BISMILLAH 5 - AS YOUR AMALAN

"With the name of Allah the most gracious and the most merciful.
With the name of Allah that heals.
With the name of Allah that suffices all.
With the name of Allah that provides us good health.
With the name of Allah that no calamity befalls those who takes protection in His name from all evil in the earth or the skies. He is the all hearing and all knowing."

Dear mothers, (or even fathers :D) read this while you cook so that insyaAllah your cooking for your family will be blessed by Allah swt. As the saying goes, we are what we eat, therefore it is important that it gets the barakah from Ya Rahman Ya Rahim Allah. What we consume in time becomes our blood and soul, and it forms the purity of our hearts. Wallahualam bissawab.

"Masak dari hati, masak dengan iman."

- Chef Ammar (TV Al-Hijrah)

ANAK ANUGERAH TERINDAH

Assalamualaikum pembaca yang dirahmati Allah. Semoga anda berada di dalam iman dan kesihatan yang sebaiknya.

Pada hari ini, saya ingin menyentuh tentang anak, dan amanah Allah kepada kita apabila diberi anugerah yang terindah ini. Setiap ibu bapa atau bakal ibu bapa pasti senantiasa berdoa untuk mendapat zuriat yang sihat, bijak, beriman, baik sahsiahnya, menjadi insan hebat fizikal dan rohaninya, dan dapat menjadi saham yang dibawa ibu bapa selepas meninggalkan dunia yang sementara ini.

Sebagai usaha kita sebagai insan yang daif dan sentiasa bergantung kepada kuasa yang Maha Agung, marilah kita berdoa kepada Allah azzawajal. Dan mulalah berdoa dari sebelum kita menemui jodoh sekalipun, kerana anak yang baik itu datangnya dari individu yang menjadi pasangan yang baik. Ibu bapa yang ingin kebaikan untuk anaknya perlulah menjadi insan yang terbaik dahulu.

Ramai ibu bapa seringkali meletakkan harapan yang tinggi kepada anak yang suci ini tanpa menyedari anak-anak juga mempunya hak dan harapan kepada kita yang boleh dituntut di hadapan Allah swt kelak.

Telah diriwayatkan bahawa Ibn ‘Umar berkata: “Allah telah memanggil mereka abraar (orang yang baik) kerana mereka menghormati (barru) bapa-bapa mereka. Seperti ayah anda ada hak atas anda, begitu juga anak-anak anda ada hak atas anda.

Al-Adab al-Mufrad, 94.

Rasulullah (SAW) bersabda, mengikut satu hadith yang diriwayatkan Abdullah ibn ‘Umar, “… dan anak-anak anda ada hak atas anda.” Muslim, 1159.
Antara hak-hak anak dalam Islam terhadap ibu bapa adalah:-
1) Seorang lelaki perlulah mencari wanita yang baik untuk menjadi ibu yang baik buat anaknya
2) Mengajarkan mereka Al-Quran dan As-Sunnah
3) Diberikan nama yang baik

Jom kita bersama baiki cara-cara kita dalam mendidik anak-anak agar diri kita juga terdidik dengan ilmu yang terbaik untuk membesarkan mereka seperti yang diredhai Allah swt.

Di sini saya kongsikan Carta Perencanaan Anak Soleh yang dikongsikan dari Majalah al-Ustaz isu 09. Semoga ia bermanfaat buat semua, insyaAllah taala. Wassalam.

BE YOUR CHILD'S READING ROLE MODEL

Assalamualaikum dear readers...

Kasih ibu membawa ke syurga, kasih bapa selamanya... that's the description of parents’ love for their child. Such a short sentence but with deep significant meaning… Recently I was informed of a parent who came back from one of our Fast Reading Technique seminar and made their very own flashcard as how the teachers do at Little Caliphs so that they too can practice with their child at home, subhanallah. Here is what it looks like:

Parents who dedicate a little bit of time in a day to enhance their child’s reading skills will see their child benefitting greatly from it, insyallah. ‘Berkat usaha ibu bapa’ as they say.  And if you have successfully attended one of our Fast Reading Technique seminars around Malaysia, insyallah you will know the right how-to that align with the technique used by The Little Caliphs Program which ultimately enables children to read as fast as 4 years old, biiznillah.

Quoting from my own book Raising Young Caliphs, ‘A Guide to Raising Muslim Children’, I mentioned in Chapter 2: Learning by Stages (page 26), at age 4, the ‘questioner’ in your child will awaken. This is why it is the ideal time to ‘feed’ them with as much input to help their mind explore and grow. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that you can firstly, be available: Find frequent, small amounts of time each day to be available to your toddler. Secondly, share books with your toddler often during the day. If your child is upset or cannot settle, or if you’re waiting for an appointment together – share a book!

Another essential point I found from my reading and personal experiences are:

Practice phonics. According to Joelle Brummitt-Yale from K12 Reader, children can’t comprehend what they read unless they are able to identify the sounds making up each word. Practice phonics at home by pointing out letters you and your child see every day, on signs, in books or even on TV. For example, while waiting in line at the grocery store, point out letters in magazines or on signs. 

