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THE CHILDREN’S QUESTIONS ABOUT FAITH


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4. We should tell them about stories in them and explain that the previous


ones have been altered by people, that they were temporary and


specifically sent for certain nations, and that Allah did not guard them


like the Quran.


5. Belief that the Qur’an supersedes all previous scriptures and that people


are obliged to follow its commands until Judgment Day. People


must obey its clear laws and not trespass the boundaries it sets.


We encourage children to memorize


the Quran because memorizing


the Quran improves children brainpower


and enlightens the child’s


soul through its verses. The noble


Quran invites us to think about


the creation of the skies, Earth,


humans, and our surroundings. It


increases our faith and knowledge


that accompany actions.


Memorizing and understanding


the Quran improve intelligence. It


also improves Arabic pronunciation


and language skills. Furthermore,


it nurtures religious emotions (e.g.


fear, affection, submission) and


gets children to practice its teachings


on daily basis.


It teaches children the correct way


of life and noble morals.


How to Encourage Children to


Memorize the Quran?


1. One of the most effective


methods in encouraging children


to memorize the Quran, is


to mention the virtues of memorizing


it, reciting it, teaching


it, and applying its teachings


in daily life. The prophet (may


Allah’s peace and blessings


be upon him) says: “Read the


Quran, as it will come as an


intercessor for its companions


on the Day of Resurrection.”


He also says: “It shall be said


- to the one who memorized


the Quran - ‘Recite, and rise,


recite as you would recite back


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in life. For indeed your rank shall be at the


last verse you recite.’”, and says: “The example


of a Believer who recites the Quran,


is that of a citron which smells good and


tastes good, and the example of a Believer


who does not recite the Quran, is that


of a date which has no smell but tastes


sweet. The example of a hypocrite who


recites the Quran, is that of an aromatic


plant which smells good but tastes bitter,


and the example of a hypocrite who does


not recite the Quran, is that of a colocynth


plant which has no smell and is bitter in


taste.” In addition, he says: “The best


among you (Muslims) are those who learn


the Quran and teach it.”


2. We should also reward children for reading


and memorizing Quran and attending


classes that teach it .


3. We must simplify the process of memorizing


the Quran and make it likable by starting


off with short surahs. Children should


start with the last part (Juz’ Amma). This


has short and rhymed chapters, which


makes it easier to memorize. These chapters


also mention the pillars of faith and


reinforce creed and discipline. The Quran


provides health and security because the


noble Quran is a reminder and a medica-


THE CHILDREN’S QUESTIONS ABOUT FAITH


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tion. In addition, it strengthens children’s


language skills


4. We must briefly explain the meanings of


the Surah’s children recite and memorize.


These meanings open children’s minds


and hearts. We should not underestimate


the importance of explaining the meanings


of the Quran to children; children have


amazing skills in memorizing and understanding


the Quran.


5. We should teach children that the Quran is


an antidote, a mercy, and a blessing from


Allah. Allah says: “And We send down of


the Quran that which is healing and mercy


for the believers.” Whoever memorizes it,


or part of it, can treat himself and anyone


sick.


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The Fourth Pillar:


Belief in the Messengers


This pillar includes that Allah has chosen them for specific nations and


that they are morally and mentally fit to deliver His message. Allah says:


“And We did not send any messenger except [speaking] in the language of


his people to state clearly for them.” The following are some of the points


concerning belief in the messengers that need to be taught to children:


1. That Allah the Almighty sent a messenger to every nation calling


them to worship Allah alone and to disbelieve in anything else .


They are all trustworthy, righteous, wise, pious, and honest.


2. The message - from the first messenger to the last one - highlights


monotheism, meaning that all worships are directed to Allah Almighty


alone (including creeds, words, and actions). No one is to be worshiped


other than Him.


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3. That there is divine wisdom


in sending messengers to His


creatures: to worship Allah


Alone (monotheism), to guide


mankind to the right path, to


teach people the aspects of


religion and life, to take them


out of the darkness into light,


to lead the nations and apply


Allah’s law, and to lead by example.


4. That Allah sent the messengers to guide mankind to His path because


He is merciful and He cares for us. This means we should thank Him


for this great blessing and love the messengers and prophets because


they delivered His message and advised us. No matter how


aware and intelligent we are, we cannot successfully reform a whole


nation to achieve cohesion, equality, and justice. The messengers


taught people what benefits them and warned against what harms


them.


