So my daughter’s two years old, three in December Insha’Allah. Getting into trouble and testing her mommy and daddy. Of course this can be expected, she needs to test out the waters to see how deep she can go.

Because of this we have decided to teach her Islamic principles and values. She knows about Allah on some levels, she knows about the Prophet and Islam on some levels also. She says Laillahaillah on many occasions Alhamdulillah and prays beautiful with us during prayer at times.

But the deeper teachings of Islam is now being taught to her Alhamdulillah. The teachings of her Creator, Allah. The ethics and behavior of a Muslim. It’s rather exciting actually. I mean teaching her helps us to not take offense to her behavior. When remembering Allah when she is acting up makes all of us calm down. Insha’Allah it will continue to progress.

I told her today after she left timeout that she needs to practice good behavior. And not for her mommy and daddy, but because Allah loves good behavior. And even when her mommy and daddy are not around and can not see her, Allah sees her. And when she does good things and has good behavior Allah can reward her for it. And even her mommy and daddy can to, to some extent.

I told her that she should ask Allah for forgiveness when she practices bad behavior even now, as a little one, because it’s good practice for when she gets older. And then I told her what to say in English and she said it on the spot. And then I said it. And I told her that even daddy says it and her grandmom too.

I want to teach her a ’sufi’ understanding of Islam. To me, and my husband, it is important that she understand the inner meanings of Islam before the outer. At such an age or 2 she can understand Allah because she belives in Him and she loves Him. She is hungry for that knowledge and that guidance. It is our duty and obligation as her parents to teach her of it first and formost. So that when she is of age, and I tell her it is time for her to cover as a Muslima covers. And after she asks me ‘why?’ and I tell her because Allah has told us this is how to dress and we want to please Allah. She wont respond with a ’so?’ or she wont think ’so’.

I want to help her establish a personal relationship with Allah. Not based on my relationship with Him, nor her fathers relationship with Him, nor the relationship between her and her parents. But one solely between her and her Creator. As her parents, her father and I are only her teachers and we are to love her and guide her. After her time comes where she is on her own, we can only pray that what we have taught her will last forever…. or until she dies. She is only a lown to us… and one day we must give her back to her Creator.