As all Muslims know salah is an incredibly vital part of our lives. It is the beating heart of our day and for many of us it is a source of peace, humility and faith. When I came across My Salah Mat, I thought this is an absolutely perfect starting point for my children to help them with their salah practice.

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: “Command your children to pray when they become seven years old…” [Abi Dawud]

As a mother of three young children, it is always on my mind that my children learn lots at school, but learning their deen starts from home. Parents, especially mothers are the first teachers for their children and teaching them about their deen shouldn’t be forced. It should be first shown by being a role model for them to look up to and learn from.

Salah is obviously something that we have been instructed to perform daily and it is something that we should strive to perform in front of our children so their love grows for it too.

My Salah Mat is a fantastic tool that can also support them in their learning and it is fun and interactive which is brilliant to keep children focused during their learning.

When I was growing up as a child, we had little resources available like the things that are available today. There is a vast amount of choice that doesn’t make learning boring or feel like time is dragging along whilst we struggle to learn.

What appeals to me is the visual attractiveness of My Salah Mat. It is inviting, appealing and easily laid out for children to follow the salah in order. If they forget a certain section, they simply touch the square that they have forgotten and the recitation will begin. The mat has 36 touch sensitive keys, which include the adhan, reminds little ones how to perform wudu, recites surahs and plays duas.

They can also be played in 7 different languages which makes it more accessible to people. What I also liked was the reminder on the mat of how many rakat each prayer had. There are also visual reminders for where the hands and feet must go.

For children with anxiety or special educational needs (which means they need to learn in a different way then your ‘typical’ child) the visual reminders are a brilliant tool to aid them in their learning. I am a huge advocate for visual learning and I use these tools with my children, especially when they were younger because they are excellent at reminding the child of the task in hand, aid them in the next step and lower anxiety levels as the visuals prepare for what is going to happen next.

The mat comes with a free 12 page activity book which is beautifully laid out. Once again, it is clear, visually attractive and it includes some charming activities such as word searches, spot the difference and colouring. Another thing that I love about the mat is the material. Obviously young children have accidents and if toddlers are enjoying the mat, they can obviously have spills and dribbles! So this is wipeable and as a mother with 3 young kids, that saves me worrying about washing and drying before the next salah!

I always say to friends and family that spending in the way of deen for my children is a priceless matter especially if it aids them in their learning. I truly believe that My Salah Mat is highly beneficial to help children learn in fun interactive way, without the added pressure of memorisation on demand, and that for me is something all children will benefit from.

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If you would like to purchase a Salah mat, you can enter a 10% discount code – 10yearslater10. Just enter at the checkout page. The code is valid until 16 November 2019.

Today is International Women’s Day. A day to uplift women and bring them into the centre. On this day, I’m highlighting 5 important women who have had a huge impact on Islam. As women of today, we can learn so much from the these pious women of the past.

Khadijah

Khadija, also called Khadijah bint al-Khuwaylid, was the first wife of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be Upon him). She was an independent business woman and is famously known as the ‘Mother of the believers,’ because she was the first woman to accept Islam. Not only was she fiercely loyal to the Prophet (peace be Upon him), she was incredibly smart, kind, strong and supported him throughout her life. She is the perfect example of what a strong, pious woman is.

Aisha

After the death of Khadijah, Aisha was one of the wives of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuH). Aisha is a wonder. She was active in education, politics, and even had a role in the military leading troops in the Battle of the Camal. What we learn from the history books regarding Aisha is she was incredibly intelligent and has narrated well over 2,000 hadiths. She always emphasised the importance of learning and she was often sought out to give her opinion and knowledge from both men and women.

Fatimah

Fatimah was the youngest child of the Prophet (pbuh) and the only child who outlived him.

She lived a life of hardship and poverty. When she was growing up she saw her father constantly being mistreated and humiliated by the people he was preaching to. She would stand firmly by his side and defended the Prophet (pbuh) when he was subjected to physical and verbal harassment.

Her conviction in her father and to stand up for what was right is a beautiful reminder to us that even when it’s hard, we should always stand for the truth and do what is right.

Maryum

The mother of the Prophet Isa (Jesus), Maryum was a devout Muslim who spent much of her life in worship to Allah. When Allah SWT blessed he with a child, she was subject to slander, gossip and hurtful behaviour from others, but she remained steadfast in her faith and but her trust in Allah. How hurtful must it have been to be the subject of all those people, yet remember the purpose of it all and carry on.

Assiya

Finally, a woman that I admire alot is the wife of Fir’aun, Aasiya. She chose deen instead of a royal status and was subjected to torture by her own husband when she turned to Islam. When Fir’aun told her to turn back to worshipping idols or he would kill her she replied never and recited, “O my sustainer! Build for me a mansion in paradise by You and save me from Fir’aun and his doings and save me from all evil doing people.” Allah took her soul back before she was killed.

These women paved the way for women all over the world, through their perseverance, consistent faith and courage.

Miryam’s life was defined by piety, chastity and faith, Khadija, the first wife of the Prophet was wealthy, but never gave into pride or fame and power.

Fatima was crowned the ‘leader of all women,’ because on the face of hardship she had so much sabr. Aisha chose to learn and spread her knowledge to ensure the ummah never died and Maryum chose piety and solitude instead of the dunyah.

So as we post here on Instagram and share videos and messages to friends and family, may we remember these amazing women who not only taught us to have faith, but were a perfect example to us that we should aim for the akirah and remember to put Allah SWT above anything else.