Raising Children

PARENTING: AN ISLAMIC PERSPECTIVE of their child. Similarly, every individual has interests and benefits that he holds dear. Islam teaches that one’s love for God should surpass worldly interests and be willing to sacrifice them for His sake. During my interaction with a Muslim resident of America, he expressed concern about the religious identity of his children in the future. He mentioned that his children attend secular schools, but he strives to provide religious education at home, a practice known as home-schooling in America. I pointed out that when he chose to live in America, he should have recognized the inevitable influence of the culture on their children. Attempting to counteract this cultural influence solely through home-schooling is akin to trying to halt a flood with a paper wall. Experience has shown that very few children can be cited as successful examples of achieving the desired goals through home-schooling. In such a situation, it is necessary to adopt a different approach by transforming the home environment and cultivating a dawah mindset within the children. Without creating a nurturing atmosphere at home and fostering a dawah mindset within the children, it is challenging to combat the overwhelming impact of the prevailing cultural flood.