Maria Zain, Author at The Message International

Talking about Prophet Muhammad’s life and following in his footsteps should be a daily practice for Muslim families. We continue to love, respect, and obey Prophet Muhammad as the human being who was chosen by our Lord to perfect the religion of Islam.

Having children think up “a Deed a Day” and then take action imbues their love for Allah’s Messenger with a vitality, and make it a daily habit to apply the teachings of the Prophetic sunnah to their lives

Below are ten tips to help you facilitate your children learning about and loving Prophet Muhammad. And for those who are home-schooling their children, these tips can add to the enriching experience of home-based education, nurturing the family to grow into a cohesive unit that loves and celebrates and emulates the Prophet’s way of life.

1. A Deed a Day

The initiative, “A Deed a Day,” is a good way to start emulating the Prophet, as he (peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged believers to engage in good deeds even if it was as little as smiling at another brother or sister. Consciously thinking of a good deed every day raises awareness and love of Prophet Muhammad’s life, as it is stated repeatedly in the Qur’an that we are to follow the way of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him).

Having children think up a ”Deed a Day” and then take action imbues their love for Allah’s Messenger with a vitality, and makes it a daily habit to apply the teachings of the Prophetic sunnah to their lives. It is a wonderful way to encourage creative thinking in coming up with possible good deeds, like calling on a neighbor to help clean his or her yard. And if “A Deed a Day” becomes a comfortable part of the children’s daily routine, you can always upgrade to “Two Deeds a Day,” and so on.

2. Bedtime Seerah Stories

Bedtimes stories are a norm in close-knit families. Instead of reading Goodnight Moon and the like, replace bedtime stories with stories of Prophet Muhammad’s life. Listening to stories of Allah’s Messenger before dozing off allows children to take messages of the Prophet with them, after a long busy day.

3. Travel the World

The Qur’an tells us, “And among His Signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth, and the variations in your languages and your colors: verily in that are Signs for those who know” (30:22). And Prophet Muhammad advised that we should seek knowledge, even as far as China. And sure enough, it’s a great, wide world out there, with so many things to learn. And with the internet as a tool, we can take a virtual journey with our children anytime we want.

Decide with them where you wish to go, perhaps each month “traveling” to another place. And with the help of a globe, atlas, encyclopedia, and the internet, immerse yourselves in each place, learning about their culture, religion(s), and language(s); learn about their Masjids if it is a Muslim country, and who their leaders are; read about the history and their contemporary politics and economy; study their geography and biodiversity; find out what cuisine they are best known for, what sports they play, what their holidays and festivals are.

Understanding that the world is made up of great diversity helps imbue the child’s mind with a sense of humility, and respect and appreciation for others. There are often opportunities for your children to have pen pals and you can look for like-minded parents who are trying to expose their children to the various cultures of the world. Travelling the world from the comfort of your home helps increase knowledge and brings us closer to Allah and His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

4. Be an Advocate of Green Living

Prophet Muhammad loved the earth, as it was described as the largest Masjid for us to worship Allah. He encouraged the planting of trees and kindness to animals. He also loved sports and being outdoors, appreciating Allah’s beautiful creation in this temporary abode. So get your children out and about and in tune with nature. Let them learn the names of plants, flowers, trees, animals, and insects.

Start an organic garden. Take up a family sport. If your children are old enough, get them networked with green activists so they can be part of protecting the earth and the environment. Have them participate in neighborhood clean-ups and other initiatives. Everything they do to save the earth will bring them closer to Prophet Muhammad. It’s been said that for Muslims, each and every day should be an Earth Day.

