How can she introduce Islam to her young children and make them love it?

Question

Praise be to Allah.

Firstly:

We praise Allah for having enabled you to enter Islam and we
ask Him, may He be exalted, to make you steadfast and to guide your family
to this religion.

We are advise you not to be careless or lazy about guiding
and teaching them, in the way that is best, in the hope that Allah will
grant you the joy of seeing them enter Islam, and decree for you a reward
equal to the reward for their good deeds.

Secondly:

You have done well to ask about your children and how to
raise them in Islam. Allah, may He be exalted, has placed a great deal of
responsibility on parents’ shoulders for the upbringing of their children.

It was narrated that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be
pleased with him) said: I heard the Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace
of Allah be upon him) say: “Each of you is a shepherd and each of you is
responsible for his flock. The ruler is a shepherd and is responsible for
his flock. A man is the shepherd of his household and is responsible for his
flock. A woman is the shepherd of her husband’s house”

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 853; Muslim, 1829

Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) said:

Whoever neglects to teach his son that which will benefit
him, and ignores him, has done something very bad indeed. Most children go
astray because of their parents who neglect them and fail to teach them the
duties and Sunnahs of their religion. They neglect them when they are young
so they do not benefit themselves or benefit their parents when they grow
up. End quote. End quote from Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi, p. 229

Thirdly:

What we advise you to do with regard to introducing Islam to
your children making it appealing to them include the following:

1.Create a connection between
them and the Arabic language, and instil a love for it in their hearts,
because it is an important key to understanding and loving Islam.

2.Help them get to know friends
of their own age and background who are practising Muslims. It is essential
that these friends should be of good character and righteous, so that they
can influence your children and be an example for them in their
righteousness and adherence to Islam, and the manner in which they interact
with their parents.

The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) said: “The likeness of a good companion and a bad companion is that of
one who carries musk and one who works the bellows. With the carrier of
musk, either he will give you some or you will buy some from him, or you
will notice a good smell from him; as for the one who works the bellows,
either he will burn your clothes or you will notice a bad smell from him.”

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1995; Muslim, 2628

3.Make them feel an attachment to
the mosque, by encouraging them to pray and attend classes; you can also
make that attractive to them and encourage them by giving them gifts and
prizes every time one of them shows some progress in his or her classes.

It is also a good idea for you to go with them to the mosque,
to encourage them to go there and pray.

If it is not easy for them to go to the mosque because it is
far away or the route is not safe, then do not neglect to teach them to pray
on time at home. There is a binding instruction (from the Prophet (blessings
and peace of Allah be upon him)) to teach those who reach the age of seven
to pray and to make them do it; before this age they may be taught but not
by way of making them do it.

The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon
him) said: “Instruct your children to pray when they are seven years old and
smack them if they do not do it when they are ten, and separate them in
their beds.”

Narrated by Abu Dawood, 495; classed as saheeh by al-Albaani
in Saheeh Abi Dawood

4.Let them hear Qur’an recited in
beautiful voices, so that the Qur’an will be held in high esteem in their
hearts. The Book of Allah is a Book of guidance and light for people, which
will illuminate the way for them and make them steadfast in adhering to the
straight path, by Allah’s leave.

5.Watch Islamic cartoons and
movies so that they can compare what they see and hear in them with what
they see and hear in other movies. Here you have an important role to play
in explaining the differences between the two, and highlight how Islam
encourages people to do good, uphold ties of kinship, show kindness and be
merciful, and it forbids evil, severing ties of kinship, corruption and
hardheartedness.

6.Show them Islamic websites that
will be beneficial for them, each according to his age and whilst being
careful not to let them roam freely on the internet; rather that should be
through you.

7.Something that you should think
about seriously and that will help you in what you are seeking to achieve is
taking them to do ‘Umrah and visit the sacred House of Allah, for these
visits have a far-reaching impact on the hearts of young people as is also
the case with adults.

8.Teach them the basic principles
of belief in a simple and straightforward manner according to their ages,
such as the Oneness of Allah, may He be exalted, and that He can hear them
and see them, and that He rewards for good deeds and adhering to the rulings
of Islam

The fact that ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Abbaas was very young did not
prevent the Prophet (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) from saying
to him eloquent words about Tawheed and ‘aqeedah (belief). It was narrated
that Ibn ‘Abbaas said: I was behind the Messenger of Allah (blessings and
peace of Allah be upon him) one day and he said: “O young man, I shall teach
you some words (of advice): be mindful of Allah, and Allah will protect you.
Be mindful of Allah, and you will find Him in front of you. If you ask, ask
of Allah; if you seek help, seek help of Allah. Know that if the nation were
to gather together to benefit you with anything, it would benefit you only
with something that Allah had already decreed for you, and that if they were
to gather together to harm you with anything, they would only harm you with
something Allah had already decreed for you. The pens have been lifted and
the pages have dried.”

Narrated by at-Tirmidhi, 2516; classed as saheeh by
al-Albaani in Saheeh at-Tirmidhi.

See also the answer to question no.
22175

9.Present stories appropriate to
their ages from the biography of the Prophet Muhammad (blessings and peace
of Allah be upon him) and his noble Companions (may Allah be pleased with
them), so that they will know that they belong to the best religion, the
best Prophet, the best nation.

|See the answer to questions no.
21215 and
22496

10.Put them in Islamic schools and
keep them away from corrupt schools, so that the Islamic schools can take
care of their beliefs and conduct; choose the best of them according to what
you see fit.

See the answer to question no.
38284

You should not be careless about two important matters:

-1-

Pray that Allah help them and guide them; your supplication
will be an important means of their being guided, so do not neglect it and
do not think little of it.

-2-

You should be a good example for them in treating them kindly
and showing compassion towards them. That is not only part of motherhood; it
is also part of being a Muslim who adheres to the religion of Allah, may He
be exalted.

We ask Allah to help you to do that which is good and to
guide your children to that which He loves and which pleases Him.

See also the answers to the following questions:
10016,
22150,
4237,
22950 and
10211

And Allah knows best.