How should Children Celebrate blessed Birth of Holy Prophet

Every religion, nation and community has its own different way of celebrating events. Sometimes it is religious festivals and, at times, it is other significant and special events that turn our days into the blissful moments of celebration. Out of all the Islamic joyous occasions, 12^th Rabi’-ul-Awwal, ‘Eid Milad-un-Nabi’ also holds great speciality around the world. The devotees of Rasool mark the blessed day of the birth of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم with great ‘zeal and fervour’ and express their devotion to the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.

Respected parents! How can you instil the importance, devotion and dignity of this Islamic festive occasion in the hearts of children? Read the following points:

1 During this blessed month, make special arrangements for conducting Na’at-gathering for children in houses and localities, describing the parables related to the childhood life of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم from different books and booklets (i.e., ‘Seerat-e-Mustafa’, ‘The Dawn of Blessings’ and ‘Luminous Face’). Also tell children the parables of compassion and affection shown by the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم for children. Moreover, distribute Niyaz [food, etc.] too at the end of Na’at-gatherings but arrange only for those food items which meet hygiene standards.

2 Explain the importance of Eid Milad-un-Nabi to children so that they realize the significance of the blessed birth of the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.

3 Motivate children to recite Na’ats.

4 During the blessed month of Rabi’-ul-Awwal, you are requested to make special arrangements to watch Madani Muzakarahs on the Madani Channel with punctuality along with your children and all family members.

5 Celebrate the moments of the moon sighting of Rabi’-ul-Awwal and wish your relatives the blessed month of Eid Milad-un-Nabi. Your children will also follow this good practice when they observe you doing it.

6 Adorning your house with flags and colourful lights on this occasion is also a good method of expressing devotion to the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم but do not task younger children with carrying out these tasks at all because they may also meet with any accident.

7 Dress your children in new clothes.

8 With the intention of attaining blessings, make children wear a badge of ‘Na’layn Pak’ on their Kameez (a long loose shirt) on the left side of the chest or on the ‘Imamah but ensure that the badges have been properly attached; otherwise there is a fear of their disrespect.

9 Give Sadaqah and charity abundantly and make your children give Sadaqah with their own hands so that they also become habitual of spending in the path of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ.

10 Get the food items that were the favourite ones^[1] of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم prepared at home and serve them to children.

11 To express their devotion to the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, the devotees of Rasool also arrange for procession on 12^th Rabi’-ul-Awwal. You are requested to join them with your children. Do not send your children alone.

12 Amongst children at home, hold the competition of drawing the Naqsh of Na’l-e-Pak, blessed Green Dome and the blessed relics associated with the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم. Moreover, distribute prizes amongst children so that they get encouraged.

May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ grant us and our children true devotion to the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم!

اٰمِيۡن   بِجَاهِ   النَّبِيِّ  الۡاَمِيۡن  صَلَّى  اللّٰهُ  عَلَيۡهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم

There were two brothers, Asad and Adil. Asad’s elder brother Adil was rude and short-tempered. One day when Asad entered his brother’s room, Adil, while rebuking said to him: ‘Asad! Who did you ask permission to enter my room? Asad hesitantly replied! ‘Brother…I…I..’ Upon this, Adil reacted angrily and warned:  Shut up! Get lost and if you enter my room next time without my permission….! Asad started weeping after receiving the rebukes from his brother and went to his mother to inform her about the unfair attitude of Adil. She was already worried about Adil’s bad attitude and  she had also made Adil understand many a time; but the impact of her efforts would no longer last on him, and he would later again start showing anger at his younger brother ‘Asad’.

This time, Adil’s mother made him understand through giving the examples of the blessed manners [Akhlaq-e-Hasanah] of blessed Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and said: My dear son! You have become mature now. When people grow older they recall the ill-treatment of others that hurt them in their childhood. So you should treat your younger brother, ‘Asad’ affectionately so that he may recall your affectionate attitude when he grows older and like to live with you.

Do you know this fact that that the blessed companion of the Holy Prophet, ‘Sayyiduna Anas رَضِىَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهُ ‘stated: I remained in the blessed company of Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم for ten years but he صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم never said even Ugh [a slight sign of resentment] and nor did he say ever: “Why did you do so-and-so task? Or why did you not carry out so-and-so task?” (Muslim, pp. 972, Hadees 6010)

Our Blessed Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would say Salam to the children when he صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would pass by them. (Bukhari, vol. 4, pp. 170 Hadees 6247) 

Likewise, when the Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would return from a journey and children would welcome Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, upon this, he صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would make them sit on his riding animal. When Muslim army returned from the battle of Mautah, and the people of Madinah welcomed it, children of Madinah ran to the brave victors of Islam and met them. Upon seeing the children, Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said: ‘Make the children sit with you on the riding-animals and fetch Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Bin Ja’far رَضِىَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهُ to me.’ Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Bin Ja’far رَضِىَ اللّٰەُ عَنْهُ was brought to the Blessed Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم and he made him sit on his riding animal ahead of him. (As-Seerat-un-Nabawiyyah, vol. 2, pp. 324)

Mother gently said to Adil: Did you see my dear son! How excellently our Holy Prophet صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would show his deep love and affection to the children! Now you should make promise that you will not show anger to your brother. Thereupon Adil humbly said: Dear Mother! Asad enters my room and disarrange my stuff.

Mother: My son! Asad is your younger brother and you should treat him gently and affectionately.

Adil: Dear mother! I promise now I will treat Asad affectionately in future, and will not become angry at him. Mother kissed Adil’s forehead and made many Du’as for him.

Dear children! Show affection to the younger children at home because showing affection to children is a Sunnah act and do not become ever a cause of worries for your family but rather please your parents and receive their Du’as.

May Allah grant us the blessings of the great moral conduct of His Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللّٰەُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.

اٰمِيۡن   بِجَاهِ   النَّبِيِّ  الۡاَمِيۡن    صَلَّى  اللّٰهُ  عَلَيۡهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم