"The Content of the Character" is a Hadeeth (sayings of Muhammad peace and blessing be upon him) compilation which is translated by Shaykh Hamza. It is phenomenal in many ways, its a book children can use to memorize, read and write Hadeeth in arabic and english that will help shape thier character, inshaAllah. The best part is that not just the kids but even I have benefitted very much from the book by using it as calligraphy practice. This book is also a part of Kinza Academy Curriculum (now known as Education Revisited) by Elizabeth Hanson.
The only thing I would like different in their future editions would be, if they could use a different and more child friendly binding, to make the book easier to use.
Sample from inside the book
We don't write inside the book we use separate paper to write on, so we can use the book in the future. I love this because we can sit together and take one hadeeth per week or two and actually focus on memorizing, sing it, writing it and most of all encourage each other to put the knowledge into action.
Recently I started a series on Seerah by Yasir Qadhi 'A Mercy to Mankind' I am really enjoying and benefiting from it. One of the things I love about the seerah is that when we study the life of the Prophet SAWand ALL the hardships and difficulties he SAW went through, our problems and issues become so small and worthless. And if there is a hardship or fitnah we have in our life, studying the seerah give us the power and strength to move on and move away, by seeing his SAW's tests and tribulations. Its a wonderful series! MashaAllah.
When I started listening to it, I felt a strong urge/motivation to really focus on the Seerah with the kids on a regular bases. Make it an important part of our lives.
Here are some things we have been doing as an effort to help our kids develop a strong and unique bond with the Prophet SAW at a small age.
1. Almost everyday, after Asr, I put Yasir Qadhi's seerah lecture on so the kids can listen to it. Sometimes AR comes and sits to watch the video and of course H joins, they actually sit and listen mashaAllah. (I don't mind him watching a sheikh on the screen for a few minutes to gain knowledge). The benefit out ways the damage in this matter in my eyes.
A Mercy to Mankind - Muhmmad SAW
2. We posted the Learning Roots 'Seerah - Makkan period' chart up to keep track of how far and how much we have learned and how much more to go
I am not sticking the stickers on though, this way I can use it again too.
3. Lastly but most importantly we started reading "The Noble Life of the Prophet SAW' with the kids at bedtime. I know some of you might be thinking isn't that too much for the little ones?? No, not at all. They really enjoy it mashaAllah! How can they not, its indeed the life of our Prophet SAW. It did take some effort from our side, to have them start it.
Since AR was very small we would tell him the stories of the Prophets and Sahabas without books. When we moved here and I made our bedtime ritual, this time I added bedtime story books, which were never there before that. However a few months ago I stopped reading books to the kids at bedtime again and went back to our old storytelling method. It took me a two weeks or so to wine them off books and listen to all the wonderful REAL stories mama has to tell them. To be honest some days I would have to look at a story before I would relate it to them.
I don't believe in making up stories too much, there's nothing wrong with it, but why fantasies when we can tell true stories. Like, for example if you were to relate the story of Salam Al Farisi (R.A) to a child, how can it be possible that a child will not listen to his story?? Theres no way a made up tale can be as beautiful and as meaning full as the story of Salman Al Farisi or the story of Prophet Sulaiman (A.S). AR still get lost at the thought of flying in the air. In order for us to tell the stories from our Islamic history we need to learn them ourselves and learn them from the right sources and learn them over and over again. So we don't have to relay on non-muslim folk stories and fairy tales, which to be honest in my eyes are all imitations of stories from Islam, some what.
When we share a story of the past we shouldn't hesitate to tell our kids about good and bad, death, murder and physical abuse the muslims went through. I have seen many parents who feel like they are scaring the child or the child will be traumatized. I feel this is a wrong way of thinking, because if this was the case then why would Allah SWT mention death, Jannah and Jahnam to us over and over again?? And the consequence of our bad and good actions?? Its important that we teach children to be detached from this duniya and have a desire to die and go to Jannah, not be scared to death!