5. Get in Touch with an Orphanage

Getting in touch with an orphanage (usually called a “children’s home” in the U.S.) to find out how you and your children can play a role in the upbringing and/or welfare of orphans is a great way to emulate Prophet Muhammad who was an orphan himself. Prophet Muhammad declared his love for someone who strokes the hair of an orphan child. You and your children may be able to get involved in some of the educational, sports, or recreational activities at an orphanage. You can also identify an orphanage in another country and contact them via email. Then you and your children can think of projects to raise funds for that orphanage. Some examples are sending a letter to family members and friends, asking them each for $10 to send to the orphanage; you can have a yard sale and donate the proceeds; ask your children if they would like to donate one of their toys or a birthday gift they receive to the orphans; hold an “orphanage party” and invite your family and friends to come and each bring a gift that will be wrapped at the party to donate to the orphanage. You and your children can get creative to come up with ideas to help the orphanage. This is one of the best ways to demonstrate our love for Prophet Muhammad.

6. Write Letters to Loved Ones

Keeping in touch with loved ones and acquaintances is part of the Prophet’s sunnah. Prophet Muhammad encouraged keeping in touch with friends and family at all times in order to build a healthy ummah (nation). Have your children write letters or post cards to loved ones who are far away. Not only does this allow them to keep in touch, but also it encourages them to express themselves in writing.

7. Read a Surah and the Tafseer

One of the best ways to commemorate the life of Prophet Muhammad is to read the Qur’an. There are plentiful blessings in just reading the Qur’an, and there are even more when one strives to understand the message conveyed in a verse, and reading also the tafseer (interpretation) facilitates this understanding. Discuss the various teachings with your children on an age-appropriate level. Ask them to verbalize how they can implement the teachings in their own daily lives. This will surely bring our children closer to the piety of Prophet Muhammad and his love for Allah.

8. Make Du’a All the Time

Prophet Muhammad was known to make du’a (invocations) for everything. And there is a list of du’as available to Muslims that they can utilize in their daily lives. However, du’as, or invocations, are not limited to those alone, and Muslims should call upon Allah all the time, as Prophet Muhammad did. A du’a can open doors for guidance and protect us from evil, insha’Allah.

9. Meet Friends at the Masjid

Have your children meet with friends at the Masjid. The Masjid, during the time of the Prophet, was the meeting point for Muslims, so it’s great to make hanging out at the Masjid a social norm.

Besides meeting for prayers and Qur’anic/Islamic classes, encourage your children to bring their own books or simple crafts projects. The more children enjoy being in the Masjid, the more likely they will find themselves returning, to find solace and relaxation, nurturing their love for a healthy social life, much like the youth during the Prophet’s time.

10. Enjoy Some Dates

One of the best ways to cultivate our love for Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) is to cultivate our love for dates. There are plentiful health benefits in enjoying dates on a daily basis and that is why it is an important sunnah. Children who eat dates are reportedly more calm and at peace. To put an interesting spin on things, try out date-based recipes that include puddings, cakes, and stir-fries.

Final Thought

There are many ways to increase our love for Prophet Muhammad on a daily basis. Speaking to our children about him, often and in various ways, helps them follow in the footsteps of the final Messenger of Allah. When we speak of him, we must do so with sincerity and conviction. And we must speak of, and invoke blessings upon, the Messenger of Allah and do so with the intention of deepening our and our children’s love for him; as he (pbuh) said, in Jannah (Paradise) “You will be with those whom you love” (Bukhari).

Maimunah bint Al-Harith became one of the wives of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) seven years after the Muslims’ emigration from Makkah to Madinah (known to Muslims as the Hijrah). She had already been divorced once, after which she re-married and was later widowed. Many women would have given up on love by then, but Maimunah’s story was slightly different. When she became Prophet Muhammad’s wife, she was a vibrant and intelligent woman in her mid-20s and brought much wisdom to her third marriage. Through the example of Maimunah, devotion to Islamic teachings was relayed to Muslims, especially the blessing of absolute trust and faith in Islam.

Besides being known for her total submission to Allah (God) and her steadfast support for her husband, Maimunah bint Al-Harith is one of the Mothers of the Believers (an honorary title given to all the wives of Prophet Muhammad) who has narrated many hadiths (reported sayings or actions of Prophet Muhammad) — 76 to be precise. Many of these narrations have to do with the nature of the relationship between her and her husband so that Muslims can learn and emulate their example in their own relationships and reap the happiness that is promised to husband and wife.

