How can we transmit valuesof ismailism to next generation?
How can we transmit valuesof ismailism to next generation?
How can we transmit the heritage of spiritual, moral and religious values of Ismailism to the next generation?
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star_munir
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Transmission of values.
The most effective way of transmitting values would be to live by them and set an example. One cannot ask his/her child to behave appropriately when he/she is not behaving in that manner.
MHI in one of his Mandli Farmans stated that if you do not live by your values, then it will become difficult for you to convince children in the night schools about our values.
Also, those who are contemplating marriage should think hard before making lifetime commitments. Is there enough love to create and sustain strong families?
MHI in one of his Mandli Farmans stated that if you do not live by your values, then it will become difficult for you to convince children in the night schools about our values.
Also, those who are contemplating marriage should think hard before making lifetime commitments. Is there enough love to create and sustain strong families?
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star_munir
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- Joined: Tue Apr 22, 2003 12:55 am
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Real challenge for the parents
No doubt, the spiritual preperation of a child is the most important part of his or her entire education for living. In every corner of the world facility of 'religious education' is provided by the respective Tariqa Boards, but still, parents should determine whether this facility by itself is suufficient to transmit the heritage of spiritual, moral and religious values of Ismailism to our children?
Also We are aware that we truly live in a sex- satrated culture, and hence the issue is even more delicate and challenging. Unless we see that and are ready to devote major time and other resources to it, we will fail them at the most crucial point.
Also We are aware that we truly live in a sex- satrated culture, and hence the issue is even more delicate and challenging. Unless we see that and are ready to devote major time and other resources to it, we will fail them at the most crucial point.
Preaching Islam
"What we create is best if it has the element of faith, the element which Islam teaches you. Believing in Islam and preaching this belief everyday will add to the value of your lives."(Farman, Kisumu, 22nd Sep, 1959)
To be a witness does not consist in engaging in propaganda, nor even in stirring people up, but in being a living mystery. It means to live in such a way that one’s life would not make sense if God did not exist.
-Cardinal Suhard
The artist is one to whom all experience is revelation.
- Lewisohn, 'Creative Life'
There are two ways to look at life. One is as though nothing is a miracle; the other is as though everything is.
-Albert Einstein
To be a witness does not consist in engaging in propaganda, nor even in stirring people up, but in being a living mystery. It means to live in such a way that one’s life would not make sense if God did not exist.
-Cardinal Suhard
The artist is one to whom all experience is revelation.
- Lewisohn, 'Creative Life'
There are two ways to look at life. One is as though nothing is a miracle; the other is as though everything is.
-Albert Einstein
Steps- Part 1 (My views)
As a first step, let us start with babies. Once your baby is 2 to 4 months old, she starts differentiating some colours. She is soon able to make the difference between different objects. This is the time when the mother (or the father) needs to take the first step for religious education of her toddler. How? Just take the baby in front of the photo of Hazar Imam, just say 'Ali', and simultaneously, point your fingers towards the photo. Do this for just few days. And then you will wonder that, as soon as you utter 'Ali', he will start looking in the direction of the photo.
You may wonder, if our Tariqa is Batini, why I am talking about this step. The reason: Babies at that stage are not equipped to think logically. All the knowledge they get is through vision,hearings and touch.
Some parents believe that this step also helps the baby in her mental and spiritual development. Perhaps we may agree with them too.
You may wonder, if our Tariqa is Batini, why I am talking about this step. The reason: Babies at that stage are not equipped to think logically. All the knowledge they get is through vision,hearings and touch.
Some parents believe that this step also helps the baby in her mental and spiritual development. Perhaps we may agree with them too.
Steps -- part 2 ( My views)
Attendance to Jamatkhana along with your toddler is essential. If possible, make this attendance frequent and regular. Although she may not understand anything in the beginning, as she grows it becomes her habit. Also for her mental development, such social environment is necessary. These toddlers are very amazing. Perhaps you may note that, when they grow 15 months and older, they start remembering some words from Dua and Salwat.
When she goes to bed but before she falls in sleep, recite ' Ali', 'Ali' loud enough at least for a couple of minutes. If you like, you can also recite a line of any Ginan you like the most. The rest of the time you may use for reading rhymes.
Between the age of 12 to 18 months, most babies start speaking and their first word is 'Mom' or mummy. And this is the time when you can teach her to speak 'Ali' or 'Ya Ali'. Allotting only 5 to 10 minutes a day for a couple of weeks will do the magic. It is the easiest word which baby can learn. One of my learned Hindu friend has taught 'OM' to his 12 months daughter.
The entire objective of the above exercises is to create, subconsciously, some kind of 'Love' for Imam of the Time in the hearts of our children. If for some reason, you are unable to attend Jamatkhana, pray at home. Let your baby be a witness in her cradle. All such practices have a long lasting effect or them.
When she goes to bed but before she falls in sleep, recite ' Ali', 'Ali' loud enough at least for a couple of minutes. If you like, you can also recite a line of any Ginan you like the most. The rest of the time you may use for reading rhymes.
Between the age of 12 to 18 months, most babies start speaking and their first word is 'Mom' or mummy. And this is the time when you can teach her to speak 'Ali' or 'Ya Ali'. Allotting only 5 to 10 minutes a day for a couple of weeks will do the magic. It is the easiest word which baby can learn. One of my learned Hindu friend has taught 'OM' to his 12 months daughter.
The entire objective of the above exercises is to create, subconsciously, some kind of 'Love' for Imam of the Time in the hearts of our children. If for some reason, you are unable to attend Jamatkhana, pray at home. Let your baby be a witness in her cradle. All such practices have a long lasting effect or them.
