Rafed English

Freedom in Playing

Playing is a natural preparedness of the child, through it he completely liberates from additional energy. It is introduction to purposeful and serious action. There is in child the feel of this ability to deal with others, his linguistic, mental and physical ability. Through playing the child gets to know accurately the peculiarity of things surrounding him. Playing has many benefits to the child and it is compulsory in this stage and the preceding one. The children (learns customs through the means of playing like self disposition, mutual assistance and self reliance, playing add joy and happiness to himself and develop his talent and ability to create and invent) 164.

Through playing (the child's psychology, mental, social and emotional development materialized).

The child through playing learns the societal criterions, emotional control, orderliness and mental assistance. It satisfies the needs of the child like love for possession..... The child enjoys while living in his childhood 165.

Playing is among the necessary needs of the child that is why it is not possible to deem or see child not playing, even the Prophets and the righteous ones has pass through the playing stage even though their playing differ from others, in ways and methods of their playing. That is why some narrations came emphasizing the satisfaction of this need.

Imam Jaafar Assadiq (peace be upon him) said: "Leave your child to play for seven years ....." 166

A narration was reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him and his descendants) with another expression says: "Child are independent till seven years ...." 167.

From the commander of the faithful Ali (peace be upon him): "Child are comfortable till seven years ...." 168

The traditions are emphasizing that the stages before the age of eight are playing stage and it is incumbent on the parents to grant freedom of playing without pressure or compulsion with exception of dangerous plays that is compulsory to distance from the child or to distance the child from it.

Freedom of playing means that the parents should not interfere in the choosing time for the play or its type or its method so long the play does not contradict general character and no gravity on the child or on others. Child of this stage does not endorse the parent to intervene in his personal affairs and does not endorse issuing too much order to him.

The best play to the child is the type he has chosen or he has created by himself or he discovered new ways of playing by himself or a special way he applies in his playing. It is then better for the parents to provide toys and other playing instruments for the child and should conform to his desires.

DR. Sapok says : (It is compulsory for us to leave the child to administer his playing affairs so that he can learn from it ..... we should leave leadership for him to follow what his imagination says to him, with this the play becomes beneficial. It is incumbent to be its instructor and necessary for it to submit to his thought, when he deem inside him that he needs the assistance of any of the parents to administer the occurred problems to his game, surely the parents will render the assistance) 169.

The whole psychologists and educationist emphasize on freedom of play for the children (when children draws a special programs for their activities they should not be prevented from that because continuance implementation of the draw scheme without any hindrances on his ways is among the effective factors that build the personality before them) 170.

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his descendants) does encourage Alhassan and Al-Hussein to wrestle between them. One night he (peace be upon him and his descendants) enters the house of Fatima (peace be upon her) with him Al-hassan and Al-Hussein (peace be upon them) he said to them: "Stand up and wrestled ..." 171.

From Safwaan Al-Jamaal he said: (..... Abul Hassan Musa, when he was young and a small Mecca she goat was with him, he was saying to it: prostrate to your Lord, Abu Abdullah (peace be upon him) took him and embrace him.....) 172.

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his descendants) does grant complete freedom of playing to Alhassan and Al-Hussein (peace be upon them) in his dealing with them. Alhassan and Al-Hussein do sometimes (climb the Prophet's back (peace be upon him and his descendants) they have said: move (a word said to a camel) he (peace be upon him and his descendants) has said: Indeed! the camel is yours) 173.

These types of work do repeats in the relation between the child and his father when the children will climb the back of the parents during the prayer that is why it is necessary for the parents not to rebuked the child on that and should allow the freedom for him because with time he will desist from it.

It can be comprehended from the Traditions that the Prophet (peace be upon him and his descendants) does facilitates this kind of activities even at the sight of the community.

From Abdullah bn Zubair, he said: (I will inform you about the most resemblance to him among his family and the most dear to him, i.e. Alhassan bn Ali, I saw him coming climbing on the Prophet's neck or back while the Prophet was on prostration position, he did not drop him until he drop by himself, I also once saw him coming while he was on bending position, he expand his two legs for him to come out from the other side) 174.

