Basic Principles in Teaching Belief in Allah to Children

Abstract

When it comes to education, the first thing that comes to mind is child education. Religious education is also a part of it. Religion has sections such as belief, worship, morality and acting. Although these fields are intertwined, there are different principles and rules in teaching each of them. In particular, the fact that the principles of belief are composed of abstract subjects makes the subject much more sensitive and difficult. In this article is discussed the teaching of belief in Allah, which forms the basis of Islamic belief. A single mistake in teaching children about belief in Allah can cause major problems. Therefore, parents and educators should be careful in this regard. Within this framework, the principles to be considered in the teaching of belief in Allah are explained under the following headings: 1. Love of Allah Should Be Essential 2. Tolerance Is a Must 3. Attention Should Be Paid to the Principle of Gradualism 4. It Should Appeal to the Heart of the Child 5. The Attention of the Child Should be Directed to the Surrounding Things and Events. While explaining these principles, verses and hadiths were taken as a basis, the views of today’s educators and psychologists were used and these principles were illustrated with examples.