The soft sound of a cheerful nasheed played from the television in the home of Umm Ammar.
It was screen time for the kids after they had completed their Qur' an session with Ustadh Ahmad.
Ammar ,a 7 year old, would always feel a little bit reluctant when it's time for Qur'an classes though starts to enjoy the class after a while and his brother,Rayhān would always be energetic , he would imitate Ustadh Ahmad's mode of recitation and would always long every Qur'an session.
On this beautiful day ,they had just completed their Physical Qur'an session with Ustadh Ahmad,the next thing in the home of Umm Ammar after the Kid's Qur'an class is sreen time.
Umm Ammar ,who owns an Islamic Institute where women would seek beneficial knowledge from Hifdh of the Qur'an to Books that would establish Faith and Devotion ,is always busy with Online classes for sisters in faith during the period of her Kid's Qur'an session .
Ustadh Ahmad had a physical class with Ammar and Rayhān for about an hour. Ammar did his muraaj'ah from last class,and the same goes to Rayhān who reads first at every muraaj'ah session. It was a muraaj'ah class with no new portion received by the kids.
Umm Ammaar had just completed her session with her students online and the next thing is always screen time for the kids and cooking time for her.
It was hard for Umm Ammar to do with away with screen time for the kids having acknowledged that we live in the digital age and screens are part of real life today.
She's been on a self questioning journey of motherhood in today's world unsure of how to handle screens with the kids.
Should we cut it off completely?
Should we allow them freely?
Is there something in between?
She would constantly pray about how to handle the screen and motherhood phase .
She would supplicate to her Lord to ease the motherhood phase for her and make her children righteous and tread the path of Sunnah their Dad is upon.
With conscious effort, she concludes that it wouldn't be easy to cut them off completely from the screen being born in this digital age but there could be things in between them having access to screens and not loosing the faith she has been nurturing them with the Lullabies that establish Tawheed and Islamic Ettiquettes.
She results in making the screen time for the kids not different from the Islamic rules of the home.
Ensuring it to be tarbiyah in action, the foundation of a life rooted in faith and learning.
She would carefully select animated Islamic series that would nurture the faith and consciousness of Islamic Ettiquettes.
She would watch and download before the screen time ,then connect to the television and she would give Ammar and Rayhān access to her downloaded series where they would scroll with the intention of having different choices to watch .
This has been the boundaries right from when she discovered the screen technique and Islamic parenting method.
It was time for screen time in the home of Umm Ammaar as usual ,the animated Islamic series but a different episodes.
Ammar had selected Umar and Hannah series . The episode talk about the importance of seeking knowledge.
The animated characters—bright eyed children in modest clothing—were headed to Madrasah, giggling and carrying their Qur’an tablets. A cartoon teacher appeared, gently reminding them, “The Prophet ﷺ said: Seeking knowledge is an obligation upon every Muslim.” and this was repeated in Arabic.
Ammar eyes sparkle as the children giggle and upon hearing the Hadith ,he repeated in awe .
Rayhān who was also caught by the colourful visuals on the screen asked Ammar..
Ammar...he climbs up to his brother ,playfully rubbing his curled hair.
So even the prophet said it's important...
Does that mean Madrasah isn't just a school.....it's sunnah!?...Rayhān asks
Yes....It's the practice of the prophet.....Ammar whose eyes never left the screen answers.
Umm Ammar who has been preparing Lunch throughout the time, walks in, holding a tray of tea. She pauses, smiling at what she hears.
Her home has been built on the injunctions of Allah and the practices of the prophet (Pbhh).
MashaAllah! You two are really paying attention.
(sits down beside them)
Seeking knowledge brings us closer to Allah. Do you remember the dua before studying?...Umm Ammar asks her kids.
Ammar and Rayhān say in unison with their both hands cupped..
"Rabbi zidni ilma!"
Oh my Lord,increase me in knowledge.
They all smiled...
Umm Ammar left to complete the cooking..while Ammar and his brother continued watching their animated series...
About 45 minutes after ....the screen went off indicating screen time ends and time for lunch.
It was a weekend ,so Ammar and his brother went to their room for siesta after their lunch.
Umm Ammar finished her cooking and plans to tidy up the living room but before she could tidy the living room. Abu Ammar walks in from behind to hug his Noor who would never seize to amaze him with her cooking skills and beauty.
Umm Ammar....in a soft mindful thick voice,he echoes her name in her ear with his two hands wrapped around her tiny waist.
Umm Ammar who was fully aware of the situation and sensed the result of it, took his hand and faced him .
