Blog

Book Reading /Story telling: Why is it important?

Parenting/Aleemaan Parenting

 “I grew up listening to my grandmother’s stories…”
Those soft words, gentle hands, and quiet moments shaped my heart. Her stories didn’t just entertain me — they taught me patience, kindness, and faith.

Now, as a mother, I know:
📖 Storytelling isn’t just about books — it’s about bonding, values, and love passed from one generation to the next.

And just like my grandmother’s stories stayed with me, I hope Jeem’s story stays with your child — as a memory, a lesson, and a moment shared together.
 Books, Bonding & Beautiful Moments: Family Time That Lasts a Lifetime
In a world that moves fast and screens that never stop, sitting down with a book becomes something truly special. When a parent reads with a child — even just for ten minutes — something magical happens.

It’s not just about the story.

It’s about togetherness.

💛 Reading Together Builds More Than Words — It Builds Hearts
A child climbs into your lap or snuggles beside you.

A book opens, and suddenly, you’re both somewhere else — flying with dragons, walking through forests, or learning how Jeem feels when he gets jealous.

There’s laughter, questions, wide-eyed wonder, and sometimes quiet reflection.

That’s more than reading.

That’s connection.

👨‍👩‍👧 The Power of Family Reading Time:
🕰 Slows Down the Day
In the middle of busy routines, shared reading brings calm and presence — a pause filled with love.

💬 Opens Communication
Books help children talk about feelings they might not know how to express. A character’s struggle becomes their voice.

🧠 Stimulates Learning in a Safe Space
Kids learn best when they feel safe and loved. Storytime is where learning meets love.

💞 Deepens Family Bonds
These moments, repeated daily or weekly, become family traditions — memories that stay forever.

🌙 Ends the Day with Love
Reading before bed is like tucking in their hearts, not just their blankets.

📚 A Family That Reads Together, Grows Together
Stories shape character. They teach kindness, patience, bravery, and faith — not through rules, but through characters children grow to love.

As parents, when we read with our kids, we’re not just helping them become better readers…
We’re helping them become better people.
by.A.O

 In the Western world, many children are losing interest in Islam — not because of the religion itself, but because of gaps in how it’s passed on. Everyone has a role: parents, teachers, institutions, and the community.

1. Qur’an and Islamic Subjects Are Often Undervalued

Unlike secular subjects (math, science, tutoring, sports), Islamic education is often:

  • Free or underfunded.
  • Taught by untrained or unpaid volunteers.
  • Treated as “extra” rather than essential.

 Result:

  • Children view Qur’an class as low-priority.
  • Teachers are underpaid, unmotivated, or unavailable.
  • Religion becomes a burden, not a blessing.

 Solution:
Islamic learning must be treated equally, with respect, funding, and structure.

2. Parents Want Islam, But Lack Time and Knowledge

In many cases:

  • Parents work long hours, often both mother and father.
  • After work, they are too tired or stressed to engage deeply with their kids.
  • Children spend more time with screens, daycares, or sports than with family or religion.

Result:

  • Children are raised by digital media, friends, or culture, not parents.
  • Qur’an classes are missed
  • Parents unintentionally send the message: “Islam is not a priority.”

Solutions:

  • Even 15–30 minutes of daily quality Islamic time can have a deep impact.
  • Replace one evening activity per week with family Islamic learning or storytelling.
  • Be honest about limitations, but take small, consistent steps to stay involved.

 3. Parents Lack Islamic Knowledge

Many parents:

  • Don’t understand Arabic or the Qur’an themselves.
  • Were raised in cultures where religion was taught by rote, not understanding.
  • Expect children to learn everything from teachers.

 Problem:

  • No meaningful Islamic conversations at home.
  • Parents can’t answer questions or help with doubts.

 Solution:

  • Learn with your children (even at a basic level).
  • Watch short videos or read simple tafsir together.
  • Let your child see that Islam is a journey, not a subject.

 4. Teachers Must Fulfill Their Responsibilities

Teachers (imams, ustadhs, online tutors) must:

  • Be trained, compassionate, and engaging.
  • Avoid harshness or outdated discipline.
  • Understand the unique Western challenges children face.

 When Teachers Fail:

  • Children become fearful, disconnected, or bored.

 Teachers Must:

  • Teach with love, relevance, and inspiration.
  • Connect Islam to children’s real lives and struggles.
  • Be role models, not just information providers.

 5. Islamic Institutions Must Not Offer Free Classes Without Value

Many mosques or centers:

  • Offer classes for free or very cheap.
  • Have no structure, accountability, or training.
  • Think “free” equals “good for the community.”

 Result:

  • Parents and students take it for granted.
  • Low-quality teaching and no long-term results.

 Institutions Should:

  • Charge a modest fee to add seriousness.
  • Use funds to hire qualified teachers and improve programs.
  • Raise community standards for Islamic education.

 6. Society and Environment Compete for the Child’s Mind

  • Children grow up in a world that celebrates individualism, materialism, and entertainment.
  • Islam is often seen as restrictive or “different.”
  • Friends, online influencers, and media have more time with kids than parents or imams.

 Community Must:

  • Offer positive identity-based youth programs.
  • Help kids feel proud and confident as Muslims.
  • Show how Islam gives meaning, identity, and success — not restriction.

