Why doesn’t my child pray? | Ali Reza Panahian

Why doesn’t my child pray?
When does he/she usually wake up?!


One question religious people have is, “Why don’t our youth pray? What should I do for my child to pray?” Getting up early morning to pray, standing in front of God, and doing these acts have specific religious laws. But, who will act upon these divine commandments? A person whose lifestyle is in accordance with these commandments will. For praying to become easy for young people and for them to pray well, not necessarily like Ayatollah Bahjat, do you know what you should do? A child should be polite in general. Being polite does not come from divine commandments; it’s a lifestyle. If a person is polite, praying will become easy for him/her. Once you say prayer is obligatory, he prays because it’s easy. He’s not obstinate.
But now, when you tell him that prayer is obligatory, his lifestyle has induced laziness in him and hasn’t taught him politeness. His lifestyle has hurt him in another way too. Whatever he has done was due to immediate rewards or reproof. He asks, “Will they give me a good grade or negative points?” “Nothing.” “Will anyone notice it?” “No one will know if you’ve prayed.” He says, “So, forget it. I am used to getting a grade for all my deeds at school. If an action doesn’t get a grade, it is hard for me to do it.” This lifestyle has made him lazy for a deed like praying. This lifestyle hasn’t taught him politeness for him to enjoy being polite. A flawed lifestyle.
We don’t say a flawed lifestyle is forbidden in religion. We don’t say when students are coming out of class, they should come out in a line. But, this is of a higher priority than going into the class in a line. It has more of a psychological effect on being polite. We don’t usually talk about these or care about lifestyle. We have only stuck to prayer, “Have you prayed?” He’ll become crazy and hate praying.
A parent asks, “What should I do for my child to pray?” “Have you made him disciplined in all parts of his life?” “No.” “So, he/she won’t pray. You can be sure.” Praying is easy for a person who regularly does 20 other deeds in his daily life. They are against his will, but he does them due to his politeness and based on his lifestyle.
“What can I do for my child to pray?” “Does he receive immediate encouragement or reproof for whatever he does at school?” “Yes.” “So, he won’t pray, because prayer doesn’t have immediate encouragement or punishment.” Whether you pray or not, stones won’t fall from the sky. No one will give you a star (like in school.) It’s hard for him. Don’t force him.
“What should I do for my child to pray?” “Do you have a time the children should wake up at home?” “No.” “How much does he/she sleep?” “He sleeps so much that sleep gets tired of him!!” “So, he won’t pray.”
“What can I do for my child to pray?” “Has the mother told the child to always get up in front of his/her father?” [Based on a tradition] “No, we don’t do these things. We’re comfortable at home.” “So, your child won’t pray. Since he hasn’t learned to get up for his father, it’s hard to stand up for God. Just let him lie down!”
“How should I teach my child to be polite?” “You women, are you polite with your husbands and don’t complain? You men too, are you polite with your wives?” “No, we’re comfortable!” “So your child won’t pray.” “Aren’t faith, belief in the Hereafter, and fear of Hell needed for praying?!” “You have ruined his lifestyle and are sticking to one religious law! You have a misplaced expectation my dear!”
One’s lifestyle is the basis for obeying divine laws. Caring religious scholars - before and even more than teaching the religious laws - should gain the necessary knowledge and with families’ cooperation correct people’s lifestyles. What will happen if one’s lifestyle is corrected? Divine laws will be adhered to like a piece of cake. Divine laws are not hard. Everyone believes in this. Lifestyles will become corrected.
For praying to become easy for young people, a child should be polite in general. Praying is easy for a person who regularly does 20 other deeds in his daily life. They are against his will but he does them due to his politeness and based on his lifestyle.

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