2] Getting Children Accustomed to Fasting

2] I have a son who is nine years old and I would like your help in
teaching me how I can make my son get used to fasting Ramadan in sha
Allaah, because he only fasted 15days of Ramadan last year.
Praise be to Allaah.
Firstly:
We are very happy to see questions like this, which is indicative of
great care and concern for children and for raising them to worship
Allah. This is good care for those whom Allah has entrustedto the
parents' care.
Secondly:
A boy of nine years of ageis not one of those who are accountable for
fasting according to sharee'ah (Islamic law), because he has not yet
reached puberty. But Allahhas enjoined parents to raise their children
to do acts of worship. Allah commands them to teach their children the
prayer when they are seven years old, and to smack them (lightly) if
they do not do it when they are ten years old. The Companions (may
Allah be pleased with them) used to make their children fast when they
were small so as to make them get used to this great act of worship.
All ofthat is indicative of great concern to raise one's children with
the best of attributes and deeds.
With regard to prayer:
The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him)
said: " Teach your children to pray when they are sevenyears old and
smack themif they do not pray when they are ten years old, and
separate them in their beds." Narrated by Abu Dawood (495) and classed
as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood.
With regard to fasting:
It was narrated that al-Rubayyi' bint Mu'awwidh ibn 'Afra' (may Allah
be pleased with her) said: On the morning of 'Ashoora', the Messenger
of Allaah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) sent word to the
villages of the Ansaar around Madeenah, saying: "Whoever started the
day fasting, let him complete his fast, and whoever started the day
not fasting, let him complete the rest of the day (without food)."
After that, we used to faston this day, and we would make our children
fast too, even the little ones in sha Allaah. We would make them toys
out of wool, and if one of them cried for food, we would give (that
toy) to him until it was time to break the fast.
Narrated by al-Bukhaari (1960) and Muslim (1136).
'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said to one who was drunk during
Ramadan: "Woe toyou! Even our children arefasting!" And he hit him.
Narrated by al-Bukhaari ina mu'allaq report, Bab Sawm al-Subyaan
(Chapter on the fast of children).
The age at which parents should start teaching theirchildren to fast
is the age when they are able to fast, which varies according to the
physical constitution of each child, but some scholars have defined it
as the age of ten years.
For more details on that please see the answer to question number
65558 , in which there is important information.
Thirdly:
With regard to means of helping children to get used to fasting, that
may involve a number of things, such as:
1. Telling them of the virtues of fasting and thatit is one of the
most important means of entering Paradise, and that in Paradise there
is a gate called al-Rayyaan through which those whofast will enter.
2. Prior experience of getting used to fasting, such as fasting a
few daysin the month of Sha'ban, so that fasting in Ramadan will not
come asa shock to them.
3. Fasting part of the day and increasing the time gradually.
4. Delaying sahoor (pre-dawn meal) until the last part of the
night. Thatwill help them to fast during the day.
5. Encouraging them to fast by giving them rewards each day or each week.
6. Praising them in front of the family at the time of iftaar
(breaking fast) and sahoor, because that will raise their morale.
7. Instilling a spirit of competition for the one who has more
than one child, whilst rememberingthat it is essential not to rebuke
the one who is struggling.
8. Distracting the one who gets hungry by letting him sleep or
play permissible games that do not involve effort, as the noble
Sahaabah (Companions) used to do with their children. There are
suitable programmes for children and cartoons on the trustworthy
Islamic channels with which you can distract them.
9. It is preferable for the father to take his son -- especially
after 'Asr -- toattend the prayer and lessons, and to stay in the
mosque to read Qur'aan and remember Allah.
10. Arranging visits duringthe day and night to families whose young
children are also fasting, so as to encourage them to carry on
fasting.
11. Rewarding them with permissible trips after iftaar, or making the
kindsof food, sweets, fruits and juices that they want.
It should be noted:->

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