Assalamu alaikum,

Ah, yet another Harry Potter book hits the bookshelves and children by the millions are scrambling to get their copies.

Wouldn't it be incredible if children would get that excited over the Qur'an instead of a series of books about sorcery and witchcraft?

Peace, ummziba.

Bismillah

Wa'alaikumu Salaam Sister,

Good point. Perhaps it is due to little attention given by Muslims(except vey few) in developing books and materials for children that could facilitate the Message of the Quran and help them percieve God's Creation.

Today's kids are excited with the powers of Spiderman, they deduct their idea of the Last Hour from science fistion the like of Armageddon, they aspire to seat in the Council of Jedis, they are assisted in confusing their orientation through Teletubbies and Barny... and as far as Islam is concerned  - it is all about explosions, fire, tears, black smoke, prohibition, anger and punishment. They want to live in maginary world, the world that does not reflect the reality.     

It is indeed alarming what fruits will be reaped from the seeds we plant today.

I don't think you guys will never get it

Anybody think there's something wrong with having some magic and mystery and fun in their lives  

Dear Angel,

I don't think you will ever get it either .

There is nothing wrong with fun, or even a bit of fantasy or mystery.  But, sorcery and magic are evil and forbidden by Allah.  Letting children (who are too young to understand the true concepts of good and evil) read fun, exciting books that glorify sorcery and magic is not good for them. 

Harry Potter and friends, by what I understand from reviews, use magic and sorcery to fight evil.  Fighting evil is a good thing.  Fighting evil with evil makes no sense.

Fun in our lives? - absolutely!  Magic and sorcery? - no way.

Peace, ummziba.

It's just a book.

Besides - kids need to learn to enjoy their imaginations and the supernatural - how else can they learn to love religion?

Kim...

Ah, yes - it's just a book.

Books are full of ideas.  This makes them extremely versatile.  They can open minds to an endless possibility of ideas.  They can inspire, repulse, teach, influence, titilate, encourage, discourage, remind, enrapture, ...

For all the above reasons, books are wonderful for adults.

For all the above reasons, they can shape the minds of children.  Because of this, responsible parents need to be aware of the influence books can have on young minds.

As a work of fantasy, Harry Potter, can be harmless.  For Muslim parents trying to instill Islamic values in their children, this book can make something Allah considers evil (sorcery and magic) seem like all fun and games.  Therein lies the pitfall for which parents need to be aware.

Imagination is a big part of childhood but I would argue it is not a part of learning to love religion.  Learning to love religion, more precisely, learning to love Allah, is strictly reality.

Just as we would never allow our children unlimited access to the internet or television with out good guidance - so should we offer guidance about what they read.

Peace, ummziba.

ummziba wrote: Harry Potter and friends, by what I understand from reviews, use magic and sorcery to fight evil.  Fighting evil is a good thing.  Fighting evil with evil makes no sense.

Ah, so you haven't read the books ? therefore you do not know what it is about ? right?

Then I'll advice you to read, then you'll find out that the characters do fight evil, and are also taught not to use magic/spells they do not know or understand as there are consequences to deal with, not just small but big consequences. 

I think it mirrors life somewhat with how kids are, and with how responsible adults are teaching what is right and proper, being responsible.

But it is fiction and it is a fun book.

Read the book if you haven't.

You know there is no Harry Potter, no hogwarts school, no platform 9 and three quarters, no magic as in the book, no Hermione, no Ron and no Professor Dumbledore and No owls delievering you mail. And the problem with that is ??

If you know what is fiction and what is fact/truth is it really trangressing the limits ??

I'm yet to see that kinda of magic in the book happen in real life!

ummziba wrote: Ah, yes - it's just a book. Books are full of ideas.  This makes them extremely versatile.  They can open minds to an endless possibility of ideas.  They can inspire, repulse, teach, influence, titilate, encourage, discourage, remind, enrapture, ... For all the above reasons, books are wonderful for adults. For all the above reasons, they can shape the minds of children.  Because of this, responsible parents need to be aware of the influence books can have on young minds. As a work of fantasy, Harry Potter, can be harmless.  For Muslim parents trying to instill Islamic values in their children, this book can make something Allah considers evil (sorcery and magic) seem like all fun and games.  Therein lies the pitfall for which parents need to be aware. Imagination is a big part of childhood but I would argue it is not a part of learning to love religion.  Learning to love religion, more precisely, learning to love Allah, is strictly reality.

