How Can I Get My Parents to Pray Since I Am Just a Child?
Answered by Ustadha Shazia Ahmad
Question
I am 12 years old right now and started praying in the middle of Ramadan. My parents don’t pray, but they have a strong belief in Allah. I can’t go a minute without worrying for them, and after every salah, I ask Allah to guide them. I once told them that I want them to start praying, and they said in sha Allah and showed me how to make dua for Allah to help them pray.
But I can’t build the courage to tell them I want them to act upon it. I am terrified for their destiny and sometimes cry during salah because I think about them. What do I do?
Answer
Thank you for your question. Ma sha Allah, such a heartwarming question from a young, pure soul! May Allah elevate your rank and make you the means for your parents’ eternal happiness and peace.
Supplication
It’s true that it is painful to see that your parents don’t pray, but I don’t want you to be consumed by worry and grief over this. Continue to do what you are doing. Advise, be an example, make dua, and be patient. Also, realize that you should be very grateful that they don’t stop you from praying, so take a minute each day to thank Allah for that.
Try saying this dua for parents in the link, but don’t worry if it’s too long, just say a couple of lines, or read the English translation. Reading any part of it is enough, as Allah knows your heart.
Supplication of Excellence to Parents – Du`a’ Birr al-Walidayn
Don’t Despair
Allah is very merciful and forgives all sins. He has told us in the Quran, “Say: My servants who have wronged yourselves, never despair of God’s mercy. God forgives all sins: He is truly the Most Forgiving, the Most Merciful.” [Quran, 39:53]
I am certain that your parents will start praying over time. In the meantime, study yourself, by taking some free courses with us, and gain inspiration and knowledge through our incredible teachers. Surely, your own spiritual state with rub off on them, or it will at least pique their curiosity. Leave the rest up to Allah.
Please see these links for more details:
I Struggle with My Prayers and Am so Worried About My Family Members Who Do Not Pray. What Do I Do?
Am I Accountable if My Family Doesn’t Practice Islam?
May Allah give you the best of this world and the next.
[Ustadha] Shazia Ahmad
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Ustadha Shazia Ahmad lived in Damascus, Syria for two years where she studied aqidah, fiqh, tajweed, tafsir, and Arabic. She then attended the University of Texas at Austin, where she completed her Masters in Arabic. Afterward, she moved to Amman, Jordan where she studied fiqh, Arabic, and other sciences. She later moved back to Mississauga, Canada, where she lives with her family.
