Encouragement is Key!

How do I know? Because I’ve seen the effect it has had on my children, walhamdulillaah.

I used to be a little harsh with Junayd when it came to salaah - him messing around when I prayed. But one day, he took it upon himself to pray with me, and… mashaa`Allaah, he prayed the whole salaah. Okay, so he fidgeted here and there and turned to look at his sister, but he prayed the salaah all the same.

When we finished I smothered him with kisses and told him how pleased Allaah is when we pray; Junayd had the widest smile on his face, mashaa`Allaah. Thereafter he rushes to pray with me, and prays the full 3 or 4 rak’aat, tabaarakAllaah, and does so because he WANTS to. It really makes my heart melt, and I say the du’aa of Prophet Ibraheem:

“Rabbij-’alnee muqeemus-salaati wa min dhurriyyatee, rabbana wa taqabbal du’aa`.
Rabbanaghfirlee wali waalidayya, wa lil-mu`mineena, yawma yaqoomul hisaab”

O my Lord! Make me one who performs As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), and (also) from my offspring, our Lord! And accept my invocation.

Our Lord! Forgive me and my parents, and (all) the believers on the Day when the reckoning will be established. (Soorah al-Ibraheem: 40-41)

May Allaah preserve the goodness that He has instilled in our children, and preserve the fitrah within them, aameen.

~ Umm Junayd.