5. That we must love and obey Allah’s last messenger, Muhammad


(may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), and not love any


other one more than him. We must also love those who loved and


supported the messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon


him) and to distance ourselves from those who opposed him. We


must also honor him and say “peace and blessings upon him” whenever


mentioned and appreciate his qualities and virtues because he


was very merciful and compassionate. In addition, those who have


been honored by visiting his mosque and standing at his grave must


respect him by lowering their voices at his grave (may Allah’s peace


and blessings be upon him) and his mosque.


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How to Teach Children to Love the prophets (may Allah’s peace and


blessings be upon them). especially the last prophet:


1. We must assure children that Allah the Almighty loves His prophet


(may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and has chosen him


over everyone else. He Almighty ordered us to love him (may Allah’s


peace and blessings be upon him). We must teach children that loving


the prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) is a


sign of loving Allah the Almighty; whoever loves the prophet (may


Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) truly loves Allah.


2. Remind children that the prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings


be upon him) is a mercy to the worlds. He guided us by delivering


this religion. He will be a mercy to the believers and will intercede on


behalf of them -with Allah’s permission on the Day of Resurrection


3. Encourage children to read chapters of the prophet’s noble biography.


This biography teaches children that the prophet (may Allah’s


peace and blessings be upon him) is the example and role model


to everyone. We must mention his Allah-given miracles (may Allah’s


peace and blessings be upon him), his great morals, his support for


the oppressed, his sympathy for the poor, his care of the orphans,


and his compassion for the weak. In doing all of this, we should use a


language that fit their age and suit their mental stage. We must diversify


our tools to meet children’s needs and requirements for growth


and to take into consideration the nature of individual differences and


environmental conditions.


4. Children must observe their parents and surrounding environment


honoring the prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him),


his Sunnah, and his words by following him (may Allah’s peace and


blessings be upon him) and praying for him (may Allah’s peace and


blessings be upon him) whenever mentioned. Parents behavior is


one of the most effective ways of influence (i.e. a father performs


certain acts of worship and informs his children that this is what the


messenger (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) used to


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do. Raising children by example has the greatest effect on positive


development and faith education; the messenger (may Allah’s peace


and blessings be upon him) is the example and role model that educators


must follow and apply in everyday life with their children.


5. Children should memorize some of the authentic narrations that indicate


the perfection of Islam that the prophet brought, the great qualities


of the prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him), and the


virtue of his companions. The narrations (Hadith) have a great impact


on faith, behavior, and self-improvement. We can arrange competitions


in short narrations with clear meanings that include some of the


important morals and motivate children with rewards


6. Parents should mention the narrations of the companions dealing


with the prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) and


how they used to honor him, especially the companions of young


age, such as the story of Anas’ endeavor to follow him (may Allah’s


peace and blessings be upon him). When a tailor invited Allah’s messenger


(may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) to a meal


which he had prepared. Anas says: “I went with Allah’s messenger


(may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) to that meal, and the


tailor served the prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon


him) barley bread and soup of squash and meat. I saw Allah’s messenger


(may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) picking the


pieces of squash from around the dish, and since then I have kept


on liking squash.” The parent should take care of demonstrating


how his companions (may Allah be pleased with them) loved him and


sacrificed for him and keep telling related stories.


7. There are fruits to loving the prophet. Anas’s narration that a man


asked the prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)


about the Hour (the Day of Resurrection) saying: “When will the Hour


be?” The prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him)


said: “What have you prepared for it?”, the man said: “Nothing, except


that I love Allah and His messenger.” The prophet (may Allah’s peace


and blessings be upon him) said: “You will be with those whom you


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love.” Anas says: “We had never been so glad as we were hearing


that saying of the prophet (“You will be with those whom you love.”)


Therefore, I love the prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be


upon him), Abu Bakr and `Umar, and I hope that I will be with them


because of my love for them though my deeds are not like theirs».


8. We should help children love the prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings


be upon him) through creative methods such as poetry, stories,


speeches, and articles. We should encourage contests in the topic of


‘loving the prophet (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him).