Read their favourite books over and over. According to Brummitt-Yale, repetitive reading allows a child to process a text multiple times. The first time your kindergartener reads a story, he likely focuses on decoding the words without searching for meaning. However, with repetition, he masters the words and begins to make meaning from them. Next comes the understanding that every story has meaning. Therefore, encourage your little one to read favourite books aloud multiple times.

Work with your child’s teacher. Meet with her teacher or at least speak with her over the phone regularly to make sure you are aware of her progress at school.

In summary and in short, here are the simplest of tips that you can follow:

• Provide varied reading material
• Encourage activities that require reading — for example, cooking (reading a recipe), constructing a kite (reading directions), or identifying an interesting bird's nest or a shell collected at the beach (using a reference book).
• Establish a reading time, even if it is only ten minutes a day.
• Write notes to your school-age child; encourage written responses.
• Encourage your child in all reading efforts.

And more importantly,

BE A GOOD ROLE MODEL! READ YOURSELF AND READ OFTEN TO YOUR CHILD. 

Wassalam, Allah ma'ak. 

READING IN ISLAM ~ A PATH TO PARADISE

Assalamualaikum dear parents, teachers and readers,

As mentioned in one of my previous post, today I will share some insights on reading in Islam. For us Muslims, seeking knowledge is one of the ways to Jannah. And where does knowledge begin if not with the basic skills of reading. Being able to read sooner in our lives allows us to learn about our beloved Prophet Muhammad (saw) sooner and those who were close to him. It allows our children read and to begin instilling in themselves the vision of life and good attributes to follow. Here are some quotes according to the Quran and Hadith:

"Allah will exalt those who believe among you, and those who have been granted knowledge to high ranks." (Qur'an)

"Seeking knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim (male and female)." (Hadith)

"And say: My Lord increase me in knowledge." (Qur'an, Ta-Ha 20:114)

"It is only those who have knowledge among His servants that fear Allah." (Qur'an, Fatir 35:28)

The relationship between reading and faith is as basic as "Iqra," the first word of revelation in surah Al-Alaq.

In translation, Allah swt says in the surah,

Abdullah Yusuf Ali Translation

1. Read! In the Name of your Lord, Who has created (all that exists),
2. Has created man from a clot (a piece of thick coagulated blood).
3. Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous,
4. Who has taught (the writing) by the pen [the first person to write was Prophet Idrees (Enoch)],
5. Has taught man that which he knew not.
6. Nay! Verily, man does transgress all bounds (in disbelief and evil deed, etc.).
7. Because he considers himself self-sufficient.
8. Surely! Unto your Lord is the return.
9. Have you (O Muhammad) seen him (i.e. Abu Jahl) who prevents,
10. A slave (Muhammad) when he prays?
11. Tell me, if he (Muhammad) is on the guidance (of Allah)?
12. Or enjoins piety?
13. Tell me if he (the disbeliever, Abu Jahl) denies (the truth, i.e. this Qur'an), and turns away?
14. Knows he not that Allah does see (what he does)?
15. Nay! If he (Abu Jahl) ceases not, We will catch him by the forelock,
16. A lying, sinful forelock!
17. Then, let him call upon his council (of helpers),
18. We will call the guards of Hell (to deal with him)!
19. Nay! (O Muhammad)! Do not obey him (Abu Jahl). Fall prostrate and draw near to Allah!

When a child reads a story his or her imagination is stimulated. It's not enough to tell a child that Du'a is powerful. Let them read the story of someone who made Du'a and was strengthened. It's not enough to teach a child that Islam can work in their life. Let them read about real life people who are also Muslims. 

Let them read and love every second of it! ^_^ Insyallah, we hope that you will also love every moment spent for knowledge in our Fast Reading Technique seminar in which we hope will benefit you and these little caliphs of the future.

Here is a picture summary of all that went on in Zon Utara during our Fast Reading Technique seminar travel over the weekend: 

REVIEWS AND FEEDBACK

Bismillahirrahmanirrahim...

Assalamualaikum warahmatullah, I hope you who are reading this is in the best of health and iman.

It often touches me deeply when I receive good feedback, reviews and pleasant results by parents and teachers alike about the effectiveness of the Fast Reading Technique on their children. It seems as if Allah is showing me how far my dream is going in helping more and more little children read as early as 4 years of age. As for parents who have encountered certain problems, i believe there is an answer to it, insyallah. So please do contact a consultant or Little Caliphs branch nearest to you so that we may resolve your troubles, by Allah's willing. 

I would like to casually share some feedback and pictures i received over travelling during the on-going Fast Reading Technique Seminar nationwide. Jazakumullah khair for all your support :D

In the meantime, stay tuned for more updates on this blog. Allah ma'ak.  

READING, WHY IS IT IMPORTANT? PLUS SNEAK PEEK OF RT IN KELANTAN DARUL NAIM

I often hear people asking, why is reading important? Well, it is important for far too many reasons. But here's a few i would like to highlight for the benefit of our children.

