Islamic and secular sources on the topic of infant care emphasize breastfeeding over other means of nourishment for the first two years of life. Guidelines on nursing and its role in the bond between mother and child are mentioned in both the Quran and the Sunnah of the Prophet Muhammad. And they need to be supported within our families and communities.
Read MoreOne of the rights children have over their parents is that they are given good names. The 11th century scholar Abu al-Hasan Ali ibn Muḥammad al-Mawardi, may Allah have mercy on him, said in his book Nasihat al-Muluk that “when a child is born, one of the first ways of honoring him and treating him kindly is to give him a good name, because a good name has an effect on the soul when first hearing it.” (p. 167). Of the beautiful names that we can give to our children are the names of the Prophets, peace be upon them, and the greatest of them was Prophet Muhammad…
Read MoreAre empaths born or made? The simple answer is they are both.
Dr. Judith Orloff, professor of clinical psychology at UCLA and New York Times bestselling author of The Empath’s Survival Guide: Life Strategies for Sensitive People, states there are four main factors that determine empathy:
Read MoreI get this question so much from mothers whose attempts to pass down a native language to their children have been met with resistance. They are amazed that my children are fluent in Spanish despite being born and raised in the U.S. The truth is I am also struggling. It is a daily uphill battle that can only be overcome by prayers and keeping our eyes on the prize at the summit. Being bilingual or multilingual has huge advantages when it comes to cognitive development, academic performance, literacy, and in the workforce.
Read MoreThe benefits of imaginative play in children’s physical, psychological, and emotional development have been well researched and documented, especially in the last 75 years according to Psychology Today. It is no surprise that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, encouraged imaginative play in the children around him during his lifetime over 1,400 years ago.
Read MoreWhen I converted to Islam back in August of 2000, I knew it would be a gradual transition of adding regular prayers throughout the day, fasting during Ramadan, and changing my wardrobe. However, these changes proved to be minimal compared to the challenge of dealing with negative opinions about Islam and Muslims. I steered clear of the people who wanted to bring negativity in my life, but when the comments came from family, they were harder to swallow.
Read MoreAre you searching for tools to teach your children about the beauty of Islam right from the comfort of home? Would you like to support a small Muslim-owned business in the process? Consider browsing through DearMuslimChild’s ETSY shop, and you will be pleasantly surprised to find some wonderful activities that are sure to please you and your little learners.
Read MoreFinally, summer is here! And not just any summer. This is Summer 2021. According to the Center for Disease Control, over 67% of the U.S. population is immunized against the Coronavirus with at least one dose of a vaccine. Families are feeling comfortable enough to venture out and parents, especially, are ready to get their kids outdoors. Some are even planning vacations. There are still red flags though, with international travel limited and many countries maintaining strict travel restrictions.
Read MoreFifteen years ago, my husband and I, both Latino converts to Islam, welcomed our first son to this world. Alhamdulillah, he was the first Muslim child born into our families, a blend of Puerto Rican and Ecuadorian heritages living here in the U.S. His fitra, that innate faith in one Supreme Creator, was untainted unlike ours had been. He did not have to discover Islam later in life in his teens and twenties like his parents had…And so began our Muslim parenting journey, one that we are still striving to navigate efficiently as more and more challenges and blessings present themselves.
Read MoreLatinos continue to be the fastest growing minority in America and in Islam. If either of those facts come as a surprise, there is much for you to learn about our culture.
Latinos are a people from various countries and backgrounds, bound together by a shared language and principles, as well as a history of being victims of colonization, oppression, and injustice. Latinos have a lot in common with Muslims, and that is perhaps because we are descendants of European, African, and Indigenous Muslims. Islam is in our blood!
Read MoreJamal A. (Diaz) Abdul-Karim is the director of the Upper Division of Al-Rahmah School in Baltimore County, Maryland. He is a convert of Cuban descent and a native of Manhattan, New York. He is married and has seven children, ages ranging from 29 to 50….We asked him to share his thoughts on celebrating the month of Ramadan as a Latino Muslim.
Read MoreMy mission is to be a voice for the underrepresented Latin American Muslim community, and especially for our children. Insha’Allah, I hope these books and more to come will help us understand each other and be more welcoming to those we do not know.
Read MoreMore than you think! Meet Omar Hernández, a not-so-average Muslim student in Ms. Khan’s 5th-grade class at An-Noor Islamic Academy. Omar still feels like the new kid at school. His life takes an unexpected turn when Ms. Khan gives the class an assignment about how their families celebrate the month of Ramadan. Will Omar’s family traditions make him more of an outcast at school? Find out in this one-of-a-kind story sure to inspire you and your taste buds!
Read MoreAlhamdulillah, I think there are a growing number of resources for Spanish-speaking adult Muslims. These include literature as well as websites, audio, and videos. However, I think the Spanish-speaking Muslim community is lacking resources for Muslim children…
Read MoreI am a Latino who also happens to be Muslim, which is still somewhat of an anomaly here in the U.S.
Read MoreMuslims throughout history have had a reputation of being disciplined, strong, and courageous. We can see and learn about this through the stories of the companions
Read MoreBut God had other plans. The very day of my graduation, my husband received a phone call from his boss letting him know that he could not transfer; he had to continue to work in his home state, New Jersey. My heart sank…
Read MoreIn the last year Ojalá Foundation held over 52 bilingual classes, 4 seminars taught by religious leaders, 12 community potlucks, 6 programs about Latino Muslims at different Islamic centers, fed more than 1800 home-cooked meals, given out hundreds of blankets, sleeping bags, socks, gloves and tents along with a few thousand hand and foot warmers, and successfully executed 4 neighborhood clean-ups.
Read MoreAs such, it is no wonder that Islam has found fertile ground in Cuba, located in the Caribbean Sea, only 90 miles away from Florida. For years, Muslim international students have interacted with the locals and taught them about their religion, some even establishing spaces for worship in private residences.
Read MoreAs a mother of a preteen, who gets easily hooked on cartoon characters and conventional superheroes, I not only wanted, I needed the movie, Bilal, to work. I desperately wanted the hero in the film to replace his constant chattering about Superman, Dragon Ball Z, and Ninjago.
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