|  | |  | Honesty: An Essential Characteristic of a Muslim By Zahirah Lynn Eppard Honesty is an essential characteristic of a Muslim. It includes being truthful toward Allah by worshipping Him sincerely, being truthful to oneself by adhering to Allah's laws, and being truthful with others by speaking the truth and being honest in all dealings. Parents are responsible for teaching their children the importance of being honest. Learn more about Islamic guidance and incorporate five practices into your parenting repertoire to help everyone in your family embrace honesty. |
| | | Parenting Tip There are many ways that parents teach children about the importance of honesty. Understanding Islamic guidance, developmental milestones, and how to respond when your child tells a lie will help. Remember, they are listening to what we say AND watching what we do. |
| |  | Lying: What's a Parent to Do? By Zahirah Lynn Eppard There are many ways that parents teach children about the importance of honesty. This is particularly true for Muslim parents who are also incorporating a faith-based sense of consciousness about wrongdoing. No matter how good a job you may do at this, it is quite natural for kids to lie as part of the process of learning about telling the truth. For this organic process to take root and produce long-term positive results, parents need to be aware of the best ways to respond to a lie. |
| | | Inspiration “Honesty is a keepsake, a gift that you will give to you children and that they will pass on to their children.” Debra Matell Cohen, Ed.D., John Winthrop Wright Director of Ethical Education, Character.org |
| |  | Fake Personas: Tips for Youth on How to Spot Them (and Avoid Being One) By Wendy Díaz The prevalence of communication tools has given rise to a culture where discerning between falsehood and truth requires a critical eye. Media personalities, driven by the desire to be admired and appear more knowledgeable than they truly are, resort to all types of deceitful techniques. They cut and paste others' words, refusing to credit the original authors, thus committing a double sin in Islam — riyah or showing off and stealing. It is important to guide Muslim youth in identifying and avoiding fake personas, especially in the realm of religious influencers and "sheikhs" on social media. Learn more about the red flags. |
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| | Islamic Guidance The Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Honesty descended from the Heavens and settled in the roots of the hearts of men (faithful believers), and then the Quran was revealed, and the people read the Quran (and learned it from it) and also learned from the sayings and traditions. Both the Quran and the traditions strengthened their honesty.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari, 7276) |
| |  | Evaluating the Truth with the G.U.T. Test By Zahirah Lynn Eppard There are nuances of communication that we learn more about every day. Parents can help children increase their level of understanding and consciousness about telling the truth by embracing honesty at home and discussing the implications of incorporating it into every aspect of daily life. The G.U.T. test is a useful tool to help assess how and when to tell the truth in social situations. That is because telling the absolute truth at all times can be hurtful. Sometimes it can be best to remain silent. |
| | | Interesting Facts Lying is a common phenomenon in human communication. Here are some stats to ponder: - According to a study by the University of Massachusetts, 60% of people cant go 10 minutes without lying.
- A study by the University of Virginia found that people lie more often over the phone than face-to-face.
- Men and women lie equally, but about different things. Men are more likely to lie about their achievements, while women are more likely to lie to protect someone’s feelings.
- 10% of all lies can be defined as exaggerations, but 60% of all lies are considered to be deceptive.
- 20% of people lie to be humorous, such as when telling a joke or making a prank.
For more details about these statistics, see 30 Lying Statistics & Facts: How Often Do People Lie? |
| |  | Book Review: Snatched Tells a Story about Honesty By Laura El Alam Parents who wish to discuss the topics of honesty with their children will likely enjoy the book Snatched written by Asmaa Hussein. One of the main lessons of this book is that a good deed erases a bad deed. Omar knows he has done something wrong, but he also knows that he might be able to make amends if he can do a kind act. Children who read Snatched will see the importance of talking to a parent when they make a mistake, even when it’s hard to admit their wrongdoing. The book is well suited for ages 4-8. |
| | | | |  | Adam's World Video: Adam Learns about Honesty Adam tries to get away with eating Aneesah’s cookie. When one lie leads to another, he realizes that telling the truth is the best policy. The Arabic letter “alif” for amana and the English letter “T” for trust are featured. A Dawud Wharnsby nasheed about honesty is a nice complement to the lesson. (6:46) |
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| |  | The Sound Vision Foundation has been a trusted source of Islamic knowledge for more than 30 years. Our work with the world-renowned puppets Adam and Aneesah pioneered creative programming for Muslim children, encouraging them to learn about and love their religion. We continue to bring sound content and engaging programs that stimulate minds, touch hearts, and strive to fulfill our mission of raising better Muslims, better neighbors, and better citizens. This latest effort is designed to support and empower Muslim parents to do the same. |
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