What to Play?

It’s often said that children are like ‘tape recorders’. They have the uncanny ability to repeat words or statements that they hear, often verbatim, and sometimes at the most embarrassing moments. That is why people are often cautioned to watch what they say in front of their children, as the tape is always turning and cannot be switched off or erased thereafter (read more on this topic here).

To understand the effect of the ‘tape recorder’, think of those children whose parents use different forms of media to occupy or calm them. In most cases, these children, after some time, are able to sing entire songs or nursery rhymes from the beginning until the end, word for word, with almost no mistakes!

Hence, the question is, “What if we harness this unique and powerful ability of a child and use it for the benefit and empowerment of the child?” In other words, what if we carefully select certain things that we want the child to hear, and ensure that the child hears these things over and over again? If we do this, we will certainly succeed in entrenching certain vital and important things in the child’s brain, thus taking advantage of the child’s natural ability to equip him in life.

In this regard, one major benefit that can be easily acquired through this method is that of memorizing the Quraan Majeed. The effectiveness of memorizing through listening can be easily witnessed in the many children who learn multiple surahs, du‘aas, etc. through merely listening to their older siblings revising their surahs and du‘aas every evening!

Hence, if we play surahs of the Quraan Majeed to our children, then instead of them learning random rhymes and songs, much will be achieved as they will learn the glorious word of Allah Ta‘ala. Furthermore, since this method is effort-free, it does not place a strain on the mind of the child and is found to be enjoyable. Thus, we can even play surahs to our small babies in their cots and cribs.

If we wish to utilize and benefit from this method, then we should first of all identify a qaari (reciter) who not only recites well, but recites with the correct tajweed (pronunciation). Then, since one of the aims is the memorization of the surah, his recitation should not be rapid and fast. Finally, we should make the child listen to those surahs which he will memorize next or is currently memorizing, and should play these surahs on ‘loop’ (with the surah repeating over and over).

At this point, it is important for us to bear in mind that playing surahs for the children or in the home is IN NO WAY a substitute for our own recitation of the Quraan Majeed. Hence, even if we listen to recordings of the Quraan Majeed, we are not absolved of our obligation to recite the Quraan Majeed, as these recordings are merely there in a supplementary capacity, to assist us with memorization and pronunciation.

Finally, just as repeatedly listening to surahs assists with memorizing the Quraan Majeed, repeatedly conducting ta’leem of the Fazaail kitaabs assists with instilling the importance and virtues of salaah, zikr, etc. in the heart. It is for this reason that punctuality on the daily ta’leem is so vital for the progress and steadfastness of one and all, child and adult alike.

May Allah Ta‘ala grant us all clean records and assist us to record only that which is beneficial for us, aameen.