The Prophet’s ﷺ Gentle Approach with Children

𝑨𝒏𝒂𝒔 (𝒓𝒂) 𝒓𝒆𝒑𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒆𝒅: 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑴𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝑨𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒉ﷺ  𝒘𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅 𝒗𝒊𝒔𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑨𝒏𝒔𝒂𝒓, 𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒄𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒏 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒑𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒆, 𝒑𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒔, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒔𝒖𝒑𝒑𝒍𝒊𝒄𝒂𝒕𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝒃𝒆𝒉𝒂𝒍𝒇. [Al-Albani]🌙

Nobody knew this more than Anas ibn Malik (ra). He was ten years old when he went into the service of the Prophetﷺ  in Madina. So began ten years of great blessings; for his faith, character and knowledge, learning first-hand in the company of the best of creation. Once the Prophetﷺ visited his family.

Anas reported: My mother said, “O Messenger of Allahﷺ, here is your little servant. Supplicate to Allah for him.” The Prophetﷺ supplicated for me to have every good and at the end of his supplication, heﷺ said, “O Allah, increase him in wealth, in children, and bless him in them.”

[Muslim]

Such were the blessings in this dua that Anas (ra) lived to a ripe old age of 103, had 100+ offspring in his lifetime and became amongst the wealthiest of the Ansar. Anas (ra) would say; I served the Prophetﷺ for ten years. By Allah, he never even said to me, “Uff!” Heﷺ never said harshly for anything, “Why did you do that?” or, “Why did you not do that?”[Bukhari]🌙

In fact it was a relationship at heart built on patience and kindness. Once the wives of the Prophetﷺ were about to blame him for something, yet the Prophetﷺ told them: “Leave him alone. If it was predestined, then it would have been done.”[Ahmad]🌙

The Prophetﷺ had a wonderful way with children that always left him approachable and friendly in their eyes. Heﷺ understood a child’s nature; their playfulness and sense of humour and often drew upon this to connect, building a healthy relationship gaining their trust, respect and love in return.

The Prophetﷺ would play with Anas(ra) and affectionately joke with him to say; “Oh, you owner of two ears.” [Abu Dawud]

Heﷺ even gave Anas the nickname ‘Abu Hamzah’ after Anas’s love for a certain type of green leafy vegetable (hamzah) which he grew and ate.

There was never a generational gap that gave rise to an austere, overly formal relationship. Without compromising boundaries of respect that should exist between adult and child the Prophetﷺ successfully reached out and connected with children making him an inspiring example to follow.🌙

𝑴𝒖𝒔𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 of 𝗦.𝗡.𝗝𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗹𝗶 ✍🏼 (𝑨𝒖𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒓 of 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗯𝗻 𝗞𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗿 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀, Islamic chapter books for kids📚)  𝗕𝗹𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀  📚