Ramadan Articles - Education of Children inRamadan

Children (who have not reached puberty) are not commanded to fast.
However, their parents orguardians are strongly recommended to
encourage them to fast a few days so that they get used to it and they
grow up knowing of the worship of fasting as they would know that of
praying. In fact this was the practice of the first women of Islam who
were living around the Prophet, salla Allahu alaihi wa sallam. An
example of that is Ar-Rubayya' bint Mu'awiyyah who reported that:
"The Messenger of Allah sent a man on the morning of the day of
'Ashurah, to the residences of the Ansar, saying: 'Whoever has spent
the morning fasting is to complete his fast. Whoever has not spent
this morning fasting should voluntarilyfast for the remainder of the
day.' We fasted after that announcement, as did our young children. We
would go to the mosque and make toys stuffed with cotton for them to
play with. If one of them started crying due to hunger, we wouldgive
him a toy to play with until it was time to eat." [al-Bukhari and
Muslim.]
Dear brothers and sisters,remember that among the seven that Allah
will shade under His shade onthe Day of Judgement is ayoung man who
grew upin the worship of Allah. Therefore let your children be one of
these.
There are many ways to educate your children about Ramadan. The
bestand most important way is to set the good example by fasting
properly and behaving according to the Prophetic teachings. This is
what your children willtake from you first. Whenyou are fulfilling
this you can very easily teach them what you want, and they will
accept it and practise it easilly as well. Here are few tips that you
can use with your children. No doubt you can think of others as well:
*.Depending on their ageencourage them to fast a number of days upto
every other day or more for those who arealmost at the age of puberty.
For those who are still young let them fast a day or two and praise
them in front of friends and relatives fortheir achivement.
*.Let your children go with their father to the Masjid for Maghrib
prayer and break the fast with the larger Muslim community to make
them feel the greatness of fasting and the unity of Muslims in
worshippingAllah.
*.If your children cannot fast let them eat with you at the time of
Maghrib and teach them that you are breaking the fast even if they ate
before.
*.Teach your children thesupplication of breaking the fast.
*.Take your children to the Taraweeh prayer sothat they get used to it
and know about it fromtheir early age. They may sit or stay in the
back of the prayer room if they get tired.
*.Teach them to give charity. Do it in front of them and tell them you
are doing it because the reward increases in Ramadan.
*.Teach them to recite Qur'an regularly and inform them that the
Prophet (S) used to do that in Ramadan.
*.Correct them if they behave wrongly or say unaccaptable words and
remind them that they are fasting or they are in Ramadan and this may
alter their reward.
*.Wake them up for Suhoor (even if they don't fast) and Fajr prayer.
*.Teach them to feed the fasting people for iftaar, and tell them
about the reward for that.
*.Dress them in the best clothes, give them baths and take them with
you to the Eid Prayer. Teach them thatthis is our feast and
celebration and that Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving and otherholidays
are not ours. Stress the distinction.
And remember that the Prophet salla allahu alaihi wa sallam said:
"For one who is given theresponsibility of the bringing up of
daughtersand treats them well, they will be a shield for him from
Hell."(Bukhari and Muslim)