Creed & Worship

How do I organize Qur'an memorization for two children of different ages?

Jeel al-Khilafah
Creed & Worship

The question

I have two children, one is two and a half and the other is four. The first one has memorized al-Fatihah and I need to remind him of the beginnings of the verses. The older one has al-Fatihah, al-Ikhlas, al-Falaq, and an-Nas — also with reminders of the beginnings of verses.

Do you advise me to memorize one surah a week? I know it depends on the child's ability, but I can't determine these abilities.

And is it necessary that the Qur'an time be fixed during the day?

I have a nursing baby and it isn't easy right now. Before sleep we usually read a story from the sirah of the Prophet ﷺ. I tried having them recite before sleep, but it rarely works — they're tired at the end of the day and not in the mood to recite.

Our answer

My advice to you: put the older one — the four-year-old — to work helping memorize with his younger brother. You'll find in this a building of a leadership personality, and you'll save yourself the time of teaching the two of them together. This will encourage him to progress in his own memorization. A four-year-old should be memorizing more than this. Try to recite with him first thing in the morning. The number of verses doesn't matter, but he should repeat and repeat with you, and repeat on his own. Set memorization milestones for him: tell him, if you finish this surah you have a gift; if we reach half the juz' you have a gift; if you complete the juz', a substantial gift, and so on, so he understands the value of what he's working on.

Memorization is best done at the beginning of the day, not the end of it. If it must be later, then in the afternoon.

As for the stories, choose the time that works for you with them present, away from the times of drowsiness and hunger. It could be midday before the nap. Try to apply the preparatory level curriculum we've published for ages three to five — it's varied, includes activities and skill-building, so he doesn't grow bored.

And hold to two principles: what cannot all be reached should not all be left, and a little done consistently is better than much done sporadically. Don't forget the du'a. May Allah aid you and delight your eyes with your offspring and make them imams of the God-fearing.

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