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We parents in the West will have to work hard to discover methods to instill “respect” in our children as we make our own values and draw our own lines, preferably, taking the best of both East and West. In fact, we should consider ourselves lucky that we are exposed to both of the cultures and are able to offer the best of both to our children. We will make mistakes, but we must learn to quickly recover, avoid repetition and improve. Although it is difficult, it is worth the constant struggle (juhd). Read More »

I strongly believe that there is a need for one of the parents to be the children's friend, especially while living in the West. What I mean by friendship is to have a kind of relationship with the children where parents themselves take “initiatives” in explaining issues to them that are normally avoided, and giving them a level of confidence that they can practically and literally approach their parent with any and every question they may have. Read More »

When I find myself getting upset with my children for disrespecting me, my irritation increases more if they ask me how they were disrespectful or why their action or statement was disrespectful when they didn’t mean it in disrespect! The genuine confusion on their faces is so apparent that I find myself speechless, but at times I confuse them further by throwing a set of answers, ‘the way you talked’ (tone), ‘what you said’ (words), ‘they way you looked’ (body language). As I confuse them more, I leave myself far more frustrated because I fail to define to them, and to my own-self first, what I mean by “respect!” Read More »

We posted a Khutbah a while back by Sh. Yasir Qadhi entitled Uncomparable Love. The transcript for that khutbah is below. May Allāh (swt) reward Bint AbelHamid for doing the transcription. Read More »

Most immigrant parents came here to go to school, to work, or open businesses. While some studied engineering, others studied business, some opened up gas stations, and yet others came for the ultimate prize of Medical School. In all of these cases though, they left home at a young age and went overseas. After studying, establishing themselves as professionals, buying a car, and buying a house like good Muslim children, they went back home, got married, and brought their wife over here. Then they lived happily ever after. ... Then a funny thing happened. Read More »

Or rather, showing it. In keeping with what seems to be a trend here at MuslimMatters, this post is also going to be about the parent-child relationship: specifically, what can kids and teens do to please our parents? From talking to my friends, and from my own experiences, I've found ... Read More »