The Children's House completed their learning of the full prayer early this year. Ustadha Hina reflects on their learning journey.
One of our key projects for this academic year was to ensure that every child in the Children’s House would confidently know how to perform the daily prayers - Salah - by the end of their CH journey. We are overjoyed to share that not only have our children met this goal, but they achieved it much earlier than we anticipated! Alhamdulillah! This impressive achievement is a reflection of their dedication, consistency, and love for their deen and was truly a cause for celebration.
From the very beginning of the year, we focussed on integrating salah into the children’s daily lives, not as a topic to be studied and completed, but as a lived experience. We gently and consistently introduced the recitations and supplications of salah during group sessions. The children practiced the words of salah together every day, so that they would become deeply etched in their minds and hearts. The physical actions of Salah were taught through practical demonstrations, including hands-on creative activities and songs, alongside lessons on the importance and virtues of salah.
Our goal was to instil a true love of salah within our children, so that it would not be seen merely as an obligation, but something they would truly cherish and look forward to. Salah is their own personal meeting with Allah, their special time to connect, reflect, and feel close to their Creator. As one child beautifully expressed, “Salah is my favourite thing I like to do every day.”
Celebrating our Salah Journey
To mark this memorable achievement, we held a Salah Assembly at the Children’s House. Parents were invited to witness a presentation where the children confidently demonstrated their understanding of salah not just through memorised lines, but through a calm and focused performance of the actual practice: the movements, the recitations, and the du’as. It was a proud and emotional moment for all, seeing such young hearts engage with salah in such a meaningful way.
A Little Surprise
After the assembly, each child was treated to a sweet surprise, a homemade biscuit shaped like a prayer mat, lovingly made to celebrate their beautiful achievement! Even more special was the gift of a beautiful prayer mat, personalised with their own name, and brought fresh from the blessed city of Madinah — a meaningful keepsake to always accompany them in their growing love of salah in sha Allah.
Next Steps in Our Salah Journey
Watching our children embrace salah with such sincerity has reminded us of a beautiful truth that when the seeds of faith are nurtured with love, patience, and consistency, they begin to blossom sooner than we might expect.
Having laid a strong foundation in the basic words and actions of salah, we are now planning to build upon this milestone, in sha Allah. The children have already begun learning the Dua al-Qunoot, and we will soon explore the meanings of the salah recitations in English. This will help them not only recite the words correctly but also understand what they are saying in their prayers, deepening their connection to Allah suhaanahu wa ta’ala.
We feel truly blessed to be part of their journey and pray that this bond with salah remains strong and continues to grow with them throughout their lives. With Allah’s guidance, we look forward to nurturing this love and understanding even further.