Sunday, July 25, 2010

Two years old: Islamic Tot-School progress

It's Basbusa's Islamic education that I'm most worried about, because, not having had a Muslim childhood myself, I'm never quite sure that I'm doing things "right" (all dua'a much appreciated on that one!). But at just-turned-two, here's where we stand:
  • She's such a good girl with prayer, masha'Allah!! Whenever I pray, I ask her if she'd like to join in or just do a takbeer, and she willingly goes along with it (most often choosing just a takbeer if she's busy playing or reading, but she does seem to have gotten the message that prayer time means we interrupt our other activities for at least a split second, which is all I'm aiming for at this point). I always lay out her little prayer-mat beside mine, though, and quite often she comes along to join in, or to have her doll join in, at some point after I've started. But she prays all the time by herself, which is the cutest thing EVER, masha'Allah. She tends to "pray" when she notices that a piece of material (might be a kitchen towel, might be a doll blanket, might be a tissue) is rectangular. "A prayer mat! I'm going to pray on it," she says busily. She smooths it out carefully, stands at one end, and starts off with her "prayer": "Allahu Akbar! SamiAllahu hamiya! Allahu Akbar! SamiAllahu hamiya!" In the eyes of this doting mama at least, there is nothing in the universe so cute as my darling cupcake "praying" on a cloth-diaper insert, not wearing a stitch of clothing, with her little bum in the air. Masha'Allah, I just can't handle the cuteness :)
  • She falls asleep every night to Ayat al Kursi and the pre-sleep thikr, which serves the double purpose of teaching her what they are, and conveying the message that now it's time for lie-down-and-close-your-eyes :)
  • She knows we say "bismillah" before eating or drinking, and "al7amdulillah" afterwards. She needs to be reminded about 80% of the time, but she totally knows the routine, and the reason for it. (In her words, "we say 'bismillah' because of Allah. Allah gave us the cookie.")
  • She has a vague grasp that Allah made everything. I don't think she has really generalized to "everything" yet, but she knows that Allah made her nose, and the freckle on her leg, and our food and drink, and the sun and the moon, for example.
  • She knows about saying "Al7amdulillah" and "yr7mkum Allah" when someone sneezes.
  • She can kind-of, sort-of say Surat al Fati7a. Very little of the pronunciation is particularly close to what it's supposed to be, and she gets it out of order unless she's saying it along with someone else, but she knows maybe half of the ayat pretty well by herself. And just yesterday, she found a framed ornamental passage from the Quran, realized what it was, and started "reading" it, getting almost the entire way through Al Fati7a without any prompting, masha'Allah. I was one overjoyed Mama :)
So, I'm not sure whether we're "on schedule" or not in terms of her Islamic upbringing, but I think we're more or less in the right ballpark insha'Allah? I've seen Youtube videos of two-year-olds who know far more Quran, and who pronounce it much better... but I'm not sure whether Basbusa is really "late" or whether she's still ok for having just turned two. The things I'm most happy about, though, are that she loves praying, "prays" willingly when it's prayer time, and loves snuggling on my lap to "memorize" Quran with me. I'm pretty sure that's a good start, insha'Allah...

4 comments:

  1. Assalaamu Alaikum!

    Masha Allaah am glad you are back. I use to love reading your diary as it brings back memories of my little daughter who will turning 3 this Ramadhaan Insha Allaah. Since your post are in detail as you say its a diary it gives me joy to see your daughetr doing almost the same things what Maimoonah did and is doing Masha Allaah.

    I use to visit your blog almost everyday to see if you are back, and I used to miss your post.

    Am happy that you are going to be blessed with another girl Masha Allaah. Great companion for Basbusa.

    Masha Allaah I feel your sugar cake is very well in line with her learning and nothing for you to worry sis. Just that we have to make lots of duas and give them the best Tarrbiyah along with Tasfiyah.

    May Allaah guide all of us and protect our kids.

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  2. Jazaaki Allahu khayr for such a lovely comment! Thanks so much. Do you have a blog? I'd *love* to read about what your daughter is doing! I've only found a handful of blogs focusing on Islam for toddlers, and it would be great to hear more about another little girl so close in age to Basbusa. Hope you and she both have a joyous and blessed Ramadan, insha'Allah!

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  3. Wa iyyaaki, yes sis I have a blog. You can click on my name on this post it will take you to my blog. In any case this is my blog

    http://ummmaimoonahrecords.blogspot.com/

    You too sis, hope you have a great Ramadhaan. Please do drop by my blog Insha Allaah.

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  4. Asalaamu Alaikum

    I'm really impressed with you playing ayat al kursi for your daughter before bed. I should do that for my kids too. Great idea! Masha Allah.

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