Waking Children up for Salah

Started by Reader Questions, May 13, 2014, 08:39:59 PM

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Reader Questions

Salaam Joseph,

I hope you don't mind me asking, can you explain salah to me. My brother is a fundamentalist, he wakes his 5, 9,11 yr old daughters to read in the morning, how can this be acceptable when children that age do not understand prayer but just the actions, surely a child at that age would not be happy to be woken up. I hope you don't mind me asking. I don't have any religious friends and talking to my brother is hopeless because we are all going to hell.

Regards

Joseph Islam

Dear sister,

Wa alaikum assalam

No one can definitively tell you whether you are hell-bound or not.  The matter is solely between you and God. However, people will always make an opinion in their judgement based on what they perceive are one's actions. This is part of human nature, although one should curtail their judgement of others. Of course, open lewdness, immoral and heinous acts will no doubt be accountable to God and the Quran presents clear arguments as to how these people will be recompensed.

With regards to your question, as you will no doubt appreciate, I cannot comment on specific 'parenting'. It is possible that the parent is trying to establish a routine for the child in what they feel would benefit them in later life with best intentions and is being overly gung-ho without thinking that this 'may' make a child apathetic towards religion if it is not explained properly. Many for example, feel this apathy when they are taught to learn the Quran in a language that they do not understand rote fashion. They feel disconnected.

In my humble limited view, yes, certainly the 5 year old appears to be very young and a solid routine of all prayers 'may' be difficult for the child. But again, this is just a humble opinion. There is nothing 'wrong' with it. After all, the parent is not trying to instil evil morals, or enticing the child to forbidden, acts. I do know that in some countries, children are woken up at the crack of dawn for other purposes too, such as going to school in which they have to travel for miles. Some would even consider this as not being appropriate. It is very difficult to generalise given the diversity of the human race.

I suppose parents also try to provide best guidance to their children based on their own image. If the parent feels that a particular action will benefit the child, then at least, his intention cannot be criticised although the manner he or she may go about it is open to debate.

As I don't know the parent's perspective, therefore I cannot comment further.

However, as far as salah is concerned, it is a practice of formal worship. My opinions on it can be found in the following section in detail.

[1] PRAYER
http://quransmessage.com/articles/prayer%20FM3.htm

I hope that helps, God willing
Joseph
'During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act' 
George Orwell