THE CHILDREN’S QUESTIONS ABOUT FAITH


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The Fifth Pillar:


The Belief in the Hereafter


Belief in the Hereafter includes belief in death, resurrection, judgment,


reward and punishment, walking the straight path, weighing deeds, Paradise,


and Hellfire. During Middle childhood, children begin to clearly recognize


concepts about the Hereafter; prior to this, it is better to keep that


talk brief and concise. We should only explain that there is another life


and that Allah has created Paradise for the believers and Hellfire for disbelievers.


Children should be taught the following about the Hereafter:


1. Allah will revive everyone from


death on the Day of Resurrection


so that they will be judged


for their actions in life. People


will be either rewarded or punished


for their doings.


2. Allah created Paradise (i.e.


the house of blessing, happiness,


and eternity) to reward


his faithful believers. He also


created Hellfire for non-believers.


We should strive to


achieve Paradise’s and what


Allah prepared in it for the believers


3. We should delicately talk to


children about death and the


Hereafter and highlight Allah’s


mercy and forgiveness so


that disturbing thoughts don’t


haunt them


4. Allah is not unjust to anyone.


He will punish the wrong doers


and will compensate the oppressed


and reward the good


doers. Tyrants will be held accountable


for their actions in


the Hereafter. Each person will


get what he or she deserves


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The Sixth Pillar:


Belief in Destiny


Belief in destiny includes belief in Allah’s perfect knowledge, decree, capabilities,


creation, and will. Prior to nine, children cannot understand destiny


and discussion on it should be delayed until later stage


However, certain aspects can be taught during that time:


1. First and foremost, we should teach children to trust in Allah: This


aspect is easy to grasp and the prophet has exemplified it when he


gave advice to Abdullah ibn Abbas, who was a child at the time. Ibn


Abbas said: “One day I was behind the prophet (may Allah’s peace


and blessings be upon him) and he said: (O young man, I shall teach


you some words: Be mindful of Allah and Allah will protect you. Be


mindful of Allah and you will find Him in front of you. If you ask, then


ask Allah; and if you seek help, then seek help from Allah. And know


that if the nation were to gather together to benefit you with anything,


they would not benefit you except with what Allah had already decreed


for you. And if they were to gather together to harm you with


anything, they would not harm you except with what Allah had already


decreed against you. The pens have been lifted and the pages


have dried.” In another narration: “Be mindful of Allah, and you will


find Him in front of you. Recognize and acknowledge Allah in times of


ease and prosperity, and He will remember you in times of adversity.


And know that what has missed you [and you have failed to attain]


was not going to befall you, and what has befallen you was not going


to miss you. And know that victory comes with patience, relief comes


with affliction, and hardship comes with ease“.


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2. Parents should avoid discussing destiny with their children at this


stage. However, they can explain the extent of Allah’s knowledge


of pre-destiny, His capabilities, and His omnipresence that does not


negate people’s freedom of choice and the consequences of that


choice. Yet, if the issue of destiny preoccupies a child’s mind, the


mentor should clarify it in a simple and conceivable manner.


3. Teach children to seek help only from Allah. Prayers must be directed


to Allah only. We must trust and depend on Him. We must also be


patient with whatever he decrees.


4. That Allah decrees whatever is good. Therefore, one must not be


depressed or weak when bad things happen. Instead, one must be


content with Allah’s decree, even if it is difficult. One must be sure


that: “We will never be struck with calamity except by what Allah has


decreed for us“.


5. That everything is in Allah’s hands; He does whatever He wants


because He has absolute control over His dominion. This leads to


strengthening the children’s connection to Allah and directing their


prayers and hopes towards Him.


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6. Belief in destiny brings stability and peace. Once a believer realizes


that everything that happens to him or her - whether good or bad - is


good and that absolute evil does not exist, he or she will be relieved


and content. Believers in destiny face their problems, concerns, and


worries with a welcoming heart and adjust accordingly. Whoever believes


in destiny does not panic during calamities; Believers in destiny


surrender to Allah’s Will, hoping to be rewarded by Allah; they remind


themselves at the first shock of Allah’s promise of reward: “And


give good tidings to the patient ۝ Who, when disaster strikes them,


say, “Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return“.


۝ Those are the ones upon whom are blessings from their Lord and


mercy. And it is those who are the [rightly] guided“.


7. We should utilize stories of people who returned to Allah when hit by


distress and later realized the goodness in what Allah had decreed as


their lives changed for the better.


