Paradise Under Your Feet — Page 146
146 to come home early in the afternoon. These children should be able to offer Zuhr and Asr Salat combined when they get home. This is a good age to instill the importance of Jumu ’ ah (Friday Prayers) in our children, especially the boys. Schools are very accommodating to parents who request an early departure for their children from school on Fridays to attend Jumu ’ ah. If school officials are informed about the importance of Jumu ’ ah Prayers for Muslims (similar to Sunday church services), in most cases, some provision can be made for the students to attend Jumu ’ ah. Also the children ’ s academic responsibilities are usually less demanding than in the high school years, allowing families to build a good foundation of attending Jumu ’ ah. Parents who take their children from school to attend Jumu ’ ah on a regular basis – every week, or every other week, give the child a clear message of the importance of Jumu ’ ah Prayers, which serves them very well as they go on to high school and college. An important point to note is that many children are involved in various after-school activities and as a result they do not come home until after Salat time is over. In such situations, it will be necessary to request the school for a suitable place for their children to observe prayer and give students the responsibility of offering their Zuhr and Asr Salat before they go to their activities. Salat through the High School Years At this stage, children (age 14-18 years) will be performing Salat conscientiously without any reminders from parents. However, parents will need to be watchful that their children are offering Salat regularly and help and encourage them if needed. Parents should also discuss the translation and meanings of Salat and other prayers on a regular basis with their children to strengthen their connection to the meaning and purpose of Salat and their connection to Allah