UAE Friday sermon: how to raise conscientious and kind children

The sermon will tell worshippers to treat their children with kindness and teach them children good habits

Childhood is one of the most formative periods in an individual's life. It is the building block for creating and developing a person's character, mental abilities and essential skills, the sermon will tell worshippers on Friday.

It is for this reason that Prophet Mohammed emphasised the importance of caring for children and set, in his approach to children, an example for other people to emulate.

The Prophet is said to have loved children, treating them with kindness and leniency, and ensuring they felt cared for through his words and actions.

Abu Huraira, one of Prophet Mohammed’s companions, said he witnessed the Prophet hugging one of his grandsons tightly and saying “Oh Allah, indeed, I love him”. Anas bin Malik, another one of the Prophet’s companions, also said: “I have never seen anybody who was more compassionate towards children than the Messenger of Allah.”

The Prophet would dedicate time to children and respect their inclination to play as part of their growth. It was said that, after spotting children playing in the streets, he would run to join them.

He would give them presents as a token of affection. He once gave his granddaughter a gold ring that his wife Aisha had given him as a gift. "Adorn yourself with this, my dear daughter," he said to her. These actions should be taken as examples for others to emulate, the sermon will say.

Be kind and merciful to children, avoid scolding them or being too harsh to them and help them to occupy their leisure time with beneficial activities. Children should be made to feel loved and secure.

The Prophet was lenient with children, wise while instructing them, and showed tolerance in raising them. He would teach them verses of the Quran to instil in them good values and strengthen their bonds with God.

He called on parents to teach their children how to pray from as young as seven years old in the hope that by growing up with the routine of prayer, children would grow attached to the practice and make it a lifelong habit.

The sermon will tell worshippers that it is a beautiful thing to offer children precious advice and teach them noble values to fortify their minds against misconceptions and make acts of kindness an integral part of their characters. Prophet Mohammed said “goodness is a habit”.

He advocated his companions to raise children with good manners and promote good conduct in their words and deeds. He also encouraged parents to accompany their children to beneficial assemblies so they could draw wisdom of their elders, acquire beneficial skills and learn the noble habits and authentic traditions of their community.