Teaching Children Why We Do Things in Islam, Not Just How

Something I really believe is important when teaching children Islam is teaching them why we do things instead of just telling them to do them.

If we teach them why, it can have a massive effect upon them and encourage them to do it intentionally for the sake of Allah, because He commanded them, and because they want to follow the way the Messenger ﷺ did it.

I also think it is important that we show our children the evidences and allow them to read the proofs for themselves, and then go over them with them so they understand what they are reading. The things we teach our children can stay with them forever, In Shaa Allah, so we want to make sure we pass this knowledge on correctly.

This is something I try to do within my own Islamic Studies lessons and resources. I don’t just want the children to memorise information. I want them to know: Where did we get this from? What did Allah say? What did the Messenger ﷺ teach us? Why am I doing this?

This is also from the way of learning from the proofs. In a lesson on Kitāb at-Tawḥīd, it is mentioned concerning the Salaf:

“Our Salaf used to focus on the proofs.”

It also explains the importance of seeking the proof behind an action and then acting upon the knowledge that has reached us. (troid.org)

This is something I mention because this week, In Shaa Allah, I plan to teach the students about wuḍū In Shaa Allah. But I’m not just going to teach them the steps of wuḍūʾ.

I’m going to start with what wuḍūʾ means and why we do it, In Shaa Allah.

I want to show them what Allah said about wuḍūʾ.

Allah commanded the believers that when they stand for the prayer they wash their faces and arms, wipe their heads and wash their feet. This is in Sūrah al-Māʾidah, 5:6.

So instead of a child simply thinking:

“Now I wash my face. Now I wash my arms. Now I wash my feet.”

I want them to understand:

Allah commanded me to do this.

And I want them to think about that when they come to washing those parts of the body, In Shaa Allah.

I also plan to teach them about the virtues and rewards of wuḍūʾ, because this can completely change the way a child looks at it.

The Prophet ﷺ taught that when a Muslim makes wuḍūʾ and washes their face, hands and feet, sins connected to what those parts of the body have done leave with the water. He also taught that making wuḍūʾ properly is from the deeds through which Allah wipes away sins and raises a person’s rank. (troid.org)

Imagine a child knowing this while they are making wuḍūʾ.

When they wash their face, they remember what the Prophet ﷺ taught about the sins of the eyes.

When they wash their hands, they remember what he ﷺ taught about the sins committed with the hands.

When they wash their feet, they remember what he ﷺ taught about the sins their feet walked towards.

It is no surprise that we have probably all witnessed children rushing their wuḍūʾ and have had to explain to them:

“Slow down. Do it correctly.”

But maybe instead of only reminding them to slow down, we need to go back and make sure they understand what they are actually doing and why they are doing it.

Maybe if we teach them correctly, show them the proofs of why we do it, teach them what it means, what Allah has commanded, how the Messenger ﷺ did it, and the virtues and rewards connected to it, then maybe this will have a lasting effect upon them, In Shaa Allah.

We are not only teaching children how to make wuḍūʾ.

We are teaching them to worship Allah upon knowledge.

We are teaching them to know why they are doing an act of worship, Who commanded them to do it, and whose example they are following.

And that is knowledge they can carry with them long after our lesson has finished, In Shaa Allah.

I will upload the wudu resources here after I have completed the lessons in Shaa Allah, it may benefit some of the children.