Teaching Children to Pray

We’ve been working on integrating Salah gradually in our daily routine. As A is almost 6, it is very important for me to ensure that she is not only familiar with the athkar and actions of the prayers but also that she is trained to consistently do her prayers.

I found this method for training her to become regular in her prayers from the book The Child in Islam by Norma Tarazi, to be extremely useful. I have quoted the passage here:

 A simple workable method for initiating salat with a young child is the following. On his fifth birthday, ask him to begin regular prayer with the family once a day. This should be treated as a special event, a significant landmark on his road to growing up. The most suitable prayer to begin with is generally maghrib, when the whole family is at home and can pray together. Then, when the child reaches five and a half, initiate the second salah, any one out of the five you choose. On the sixth birthday, the third salah is added; at six and a half, the fourth; and by the seventh birthday, he has all five prayers regularized.

 As suggested, we have started doing Maghrib prayer together. However, please note that with any child who has not reached the age of seven, it must be entirely the child's choice. Some sheikhs have even suggested that if the child is ordered to pray before seven the may be entirely put off. Therefore if the child is eager and willing and wants to pray, encourage them, otherwise its best to leave it till they are seven.

I have started our formal prayer studies. Here is the list of the resources that I will be using InshAllah.

 Resources:

1.       Talibdeen Jr, step by stepSalah instruction
http://tjislamicstudies.blogspot.com/2010/10/step-by-step-salah-instruction.html

2.       Islaam for kids, Prayer
http://islaam4kids.wordpress.com/category/very-small-kids/

3.       Resource book, Why do we Pray
http://www.box.com/s/cd0eacc93eef9a33b393

Here are the prayer topics that I want to focus on initially:

What is prayer?

Why do we Pray

The Story of the Israa and Miraj

The Qiblah: Facing the Kaaba

Wudoo

Knows that wudhu is necessary before one can pray

Knows the steps of wudhu and can perform them

Knows what breaks ones wudhu

Knows that excessive water should not be used to make wudhu

Knows the duaa to say after wudhu is made

The Sutrah

Things that Break the Prayer

Takbeer

Opening Duaa

Rukoo

Sujood

Between the Sajdahs

Straightening from Rukoo

The Tashahhud

Salaat Upon the Prophet(salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam

Seeking Refuge from 4 Things

Supplication before Tasleem

Tasleem

After Prayer Thikr

What is a Rakaah?

Positions of the Salaat

The Five Prayers

Salatul Fajr

Salatul Dhuhr

Salatul Asr

Salatul Maghrib

Salatul Ishaa