Should I Pray Namaaz In-Front Of Children?

[Iceee]

Salaam.

As most of you know, I babysit kids almost everyday. I like the job because sometimes you just have to watch the kids while their parents are out shopping (kids hate this for some reason) or sometimes it's for the night while their parents are out away from their children.

Most families I babysit for are Muslims. When I babysit for Christian or Hindu or Atheist families, I usually bring the usual things people bring when they babysit (PS3 or Xbox360 controller and games for boys, gliter markers sparkles for girls) and food such as ice cream and Popsicles. When I babysit for a Muslim family, I bring what I mentioned but I also bring my topi and musulo so I can pray namaaz there (I do wudu before arriving). The problem that I realized yesterday was that when I pray while the kids are eating together, they wouldn't watch t.v or eat, they will watch me and how I pray.

One boy and girl I was babysitting yesterday said that they raise their hands before each change in prayer and showed me how to do that. They follow the below: Narrated by al-Bukhaari (735) and Muslim (390) from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them both), who said that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to raise his hands to shoulder level when he started to pray, when he said “Allaahu akbar” before bowing in rukoo’, and when he raised his head from rukoo’

Is it a good idea to be praying namaaz in-front of the children? I don't pray namaaz in a non-muslim home because one Mom said that's rude.

[Muslim Woman]

:wa:



if kids are Muslims , u should ask them to join u in salat :)

don't miss any salat when u are at non Muslim res .

[Iceee]

:wa:



if kids are Muslims , u should ask them to join u in salat :)

don't miss any salat when u are at non Muslim res .

The question is; should I be praying with children around who will watch me and my movements. For example, I pray like my family and the Imam of the mosque, without the raising of the hands before ruku. Some of the children will wonder why I pray differently even though we are of the same religion. I don't want to get in trouble one day, "My son is praying differently seeing you pray! Get out of my house!"

[glo]

How important are those differences in praying? And how likely are people to be offended?

Perhaps you could ask the parents. I am sure they will be happy with you praying in front of their children. I would think of it as a positive role-model. :)

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[Signor]

How important are those differences in praying?

There is very slight difference according to school of thought one's follow.However,if you look at any video of prayers in Mecca you can observe they all moves in the same direction despite of being from various schools.

And how likely are people to be offended?

Some people have a habit to get offended because they often forget the real worth of prayers and keep on revolving around small difference of actions one performs while praying.But like I said above the major actions during ritual of Salaat are same i.e prostration,bowing etc.

[Muslim Woman]

:sl:

I don't want to get in trouble one day, "My son is praying differently seeing you pray! Get out of my house!"

these are minor differences and no Muslim should react like this. But still u may talk to the parents . If they object , then try to offer salat before u come for baby sitting.

[Iceee]

:sl:




these are minor differences and no Muslim should react like this. But still u may talk to the parents . If they object , then try to offer salat before u come for baby sitting.

Salaam.

Ja'Zakullah for advise.

[~Zaria~]

Salaam.

As most of you know, I babysit kids almost everyday. I like the job because sometimes you just have to watch the kids while their parents are out shopping (kids hate this for some reason) or sometimes it's for the night while their parents are out away from their children.

Most families I babysit for are Muslims. When I babysit for Christian or Hindu or Atheist families, I usually bring the usual things people bring when they babysit (PS3 or Xbox360 controller and games for boys, gliter markers sparkles for girls) and food such as ice cream and Popsicles. When I babysit for a Muslim family, I bring what I mentioned but I also bring my topi and musulo so I can pray namaaz there (I do wudu before arriving). The problem that I realized yesterday was that when I pray while the kids are eating together, they wouldn't watch t.v or eat, they will watch me and how I pray.

One boy and girl I was babysitting yesterday said that they raise their hands before each change in prayer and showed me how to do that. They follow the below: Narrated by al-Bukhaari (735) and Muslim (390) from ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with them both), who said that the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) used to raise his hands to shoulder level when he started to pray, when he said “Allaahu akbar” before bowing in rukoo’, and when he raised his head from rukoo’

Is it a good idea to be praying namaaz in-front of the children? I don't pray namaaz in a non-muslim home because one Mom said that's rude.