8. That Allah has unlimited knowledge about the past, present and future:


Allah is omnipresent but he does not prevent people from their


freedom of choice and the consequences of that choice. Belief in


destiny is summarized in believing that Allah knows everything in detail


and that He has written in the Slate all that is predestined for


everyone until the Day of Resurrection.


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Introduction on


How to Answer


Children’s


Questions


THE CHILDREN’S QUESTIONS ABOUT FAITH


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After After all, Allah created Children to


learn through asking questions. Conversations


during childhood are mostly


questions. Children feel that they


know nothing about their surroundings.


Because ignorance generates


fear, children rush to learn about things


as much as they could. Three year old


children ask their parents and siblings


tens of questions. The answers, without


doubt, affect them and shift them


from a state to another, which is seen


through their continuous shift from one


topic to another during conversation.


Children can always be heard asking:


“What?” “Where is that?” “How did


that happen?” “Where did that come


from?” “What is it?” “Do you know?”


etc. Children want to know everything


that interest them. They want to understand


the things that they see and


hear about even though they might not


listen to or comprehend answers


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Children are curious. Their curiosity increases according to their environment


and present opportunities. That’s why we are overwhelmed by their


questions that are more intense than ours when we were children. Times


have changed and our surroundings and science have progressed. Undoubtedly,


the parent’s educational methodology affects the extent of children’


questions. A parent who gives the opportunity and happily accepts


children’s questions delves deeper in their souls. Conversely, parents who


do not accept questions, will not have intrigued children. It is true that children


should not know everything; yet, it is important that children do not


shy from asking questions that affect their lives. Children should not feel


insignificant or untrusted. More importantly, children must feel comfortable


talking to their parents.


Reasons Why Children Ask


so Many Questions


The reason why children ask so many questions can be listed in the


following points:


1. Their desire to explore and discover in order to satisfy the needs of


their mental growth.


2. Their need to understand their surroundings.


3. Their concerns or fears due to their lack of previous experience. For


example: children are scared of animals even if they are harmless.


Children ask questions to feel safe


4. The development of their language. When children ask questions,


they practice language and demonstrate language capabilities and


social participation rather than search for answers


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5. The opportunity for communication and emotional connection with


parents


6. Developing confidence in parents and his self-esteem


Nature of


Children’s Questions


In order to understand children’s questions, we must distinguish between


intellectual, linguistic, and psychological questions. In the first type


of questions, the motif is to learn or talk about interests. In the second


type, the motif is psychological relief, not answers. After all, questions


are determined by context. We cannot determine the importance of the


question, understand it, or define its meaning without understanding the


specific situation that inspired the child to ask. Questions have no value


in themselves; their value is derived from the situation itself and the surrounding


circumstances.


Children’s questions serve three structural functions; which are:


1. Psychological stability: Many children’s questions are based upon a


psychological inspiration.


2. Deductive thinking: Children obtain knowledge through available information


built through connections


3. Knowledge about surrounding environment and essential life matters


that include: moral and behavioral values within the cultural and


social environment.


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Types of


Questions in Children


It is important to classify children’s questions because answers vary according


to their types. Questions are classified as follows.


1. Language questions: for example: “Why are things named?”, “Why


don’t names change?,” and “Why don’t we invent a new language“?


2. Existential questions: For example: “Where did we come from?,”


“Where will we go?,” “How do children come?,” “What does death


mean?,” and “What about the universe?”etc.


3. Rebellious questions: these questions are centered around “Why


aren’t children allowed to do what grown-ups do?” They are attempts


to imitate adults rather than mere questions.


4. Test questions: these questions test the parents’ limits and criticize


perceived weaknesses. They usually come in the form of comparison


with other parents and focus on the financial and physical capabilities


5. Concern questions: these questions reflect anxiety. The most com-


THE CHILDREN’S QUESTIONS ABOUT FAITH


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mon anxiety questions are about the absence or desertion of a parent.


6. Questions about the body: these questions are about the body


gender difference.


This classification can help parents understand the background of questions


posed by children. Children do not ask for the sake of asking; they


ask to understand


Why Do Parents Ignore Children’s Questions?