7. Qur’an Teaching Is Not Respected as a Profession

One of the root causes is that teaching Qur’an is not treated like a real profession:

  • Most Qur’an teachers are underpaid, unpaid, or volunteer-based.
  • Many youth don’t consider Islamic education a career, because:
    • It’s seen as low-income.
    • It lacks community respect or financial stability.
  • Talented students pursue medicine, law, tech — not Islamic scholarship.

 Result:

  • Qur’an teachers are often underqualified or burned out.
  • Quality suffers.
  • Children are taught by those who may not be passionate or professional.
  • The community depends on whoever is available, not who is most capable.

 What Should Change:

  • Communities must raise the status and salary of Qur’an and Islamic teachers.
  • Make Islamic teaching a respected career path for the best minds — not just a fallback.
  • Offer proper training, certification, and long-term support.

💬 “If we want our children to take the Qur’an seriously, we must treat those who teach it with serious respect and resources.”

 8. Outdated Teaching Methods Drive Children Away

Most Islamic and Qur’an classes still follow old-fashioned methods:

  • Repetition without understanding
  • Long hours of memorization
  • No engagement, discussion, or creativity
  • Lack of visuals, storytelling, or student-centered learning

In contrast, at school, children are used to:

  • Smart boards, visuals, and interactivity
  • Encouragement of questions
  • Group projects, rewards, and competitions
  • Visual aids, apps, and videos

 Result:

  • Children disconnect from Qur’an class.
  • They find it boring, hard, and irrelevant.
  • Their minds associate Islam with stress, not meaning.

 What Must Change:

  • Use modern teaching techniques:
    • Interactive lessons
    • Use of technology (apps, videos, quizzes)
    • Storytelling and emotional connection
    • Critical thinking and open discussion
  • Train Islamic teachers in child psychology, classroom management, and modern pedagogy.
  • Make Islamic learning as engaging as secular education — without compromising on respect and tradition.

💬 “The Qur’an is timeless, but the way we teach it must evolve with the times.”

 9. Parents Prioritize Work, Status, and Brands Over Faith

In many families:

  • Parents are chasing careers, income, cars, homes, and brands.
  • Their schedule is filled with work, shopping, travel, or social media.
  • Even when they’re home, they’re mentally elsewhere.
  • Islam becomes something they “hope the kids learn” — not something they live or guide.

 Result:

  • Children learn that money, looks, and lifestyle are the goal.
  • They don’t see time for Qur’an, dua, or Islamic values.
  • Islam feels like a low-value task, not a way of life.

 What Parents Must Do:

  • Reorganize priorities — put deen before dunya.
  • Make intentional time for:
    • Talking about Islam at home
    • Doing simple ibadah together (praying, stories, reflections)
    • Showing children what a meaningful life looks like, not just a successful one

💬 “If you are always chasing the world, don’t be surprised when your children forget the hereafter.”

 10. Competition Among Institutions Leads to Islam Being Taken for Granted

Many Islamic centers, weekend schools, and online programs:

  • Offer free or low-cost classes to attract more families.
  • Compete by making programs fun-focused, with minimal depth.
  • Fear that serious Islamic education will scare children away.

Meanwhile:

  • Parents see free programs as less valuable, and don’t commit.
  • Children see Islam as just another place for snacks, games, or activities — not spiritual growth.

 Result:

  • Islam becomes entertainment, not guidance.
  • Parents and children treat Islamic education as optional.
  • The connection to Allah and the Qur’an becomes weak or surface-level.

What Must Change:

  • Activities should still be engaging, but always linked to Allah’s names, signs, and creation.
  • Institutions must focus on depth, sincerity, and purpose, not just attendance.
  • Teach kids to see the fun in faith — not fun as the goal and faith as the excuse.

💬 “Activities should lead the child from creation to the Creator — not from boredom to distraction.”

Point 11: Parents Spend on Everything but Deen

 Impact:

  1. Devalues Islam in the child’s eyes:
     Children learn more from what parents do than what they say. When they see parents paying thousands for dunya-related things but giving little or nothing for the Qur’an, they subconsciously learn that Islam is less important.
  2. Discourages teachers and institutions:
     Talented teachers are forced to leave Qur’an education because they can’t sustain themselves. This results in low-quality teaching or complete burnout.
  3. Weakens long-term spiritual foundation:
     If we raise a generation that doesn’t see investment in Deen as a priority, we risk creating youth with no deep connection to Islam — just rituals, no love or value.

 Solution:

  1. Treat Qur’an education as a worthy investment:
     Just as you save for school, sports, or hobbies, budget for Islamic education. It’s not optional — it’s your child’s guidance in both this life and the next.
  2. Support and fairly compensate Qur’an teachers:
     A respected, well-paid teacher will give quality time, focus, and care to your child. This improves the entire learning experience.
  3. Teach by example:
     Let children see that you value Islam. Speak well of Qur’an classes, respect the teachers, and avoid comparing Islamic education to worldly services in terms of cost alone.
  4. Promote a balanced life:
     Make Islam part of daily life — not something separate from “real life.” This normalizes faith and raises children who see value in the unseen.

💬 A Heartfelt Reminder:

“If we are willing to spend everything on their dunya and nothing on their deen, we are setting them up for a life full of emptiness — both here and in the Hereafter.”