In her brightest smile..Abu Ammar.....
Lahiqan(later)......she says .
Abu Ammar who consented to it goes to the living room ,having seen the messiness of the living room tidies it.
He goes to the kitchen to help with their lunch....
In silence...they ate stealing each other's glances with Abu Ammar ogling at his wife.
Noor ul Qalbiy…..he says with a wink.
They went to their room to take a nap……..
Rayhān who had now woken up before his elder brother goes to the bathroom to perform ablution ....while he was performing ablution,his elder brother joined him .
The children were awake for Salatul Asr...they went to their parent's room,but remembering the etiquette of the time they're permitted to come into their parent's room,they knocked.
Umm Ammar had taught them the verse of the Qur'an that stated the period they aren't allowed to come into her room.
The remembered how they usually have evening session with their mum every Saturday.
Ammaar looked at Rayhān and read the verse.
An-Nur 24:58
يَآأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ لِيَسۡتَئۡذِنكُمُ ٱلَّذِينَ مَلَكَتۡ أَيۡمَٰنُكُمۡ وَٱلَّذِينَ لَمۡ يَبۡلُغُواْ ٱلۡحُلُمَ مِنكُمۡ ثَلَٰثَ مَرَّٰتࣲۚ مِّن قَبۡلِ صَلَوٰةِ ٱلۡفَجۡرِ وَحِينَ تَضَعُونَ ثِيَابَكُم مِّنَ ٱلظَّهِيرَةِ وَمِنۢ بَعۡدِ صَلَوٰةِ ٱلۡعِشَآءِۚ ثَلَٰثُ عَوۡرَٰتࣲ لَّكُمۡۚ لَيۡسَ عَلَيۡكُمۡ وَلَا عَلَيۡهِمۡ جُنَاحُۢ بَعۡدَهُنَّۚ طَوَّٰفُونَ عَلَيۡكُم بَعۡضُكُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضࣲۚ كَذَٰلِكَ يُبَيِّنُ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمُ ٱلۡأٓيَٰتِۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌ حَكِيمࣱ
O you who have believed, let those whom your right hands possess and those who have not [yet] reached puberty among you ask permission of you [before entering] at three times: before the dawn prayer and when you put aside your clothing [for rest] at noon and after the night prayer. [These are] three times of privacy[1] for you. There is no blame upon you nor upon them beyond these [periods], for they continually circulate among you - some of you, among others. Thus does Allāh make clear to you the verses [i.e., His ordinances]; and Allāh is Knowing and Wise.
The Three Periods were clearly stated;
Before Dawn
At Noon when they settle for rest
After the night prayer..
At the knock of the door...Abu Ammar opens it.
Ammaar and Rayhān at the sight of the father hugged him.
Rayhān......in his blue Jalab says.
It's Asr time...Abby,let's go to the masjid.
Alright...I'll be with you shortly.
Umm Ammar who would always pray at home decides to go with them to the masjid to attend Evening Halqah that helds every Sunday after Asr.
She performs ablution and wore her black flowy Jilbaab with her Niqaab in her hand but as she was about to tie her Niqaab,Abu Ammar assisted her with it .
He looks at his wife .....feeling grateful for the rizq of a wife he's blessed with.
They hurried towards the door and in unison the said the Dua for going out.
Umm Ammaar?
Umm Ammaar turned to see who the woman in the same attire as she was was.
Umm Jameelah?
The two women embraced each other.
Umm Jameelah was a neighbouring sister who just gave birth shortly after she moved in to the estate with her husband.
Umm Jameelah asked of Ammaar and Rayhān,who she fondly calls Abu Humayrah.
Alhamdulillah...they're fine. They are at the male session with Abu Ammar. …Umm Ammaar responds.
What of my little strawberry?.....Umm Ammaar asks.
Lillahi il hamd,little Jameelah is fine...Umm Jameelah responds.
Umm Ammaar..It's like I will come for a motherhood coaching class .
I am always awed at Ammaar and Rayhān's love for Islam and how they would prefer to speak Arabiyyah at every opportunity they get repeating any new Ettiquettes they learnt .
Umm Jameelah asks…
We would discuss later …Ukty.
Umm Ammaar says as they walked downstairs for Sunday Bahrnamaj.
Did you learn something?
Jazakumullahu khayran for reading UR'S Thursday Journal.
Till I write to you again,
I leave you in the care of my Lord,the most high.
UR♡
Allahumma Bārik wazid 🫂💙
Allahumo baarik, jezakumullahu khoiron 🫂