Children involving in the Recitation of Qur’an

By Humaira

“Verily, We have sent it down as an Arabic Qur’ân in order that you may understand. We relate unto you (Muhammad SAW) the best of stories through Our Revelations unto you, of this Qur’ân. And before this (i.e. before the coming of Divine Revelation to you), you were among those who knew nothing about it (the Qur’ân) “[12: 1-3]

Hiba was a bright kid, fond of reading books, and now that her summer holidays had begun, she was excited about getting to read other books.

She found a shelf in which her mother kept the different kind of books. She had discovered it long before, but was too busy with school work and Quran lessons to sit down and read them.
One day she asked her mother if she could go and get a book from the shelf to read.

`Yes, of course.’Amina answered as she was cooking something in the kitchen.

Hiba quickly went in, grabbed a story book and began reading.

Amina had already read that book; it was a story of a beautiful princess who had got transformed into a monkey by some jinn and a prince found her… In short – a castle in the air that wouldn’t have done any good to Hiba. Well enough, Amina thought it was a waste of time for her daughter to read such stories. In fact, she wanted her daughter to read the Holy Quran, but when she saw the interest of her daughter in that book she let her read, and decided to deal with it another day.

Only for the next two days Hiba was found with the story book, after which she lost interest in it.

Where is your book, Hiba?’

‘I finished reading it’- answered Hiba.

`And did you like the story?’

`No mama, I didn’t quite  like it.’

Amina was surprised how her daughter didn’t find the book interesting although it was appropriate for her age – something most kids would love reading.

‘I don’t know Mama…but I didn’t enjoy reading it.’
 
Amina was actually relieved to hear that from her daughter. She asked Hiba,`Should I then show you a book that has beautiful stories, you would enjoy reading?’

Hiba anxiously replied that she would love to.

Amina gave her the Holy Quran.

SubhanAllah! Hiba opened it. Her little hands were holding onto the Qur’an so tightly…

Amina was constantly making du’a: “Oh Allah, may my children always hold on to the Qur’an and gain benefit and guidance from it – Ameen”

Hiba’s curiosity bursted… `Mama, where should I start from?’ 

 `Surah Ash-Shuara, chapter 26 tells the story of Prophet Musa, peace be upon him. It is a very beautiful chapter and we can together read it and learn a lot from it.’
 
Amina opened Surah Ash-Shuara and made Hiba read it.

Hiba eventually got so engrossed  reading that she forgot what was going around her.

Amina sighed with a relief. AlhamduLillah! She went back to the kitchen to finish what she was doing.

After a while, Amina asked Hiba, “So did you like reading the Qur’an?”

`Yes mama, very much!’ she replied.

Amina then told her, “when I was a kid and had started reading the Qur’an, I also felt the same. It is indeed interesting and is a guide, which when followed, makes us the best of human beings…’

Hiba told her mother the story she read and both of them discussed the events and the characters.

“We send down (stage by stage) in the Qur’an that which is a healing and a mercy to those who believe: to the unjust it causes nothing but loss after loss.” [17:82]

Indeed…the Qur’an is guidance,Wisdom, Strength, Healing, Mercy and lot more, for those who read it and follow it so why delay? Let our children hold it and read it until it becomes the life of their souls and the light of their hearts.

The prophet (peace be upon him) used to seek Allah’s protection for Al-Hasan and Al-Husain by saying to them: “I seek protection for you in the perfect words of Allah from every devil and every beast, and from every envious blameworthy eye” – Al-Bukhari 4/119