Ignoring questions or showing irritability is not only a result of lacking


answers or understanding the psychological and educational function of


questions, but also a result of other reasons such as:


1. Adults feel that the questions are awkward or unimportant which results


in dismissing them. Adults fall in the trap of ignoring children’s’


rights of individual simple and clear thinking as a result of a false


feeling of authority that dismisses the child’s right to throw simple


questions that reflect sincere desire for knowledge , discovery, and


psychological stability


2. Adults feel that some questions are difficult because they are related


to social, cultural, or moral taboos that can only be discussed


at a specific age. The difficulty and awkwardness of questions are


discomforting to adults. Thus, adults should be prepared to answer


these questions in a suitable manner


3. Sometimes, the amount and progression of questions forces adults


to neglect these questions. This would not have happened have


adults realized the psychological importance children’s questions.


Instead, adults would have supported the child and encouraged him


or her to think out loud and ask more.


4. Sometimes, parents ignore questions because they are vague or


indirect


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5. Parents may avoid answering questions because they do not know


the underlying motif of the question. However, adults should provide


honest and sincere answers


6. Parents ignore children’s questions because they feel that they require


objective answers because of the child’s limited mental abilities.


At this point, parents wonder how the child thought of the question


rather than answer it


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How Should Parents Deal with Children’s Questions about Faith?


Parents should provide the right answers for their children’s questions.


They should also find ways to discuss their concerns about faith. They


must encourage them talk about their ideas about religion so that they


would be content and confident and so that they can comprehend religious


balance away from prejudice. Parents do not need to know all


the right answers for their children’s questions; however, they must teach


them the six pillars of faith so that they grow with a strong belief in Allah.


It is beautiful idea to assign older siblings to write down the questions of


their younger siblings; older siblings would welcome that task if they found


care and support. They will also have fun because we are teaching older


children appreciating questioning, which will encourage them to ask themselves.


This will also teach children how to respect the question of their


future children when they become parents. In addition, parents will collect


questions and have answers for their future brothers and sisters as well.


Answering questions makes children happy and improves relationships -


Allah permitting. Instead of suspicious sources, parents become the first


trusted source of information during the coming years, especially during


teenage.


Parents should differentiate between two kinds of faith questions: urgent


repeated questions presented to multiple members in the family that may


produce other questions and casual questions that can be avoided by


directing attention to other topics. It is not wise to ignore the first type of


questions. We must try our best to answer the first type of questions or


look for someone who can because these questions have an important


educational dimension. Casual questions, however, do not need answers


especially if the answers are beyond the child’s comprehension. Furthermore,


When Answering Questions, parents should uphold the basics


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When Answering


Questions, parents


should uphold the basics


There are principles parents should commit to while answering


questions. These include:


1. Respect: parents taking question should make their child feel that


they share him or her concerns. Respecting these concerns establishes


psychological balance, calmness, self-confidence, focus, and


logical cohesion. Parents should also ensure that older siblings do


not mock their younger sibling. In case this happens, parents must


take a stand, praise the child’s courage and emphasize the importance


in asking by reminding everyone of what Allah said: “And mankind


have not been given of knowledge except a little”


2. Trust and Honesty: parents should be precise in their answers.


They should use simple language that is easy to understand and


simplify scientific information. Honest answers result in stability, confidence,


and psychological security


3. Addressing the Motives of Asking a Question: motifs rise from


surroundings. For example, children get worried and disturbed after


the birth of a new baby in the family. A child may ask: “Where do children


come from?” We should not answer this question scientifically;


we rather need to address the question’s real motifs.


The best thing parents can give children is helping them enlighten their


minds not through stories, tales, and true knowledge only, but also through


meditation, suggestions, questioning, and thinking outside the box. Interaction,


positive discussion, purposeful conversation, and opinions exchange


are crucial. Parents must also ask questions that inspire thinking


in children.


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82


We can use the answers of children’s question in a more open way. If


the question is normal and not deep or sensitive, parents may ask their


child or encourage him or her to bring up the question in a family meeting.


Then, they should encourage everyone to join the discussion because:


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Education Through


Conversation


Conversation between children and their parents benefits the family


in many ways: it gets children closer to the rest of the family, it increases


harmony and love between members of the family, and it nurtures a


friendly atmosphere that goes beyond discussing topics.


From this, we can summarize that education by conversation bring the


following:


1. It gives children the freedom to independently think and reach facts.


This inspires their creativity and develops their personality


2. It is simple and without formalities. It is engaging, relaxing, and not


embarrassing


3. It brings happiness and self-confidence to children. It also teaches


them to listen to others


4. It provides an opportunity for searching and logical and independent


thinking. It also allows children to think from different points of view


5. It raises children’s level of attention and interaction. Conversely, it


prevents lack of attention and weariness.


