No His light is much brighter and Better than this and you will see it in Paradise only...

You could repeat these answers everytime...

I hope that answers some of your questions..

When kids ask something, try and give them an adult answer in baby language that's understandable, not a baby answer in adult language, because they will remember these answers for the rest of their lives...

May Allah ahve mercy on yor kids and eech of ours, Ameen.

 

[جوري]

Jazaki Allah khyran sis.. very helpful indeed :smile:

 

[HopeFul]

Look at my typing mistakes!!!! my spellings are horrible I hope you can understand them !!! It normally happens when Im in a hurry to answer a question hehehe

 

[coddles76]

Ameen to your Dua Sis Hopeful and great advice. Thank you