The Children’s Questions About Faith

Raising children by parents, as educators agree, is crucial to their transition into successful life. Lack of parents in child’s life leads to challenges children may not be able to overcome. After all, children look up to their parents and their integrity – later in life – is contingent upon their parents’ upbringing. If parents raise their children well, the children will be better equipped to deal with the outside world. If parents fail to raise their children well, children will be ill-mannered and prone to failure.

Introduction

This book is divided into two sections, the first section provides parents with the most important faith related information they need to teach their kids. The second part provides parents with ways to respond to questions children might ask about faith. Both sections complement one another. I hope that parents find the material here concise and useful. I would also appreciate any correspondence with my valued readers that help me improve the material presented and make it available to all Muslim parents looking for ways to improve the life and faith of their children

The Definition of Nurturing Faith

Nurturing Nurturing children is a human necessity in order to establish a functional society.

It encompasses preparing children in all aspects of life including social conduct, knowledge about surrounding, psychological well-being, and caring for their health. Thus, prior to discussing nurturing faith, one has to understand the concept of nurture and its implications

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When educators discuss the concept of nurture, they mean a purposeful and developed process maintained by rules that aim to establishing good habits in children through guidance, training, education, refinement, and practice. Nurturing also aims to preserve the innate nature and talents of children, to protect them, and to guide them towards righteousness and perfection that prepares a good human being ready for the responsibly of life. Nurturing is a tool that creates healthy and functional leadership in society.

Who is Allah?

The correct answer to children’s question about Allah and His Traits establish Monotheism in children’s minds and hearts early.

How does Allah look like? How Come Nothing is Like Him?

Our hearing is limited; we can only hear from a certain distance. If we hear everything, we would become exhausted. Our vision is limited, too. We can only see to a certain distance. We cannot see what is behind a wall, for example. Our mind is limited just like our hearing and sight; it cannot conceive everything. The human mind is limited and cannot understand everything.

Who Created Allah?

If there would have been someone who created Allah, I would also ask who created the Creator, right? Therefore, we must know that one of the characteristics of the Creator is that He is not a creature, and that He is the One who created all creatures. And if he was a creature, we would not worship Him or follow His instructions and commands. The question who created Allah is not correct, and incorrect questions are meaningless.

Where Did Allah Come From? How Old Is He? Who was there before Allah?

When you know – my dear – that Allah was not created, then you know that He did not beget, nor was He begotten, that He has no beginning or end, and accordingly he does not have a life like us human beings. This is because Allah is the  Creator, the Great, the Self-Sufficient, the Big, the Omnipotent, the Mighty, the Merciful, Who possesses the beautiful names and the lofty attributes. He has the qualities of perfection and does not have attributes of deficiency, for Allah, glory be to Him, is the one who created the world as He created all things and all creatures

Is Allah Male or Female?

We should strive to keep the child’s mind from thinking a lot about Allah’s essence; rather we should try to direct his mind towards thinking about matters that will benefit him. And here it is good for us to explain to the child that the issue of masculinity and femininity is one of the requirements for differentiating between classes and species of living creatures, and it is one of the things Allah has blessed His creatures with.

Does Allah Get Hungry and Thirsty Like Us?

Allah Almighty has the attributes of perfection and does not have any attributes of deficiency. Hunger and thirst are two manifestations of weakness, and it is not permissible to attribute weakness to Allah. Thus Allah does not need food and drink, because Allah, the Creator of everything, does not need anything. If He would have been in need for anything, He wouldn’t be a god. Allah is the Independent (As-Samad), Who does not eat and does not need food or drink. He doesn’t need any of that, rather He is the One that all creatures need to provide for them, feed them and meet their needs.

How to Answer Children’s Faith-Based Questions

The following answers are primarily directed to parents – as well as teachers, mentors and others – who are requested to provide answers fit to their child’s age level and cognitive ability. There is no answer that fits all age levels and cognitive abilities. Therefore, what concerns us is the content and practicality of the answer rather than the exact words used to deliver it.

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