An Islamic point of view – acknowledging the children in Palestine

Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. It is vital that we teach our children early on, to foster a sense of empathy. This is important as it can make a massive difference in society. Empathy in general builds a connection through someone’s heart and also the wider ummah, bringing about encouragement for care, sympathy, nourishment and strength.

Caring For the Poor and Needy

Children are often curious when some individuals live different lives than others. An inspiring example to think about is children who are living in Gaza whilst others are living a comfortable life. Our duty as parents is to teach them how to care for different groups of people.

Verse 8-9 in Surah Al Insan provides evidence of helping those in need.

And they give food in spite of love for it to the needy, the orphan, and the captive.

We feed you only for the face of Allah. We wish not from you reward or gratitude.

These verses depict the importance of teaching children to give what they love, providing food to the needy, only out of love for Allah SWT; to only do things for the sake of Allah and not to gain pleasure from others. Taking into account the suffering of the children in Gaza, it is essential to help children reflect on how tough conditions are for them.

 Compassion and Mercy for Others

The Prophet Muhammad SAW was sent down to mankind as a mercy and his example provides evidence of how Muslims should interact with each other. Prophet Muhammad SAW extended his mercy to the poor, old, young and even to those who went against him. This is an important concept to teach young children to treat everyone equally and show compassion to them without bias. Concerning the suffering of the people in Gaza, teaching our children to show mercy to them and learning to see others’ pain as their own is crucial.

In the Quran, Allah SWT says in Surah Anbiya’, ayah 107,

And we have not sent you, “Oh Muhammad,” except as a mercy for the worlds.

This verse shows that the Prophet Muhammad was sent as a blessing and a mercy of Allah SWT to the world and we have to be forever grateful to have a role model to strive towards. His character left a lasting effect on the hearts of everyone and the love of the Prophet has to be imprinted onto children from a young age.

The Believers as One Body

The Prophet SAW described the Ummah as a single body when he (ﷺ) said,

"You see the believers as regards their being merciful among themselves and showing love among themselves and being kind, resembling one body, so that, if any part of the body is not well then the whole body shares the sleeplessness (insomnia) and fever with it."

When we see the atrocities online of the current situation in Gaza, it makes our hearts ache and feel pain to such an intensity that we are unable to sleep. It is crucial to teach children to view the Ummah as one body and ensure that they grow up with a sense of responsibility towards fellow Muslims and humanity in general.

Gentleness Towards Children 

As well as various other things, the Prophet Muhammad SAW was known for the kindness and empathy he showed towards children - something parents must show their children from a young age.

Abdullah ibn Amr reported:

The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “Whoever does not show mercy to our young ones, or acknowledge the rights of our elders, is not one of us.”
- Sunan Al-Tirmidhi. 

This hadith highlights the significance of showing mercy and having a gentle nature towards children. In addition, this emphasises the importance of instilling a deep understanding and compassion in our children, especially for those suffering in Gaza.

To conclude, introducing empathy in children from an Islamic perspective means teaching them to care for others in the way the Qur’an and the Prophet SAW taught us. By helping children understand the suffering of the people in Gaza, we build connections through compassion, mercy, and responsibility. Empathy is not just a feeling but a characteristic that needs to be embodied through the way of the Prophet SAW.