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his descendants) does join Alhassan and Al-Hussein in their activities but his participation doesn't mean intervention in their affairs but he participates as one of them, the prophet (peace be upon him and his descendants) would do laid down Alhassan and Al-Hussein and mix between their opposite hands and legs and said: "The excellent camel is yours" 175.

Participation of the parents or one of them with the child while playing is very necessary and it is among (the important factors that developed the child's energy most especially, he will become independent and personally strong) 176.

The best way of the participation in their plays is for the parent to converse with the children with words and expressions they understand and to conform to their mental and linguistic standard, i.e. to behave as if he is a kid.

The Prophet (peace be upon him and his descendants) said: "Whoever has a child should behaves like a child to him" 177.

The educationist has emphasized this reality, Morris Teesh says: (It is compulsory to behave with your children like friends, work with them, participate with them in their playing ... converse with them with love and friendship expression, it is also necessary for you to know how to position yourself to children's level and converse with them in the language they understand) 178.

Playing with children makes them to feel in a sublime position, it also makes them to rejoice and happy, it is incumbent on the matured ones to obey the desire of the younger ones when they demand to play with them) 179.

Playing is a means among the means of educating and preparedness for a serious work. It is a (means of understanding the children's psychology and cognizance of their preparedness and means of teaching and training them morally and socially) 180.

The children's play is considered reality in their sound disorderly conducts (The child in the course of his play express his problems and conflicts he undergoes, he then drops his emotional feelings towards the elders during the course of his play) 181.

From this point of view it is incumbent on the parents to supervise the children during their plays without them feeling of being supervised, he will obtain full information in all aspect of the child, in their societal interaction, observing the speeches and excitements that accompanies the play, observing the child's method of expressing his desires, needs, fears and problems especially in repeating and increasing situation. He will also observe the child's conducts in terms of leniency, violence, emotion and disturbances.

He should also observe his view regards his parents especially when the child portray the role of the father or that of the mother. Though the supervision and observation will enable the parents to know his linguistic, mental and emotional development, and then comes the role of the parents after the supervision to lay a complete program for orientation and education that conform to the child's emotional, psychological and mental status.

Indirect observation and supervision have more benefits than that of direct observation and supervision through participation in his plays because child through direct dealings will conceal his emotion, view and his imagination due to shyness or fear of the parents.

Notes:

164 - Qaamoos Attifl Attibbi: 221- 222.

165 - Al-ilaji Nnafs Al-jamaa'i lil Atfaal: 162 - by Kamiliya Abdul Fataah printed by maktabatu Nnahdatil misriya 1975 A.D.

166 - Makaarimul Akh'laq: 222.

167 - " " : 222.

168 - " " : 223.

169 - Mashaakilil Aabaa'a: 106.

170 - Attifl bainal wiraatha WA ttarbiya vol- 2: 64, from the book Nahnu wal- Abnaa'a: 56.

171 - Bihaaril Anwaar vol-103: 189.

172 - Al-kafi vol- 1: 311 /15th-ch, Book of proof.

173 - Bihaaril Anwaar vol-43: 296.

174 - Mukhtasar Taareekh Demeshq vol- 7: 10.

175 - Mustadrakil Wasaa'il vol- 2: 626.

176 - Qaamoos Attifl Attibbi: 222.

177 - Manla yahdurhul faqeeh vol- 3: 312 / 21st ch- The virtues of the children.

178 - Attifl bainal wiraatha WA ttarbiyah vol- 2: 97

179 - Qaamoos Attifl Attibbi: 317.

180 - Ilmi Nnafs Ususihi watabaqaatihi Attarbawiyyah: 239 8th editions 1978 A.D. by AbdulAzeez Al-Qoosi.

181 - Ilmi Nnafs Al-ilaaji: 152 - by DR. Ijlaal Sirri printed by Alaamul kutb 1st edition 1990 A.D.

Adapted from the book: "The Child's Education in Islam" by: "Ismail Abdullah"

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