According to Martin Lings, a prominent Muslim scholar, it was Umm Al-Fadl and her husband Abbas who approached the Prophet to marry Maimunah. Umm Al-Fadl believed such a union would bring great benefit to the Muslim community, which was being built slowly on sturdy grounds. Prophet Muhammad accepted her suggestion and pursued a marriage proposal with Maimunah herself. Prophet Muhammad was already very closely acquainted with Maimunah and Umm Al-Fadl’s family, as they too were amongst the first Muslims during the initial phase in Makkah. In fact, it was even narrated that Prophet Muhammad described Maimunah and her sisters as “the believing sisters,” which was an honor for the entire family.

Maimunah’s Marriage to the Prophet

Indeed, Umm Al-Fadl had been farsighted in initiating the relationship. Prophet Muhammad, through his marriage with Maimunah, was afforded opportunities to spread the teachings of Islam to the tribe of Banu Hilal (Maimunah’s tribe), and consequentially, another important Muslim community began to grow and integrate with the first one.

Aishah bint Abi Bakr, a wife of Prophet Muhammad, said: “Maimunah was the best amongst us, as she feared Allah most and maintained a close and continuous relationship with her kin” (Al-Hakim 8:181).

Aishah’s recognition of Maimunah did not end there. Aishah always praised Maimunah’s morals and dedication to Allah’s directives. Of course, the Mothers of the Believers were the most exemplary women, as they were all recognized as virtuous and strong Muslims who were hand-picked by Allah to teach and nurture the nascent Muslim community that was still learning about the faith. There were several occasions during which Maimunah stepped up as the Prophet’s confidante and aid to help dispel ambiguity in rulings and to allow Muslims to witness first-hand how Islam should be practiced. She “walked the talk,” always abiding by and demonstrating the teachings of the Quran, rushed to Prophet Muhammad’s aid when he needed her, and maintained her love for Islam above all.

She provides a wonderful example and testimony of a thriving marriage. Through her narrations, she speaks of intimacy between husband and wife such as washing up from the same container of water, and being aware of and sensitive to the emotions of one’s spouse. All this indicates that Maimunah was picked as a wife for because of her zeal in nurturing a strong marriage, and it was only through her piety and submission to God that she achieved that.

Maimunah Amongst the Muslims

Her complete submission to Allah and dedication to Prophet Muhammad encouraged her to denounce worldly pleasures and to worship and love for the sake of Islam only. Maimunah was known to the Muslims as a woman of charity. She freed slaves and cared for the poor. And it was through her actions that many other Muslims followed suit. Yet her participation in Muslim society was most fully apparent during war. During the battles that took place in the Prophet’s time, it was Maimunah who mobilized the first female group who would accompany the men to the battlefield and provide medical aid and emotional support for the wounded. For a woman who was later known to rarely leave her house after her husband’s passing, Maimunah was actively involved in travelling with the Muslim army when they needed the help the most. With her husband leading the battles, she felt that it was his right to have her by his side.

In so many ways she served Islam throughout her entire life, relaying important aspects of Muslim life so that the torch of Islam would continue to burn brightly. She took care of her kin and encouraged good relations amongst all Muslims. Moreover, she was always in the middle of action, leading by example and translating her fervor into action and practical application.

Unquestioned is Maimunah’s zeal for charity and serving the Muslim community. But she was also a romantic at heart. Her passion and emotional attachment to Prophet Muhammad, whom she outlived, endured for all her life. In the year 51 AH (after Hijrah), Maimunah fell ill in Makkah. She is reported to have then said, “Get me out of Makkah. I will not die in Makkah” (Ibn Kathir 4:261). She then asked to be transported to Sarf — the town in which she had spent her wedding night with her beloved husband, Prophet Muhammad — where she eventually passed away.

Author: Maria Zain

Helpful Tips for Children to Commemorate the Prophet’s Life