The Boy of the Masjid: Changing Our Mindset about Children in the Mosque
He literally grew up in the masjid. For his first 1.5 years, while Mama and Baba went to class, he was in the masjid with his beloved babysitters - taking his first steps, saying his first words. He says "Allahu Akbar" when the adhan sounds, puts his hands up when others make dua, whispers "Ameen" when someone opens a Quran, says "Salam" while shaking people's hands. MashAllah. He probably attended more prayers in the masjid than his parents!
He loves the masjid, and the masjid loves him! It's something special I'll miss dearly about Malaysia. Someone nicknamed him "Ibn al-Masjid" - the boy of the mosque. :) I pray it's a name that sticks with him forever.
But the unfortunate truth is that when I'm in America, I immediately become "un-mosqued". I fear the moment that he makes a peep, because the eyes start glaring, and the frowns start forming. "Women with kids should stay home!" I heard once blared over the mic. Holding Noah is like my ticket to the jungle - right at the back, with the rest of the spilled milk, broken toys, and forlorn mothers. Most moms, myself included, just opt out of the masjid scene... for a few years at least. The sad reality, I'd argue, is that mothers with young kids are probably the MOST in need of spiritual enrichment in their lives. But with little to no women on our masajid boards, who is going to realize that?
Somehow, they figured it out here in Malaysia. Their masajid and the people inside are extremely kid & mom friendly. Kids are not a nuisance, they're not sent to a baby room, they're not sent to the back of the room. Even in Ramadan, women will bring all their kids for I'tikaf and set up camp, and no one will take issue. When I want to pray, I can easily ask someone to watch him. Even if I don't, they will do so voluntarily. Nobody glares at me when he's fussing, they only come to help or play.
Noah "ibn al-Masjid" loves the masjid even more than home, and I pray it stays that way. The only way we can have "youth whose hearts are attached to the masjid" is by making it a place that welcomes and loves them. It starts with a change of mindset, with good Adab, with putting yourself in someone else's shoes.
I hope and pray we can take a lesson here, America.
