Ramadan Appreciation for Kids

Help your little ones build a love and appreciation for the most special time of year for Muslims.  Ramadan is more than just a month of fasting.  It is an amount of time gifted from Allah (swt) to help our Ummah increase their spirituality and love for our supreme Creator.  Ramadan is a time for giving, sharing, and helping others.  It is a month that evokes love, peace, and community.  Ramadan is a special time where friends, families, and neighbors come together to rejoice in the many blessings placed upon us.

Educating Your Children:

The best way to build your child’s appreciation for this holy month is to spend time with your family and discuss the many aspects of Ramadan.  Encourage your teenagers to be a part of the family discussion; as young adults can often add great insight and ideas.

History:

Start your discussion with a basic history of how Ramadan came to be (if necessary use children’s books to help get a simple message across.)  Explain that before the time of our beloved Prophet Muhammad (s) Islam had been forgotten.  One day when our Prophet (s) was meditating in Cave Hira, as he often did, Angel Jibrail (a) brought Rasulullah (s) a message directly from Allah (swt).

Angel Jibrail (a) instructed our Prophet (s) to read.  Though Rasulullah (s) was illiterate, after three attempts he miraculously began to read the first glorious message (Surah 96 Al-Alaq). This majestic night, known as Lail-a-tul Qadar, changed the world forever.  It was the month of Ramadan in which mankind was gifted a beloved Prophet, the magnificent Qur’an, and our beautiful deen, Islam.

*Encourage your teenagers to research (through books, interviews, internet, etc) additional information on the miracles of this night and share what they have found with the family.  They will be amazed at what they discover.  Provide assistance to ensure the information is accurate.

How Ramadan is Celebrated:

Let your children know that there are many prescribed ways of observing Ramadan.  Teach your little ones about the 5 S’s of Ramadan!

Sabr (patience) – gives us the ability to build discipline.  Patience helps us to resist doing bad deeds.

Shukur (gratitude) – being thankful to Allah (swt).   Fasting teaches us how the needy feel and reminds us to be appreciative of our many blessings.

Salam (peace) – being kind and loving towards others.  Creating peace means that we forgive others for their mistakes and we ask others to forgive us for our mistakes.

Sadaqah (charity) – providing for those in need.  Charity can be in the form of food, money, clothes, gifts, and shelter.  It is important to look for ways in which your family can help others; this is the greatest blessing that one can earn.

Salah (prayer) – remembering our Lord.  It is recommended in Ramadan that in addition to the 5 obligatory prayers, individuals should pray as many nafil (non-obligatory) prayers as possible.  For example, Tarawih is prayed every night after Isha prayer and Lail-a-tul Qadr is prayed on the last ten odd nights of Ramadan.  Tahajjud is the easiest to perform during Ramadan since Muslims are already awake at this time doing sahoor (eating before sunrise).

For more details on the 5 S’s click here to read the article written by the DC Muslim Examiner.

http://www.examiner.com/x-13139-DC-Muslim-Examiner~y2009m8d10-Religion-101-What-is-the-Muslim-month-of-Ramadan

Benefits of Ramadan:

• Narrated Abu Huraira (r.a): The Prophet said:”… whoever fasts during Ramadan out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah’s rewards, then all his past sins will be forgiven.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari).

• Rasulullah (s) said, “When the month of Ramadan starts, the gates of the heaven are opened and the gates of Hell are closed and the devils are chained.” [Bukhari]

• It is called the night of Power (i.e Laelat-ut Qadr) or the night of blessing. The deed in this night is better than the rewards of deeds of 1,000 months (about 83.3 years).

• In another hadith, the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) says, “Ramadan has come to you. (It is) a month of blessing, in which Allah covers you with blessing, for He sends down Mercy, decreases sins and answers prayers. In it, Allah looks at your competition (in good deeds), and boasts about you to His angels. So show Allah goodness from yourselves, for the unfortunate one is he who is deprived in (this month) of the mercy of Allah, the Mighty, the Exalted.” [Narrated by Tabarani]

• The most honored by Allah amongst you are those best in taqwaa.”[49:13]

• The Prophet said: He who gives food for a fasting person to break his fast, he will receive the same reward as him, except that nothing will be reduced from the fasting persons reward.” [Ahmad, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah, Ibn Hibbaan, Saheeh].

Click here to read additional ayah and hadith on Ramadan.

http://www.jannah.org/ramadan/ramadanhadiths.html