:salam: brother,


The question to ask is: Are we praying to please Allah (subhanawataála) , or are we praying to please His creation?

If we are praying to please Allah, then the reactions of others will not influence us much.
If we are praying to please His creation, then we will be more concerned about their approval - to such a point that we even abandon the very reason for our existence (the worship of Allah), for this sake.

Please take out just ~10 min to watch this very important message (a compressed lecture by Maulana Suliman Moola): Consistency in A'maal (Deeds):

http://www.islamicboard.com/manners-...aal-deeds.html

Permission does not need to be sought from any human-being, when it comes to fulfilling the commands of Allah.

So, when praying in a muslim home, and should the question arise regarding your manner in salaah, then it can be simply explained that you are following a certain madhab (school of interpretation) and that ALL schools are correct in their differences.
(You can explain to them that Allah Taa'la loved every action of our Nabi (salallahu alaihi wasalam) so much, that He ensured they will be preserved and continued as a sunnah by His followers in this manner).

If a non-muslim refuses that you pray in their home, and it is the time for salaah - then the command of Allah comes before and above the desires of His creation.
You can explain to them that it will not be possible for you to neglect your prayers (as it is Allah alone who is keeping you alive and sustaining you - Should He not be thanked and praised at the times that He has prescribed?)......and if they still refuse, then it would be better to walk away from such a job, then to ever incur the displeasure and wrath of Allah.

View this as a test from Allah.
He tests us in different ways - sometimes small and seemingly unimportant, sometimes big and obvious.

In this case, perhaps He desires to see if you are going to follow the desires of mankind and neglect His call to prayer, His call to success.

If it should happen, that Allah chooses to take away your soul on your way back from work (and after missing salaah for the sake of pleasing a person - who will no doubt, only be concerned about themselves on the Day of Qiyamat), then ask yourself: What will be my condition? How will I be able to account for intentionally not obeying the commands of my Rabb?

May Allah (subhanawataála) guide us and grant us abundant hidayat (guidance) in every situation.
Ameen


:wa:

[Iceee]

Salaam.

Ja'Zakullah for your post on my thread. I read it and greatly appreciated it as the answer was pretty easy:

So, when praying in a muslim home, and should the question arise regarding your manner in salaah, then it can be simply explained that you are following a certain madhab (school of interpretation) and that ALL schools are correct in their differences.
(You can explain to them that Allah Taa'la loved every action of our Nabi (salallahu alaihi wasalam) so much, that He ensured they will be preserved and continued as a sunnah by His followers in this manner).

I have neglected babysitting for families who has a pet dog or dogs. But as a Muslim going into a Muslim home or a non-Muslim home, I have to obey their rules such as putting the children to sleep at a specific time or keep a good eye on this child... When I do talk to parents before they leave, I wear a topi and have a musolo with me. Muslim families may know that I pray at their home, some even telling me which way the Qiblah is.

The problem with praying in a non-Muslim home is that they have pictures hung on their walls, whether it is in the child's room of a picture of John Cena (a wrestler), a calendar displaying half-naked woman, or a picture of their family in the family room. That stops me from praying namaaz in their home as I feel that this would displease Allah Subhanahuwatallah.

I've had a father tell me that he didn't want me displaying religion in his home, he told me to take off my topi. I should have left but I took my topi off and still babysat without praying or anything, having fun making jokes with his kids and talking to them etc. The next time he called me to babysit, I refused even though he bumped the price up. I saw his kids at the park a few weeks later, they wanted me to come and babysit them again or visit as they didn't like their current babysitter.

If it should happen, that Allah chooses to take away your soul on your way back from work (and after missing salaah for the sake of pleasing a person - who will no doubt, only be concerned about themselves on the Day of Qiyamat), then ask yourself: What will be my condition? How will I be able to account for intentionally not obeying the commands of my Rabb?

So yes, I do refuse to babysit or befriend a person who is shown in front of my own eyes to be anti-Islamic. Whether it was the father who told me to take off my topi, or a Mother who said that she won't pay if I pray at her home as my job is to watch the kids.