Welcome children with kindness, not humiliation
“The Prophet would take some water and sprinkle the water on them to get your attention jokingly.”
The Prophet’s compassionate, playful, and non-humiliating treatment of children should guide how parents and masjids welcome, comfort, and raise young people.
The khutbah in 5 steps
- Introduces Anas ibn Malik as a child who served the Prophet closely.
- Recounts the Prophet visiting young Abu Umayyah after his pet bird died.
- Uses the hadith to highlight emotional care and broader jurisprudential lessons.
- Describes the Prophet’s gentle treatment of Anas and other children.
- Applies the example to parents and masjids: welcome children, make time, and treat them kindly.
In the khateeb's words
“He allowed this young child To weep in front of him To feel the pain In front of him Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam”
“The prophet would take some water And sprinkle the water on them To get your attention Jokingly”
“This is a principle Derived and deducted From the life of Rasulullah Sallallahu alayhi wa sallam That cannot be underestimated”
For the dinner table
Today’s khutbah reminds us that the Prophet Muhammad treated children with extraordinary attention and kindness. The speaker highlighted how he visited a very young child whose pet bird had died, asked about the bird, and allowed the child to grieve. He also described the Prophet playing with children, greeting them, and never humiliating Anas when he made mistakes. As parents and as a masjid community, we should make time for children, welcome them, and respond to their feelings with patience. Children should experience our homes and masjids as places of safety, respect, and belonging.
- When have you needed an adult to listen to your sadness the way the Prophet listened to the child?
- What could make children feel welcome in our masjid this week?
- How can we correct mistakes without humiliating anyone?
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