Paradise Under Your Feet — Page 82
82 Isha prayers. Here, almost everyone has a vehicle for travel, which is used for worldly matters. If you use your vehicle for gaining the pleasure of Allah and His worship, then the purpose of these vehicles will become the service of Islam and you will gain both worldly and religious rewards. ” 5. 3 Huzoor (aba) also mentioned that if traveling to the mosque is not possible due to distances then families can get together and offer Salat in congregation in one Ahmadi Muslim family home, and failing that, offer congregational Salat in one ’ s own home. Ideally the father should be the Imam for the Fajr, Maghrib , and Isha Prayers. When the father is absent during the day due to employment, the son can be the Imam. Any boy who knows the Salat completely can be the Imam at an age as early as ten. If there are no boys in the family, or boys old enough to be the Imam, the mother can lead the children. By allowing the children to lead Prayers, they become instilled with the love of Allah as well as develop a sense of responsibility. In addition to the five daily Prayers, by now children should have established the habit of reciting the Holy Qur ’ an daily. They should be reminded that recitation after Fajr Salat is the best time, and to try to do this before school. Otherwise, they can recite the Holy Qur ’ an after they get back from school. Parents should be careful that the children do not begin to place their religious obligations at a lower priority than their schoolwork, as at this stage their homework load increases. It is advisable that they should offer Zuhr and Asr prayers followed by recitation of the Holy Qur ’ an as soon as they return from school. This age group would most likely be completing their second or third reading of the Holy Qur ’ an and should be reading translation also. The best way for mothers to increase their children ’ s interest and love for the Holy Qur ’ an is to discuss the meanings and commentary with them as they recite.