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Phrases for


Conversation


Questions


During conversation, children can be asked using many phrases:


What happens?,” this phrase encourages children to look at their surroundings.


It helps them directly describe their observations


What do you want?,” this phrase helps children state their needs


How do you do that?,” this phrase helps children think freely and inspires


their imagination to search for answers


Why does this happen?” this phrase helps children search for causes


for certain issues and analyze connections between them


(What would we do if such-and- happened?), this phrase helps children


re-examine things from different perspectives.


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Ways to Answer


Children’s


Questions


We mentioned earlier the kinds and forms of questions.


Here, we will talk about ways of answering


questions that vary according to time, place, and condition.


The most common ways are:


1. Direct Verbal Answers are the most common way of


answering questions: A child asks a question and parents


provide a verbal, quick, and brief answer


2. Short Story Answers are indirect answers. Stories


should suit the nature of the question. Usually, children


enjoy story answers and listen to them attentively


3. Visual Answers are answers with colorful and attractive


illustrations (e.g. scientific illustrations) in which images


are main source of information


4. Observation answers are answers in which children


are required to observe and reach conclusions (e.g.


questions about animals, their livelihood, and reproduction).


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87


General Instructions


to Consider When


Answering Children


When answering questions, there are a set of dos and don’ts that we


should pay attention to


1. Discuss answers with children. When done, ensure that the child is


convinced by the answer.


Remember: fruitful answers are short, clear and specific, suitable for


children’s age, time, location, and conditions they live in, and they do not


focus on right and wrong; they rather inspire children and widen their horizons


and imagination


2. Be honest. Take care not to provide wrong information at any cost.


The accuracy of your answers is the cornerstone to earn your child’s


trust.


3. Simplify your answer so that it is understandable and suitable. Whatever


information you provide will stick in the child’s mind 1-


Avoid ambiguity and confusion.


Avoid incomplete information under the pretense that the child is young


and does not understand..


4. Do not underestimate your child’s cognitive abilities; Children can


understand when the right method is used.


5. Do not blame, mock, or scold your child for asking questions.


Make your child notices that you are ready to answer all his or her


questions. Mockery makes the child feel small, unconfident. It also


discourages exploration.


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88


6. Do not worry if questions about Allah reflect inability to imagine His


existence. Do not escape answering these questions because the


child will look for answers elsewhere.


7. Do not hesitate to ask for help finding the right answer. To come off


as a seeker of knowledge is better than coming off as an arrogant


who claims to know what to expect. It is not shameful to ask your


child to wait until you find the right answer


8. Answer questions directly without distortion.


9. When busy, calmly explain to your child that the time is not suitable


for you to answer questions. Respond to the question when free.


10. Avoid unnecessary detailed explanations. Answering questions of


a six year old should be shorter than answering those of a ten year


old, and so on. This includes questions that need abundant details


and evidence (e.g. metaphysical or embarrassing questions). Other


answers are limited and given to all age levels.


11. Link answers, as much as possible, to elements children conceive.


Avoid abstract concepts that confuse children.


12. Both parents should align their answers. Opinions should be the


same when guiding providing information for children


13. Do not answer a question with a question. When a parent responds


asking: “What do you mean?,” the child feels frustrated for failing


to deliver the question. Children believe that parents should understand


without further explanation. If parents want to confirm they


understood the point, they should use an affirming statement like:


“You mean.”.…


14. Avoid dictation; instead, Parents must not be radical in expressing


their opinions. If a child gets an answer from a different source, they


should respond with the correct answer in a simple, convincing, and


easy way that regains the trust in them rather than others.


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15. Do not lecture; Instead: discuss. Provide examples, tell stories, and


utilize audio-visual and scientific material, dynamic games, imitation,


drawing, meditation, songs, brainstorming, mind games, wall craft,


etc. to deliver answers. Variety improves children’s intelligence and


broadens their knowledge.


16. Some questions should be answered gradually. The more a child


demands, the more answers you provide depending on age, type of


question, and extent of awareness.


17. When children mature, ask for their opinion on what they are inquiring


and observe their reaction before answering them. Then answer


according to their response. Children do not and should not think the


way we think because they have a different mindset.



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