Playing and Having Fun with the Child.

14. Playing and Having Fun with the Child:

There is no doubt that playing and having fun with one's child has a great effect on his correct and proper upbringing. This is since playing is a part of his life that he should not be deprived of.

So do not trivialize the act of playing with children for you will be clashing against their natures and the dispositions upon which the were created. Instead, participate with the in their games. Play with them and have fun with them to the point that they love you, enjoy your company and heed your advice and guidance. Allah said to his Prophet sws:


"And by the Mercy of Allaah, you dealt with them gently. And had you been severe and harsh-hearted, they would have disbanded from about you." [Surah Aali 'Imraam: 159]

The Prophet sws was the best os people towards his family as he sws said: "The best of you is he who is best towards his family, and I am the best towards my family." [Reported by Al-Haakim] 66

The prophet sws would play and have fun with children. Abu Hurairah radiaallahuahu said: "The Messenger of Allaah would stick his tongue out to Al-Husayn bin 'Alee, so the boy would see the redness of his tongue and become ecstatic." 67

'Umar radiaallahuanhu said: "I saw Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn on the shoulders of the Prophet sws so I said: "What an excellent steed you two have below you." And the Messenger of Allaah sws said: "And what excellent riders they are!" [Reported by Abu Ya'laa] 68

The Prophet sws would also pray around with the brother of Anas bin Maalik radiaallahuanhu, saying: "O Abu 'Umair, what happened to the nughair?" [Agreed Upon] 69

And once he sws passed by a group of people from the tribe of Aslam who were practicing archery, so he said: "Shoot, tribe of Isma'eel, for indeed your forefather was a marksman. Continue shooting and I am with tribe so and so." Upon this, one of the teams refrained from competing, so the Prophet sws said: "Why aren't you shooting your arrows?" They said: "How can we shoot when you are with them?" So he sws said: "Continue shooting and I am with all of you." [Reported by Al-Bukhaaree] 70

'Abdullah bin Al-Haarith radiaallahuanhu said: "The Messenger of Allaah sws would line up (the children) - 'Abdullaah, 'Ubaidullaah and Katheer - of the tribe of 'Abbaas and day to them: 'Race towards me, and whoever reaches me first will get something (i.e. as a reward).' So they would race towards him and jump on his back and front and he sws would kiss and hug them." [Reported by Ahmad] 71

'Aishaah, may Allaah be pleased with her, would play with girls, and the Prophet sws would dispatch them to her so that she could play with them." [Agreed Upon] 72

Through the means of playing, you can instill good characteristics into your children - characteristics such as honesty, fidelity and so on. You can also use activities and games to make them aware of condemnable characteristics such as lying, treachery, deception, use of obscene language and so on.

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66 Reported by At-Tirmidhee (3895) from narration of 'Aishaah may Allaah be pleased with her, and he said it was a "hasan saheeh" hadeeth; and Ibn Maajah (1977) reported it from Ibn 'Abbaas. As for the narration reported by Al-Haakim from Abu Hurairah, then its wording is: "The best of you is he who is best to this family after me.". Reported by Al-Haakim in al-Mustadrak (3/352, no. 5359) and authenticated upon the standards of Muslim and Adh-Dhahabee agreed.

67 Reported by Ibn Hibbaan in his Saheeh (12/408, no. 5596) and (15/431, no. 9675)

68 Quoted by Al-Haithamee in Majma'-uz-Zawaa'id (9/182) and he said: " Abu Ya'laa reported it in al-Kabeer and its narrators are all of the standards of the Saheeh Collection." Al-Bazzaar also reported it (1/418, no. 293)

69 Reported by Al-Bukharee (6129 and 6203) and Muslim (2150)

70 Reported by Al-Bukharee (2899) from Salamah bin Al-Akwa' radiaallahuanhu

71 Reported by Ahmad in al-Musnad (3/335, no. 1836)

72 Reported by Al-Bukharee (6130) and Muslim (2440) from the narration of 'Aishaah, may Allaah be pleased with her.

Book: Raising children in Light of the Qur'aan & Sunnah, by 'Abdus-Salaam bin 'Abdillah As-Sulaymaan whit an introduction by Shaikh Saalih Al-Fawzaan (Page. 46,47 y 48)