Steps -- part 3 ( My views)
Children are fast learners. Experts say that the learning capacity of a child is peak until the age of five. They learn by feelings, interpretation and listening. Parents need to take maximum advantage of the same. Children interpret, in their own ways, each and every action and move of the parents. Hence it is advisable that the environment at home should be conducive for this. We( parents) must be seen to be observing regular prayers by them. We should have some religious books at home, and we must be seen to be reading them from time to time. We should also have some cassettes of Ginans and Waezs at home, and they should be played at home as well as in car at least 2 to 3 times a week for minimum 15 minutes in their(children's) presence.
Also it is a good practice to allot minimum 2 to 3 minutes daily to ' Tasbish Kaathwi' before child goes to bed and just after he wakes up. Her Involvement in this practice is essential.
Some parents have been so much successful that their children recite entire Dua before they reach fifth birthday.
As soon as she reaches four to five years of age, she should be admitted to ' religious school' conducted by local Tariqa Board.
(To Be Continued)
Also it is a good practice to allot minimum 2 to 3 minutes daily to ' Tasbish Kaathwi' before child goes to bed and just after he wakes up. Her Involvement in this practice is essential.
Some parents have been so much successful that their children recite entire Dua before they reach fifth birthday.
As soon as she reaches four to five years of age, she should be admitted to ' religious school' conducted by local Tariqa Board.
(To Be Continued)
Steps -- part 4 ( My views)
When a kid grows, and at around her seven years of age, she has many questions and some of them related to religion as well. However, her questions till her primary level are easy to answer, but then gradually, these questions become sophisticated. Though many of her questions can be answered by her religious teachers, she can still have some which she may not feel comfortable to raise them at that level.
Parents can be of the most help to children and teenagers by encouraging as early as possible for an ongoing, open dialogs about Allah, Imam,moral and aesthetic values, meanings and purpose. If our own understanding of spirituality is that of ongoing process in which questioning, doubt and growth belong together then the Young will feel free rather than coerced to make their way.
Do not discourage them from raising questions. Parents are also advised to go through ismaili websites such as Ismaili.net and some of yahoogroups such as Ismailisoul and Ismailism. Many basic and sophisticated topics are well covered there, and parents may use that knowledge to answer her questions.
Parents can be of the most help to children and teenagers by encouraging as early as possible for an ongoing, open dialogs about Allah, Imam,moral and aesthetic values, meanings and purpose. If our own understanding of spirituality is that of ongoing process in which questioning, doubt and growth belong together then the Young will feel free rather than coerced to make their way.
Do not discourage them from raising questions. Parents are also advised to go through ismaili websites such as Ismaili.net and some of yahoogroups such as Ismailisoul and Ismailism. Many basic and sophisticated topics are well covered there, and parents may use that knowledge to answer her questions.
Steps -- Final
Generally, youngsters’ faith (IMAN) gets weakened in times of harse sufferings. So the worst thing we can do to our children or teens is to prevent them from having to face harsher realities of existence.
The life of all prophets and Pirs remind us that, no matter how close we may feel to God, life is difficult. It is also a mystery. Much happens to us and others will never be fully understood by us, at all, on this plane of relativity.
We have also experienced from our life that suffering of one sort or another is inevitable sooner or later for everyone.We needed courage and strength just to carry on. Also while pain or grief seems almost unedurable at the time, afterwards, looking back, we can often see from our experience that in those times ' the hands of God (Maula)' was working to our advantage.
Even in the spiritual growth , suffering is often involved. Obedience to what we perceive as will of Maula is seldom the easy path. All growth inevitably involves some degree of pain. To put trust in Maula is not -- contrary to what some waezeens repeatedly suggest -- to be always free of depression, free of failure, free of anxiety and fear.
Many youngsters raise the question: ‘ If we are not guaranteed success, total health or constant bliss, what is gained by trusting in some ultimate reality we call Allah or the Imam of the Time?’
A short answer to this is: Everything. If we are committed to the love and mercy and infinite wisdom who made us for a relationship with Him, everything radically changes. There is a reason and purpose to life beyond seeking pleasure, material prosperity or raising the next generation.
All such things we have to impress upon our children.
There is then no single, simple answer to the question with which we began: how do we transmit a heritage of spiritual and moral values to the next generation?
( Concluded)
The life of all prophets and Pirs remind us that, no matter how close we may feel to God, life is difficult. It is also a mystery. Much happens to us and others will never be fully understood by us, at all, on this plane of relativity.
We have also experienced from our life that suffering of one sort or another is inevitable sooner or later for everyone.We needed courage and strength just to carry on. Also while pain or grief seems almost unedurable at the time, afterwards, looking back, we can often see from our experience that in those times ' the hands of God (Maula)' was working to our advantage.
Even in the spiritual growth , suffering is often involved. Obedience to what we perceive as will of Maula is seldom the easy path. All growth inevitably involves some degree of pain. To put trust in Maula is not -- contrary to what some waezeens repeatedly suggest -- to be always free of depression, free of failure, free of anxiety and fear.
Many youngsters raise the question: ‘ If we are not guaranteed success, total health or constant bliss, what is gained by trusting in some ultimate reality we call Allah or the Imam of the Time?’
A short answer to this is: Everything. If we are committed to the love and mercy and infinite wisdom who made us for a relationship with Him, everything radically changes. There is a reason and purpose to life beyond seeking pleasure, material prosperity or raising the next generation.
All such things we have to impress upon our children.
There is then no single, simple answer to the question with which we began: how do we transmit a heritage of spiritual and moral values to the next generation?
( Concluded)