Khutbah: Why We Pray
A short khutbah for children about why Muslims pray five times a day, why we pray on time and why we should slow down. For ages 7 to 12.
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What is Khutbah: Why We Pray about?
Khutbah: Why We Pray is an Islamic video for children aged 7 to 12: a short talk, like the one before the Friday prayer, for every child who has asked, "Why do I have to pray?"
The speaker takes out his mobile phone. If you do not charge it, the battery dies and nobody can call you. Iman, our belief in Allah, is the same, and its charger is the five daily prayers. Our soul, which we cannot see, needs food just as our body does, and prayer feeds it.
Then he tells of a boy he met at the mosque, who was praying very fast. "Why do you pray?" he asked him. "Because Allah told us to," said the boy, and he was right: Allah tells us many times in the Qur'an to establish the prayer. "And when you pray, what are you doing?" "Talking to Allah." "If I spoke to you that fast, would you understand me?" The boy realised he had been rushing. In every prayer we ask Allah, "Guide us to the straight path", so we should slow down and listen.
The speaker gives more reasons. Prayers have their own times, from Fajr to Isha, and are not all done in one go, just as a phone must be charged through the day. Prayer keeps us away from bad and wrong things. And prayer is when we ask Allah for everything we need.
Each prayer takes only a few minutes, he says, but it keeps us connected with Allah. It is a Miraj original.
What your child will learn
- Prayer keeps our iman alive, like a charger keeps a phone working.
- When we pray, we are talking to Allah, so we should not rush.
- Each prayer has its own time and should be prayed on time.
- Prayer keeps us away from bad and wrong things.
- In prayer we can ask Allah for anything we need.
Where this video comes from
- Surah An-Nisa 4:103: Prayer has been prescribed for the believers at set times.
- Surah Al-Ankabut 29:45: Establish the prayer; prayer keeps a person away from indecency and wrongdoing.
- Sahih Muslim 395: Allah answers His servant at each verse of Al-Fatiha, and says of "Guide us to the straight path", "This is for My servant, and My servant shall have what he asked for."
Talk about it afterwards
- How is prayer like charging a phone?
- Why did the boy at the mosque realise he was praying too fast?
- What do we ask Allah for in Surah Al-Fatiha?
- Which prayer do you find hardest to pray on time, and what could help?
Words to know
- Khutbah
- A talk given by the imam, especially before the Friday prayer.
- Iman
- Belief in Allah.
- Ihdinas-siratal-mustaqim
- Guide us to the straight path; a line of Surah Al-Fatiha.
- Rak'ah
- One unit of the prayer.
Frequently asked questions
What age is Khutbah: Why We Pray suitable for?
Children aged 7 to 12, especially those who find prayer hard. It is a short talk of about 7 minutes.
Does Khutbah: Why We Pray have music?
No. It is music-free.
What does Khutbah: Why We Pray teach children?
That prayer keeps our iman alive, that it is a conversation with Allah we should not rush, that each prayer has its time, and that it keeps us from wrongdoing.
