by Zainib Ahmad

Created on: June 27, 2008

Muslims have rituals, though of course the word ritual does not denote the true spirit of a religion. I suppose, though, that ritual or tradition is the best word that is used to describe those practices that have religious foundations and are carried out widely. Islam is not a ceremonial religion and whenever elaborate ceremonies are seen, they are usually un-Islamic. An interesting aspect of Islam is that it makes a smooth transition from childhood toward gradual adulthood. The five dails prayers are a big deal in Islam and are the hallmark of a believer. For most Muslim parents, preparing kids to offer these prayers is a long journey and it begins when the child is as young as five. Children are taught the Arabic text of the prayer and the various supplications and praises to Allah that are offered as one bows and rises and then prostrates oneself before the Divine Being. Little kids first pray along with a parent and then gradually learn to pray by themselves. As the child grows older and enters the teenage years, he or she is expected to pray five times a day like an adult.

Another important part of growing up Muslim is learning to read the Quran. Most kids start young reciting the Arabic alphabets and learning to connect them. Progress is often slow and the process is harder for kids whose parents do not speak Arabic. Gradually the child is proficient enough to read from the actual Quran. Reading through the entire Quran takes a long time and every child progresses at his or her own pace. The entire family rejoices when the child has read all thirty part of the Quran. Of course the object is not to "finish" the Quran; it is the opposite, to begin a lifetime of reading the Quran, understanding it and making it a guideline for a life well lived.

Growing up is not easy in any culture or religion. Just as a caterpillar has to transform to become a butterfly, a tadpole has to grow legs to become a frog, so too the direction of life changes once adulthood approaches. Islam encourages the gradual changes that happen and at the same time provides a strong moral foundation for an individual to grow upon. While many religions have adapted to the world around them by allowing their followers great freedom to follow the trends of society, Islam has not weakened its morality. Changing times do not mean human nature has changed. If anything, society has become even more dangerous and our kids need even more structure and supervision to help them develop the self-control that is a sign of true adulthood. Islam teaches young people to completely abstain from drugs, alcohol, casual dating and sexual activities. These are the key things that destroy young people before they have had a chance to see the world in its true colors. Praying regularly, trying to fast and studying the Quran are all ways to guide a young person to become all that Allah wants her to become and to avoid all the dangerous temptations that plague our society.

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