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Classic Q: Suffer The
Little Children Page 11 Last week something awful happened. It’s not on the scale of Bosnia or Somalia – far from it – but it deeply saddened and discouraged me. My husband took my pre-schooler son, Ahmed, to the mosque. Ahmed knows a lot of the Salat, and can stand in a congregation, even if he does wriggle a bit and wave his feet in the air during the Sujud. We want him to see the mosque as a Good Place to Go, so whenever possible, Daddy takes him with him. At the mosque they usually go to, all the “uncles” fuss over him and make him welcome. Sometimes there is another child for him to play with; and the brothers tolerate any high-jinks, firmly put a stop to it when the children get too loud, boisterous or cheeky. Last week, Daddy had to go to a different part of town, and decided to go to pray dhuhr in a different mosque, where he knows and likes some of the brothers. This was another good opportunity to take Ahmed and let him see “Islam in action” (with the added bonus of stopping off at the nearby Halal shop for goodies!)- so off they went. This time, Ahmed didn’t get the chance to stand in line with the men and pray with them. As soon as he and Daddy entered the room, the Imam told him to sit down at the side of the room and keep quiet! Needless to say, I was furious when I heard of this. If Ahmed had been rampaging around the room and distracting people, the “discipline” would have been acceptable. But to feel that a child’s presence in a mosque is barely tolerable for some…this is too much for me to take. At the time of the Prophet, upon whom be blessings and peace, the men prayed at the front of the mosque, the women prayed at the back- and the children were in the middle. The Prophet, upon whom be blessings and peace, used to carry his grandchild on his shoulders whilst he led the Salat. Children were very much part of the scene; they weren’t just tolerated in the mosque- they were welcome. Moreover, the people who don’t like to see small children in the mosque are probably the first to wring their hands in despair when teenage boys get drunk and teenage girls run away from home. Our youth are being torn apart by the conflicting demands of home-culture and the outside world. We say we are worried about their “Islamic Identity, but what are we doing about it? We cant wait until they are adolescents and then start panicking: instilling an Islamic identity should start at birth, when the Adhan is whispered into the newcomer’s ears. The mosque has a big part to play in forming the identity. It should be a place where Muslim children feel welcome, not a place full of stem adults whose sole aim seems to be to repress the bounce, willingness to learn and sheer joie de vivre of young children. (I could say a lot about Madrassahs, but that’s another article!). We should take the energy and channel it into enthusiasm for Islam. This is what we are endeavouring to do with Ahmed. It is not easy. Some days he is more interested in Turtles, Batman and wheedling for all kinds of toys and other strange things advertised like crazy on television. At other times, he will pray without being prompted or coerced, sing the songs about Iman he has learnt at Madrassah, or embark on discussions about Who made Bananas Grow, and where does Allah live? This is what we are trying to achieve in at the home. Islamic identity has to start at – and it is family life- the examples and expectations of the home- which will have the greatest impact, even if you cannot see the results until years later. The Mosque can only offer a back-up; it cannot do the whole job for you. I had hoped that what Ahmed would see in the Mosque would reinforce what we do at home. In this case, I was extremely disappointed, not to mention frustrated because there’s nothing I can do about it! (Women don’t even get a foot across the threshold of local mosques…) I wont be so keen for Ahmed to accompany his father there again; I will, however encourage visits to other, more friendly, mosques, Insh’Allah. In the meantime, a plea to elders, maulanas and imams: please make children welcome in the mosques, and follow the example of the Prophet, upon whom be blessings and peace, in not just putting up with them, but enjoying their company, even during prayer. If you push young people away, you may find that they prefer the arcades and pubs, and you will have to answer for that. Tasneem Osgood. The above extract is from 15-22 July 1994, Vol. 3 No. 16 |