I would like some guidance for tarbiyah, Alhamdulillah I have two Hafiz Quran sons, At fajr time they are very lazy to go pray in the masjid.. is there any dua to read for children to be punctual in five daily prayers.

In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salaamu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullaahi wa-barakaatuh.

Sister in Islaam,

Your concern for the spiritual well-being of your children is praiseworthy. We pray that Allaah Ta’aala makes your children righteous and makes it easy for them to stay steadfast upon Deen.

The following du’aas are recommended for your children:

رَبِّ اجْعَلْنِي مُقِيمَ الصَّلَاةِ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِي رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَاءِ
Translation: “O my Lord, make me one who establishes prayer and also from my offspring.  Our Lord, accept my invocation” (Surah Ibraheem v.40)

رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَاجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّاتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍ وَاجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا

Translation: “O our Lord! Bestow upon us from our wives and our offspring who will be the comfort of our eyes, and make us leaders for the pious.” (Surah Al-Furqaan v.74) 

رَبِّ هَبْ لِي مِنْ لَدُنْكَ ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ الدُّعَاءِ

Translation: “O my Lord, grant me from Yourself a good offspring. Indeed, You are the Hearer of supplication.” (Surah Aali ‘Imraan v.38)

رَبَّنَا وَاجْعَلْنَا مُسْلِمَيْنِ لَكَ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِنَا أُمَّةً مُسْلِمَةً لَكَ وَأَرِنَا مَنَاسِكَنَا وَتُبْ عَلَيْنَا إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ

Translation: “O our Lord! Make us both submissive to You and (raise) from our offspring a nation submitting to You, and show us our ways of devotion and turn to us (mercifully), surely You are the Oft-returning (to mercy), the Merciful.” (Surah Al-Baqarah v.128)

رَبِّ هَبْ لِي مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ

Translation: “O my Lord! Grant me a righteous (child)!” (Surah As-Saaffaat v.100)

We advise you to instill the virtues of performing salaah in congregation in your sons. Hereunder are some of the Ahaadith pertaining to the virtues performing salaah in congregation:

صلاة الجماعة تفضل صلاة الفذ بسبع وعشرين درجة[1]

Translation: “Salaah in congregation is superior to prayer alone by twenty-seven degrees.” (Bukhaari 645)

إذا توضأ، فأحسن الوضوء، ثم خرج إلى المسجد، لا يخرجه إلا الصلاة، لم يخط خطوة، إلا رفعت له بها درجة، وحط عنه بها خطيئة، فإذا صلى، لم تزل الملائكة تصلي عليه، ما دام في مصلاه: اللهم صل عليه، اللهم ارحمه[2]

Translation: “When a person performs wudhu, performing it an excellent manner, and thereafter heads out to the masjid, solely for salaah, he is raised a rank for every step he takes and a sin is wiped out. Thereafter, when he commences in his prayer, the angels continue to supplicate for him as long as he is his prayer place: ‘O Allaah, send salutations upon him. O Allaah, shower him with mercy.’” (Bukhaari 647)

ليس صلاة أثقل على المنافقين من الفجر والعشاء، ولو يعلمون ما فيهما لأتوهما ولو حبوا[3]

Translation: “There is nothing more difficult upon the hypocrites than Fajr and ‘Ishaa prayers. If they knew the virtues of these two prayers, they would have come (to the masjid) for it even if they had to crawl.” (Bukhaari 657)

من صلى العشاء في جماعة فكأنما قام نصف الليل، ومن صلى الصبح في جماعة فكأنما صلى الليل كله[4] 

Translation: “Whoever performs ‘Ishaa prayer in congregation, then it is as if he stayed up in worship for half the night; whoever (also) performs Fajr prayer in congregation, then it is as if he had prayed the entire night.” (Muslim 656)

As an incentive, you should offer them moral and material support. Praise them for waking up on time. Reward them with gifts and prizes. Also, ensure that they go to bed on time and get a good night sleep. When waking them up for Fajr, ensure that you are gentle and soft.

And Allaah Ta’aala Knows Best

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.