Part 31

Programs and services need to be available for youth so that they obtain a sense of belonging. If no programs are available, they need to be developed to suit various age ranges and interests. This may include such things as religious study groups, Qur’an memorization, extra-curricular activities, sports activities, and so on. The main idea is to develop activities and an environment in which Muslim youth can interact and develop the bonds of community.

It is through these efforts that an environment of brotherhood and social responsibility will develop. Members of the community will support each other, help each other in need, and offer useful advice. This will add to the mutual love among the Muslims and enhance the eeman of each individual member of the community.

3 A sound hadith narrated by An-Nasa’ee

Se beliefs that an individual carries with him or her throughout his or her lifetime are the most significant aspects of his or her existence, as they are the foundation for all else. They will influence his or her choices, behaviour, social interactions, emotions and ultimately his destined place in the hereafter. If a person was a disbeliever all of his or her life and then accepted Islam near the end of that life, s/he would be counted amongst the people of paradise (with the grace of Allah). If another person performed many good deeds during his or her lifetime but died a disbeliever, that person’s deeds would not benefit him or her in the least. These scenarios highlight the importance of belief in the Islamic framework.

It was for this reason that the Prophet taught his Companions the principles of aqeedah for 13 years before introducing the practical aspects of the religion. He wanted to ensure that firm eeman and commitment to Islam were built into their hearts, that they were prepared to face the challenges that lie ahead of them, and that they would be willing to defend Islam with their wealth and their lives. A sign of true faith is the willingness to give up everything in this worldly life for the sake of Allah and for Islamic principles and values.

As discussed in the preceding text, the Islamic belief system is built upon the pillars of eem4n: belief in Allah, His angels, His prophets, His books, the Day of Judgment and the hereafter, and divine will and predestination. As Muslim parents, it is our duty to instil these beliefs in the hearts and minds of our children by connecting them in various ways to the pillars of faith throughout our daily lives and interactions. Their relationship with Allah should be the most important one in their lives and they should consistently be

aware that Allah is aware of their every thought, feeling and deed. This insight will give them the ability to discern right from wrong and to always choose that which is most pleasing to Allah. Lawful choices will be made regardless of the pressures, temptations, or sacrifices they may face.

We should continually recall that parenting is a serious responsibility. What we do and the choices we make will affect our children for the rest of their lives (in this world and the hereafter). We should provide the proper environment and nourishment that are required for eeman to mature and flourish. Then, inshda’ Allah, we can watch as our children grow to become obedient servants of Allah, develop Islamic personalities and identities, and represent Islam as it should be represented.

By Allah’s grace, you will reap the rewards of your efforts and hard work as you see your children blossom and flower. Your children will appreciate the gift that you have given to them, you will feel a sense of accomplishment, and the community will be strengthened and activated. The rewards waiting in the hereafter (insha’ Allah) will be even greater.

Ali, Abdullah Yusuf (1999) The Meaning of the Holy Quran: Text, Translation and Commentary, 10" ed. (rev.). Beltsville, MD: Amana Publications

Al-Ashqar, ‘Umar (2002) The Messengers and the Messages in the Light of the Quran and Sunnah. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: International Islamic Publishing House.

Al-Ashgar, ‘Umar (2002) The World of the Noble Angels. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: International Islamic Publishing House.

Al-Ashgar, ‘Umar (2003) Belief in Allah. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: International Islamic Publishing House.

Al-Ashgar, ‘Umar S. (2003) Divine Will and Predestination. Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: International Islamic Publishing House.

Ibrahim, E. and Johnson-Davies, D. (1976) Al-Nawawi's Forty Hadith. Beirut: The Holy Quran Publishing House

Mohamed, Yasien (1991), Knowledge in Islam and the crisis in Muslim education, Muslim Education Quarterly, 8, 13-32.

sahih International (1997) The Quran: Arabic Text with Corresponding English Meanings, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: Abul Qasim Publishing House.

Zarabozo, Jamal al-Din (1997) He Came to Teach You Your Religion, Boulder, CO: Al-Basheer Company for Publications and Translations.

Al-Baatilee, Ahmed ibn ‘Abdullah (2006) “Learning Arabic is a Fard (Obligation) on Every Muslim”, 30 Jan. 2006. Islamicweb.com. http://www. islamicnetwork.com/index.php/weblog/comments/ learning_arabic_in_an_obligation_fard_on_every_muslim.

Islam Question & Answer. http://www.islamqa.com/en/ref/69808 Last accessed Dec. 2008

Muslim Student Association, University of Southern California. Compendium of Muslim Texts, ‘Biographies of the Sahabah’: http://www.usc.edu/dept/MS A /history/biographies/sahaabah/ bio.ABDULLAH_IBN_ABBAS.html Last accessed Dec. 2008

Abd al Ati, Hammudah (1977), The Family Structure in Islam, Indiana, USA: American Trust Publications.

Beshir, Ekram and Mohamed Rida (2003), Muslim Teens: Today’s Worry, Tomorrow’s Hope (A Practical Islamic Parenting Guide, Beltsville, MD: Amana Publications.