Its not easy! The worldly life gives children (and ourselves) an immediate gratification. And Aakhirah is something that we have to remind them about about. Why remind and not tell?? Because its our fitra (nature)! and that is what Allah swt dose again and again in the Quran. And for children, to develop a love and longing for the Aakhirah we need to give them a mental image, and image that is fixed in there minds of Aakhriah(Hereafter) is, Jannah(Paradise) and Jahnam(Hell fire) are. Its not easy, we have to constantly remind them and ourselves and most importantly fight the devil's whispers.
This storytelling phase really helped them move to the book. Since there are no pictures in the book they have to make an image in there minds just by listening which is a great way to promote imaginative thinking.
When we read it we have simplify here and there a bit to make it comprehend-able to them. We skip some parts here and their that will be beyond there ability to understand. We don't want to make it a philosophical discussion. We still read books and we read lots, but just not at bedtime.
The last thing I want the kids to sleep with is a story or image that will actually benefit him in this duniya and Aakhira, and that is definitely not in 'Curious George' or Dr. Seuss' etc. I am not at all saying that these books are bad or shouldn't be read or somthing! I just don't want my child to fall asleep thing about 'Cat in the Hat' or 'how George is a goood little monkey'!
Since MashaAllah Baba is a better story teller then Mama, Baba reads the book to them most of the time. Its a great Baba and kiddios time, Alhumdulillah.
So we started off with Adam (a.s). Here are the things we covered.
1. Read Adam (a.s) story books (we have 2 from Darussalam)
2. 5 Questions
Who was the first human Allah (swt) created?
Adam (a.s)
What did Allah (swt) make Adam (a.s) from?
Clay
What did Allah (swt) teach him?
Names of everything (I used the Ayah as well from Surah al-Baqarah
Who did not do sajjdah to Adam (a.s)
Iblees
Who is Ibees?
Shaitan
What did Allah (swt) made shaitan from?
Fire
Who was Adam (a.s) wife?
Hawa (a.s)
Where did they live?
In Jannah
What did shaitan do?
He made them disobey Allah, and took them out of Jannah.
Where was their new home?
On the earth.
What did Adam (a.s) do after he made a mistake by listening to shaitan?
He did Tawbah (asked Allah to forgive him and his wife)
Did Allah (swt) for give them?
Yes, Allah is Ghafurur-Raheem. He forgives everyone who repents to him sincerely (explained sincerely)
Who is our GREATEST enemy?
Shaitan
3. Watched the Habeel and Kabeel Youtube video
4. Listened and read some ayat from the Quran that covered the story of Adam (a.s)
Important note: I did not force him to read or listen. He read until he didnt want to read anymore and then I just read the rest trying to make sure he could hear me.
5. Craft
For the craft I want to keep it to something related to the story we are doing. So for this we worked with clay and talked about different types of clay and how Allah (swt) has made us with clay.
We made a Hand print in clay for AR. I had been wanting to make this for keepsake for a really long time, this worked as a good opportunity.
We also made a small car, since AR loves cars.
AR chose this color although I did not like it but I let him tell me how he wanted it. In his room most of his things are olive greeny...it still has a green hue!! He did most of the work, but the things that he was not able to do I helped him with them or guided him to do them.
He wanted to add a white hand print. I still have to make our daughters, InshaAllah when I do that I will post pictures of it as well.
Please do advice for any thing we can add/change/subtarct for next time.
Every week we will be covering one prophet. I am trying to cover them in sequence, starting from Adam (a.s), but if he wants to pick one of his choice, we will cover that one. This is what we will be doing, bi'eznillah hi ta'ala.
Read with the story of the prophet.
Plan a craft/activity or two from the story
Lesson/gem from the story for the children and myself
Few questions about the prophet and the main incidents of his life. (I don't want to make him memorize the answers but just go over them with me a few times during the week.)
Make the prophetic tree to teach the order of the prophets, we will add one every week.
InshaAllah, this is the outline for how we will be covering the prophets. I am really excited to do the crafts about each story with the kids.
Any suggestion for as to what else we can add to our list.
