The Messenger of Allah (PBUH): The Ultimate Role Model in Raising Children

The life of the noble Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is replete with clear examples, noble stances, and wise approaches in his interactions with children, highlighting his love for them and his humility in their company. These are noble prophetic morals and great educational methods that we urgently need today. We see the Prophet’s ﷺ methodology for instilling sound morals, values, and principles in the behavior of our children from birth through adolescence, so that they become individuals with pure souls and vibrant hearts. The Prophet ﷺ established a comprehensive system for raising children and training them in righteous conduct; he was compassionate toward them. The prophetic approach to dealing with children took various forms, including the Prophet’s ﷺ saying: “Order your children to pray when they are seven years old, and strike them for it when they are ten.” This sound Islamic methodology dictates that a child should begin getting accustomed to prayer at the age of seven, learning its value by being taken to the mosque. At ten years old, the child reaches the age of legal responsibility, i.e., puberty. The Prophet ﷺ also provided another guideline regarding the punishment of children, saying: “Do not strike the face, and do not use abusive language; strike with something like a miswak stick.” This prophetic methodology is what the Prophet prescribed when a child refuses to pray, because he ﷺ was the Prophet of Mercy, as Allah the Exalted said: “And We have not sent you except as a mercy to the worlds.” And Allah, Might and Glory be His, said: “There has certainly come to you a Messenger from among yourselves. Harsh is he upon you [to bear their hardship]; concerned over them is he; to the believers is he kind and merciful.”