The short answer
Start early, teach by example and with gentleness, and be consistent. The Prophet ﷺ said to instruct children to pray at seven and to be firmer with them at ten. Luqman's advice to his son in the Quran is a model: teach tawhid, prayer, good character and humility, and keep making dua for your children.
The Quran gives a complete parenting curriculum in Luqman's advice to his son. It begins with tawhid: "O my son, do not associate [anything] with Allah" 1. Then awareness that Allah sees even a mustard seed hidden in a rock, then prayer, enjoining good and patience, and finally manners: do not turn your cheek in contempt, do not walk arrogantly, and lower your voice 2. Notice the tone: "O my son", again and again. It is instruction wrapped in love.
Prayer needs patience. Allah tells the Prophet ﷺ, "enjoin prayer upon your family [and people] and be steadfast therein" 3. The Prophet ﷺ gave a timeline: "Command your children to pray when they become seven years old", discipline them for it at ten, and separate their beds 4. Seven to ten is three years, over five thousand prayers, of gentle reminders and encouragement before any firmness.
Children learn by watching. Ibrahim (AS) prayed, "My Lord, make me an establisher of prayer, and [many] from my descendants" 5. Let your children see you pray, read Quran and make dua, and take them to the mosque.
Keep the atmosphere warm. The Prophet ﷺ would play with children: whenever Anas's little brother was brought to him, he would playfully ask the boy about his pet bird 6. Love makes children want what you want for them.
And never stop making dua: "Our Lord, grant us from among our wives and offspring comfort to our eyes and make us an example for the righteous" 7. Guidance is ultimately in Allah's hands, and your job is to plant the seeds with care.
Luqman begins his advice to his son with warning against shirk.
وَإِذۡ قَالَ لُقۡمَٰنُ لِٱبۡنِهِۦ وَهُوَ يَعِظُهُۥ يَٰبُنَيَّ لَا تُشۡرِكۡ بِٱللَّهِۖ إِنَّ ٱلشِّرۡكَ لَظُلۡمٌ عَظِيمࣱ ١٣
And [mention, O Muhammad], when Luqman said to his son while he was instructing him, "O my son, do not associate [anything] with Allah. Indeed, association [with him] is great injustice
Luqman teaches Allah's knowledge, prayer, enjoining good, patience, humility and a lowered voice.
يَٰبُنَيَّ إِنَّهَآ إِن تَكُ مِثۡقَالَ حَبَّةࣲ مِّنۡ خَرۡدَلࣲ فَتَكُن فِي صَخۡرَةٍ أَوۡ فِي ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ أَوۡ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ يَأۡتِ بِهَا ٱللَّهُۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَطِيفٌ خَبِيرࣱ ١٦ يَٰبُنَيَّ أَقِمِ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَأۡمُرۡ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِ وَٱنۡهَ عَنِ ٱلۡمُنكَرِ وَٱصۡبِرۡ عَلَىٰ مَآ أَصَابَكَۖ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ مِنۡ عَزۡمِ ٱلۡأُمُورِ ١٧ وَلَا تُصَعِّرۡ خَدَّكَ لِلنَّاسِ وَلَا تَمۡشِ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ مَرَحًاۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ كُلَّ مُخۡتَالࣲ فَخُورࣲ ١٨ وَٱقۡصِدۡ فِي مَشۡيِكَ وَٱغۡضُضۡ مِن صَوۡتِكَۚ إِنَّ أَنكَرَ ٱلۡأَصۡوَٰتِ لَصَوۡتُ ٱلۡحَمِيرِ ١٩
16 [And Luqman said], "O my son, indeed if wrong should be the weight of a mustard seed and should be within a rock or [anywhere] in the heavens or in the earth, Allah will bring it forth. Indeed, Allah is Subtle and Acquainted 17 O my son, establish prayer, enjoin what is right, forbid what is wrong, and be patient over what befalls you. Indeed, [all] that is of the matters [requiring] determination 18 And do not turn your cheek [in contempt] toward people and do not walk through the earth exultantly. Indeed, Allah does not like everyone self-deluded and boastful 19 And be moderate in your pace and lower your voice; indeed, the most disagreeable of sounds is the voice of donkeys
Enjoin prayer upon your family and be patient with it.
وَأۡمُرۡ أَهۡلَكَ بِٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَٱصۡطَبِرۡ عَلَيۡهَاۖ لَا نَسۡـَٔلُكَ رِزۡقࣰ اۖ نَّحۡنُ نَرۡزُقُكَۗ وَٱلۡعَٰقِبَةُ لِلتَّقۡوَىٰ ١٣٢
And enjoin prayer upon your family [and people] and be steadfast therein. We ask you not for provision; We provide for you, and the [best] outcome is for [those of] righteousness
Command children to pray at seven, discipline them for it at ten, and separate their beds.
