As I watched my 8 year old make duaa in his own words, it struck me how different and unique children’s duaas are: simple, honest and weirdly beautiful. Children ask for things like a Lego set, a pet-cat or cookies for breakfast. It always makes me smile.
Children experience the world differently than adults. Their experiences and perceptions are not quite like grown-ups, but that doesn’t make them any less real or important. We often make the mistake of making them imitate adults even if those acts are not relevant to what their experience as a child is. Understanding a child’s point-of-view and distilling the essence of Islamic values to make them applicable to that POV is what we believe in.
The core mission of Bismillah Buddies is ‘to make Islamic education relevant, engaging and fun for children.
Duaa is a very important element of worship. Teaching our children how to make duaa, is as important teaching them how to do Salah. As I was going over some Quranic duaas, I tried to do what we do for every Bismillah Buddies play date. I tried to see them from my son’s POV, in order to select a few simple ones that he could relate to. Here is a list of 10 simple Qura’nic duaas that I feel are relevant for a 7-10 year old.
The BB checklist:
– Relevant:
I have not added any duaa about offspring, or spouse. These are not issues which children are thinking of right now. Those are things I can make duaa for , for him.
– Engaging:
The duaas selected are short and simple. They are easy to say and learn, like mini-challenges that a child can conquer. Exploring the meaning, context and application of these will engage them, InShaAllah.
– Fun:
Imaging and visualizing manifestations of these duaa will make understanding them a fun exercise. Some simple ways to talk to children about these are:
– When learning Duaa 2 from this list, ask them about what they think the straight path is, visualize what walking in the straight path would entail.
– When learning Duaa 3 from this list, tell them about something wrong you have done which you would like Allah not to take you to task for.
– Duaa 4 can be accompanied by stories from the Sahaba or even people we see around us today who are amongst the Saliheen
– Duaa 5 can be accompanied by the story of the people of the cave. We can also talk about some predicament the children or you faced.
– Duaa 6: Tell them a funny story from when they were babies.
– Duaa 7:Imagine what a house in paradise might be like
– Duaa 8: Something they can add on to anything they do
– Duaa 9: Talk about belief, and how just the simple act of believing is important
– Duaa 10: Something to add onto the end of every toy and cookie duaa they make.
The List:
1- Rabbi Zidni Ilma (Taha:114)
My lord increase me in knowledge
2 – Ihdenas-Siratal-Mustaqeem.
Siratal-Lazeena An’amta ‘alaihim, ghairil maghdoobi ‘alaihim wa lad-daaaleen.
(Al-Fatiha, 6-7)
Guide us to the straight path; the path of those who have earned your pleasure; not the path of those who have angered you or those who have gone astray.
3 – Rabbanaa la tu’aakhiznaa in naseenaaa aw akhtaanaa
. (Baqarah,286)
Oh Lord, take us not to task if we forget or fall in error.
4- Rabbi hab lee hukmanw-wa alhiqnee bis saaliheen
(Ash Shuara, 83)
Oh Lord, grant me wisdom and unite me to the righteous.
5- Rabbanaaa aatinaa mil ladunka rahmatanw-wa haiyi’ lanaa min amrinaa rashadaa
. (Al Kahf: 10)
Oh Lord, give us mercy from yourself and provide us the right way from our plight.
6 – Rabbir hamhumaa kamaa rabbayaanee sagheera
(Isra: 24)
Oh my Lord, have compassion on them as they brought me up (when I was )little
7 – Rabbibni lee ‘indaka baitan fil jannati
(At tahreem: 11)
Oh Lord, build for me a home with you in paradise. (Dua of aasiya RA)
8- Rabbanaa taqabbal minnaa innaka Antas Samee’ul Aleem
(Baqara:127)
Oh Lord, accept (this service) from us; verily you and you alone are the hearer, the knower.
9 – Rabbanaaa aamannaa faktubnaa ma’ash shaahideen
(Al Maeda:83)
Oh Lord, we believe, so write us down with the witnesses.
10- Rabbanaa wa taqabbal du’aaa’
(Al Ibrahim, 40)
Oh Lord, accept my duaa.
(*The whole verse is a duaa, I have selected the last part to keep it short and easy to memorize)