Central Khutbah: “Mekteb as a Trust of Education and Knowledge”

The upbringing of a child in Islam is not left to chance. A child is a trust (amānah), and parenthood is a responsibility that does not end with providing food, clothing, education, and a secure future. One of the greatest rights of a child is to know their Lord, their religion, and the path upon which they will walk throughout their life.

Allah, the Most High, says:

“O you who believe, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire.”
At-Taḥrīm, 6

The early generations of Muslims did not understand this verse merely as a warning to parents, but also as an obligation to teach and educate their families.

‘Alī, may Allah be pleased with him, said in his explanation of this verse:

“Teach them and educate them.”

It is narrated from Ibn ‘Abbās, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, that the meaning of this verse is: obey Allah, protect yourselves from sin, and encourage your family to remember Allah, so that Allah may protect you from the Fire.

Mujāhid, one of the great scholars of the early generations, said:

“Fear Allah and encourage your family to have taqwā.”

Therefore, teaching children about their religion is not a secondary part of parenting. It is at the very heart of the parental trust and responsibility.

Allah, the Most High, says:

“Enjoin prayer upon your family and be steadfast therein.”
Ṭā-Hā, 132

Faith is transmitted. It is demonstrated through one’s own example, explained through words, repeated with patience, and instilled from the earliest years.

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“Command your children to pray when they reach the age of seven.”
Abū Dāwūd, 495

This hadith shows that a child is not prepared for the responsibilities of adulthood only once they become an adult. They are raised and educated for many years before that. The habit of prayer, love for the Qur’an, awareness of what is halal and haram, good character, and a sense of belonging to the faith are built gradually.

This is precisely one of the great roles of the mekteb.

The mekteb does not replace parents. The mekteb supports parents in fulfilling their trust and responsibility.

In the circles of knowledge at the mosque, children become acquainted with the Book of Allah and the life of the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him. They learn how to pray, how to treat their parents, elders, friends, and the people around them. They come to know the mosque as a place where they belong and the Muslim community as a community of which they are a part.

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said:

“Each of you is a shepherd and each of you will be questioned about what has been entrusted to you.”
Al-Bukhārī and Muslim

A parent is responsible for their family and will be questioned about what has been entrusted to them.

The importance of instilling faith in a child’s heart from an early age can also be seen in the way the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, taught Ibn ‘Abbās while he was still a young boy.

He said to him:

“O young boy, I will teach you some words: Be mindful of Allah, and Allah will protect you. Be mindful of Allah, and you will find Him before you. When you ask, ask Allah, and when you seek help, seek help from Allah.”
At-Tirmidhī, 2516

The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was not speaking to this child only about rules and religious obligations. He was building within his heart faith, reliance upon Allah, and awareness of the One who controls his life.

This is an important lesson for every parent and every teacher: a child is capable of understanding the great truths of faith when they are presented to them in the right way.

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, also said:

“Every child is born upon the natural disposition (fiṭrah), then his parents make him a Jew, a Christian, or a Magian.”
Al-Bukhārī and Muslim

This hadith shows how strongly a child’s environment and upbringing shape them.

That is why upbringing is a race against time.

If we do not teach our children values ourselves, someone else will teach them their values.

If we do not explain to them who they are, the world around them will offer them its own answers.

If we do not connect their hearts to the Qur’an, prayer, and the mosque while they are young, we cannot expect that connection to appear on its own when they grow older.

We do not know what kind of world awaits our children ten, twenty, or thirty years from now.

We do not know what trials they will face, what ideas they will encounter, what dilemmas they will experience, or what decisions they will have to make.

But there is something very important that we can do:

We can prepare them for an unknown future by introducing them today to the Lord of the worlds.

We can give them the Qur’an as a light, prayer as a source of strength, knowledge as a guide, the mosque as a place to which they belong, and Islamic character as a quality that will accompany them throughout their lives.

That is why the mekteb is not simply a few hours of lessons each week.

The mekteb is part of our trust and responsibility towards the generation that is coming.

It is a support for parents in giving their children something more valuable than wealth: sound faith, beneficial knowledge, beautiful character, and a connection with Allah that will remain with them even when their parents are no longer able to be by their side.

For the greatest success of parents is not merely to see their child succeed at school, in their profession, and in the life of this world.

The greatest success is to prepare them, with the help of Allah, to succeed in both worlds.

(Central khutbah by the Muslim Religious Leader Hafiz Hilmija Redžić on September 11, 2026, at the “Association Islamique Ihsan ” in Dudelange)