Narrated Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Command your children to pray when they become seven years old, and beat them for it (prayer) when they become ten years old; and arrange their beds (to sleep) separately
حَدَّثَنَا مُؤَمَّلُ بْنُ هِشَامٍ، - يَعْنِي الْيَشْكُرِيَّ - حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، عَنْ سَوَّارٍ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ، - قَالَ أَبُو دَاوُدَ وَهُوَ سَوَّارُ بْنُ دَاوُدَ أَبُو حَمْزَةَ الْمُزَنِيُّ الصَّيْرَفِيُّ - عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ شُعَيْبٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ جَدِّهِ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " مُرُوا أَوْلاَدَكُمْ بِالصَّلاَةِ وَهُمْ أَبْنَاءُ سَبْعِ سِنِينَ وَاضْرِبُوهُمْ عَلَيْهَا وَهُمْ أَبْنَاءُ عَشْرِ سِنِينَ وَفَرِّقُوا بَيْنَهُمْ فِي الْمَضَاجِعِ " .
Ibrahim (AS) asked Allah to make him and his descendants establishers of prayer.
رَبِّ ٱجۡعَلۡنِي مُقِيمَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِيۚ رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلۡ دُعَآءِ ٤٠
My Lord, make me an establisher of prayer, and [many] from my descendants. Our Lord, and accept my supplication
The Prophet ﷺ played with a small boy, asking about his pet bird.
Narrated Anas:The Prophet (ﷺ) was the best of all the people in character. I had a brother called Abu `Umar, who, I think, had been newly weaned. Whenever he (that child) was brought to the Prophet (ﷺ) the Prophet (ﷺ) used to say, "O Abu `Umar! What did Al-Nughair (nightingale) (do)?" It was a nightingale with which he used to play. Sometimes the time of the Prayer became due while he (the Prophet) was in our house. He would order that the carpet underneath him be swept and sprayed with water, and then he would stand up (for the prayer) and we would line up behind him, and he would lead us in prayer
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَارِثِ، عَنْ أَبِي التَّيَّاحِ، عَنْ أَنَسٍ، قَالَ كَانَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَحْسَنَ النَّاسِ خُلُقًا، وَكَانَ لِي أَخٌ يُقَالُ لَهُ أَبُو عُمَيْرٍ ـ قَالَ أَحْسِبُهُ فَطِيمٌ ـ وَكَانَ إِذَا جَاءَ قَالَ " يَا أَبَا عُمَيْرٍ مَا فَعَلَ النُّغَيْرُ ". نُغَرٌ كَانَ يَلْعَبُ بِهِ، فَرُبَّمَا حَضَرَ الصَّلاَةَ وَهُوَ فِي بَيْتِنَا، فَيَأْمُرُ بِالْبِسَاطِ الَّذِي تَحْتَهُ فَيُكْنَسُ وَيُنْضَحُ، ثُمَّ يَقُومُ وَنَقُومُ خَلْفَهُ فَيُصَلِّي بِنَا.
Dua for spouses and children who are a comfort to the eyes.
وَٱلَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا هَبۡ لَنَا مِنۡ أَزۡوَٰجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّٰتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعۡيُنࣲ وَٱجۡعَلۡنَا لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا ٧٤
And those who say, "Our Lord, grant us from among our wives and offspring comfort to our eyes and make us an example for the righteous
The Prophet ﷺ never struck a woman or a servant with his hand.
A'isha reported that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) never beat anyone with his hand, neither a woman nor a servant, but only, in the case when he had been fighting in the cause of Allah and he never took revenge for anything unless the things made inviolable by Allah were made violable; he then took revenge for Allah, the Exalted and Glorious
حَدَّثَنَاهُ أَبُو كُرَيْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو أُسَامَةَ، عَنْ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ مَا ضَرَبَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم شَيْئًا قَطُّ بِيَدِهِ وَلاَ امْرَأَةً وَلاَ خَادِمًا إِلاَّ أَنْ يُجَاهِدَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَمَا نِيلَ مِنْهُ شَىْءٌ قَطُّ فَيَنْتَقِمَ مِنْ صَاحِبِهِ إِلاَّ أَنْ يُنْتَهَكَ شَىْءٌ مِنْ مَحَارِمِ اللَّهِ فَيَنْتَقِمَ لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ .
This answer was compiled with the help of AI, using only the verified texts shown here. Every reference links to its source. If you find a mistake, please report it. Updated 2026-09-24