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Islamic Schools: The Only Choice?
By Sahar Kassaimah
14/05/2001
Although there are many Islamic schools in America, 95% of Muslim parents are still sending their children to public schools. While Islamic schools are designed to reflect Muslim principles, values, and behavior, they continue to face many challenges that necessitate greater support from American Muslims and Islamic organizations.
Are Islamic schools our only choice for protecting our children from this non-Muslim society? Is there any other way to help them gain the benefits that come out of being taught in Islamic schools?
There is no doubt that Muslims in the West face many challenges while guiding the future generation toward maintaining its Islamic identity. Therefore, Islamic schools are the best choice for Muslim parents who are seeking to help their children develop positive Muslim personalities.
The existence of Muslim teachers and companions at Islamic schools give our children better opportunities to pray, memorize Qur'an, learn Arabic and acquire Islamic manners. They are more sheltered from improper sexual education and promiscuity, peer pressure to dress un-Islamically, violence, alcohol, and drugs. They are expected to and more readily live in, an Islamic atmosphere, both inside and outside their classrooms.
But, at the same time, we are imprudent if we claim that Islamic schools are our only chance for having a secure Muslim generation. We cannot assert that children in public schools have lost the opportunity to become good Muslims. It is neither logical nor realistic to make such narrow assumptions.
Ten years ago, I wrote an article about Islamic schools where I tried to prove that
"just Islamic schools = a good Muslim generation" and that we have no other choice but to send our children to Islamic schools if we are to keep them from "going with the flow" of this non-Islamic society.
But, now I can say, with sincerity, that it was not a mature, or a realistic, opinion. At that time, my son was just two months old, and I was out of touch. When it was time to enroll him in school, I realized that Islamic schools are not always viable choices for parents and that often there is no choice but public schooling.
Rather than complain, we, as Muslim parents, should be positive and realistic and must maintain clear visions when we seek other alternatives that would help our children recover what they have been denied, by being enrolled in public schools.
The Parents Role:
At Home:
Although Islamic schools are the best environments for our children, no school can generate accomplished Muslim children without proper parental support. Therefore, it is especially incumbent on the parents of public school children to re-double their efforts in supporting their children through Islamic values. Public school environments often reflect non-Islamic ideals and behaviors, making it difficult for children to adhere to their beliefs. If we do not teach our children Islamic values and manners, where else are they going to learn them? If we do not teach them Arabic, how can we expect them to read and understand their Qur'an?
Parents play the most vital role in a child's life. Therefore, our kids need our support so that they can be proud of being Muslims. Having different traditions, cultures, and values make it difficult for them to deal with the challenges they may face. Without our support they may not be able to overcome those obstacles. But, if we teach them, in the early stages of their lives, that it is neither a shame nor a deprivation to be different and unique, we will help them confront peer pressure and refuse un-Islamic behavior in the future.
If we teach them to have self-esteem and respect for their religion, we will facilitate their ability to practice their Islamic values and further instill in them a refusal to conform to non-Muslim standards, even when it becomes hard not to. If we teach them to respect others' values, they will expect reciprocity and will be more steadfast in their beliefs and behavior, despite difficulties that may arise.
If we teach them Islamic manners and help them to understand the Qur'an, they will grow to love their religion and will understand that it is the best and greatest aspect of their life. It does not matter how many
surahs or verses from the Qur'an they memorize; what is more important is how much they understand and the extents to which they practice what they learn.
If we teach them the right understanding of Islam, they will become capable of answering their peers' questions and will never feel weak when challenged by funny looks or comments about Islam. Instead, they will be happy to explain to others their great religion and perhaps make
da'wa to them.
At school:
It is also important that parents become involved in their children's schools. Having a positive relationship with your children's teachers and principals will improve your ability to ensure that the school will become more sensitive to your child's Islamic traditions. Active parents can monitor materials and are more readily prepared to respond properly if they come across anti-Islamic materials in textbooks or are faced with improper behavior on the parts of teachers or peers.
Spending time talking with our children and listening to their stories, questions and adventures in school is also essential to helping them find the right answers for their questions and their concerns. Our children need to trust us and to enjoy spending time with us. If we listen to them during their early stages, they will talk more openly to us as they get older and will more readily heed our advice and not look to anyone else for support.
The Masjid's role:
There is no doubt that it is very important for parents to introduce their children to the
masjid, or Islamic center early on in life. It is impossible to raise a good Muslim generation in an environment that is independent of the
masjid.
There, our children can also find Muslim companions and friends who have similar backgrounds, values and beliefs. If they go to the
masjid in their childhood, listen to the azan, pray behind the imam, and play with children there, it will become a part of their life when they get older and they will feel as though they belong to it.
The Weekend Islamic School:
Despite the fact that weekend Islamic schools are highly attended by American Muslim children, they remain plagued by untrained and unqualified teachers. But, in some cases, parents have no other way of teaching their children Arabic or about Islam, other than through these weekend lessons. Without improvements, such schools cannot provide children with adequate Islamic education, but, they can assist parents in achieving their goals of opening their children's eyes to Islam, and they often provide a decent supplement to home Islamic education.
The issue of Islamic schools is an important and controversial one. It requires a lot of research and calls for more attention on the behalf of Muslim community so that we may adequately guide our children toward a greater understanding of Islam.
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