A grandfather stretches a prostration in prayer far longer than usual, and the men praying behind him assume something has gone wrong. It has not. His granddaughter climbed onto his back mid prostration, and he stayed down until she chose to move on her own. Sunnah for Muslim parents starts exactly here, with reports most parenting books never mention, because they were never written by someone raising children while also leading a nation and receiving revelation.
Parents searching for guidance usually find generic advice about routines and screen time. What they rarely find is a direct account of how the best of creation actually behaved with the children in his own household, and that account is sitting in the same hadith collections families already trust for everything else.
The Sunnah Most Parenting Advice Skips Entirely
A Prophet Who Interrupted Sermons for a Grandson
Abu Qatadah reported that the Prophet ﷺ used to carry his granddaughter Umamah on his shoulder during prayer. He would put her down when he prostrated and pick her up again when he stood (Sahih al-Bukhari 516 and Sahih Muslim 543). No modern parenting guide would suggest holding an infant through formal prayer, yet the Prophet ﷺ did exactly that, in front of his entire congregation, without apparent concern for how it looked.
Why This Matters More Than Any Modern Parenting Trend
Parenting advice changes with every decade, and today’s recommended method is tomorrow’s outdated one. The Prophet’s ﷺ example does not shift with trends, because it was never built on a theory, but on direct observation of a man who happened to be a father, a grandfather, and the final messenger all at once, letting all three roles show through his behavior at the same time.
How the Prophet ﷺ Treated Children in Specific, Repeatable Ways
Greeting Children With the Same Seriousness as Adults
Anas ibn Malik once passed a group of children and greeted them with salam, explaining that this was what the Prophet ﷺ used to do (Sahih al-Bukhari 6247). A small gesture, repeated deliberately, taught an entire generation of companions that children deserved the same courtesy owed to an adult, not a distracted nod on the way to something more important.
Playing, Racing, and Getting Down to Their Level
Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet ﷺ kissed his grandson Al-Hasan while a companion named Al-Aqra’ ibn Habis sat nearby. Al-Aqra’ remarked that he had ten children and had never kissed a single one. The Prophet ﷺ looked at him and said, “Whoever does not show mercy will not be shown mercy” (Sahih al-Bukhari 5997 and Sahih Muslim 2318). Physical affection was not treated as optional or embarrassing. It was framed as a direct measure of mercy itself.
Correcting Without Shaming
Anas ibn Malik, who served the Prophet ﷺ for ten years as a young boy, said that he never once heard him say “uff” in annoyance, nor did he ever criticize him for something he had done or something he had left undone (Sahih al-Bukhari 6038 and Sahih Muslim 2309). Ten years is long enough for any child to make hundreds of mistakes. Not one of them earned a harsh word.
Turning These Reports Into a Daily Parenting Practice
The Small Habits That Take Less Than a Minute
None of these reports demand elaborate effort. Greeting your child with salam every morning, the way you would greet a guest, takes seconds. Kissing your children without waiting for a special occasion takes seconds. Holding your tongue when a mistake tempts you toward a sharp word takes only the discipline to pause before speaking.
- Say salam to your children first, before they say it to you.
- Kiss or embrace them at least once a day without a reason attached.
- Notice the moment you want to snap, and choose silence instead, even once.
What to Do When You Fall Short of the Model
No parent matches this standard consistently, and that gap is not a reason for despair. Apologize to your child when you lose your patience, explain that you are trying to follow the Prophet’s ﷺ example, and let them see the correction happen in real time. A parent who repairs a mistake models something almost as valuable as the original good behavior.
Modeling the Sunnah So Children Copy It Without Being Told
Children Learn Faith by Watching, Not by Being Lectured
Aisha, describing the character of the Prophet ﷺ, said simply that it was the Quran (Sahih Muslim 746). Character formed the substance of his teaching far more than any single lecture did, and children absorb character the same way: by watching, repeatedly, until the behavior feels normal rather than instructed.
The Habits Your Child Will Repeat Because You Did
A child who watches a parent greet the mailman kindly, forgive a sibling quickly, and speak gently under stress will reach for those same responses later, often without remembering where they learned them. Allah instructs believers to protect themselves and their families from what harms them (Quran 66:6), and protection in this sense includes the habits a child absorbs simply by living beside you.
Teaching Your Children the Sunnah Directly, Not Just by Example
Simple Stories From the Seerah That Make the Point Land
Tell your child the story of Umamah on her grandfather’s shoulder during prayer, or Al-Hasan receiving a kiss in front of a surprised guest. Children remember stories about other children far more easily than abstract instructions, and these particular stories happen to be authentic, sourced, and full of warmth.
A Tutor Who Teaches the Prophet’s ﷺ Character Alongside Recitation
Ijaazah’s Azhari certified tutors weave seerah and character alongside Quran and tajweed, so a child learns the Sunnah as a living example rather than a separate subject memorized for a test. Female tutors are available for mothers and daughters who prefer to study together, and lessons are booked around the household’s actual schedule rather than an ideal one.
Raising Children Who Recognize the Prophet ﷺ in Their Own Home
The Prophet ﷺ told parents to command their children to pray from the age of seven (Sunan Abi Dawud 495, graded hasan sahih), and that same gentleness he showed toward Umamah and Al-Hasan shaped how that command was meant to be delivered. Raise your children the way he raised the children around him: with patience that outlasted a decade of mistakes, and affection offered without waiting for an occasion.
Carry the Sunnah Into Your Parenting
Sadaqah Jariyah Share
Another parent may need permission to be gentler with their children than the culture around them suggests. Share this article with them. Every household that softens because of a story you passed on adds to your reward.
The 5 Minute Challenge
Today, greet your child with salam before they greet you, and hold them for a moment longer than usual without explaining why. Notice how they respond, and repeat the same small gesture tomorrow.
Take the Next Step
Book a Free Trial with an Azhari certified tutor for your family, or Take the Test Me Assessment to find where your child should begin.
