Our Children and the Qur’an

First Khutbah All praise is due to Allah, who revealed to us the Noble Qur’an, a light and guidance for all the worlds. We bear witness that there is no deity worthy of worship except Allah, and we bear witness that our Prophet Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah and the Seal of the Prophets. May Allah send His peace, blessings, and mercy upon him, his family, and all his companions. To proceed: I advise you, servants of Allah, and myself, to have taqwa of Allah. Allah the Most High said: ﴿الم* ذَلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ فِيهِ هُدًى ‌لِلْمُتَّقِينَ﴾ “Alif, Lām, Meem. This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those conscious of Allah.” O Believers, The Qur’an is the speech of Allah. It is a book that stands alone in its perfection, majesty, and beauty. There is nothing like it among those who came before, nor any equal to it among those who will come after. It is a source of strength for parents and a fortress for children. It is an everlasting miracle and a decisive proof, as Allah the Almighty said: ﴿فَلِلَّهِ الْحُجَّةُ الْبَالِغَةُ﴾ “So, to Allah belongs the conclusive argument.” Its message is precise and clear. Its proofs are evident. It is protected from any addition or omission. Allah the Exalted said: ﴿لَا يَأْتِيهِ الْبَاطِلُ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَلَا مِنْ خَلْفِهِ تَنْزِيلٌ مِنْ حَكِيمٍ حَمِيدٍ﴾ “Falsehood cannot approach it from before it or behind it; [it is] a revelation from [He who is] Wise and Praiseworthy.” O servants of Allah, it is the Glorious Qur’an, there is nothing greater or more beneficial that a father or mother can give to their children than teaching them the Qur’an. So, dear father, do you know why you should teach your child the Qur’an? What are the hoped-for fruits? ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ (may Allah be pleased with them both) said: “You must adhere to the Quran. Learn it and teach it to your children, for you will be questioned about it, and rewarded for it, and it is a sufficient reminder for those who understand.”  (Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī by Ibn Baṭṭāl) By learning the Qur’an, tranquility, guidance, and mercy descend upon our children. Allah the Most High said: ﴿وَإِنَّهُ لَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ﴾ “And indeed, it is guidance and mercy for the believers.” Through it, their bond with their Lord is strengthened, their thinking becomes enlightened, and thus, Allah protects them from hardship in their life’s journey. As Allah Almighty said: ﴿مَا أَنْزَلْنَا عَلَيْكَ الْقُرْآنَ لِتَشْقَى﴾ “We have not sent down the Qur’an to you that you be distressed.” Yes, through the Qur’an, our children’s lives will be filled with happiness, and their character will be elevated, following the guidance of their Prophet ﷺ, for the character of the Prophet of Allah ﷺ was the Quran”, as described by the mother of the Believers, ʿĀ’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her). And when our children are consistent in memorizing the Qur’an, their minds become trained in understanding, focus, connecting between verses, and distinguishing between similar passages. Their intelligence is elevated, their memory becomes more active, their comprehension improves, their language strengthens, and their eloquence begins to shine, because they are living with the Qur’an in a rich linguistic environment, filled with beautiful expressions and eloquent styles, adorned with over seventy thousand words. Indeed, it is the Qur’an, about which Allah says: ﴿بِلِسَانٍ عَرَبِيٍّ مُبِينٍ﴾ “The Trustworthy Spirit has brought it down … in a clear Arabic language.” Just imagine the linguistic richness and mental abilities our children would gain if they memorized a portion of their Lord’s Book. How much knowledge would they acquire about the environment and its elements, the celestial bodies and their movements, and the stories of past nations and the lessons they hold? More than that, how much would they enjoy the serenity of the soul, its peace and purity, the clearing of sorrow, the tranquillity of the heart, and the elevation of the spirit?  Allah the Exalted said: ﴿الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَطْمَئِنُّ قُلُوبُهُمْ بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ أَلَا بِذِكْرِ اللَّهِ تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ﴾ “Those who have believed and whose hearts are assured by the remembrance of Allah. Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured” So blessed are the hearts that have drawn from the fountain of the Qur’an, bliss be upon them, and glad tidings to them, glad tidings and congratulations to them. Allah the Exalted said: ﴿إِنَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ يَهْدِي لِلَّتِي هِيَ أَقْوَمُ﴾ “Indeed, this Qur’an guides to that which is most upright.” ﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا الرَّسُولَ وَأُولِي الْأَمْرِ مِنْكُمْ﴾. “O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you.” I say these words of mine, and I seek Allah’s forgiveness for myself and for you. So, seek His forgiveness, indeed, He is the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful. The Second Khutbah: All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, his companions, and all those who follow him. To proceed: O you who love the Book of your Lord. The late Sheikh Zayed (may Allah have mercy on him) was once asked why he was so devoted to teaching the Noble Qur’an. He responded with words full of faith in his Lord and deep wisdom, saying: “All my motives are rooted in faith, because man is the creation and handiwork of Allah, and the Noble Qur’an is the speech of Allah, the Creator. So, if we seek goodness for our worldly life and our religion, we will find it in the Noble Qur’an. Man is the work of Allah, and the Creator knows best what He has created.”   How great was the vision of our wise father, Sheikh Zayed, may Allah have mercy on him. His vision has remained extended to this day in our blessed nation, which spares no effort in serving and preserving the Noble Qur’an. It has printed some of the finest and most precise copies of the Qur’an and has dedicated the highest and most prestigious awards for excellence in it. So be keen to teach your children the Qur’an. In formal study circles and official platforms, in your mosques and gatherings, and in memorization centers within your neighborhoods. We must be very careful when choosing who teaches our children the Quran. Therefore, we must refrain from dealing with any electronic platform or Quran tutor who does not have an accredited permit within the country. Relying on sources with unknown backgrounds can expose our children's minds to incorrect interpretations and ideological doubts, instead of earning a reward, we may become a cause for their intellectual deviation and bring sorrow into our homes, which happens when the word of God is interpreted to them contrary to its intended meaning. And they think that they are doing good. ﴿وَهُمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّهُمْ يُحْسِنُونَ صُنْعًا﴾. O Allah, send Your peace, blessings, and mercy upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family, his companions, and those who follow them.  O Allah, be pleased with all the noble Companions. O Allah, make us firm in faith in You, devoted in worship to You, eager to teach our children the Qur’an, and dutiful to our parents. Have mercy on them as they raised us when we were young, O Most Merciful of the merciful. O Allah, protect the United Arab Emirates, care for it with Your divine protection, and encompass it with Your attention, O Lord of the Worlds. O Allah, guard with Your care the President of the State, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, grant him continued wisdom and guidance. Grant success to him, his deputies, his brothers, the Rulers of the Emirates, and his trustworthy Crown Prince, in all that You love and are pleased with. O Allah, have mercy on Sheikh Zayed, Sheikh Rashid, and all the leaders of the Emirates who have returned to Your mercy. Admit them, by Your grace, into the vastness of Your Paradise, and encompass the martyrs of our nation with Your mercy and forgiveness. O Allah, have mercy on the Muslim men and women, those who are living and those who have passed away. O servants of Allah: Remember Allah, the Great and Majestic, and He will remember you. Be grateful for His blessings, and He will increase you. And establish the prayer.