- What is a bad touch?
Let your kids know (as young as 6 years of age) that nobody is allowed to touch them on their chest, bottoms, and in between their legs (private parts). Only their mother can touch them to help shower or change clothes. They cannot show themselves to their siblings, servants, relatives, friends, teachers, strangers, or anyone else.
When they change, teach them to recite:
بِسْمِ اللهِ الَّذي لا إلهَ إلَّا هو
In the name of Allah; there is no God but Allah.
Then even the angels leave them to their privacy because of Haya (modesty).
- What they should do if somebody tries to touch them.
Shout “No!” at the top of their lungs. Try to get free. Bite, kick, beat, and pull the hair of the bad person. Reach out to things around them to grab and hit with force, if they have to. When set free, run to their safe adults, such as their mother, father, grandmother, grandfather, etc.
- They must tell their safe adult.
They must confide in their safe adults about the bad person, so he or she can be caught and punished. Most children never inform anyone due to fear, shame, or confusion.
- Parents should exercise extreme caution.
Never leave kids unattended in the company of anyone other than their safe adults for long or short hours. Slumber parties for children are not advisable. Do not let any tutor or Qari teach your kids behind closed doors. They must be seated at a place visible to you. Leaving behind kids with servants, while you run your errands or socialize, is not a good idea. For career mothers, it is best to return home from work with their kids after school. The abuser often turns out to be the most unsuspected or unlikely person.
- Parents should always recite Dua over their children for protection.
A child’s safety should be every parent’s serious concern today, because of the rising numbers of such cases, which happen mostly due to the negligence and easy going attitude of parents, who seem to over trust others with their child’s well-being.
Please memorize the Prophet’s (sa) Dua and recite it for your children every morning to protect them from all danger:
أَعُوذُ بِكَلِمَاتِ اللَّهِ التَّامَّةِ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْطَانٍ وَهَامَّةٍ، وَمِنْ كُلِّ عَيْنٍ لاَمَّةٍ
“O Allah! I seek refuge with Your Perfect Words from every devil and from poisonous pests and from every evil, harmful, envious eye.” (Bukhari)
Likewise, ask kids to memorize Ayat-ul-Kursi, which is a very powerful guard against evils. They can recite it for themselves, when you are not with them.
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