Firstly, reading is important because it develops the mind. The mind is a muscle and like every other muscle in the body, it needs exercise. Understanding the written word is one way the mind grows in its ability. Teaching young children to read helps them develop their language skills. It also helps them learn to listen.
Secondly, reading is also one of the ways we discover new things. The tools are endless in this day and age as we have not only books, but magazines, newspaper, billboards and even the Internet to explore with. A child who knows how to read can easily be educated in any area of life interests. 

Thirdly, reading develops the imagination which is essential for growing children. TV and computer games have their place, but they are more like amusement. Amusement is non-thinking activities. With reading, a person can go anywhere in the world...or even out of it! They can be an adventurer, or even a dinosaur. The possibilities are endless. Non-readers never experience these joys to the same extent. 

I could go on and on but let me just end here for today with the old saying, "The pen is mightier than the sword". Not only has it helped us spread Islam better over the century, it has also helped us develop nations and a better living. Insyallah, in my next post perhaps i will share an Islamic though about reading.

Here's a peek at what went on in Kelantan over the weekend :)

THE FAST READING TECHNIQUE IN SHAH ALAM

One of the teaching methods we practice at Little Caliphs is the Fast Reading Technique. However, fast reading technique doesn't mean reading with speed, but the ability to read as early as 4 years of age. We want all our children to be able to benefit from this gift Allah swt has given us. Alhamdulillah over the weekend, we managed to share this knowledge with a passionate group of parents and train them how to teach their children at home too. Hopefully with a deeper understanding on how their children learn and develop in reading, parents will be able to boost their children's potential even further. Conducted at Unisel Shah Alam, about 700 parents filled the hall masyallah and the respond was very endearing as well. All praises to Allah.

Among the feedback we received from Little Caliphs' parents and teachers include:

"Tahniah kepada LC team yang berjaya mengendalikan fast reading technique semalam. Penyampaian maklumat yang sangat bermanfaat alhamdulillah, suka sangat bila dah mencuba kepada Ahmad 5 minit sebelum menghantar dia ke LC. Jazakumullah khairan."
- Ahmad Fitri Al-Ami

"Alhamdulillah balik semalam semangat nak try method yang teachers ajar...Humaira enjoyed the reading techniques and buat dengan semangat."
- Nur Humaira Zahirah

"Saya ada parents yang anak dah habis reading, dah datang last year and masih nak datang this year, alhamdulillah. Kak Fari you are awesome just the way you are spontaneous and full of knowledge and tarbiyyah. Jazakillahu khairan khatsira, love you always. To all the team members, you are such a wonderful team, thank you so much for all the great effort, moga ukhuwah kita berpanjangan, ameen insyaAllah."
-LC teacher

Come join us in our next session of Reading Technique Training held all around Malaysia so that many more children may benefit from it, insyAllah.

BENTUK ANAK DENGAN CARA HIDUP ISLAM

Ibubapa yg dihormati,

Anak-anak ibarat kain putih yang suci bersih dari semasa mereka dilahirkan...

Andalah yang bertanggungjawab mencorak dan membentuk mereka..

Siapa mereka hari ini? Samada mereka masih kecil atau makin meningkat umurnya, sesungguhnya kitalah yang akan dipersoalkan di akhirat kelak, bagaimana kita mendidik mereka.

Adakah mereka telah mengenal Allah, pencipta mereka, sedari kecil?

Tahukah mereka sebutan dan makna syahadah?

Sudahkah mereka diajar cara solat yang betul dan istiqamah melaksanakannya 5 waktu sehari semalam, bermula 7 tahun atau paling lewat 10 tahun ke atas?

Kenalkah mereka dengan huruf-huruf AlQuran dan pandai membacanya?

Kenal dan cintakah mereka pada Nabi kita Muhammad s.a.w dan diterapkan usaha mengamalkan sunnahnya?

Ya, dari kecil..dari kecil mereka sudah perlu dididik dengan ini semua.

Kerana apa yang mereka belajar terutama dari umur 4 tahun, insyaAllah akan melekat hingga mereka dewasa.

Ingat sahaja, seketika umur berapa kita belajar solat, membaca Al-Quran serta mengenal Allah dan Rasul? Jika bukan jasa ibu ayah atau guru-guru sekolah terdahulu, pasti kita masih merangkak-rangkak mencari apa itu Islam? Dari mana kita datang dan kemanakah kita akan kembali?

Bersyukurlah atas nikmat iman dan Islam yang Allah swt anugerahkan pada kita semua..

Moga generasi anak-anak ini mendapat pendidikan islam yang baik untuk pembinaan iman mereka.

Doa kami, agar semua ibubapa dan para pendidik di Little Caliphs dapat jalankan amanah menyampaikan Islam sebaiknya.. Aameen!

JOURNEY WITH US IN THE FAST READING TECHNIQUE SEMINAR

The faster our children learn to read, the more they can benefit from the knowledge of this world and the next, the more opportunities arises for them, and the faster they develop their thinking and analytic skills. Masyallah, we feel blessed to be able to share a technique that has proven to benefit many young children around the world. Come and find out what it is all about.