Beshir, Ekram and Mohamed Rida (2004), Parenting Skills Based on the Qur’an and Sunnah, Beltsville, MD: Amana Publications.

Hasan, Abdul-Majeed Alee (1998), Islaamic Family Guidelines, Middlesex, U. K.: Message of Islam.

Rahbar, Faramarz bin Muhammad (1994), Raising Children According to Qur’an and Sunnah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia: Abul Qasim Publishing House.

Tarazi, Norma (1995), The Child in Islam, Indiana, USA: American Trust Publications.

Effective Islamic Parenting http://www. islamic-world.net/papers/parent.htm

Parent-Child Relationship in Islam http://www.islamic-world.net/parenting/parenting_page/ parent_child_relationship.htm

The Positive and Negative C’s of Islamic Parenting http://www.themodernreligion.com/family/family_c.htm

Glossary of Islamic terms’

adhan oi the call to prayer alhamdulillah ai 441 all praise is for Allah

Allah aU! Islamic name for God in the Arabic language; term is singular, has no plural, nor is associated with masculine, feminine or neuter characteristics

‘aqeedah sae belief system that is based upon a firm (pl. ‘aga’id) conviction in all the fundamentals of faith and of the oneness of Allah; firm creed that one’s heart is fixed upon without any wavering or doubt, and that excludes any supposition, doubt or suspicion as-salamu pSle pa greeting, which means ‘peace be with

' The Arabic words are transliterated according to the conventions of the Transliteration Chart found in this book. If a word has become part of the English language (i.e. is found in a dictionary of Standard English), that spelling is used in this book and appears first in this Glossary, with the transliterated form in brackets after it.

220. Glossary of Islamic terms

dirham re a silver coin; a unit of currency

Eid (‘eed) 4c lit. festival; the two celebrations: one at the end of Ramadan and the other at the culmination of the Hajj

eeman oly faith; belief in all the six pillars of the creed of Islam

fitrah 3,45 the natural inclination (of humans) instilled by Allah

Hadith (hadith) ute the collected sayings and actions of Prophet Muhammad, that with the Qur’an form the basis of Islamic law

hadith (hadith) ute a Saying or action of Prophet Muhammad that was remembered and recorded by his Companions and followers

Hajj (hajj) @ the major pilgrimage to the Sacred Mosque, site of the Kaaba at Makkah, to be undertaken by every able Muslim once in his/her lifetime

hijab (hijab) wbe veil ordained by Allah for believing women ihsan ol} goodness, perfection, excellence; to

worship Allah as if you see Him, but even if you do not see Him you know that He sees you

insha’ Allah | esi God willing

isra’ and ol Yl

mi‘raj cially Islam (Islam) pel

al-Lawh bith coll al-Mahfoodh

Laylat al-Qadr aa US

Nurturing Eemdn in Children 221

the night journey of the Prophet from Makkah to Jerusalem and then up to visit heaven

peace attained through willing submission and obedience to Allah’s divine guidance; word for the religion as a whole

the Arabic name for Gabriel, the archangel who transmitted the verses of the Qur’an and other communication from Allah to Prophet Muhammad

non-human, rational beings created by Allah, often referred to as ‘demons’

the House of Allah in Makkah, originally built by Prophets Ibraheem and Isma‘eel

the Preserved Tablet in Heaven on which Allah's words and decrees are written

the ‘Night of Destiny’, ‘Night of Decree’ or ‘Night of Power’ in which the Qur’an was first revealed, and in commemoration of which Muslims are supposed to spend some nights of the month of Ramadan in prayer and supplication, seeking Allah’s forgiveness; Worship and other forms of good deeds performed on this night are rewarded as if one had been

222 Glossary of Islamic terms

Munkar SS 9 Sa and Nakeer

performing them for a thousand months.

lit. ‘{It is] what Allah wanted’; an expression of appreciation for something someone has done

two angels in charge of questioning the soul in the grave

lit. ‘one who submits’ (to Allah)

the bearing from the Kaaba to any point on Earth; the direction that all Muslims must face in prayer

the ninth month in the Islamic calendar; the month of obligatory fasting or abstention from food, drink and sexual relations

a grade of hadith: sound or authentic

formal prayer: a combination of physical postures, recitation and supplication

Islamic law derived from the Qur’an and the Sunnah

associating partners with Allah

chapter of the Qur’an

the practice and collected sayings of Prophet Muhammad that together with

zakah (zakah or zakah)

Nurturing Eeman in Children 223

the Qur’an forms the basis of Islamic law

fearful awareness of Allah; being mindful of Allah; pious dedication; being careful not to transgress the bounds set by Allah

the act of saying as-saldmu ‘alaykum wa rahmat Alldh to end the prayer

the Oneness of Allah: that He alone deserves to be worshipped and that He has no partners

community or nation: usu. used to refer to the entire global community of Muslims

lit. an odd number: a single unit of

superogatory prayer, to be prayed any time after the evening (‘isha’) prayer and before the call for the dawn prayer

obligatory charity: an ‘alms tax’ on wealth payable by Muslims and to be distributed to other Muslims who qualify as recipients