I agree with your post.

Might I add, also with holy scriptures and books

Just as we would never allow our children unlimited access to the internet or television with out good guidance - so should we offer guidance about what they read. Peace, ummziba.

exactly!

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~ Our feet are earthbound, but our hearts and our minds have wings ~

Bismillah,

My kids and I have read these books together.  We enjoyed them.  We discuss movies and books that we see and read together to understand what is Islaamic and what is not. 

I'm more concerned that they enjoy watching Bad Boys the cop show with their dad when I'm not around, and other such junk.

There is a difficulty that I tried to correct with my kids teachers which is they get necessary credit for reading books like Harry Potter, but not the Quran or even Islaamic story books, of which we only have  a couple. 

In fact, the "AR - accelerated reader" list is limited and excludes many books.  So if a book is not on the list with a specific number of points and the year in school reading level it is appropriate for, then no credit is given.  Now, this varies in different schools, and hopefully I will be transferring my kids to a school system which doesn't follow this format so that we have a little more freedom in choosing their reading.

Kids like to get better grades for their reading efforts.  And I like the Harry Potter series myself.  I like fantasy books like this, and I read them with or before my kids read them so that we can discuss things in them.  Most kids don't consider the magic and sorcery as real or if they do, my kids know that magic is forbidden in Islaam.

We especially need to watch out for the playstation and gamebox and gamecube and ds2 et cetera games that are available at our kids friends' homes.  You won't often find kids gathered around a book trying to figure out sorcery, but you will hear them talking about that cool new game at Pete's house!

Bismillah

Salamu'alaikum Herjihad,

Of some fiction, i recommend you and your kids "The Little Prince" by Antoine De Saint-Exupery... if you haven't read it yet.

Bismillah,

Alaykum Assalam.  Thanks for the suggestion.  Here is a link I found.

http://www.spiritual.com.au/articles/prince/prince_contents.htm - http://www.spiritual.com.au/articles/prince/prince_contents. htm

Is this the orignial story?

Bismillah

That's the one, Sister. It may look like a book for kids, but years later as the kids grow up they read it differently.

Bismillah,

I read it on the Internet yesterday.  It is like a long poem with a lot of hidden meaning.  I always like it better when the author writes something to explain her meaning behind something.  To understand this book, I would have to have the author explain it, have a commentator who has studied about the author's life explain it, or study the matter in depth myself.  I will not take the time currently for the latter, although I may contemplate it from time to time because it had some intriguing ideas to consider.

My children might be intrigued by this also.  We are very busy right now, but when we settle down, I will get a hard copy, ISA, and see what they think of it. 

Bismillah

The simplest thing, apart from many, that the book points at - is the purpose of life. There are indeed many hidden meanings, as it is clearly indicated right in the first chapter... but each kid will grow up to discover his/ her own (it is not completely necesary to try and explain them the hidden meaning that we found)... and it is important that we assit them in understanding what it means to be a Muslim in the context of explaining the purpose of life. 

So ur saying reading Harry Potter is Haraam.  I read them but i don't believe in magic and sorcery.  I just read it for fun.  Its not like i replaced Harry Potter with the Quran and Hadith.  I still read those every day more than Harry potter( i only read each book 1s)

Harry Potter is getting boring with Mr.Harry now grown up 'wizard'.I liked book no.1-4, but rest two arn't good.

I agree with what Amina said, it is a simple-fun-book and nothing more.It is better to read Harry Potter in your free time, rather than glare at T.V.

Harry Potter is one of those rare book which made me realise that books are not always boring.Encouraged after reading it, I tried my hands at Dickens and Jeffry Archer novels.It didnt had any negative effect on me(I hope)-rather helped me increase my english.

Regards,Dayem.

I've only read up to book 3, I'm slow I know  

Harry Potter is one of those rare book which made me realise that books are not always boring.Encouraged after reading it, I tried my hands at Dickens and Jeffry Archer novels.It didnt had any negative effect on me(I hope)-rather helped me increase my english.

Excellent  Keep up the good work!

Since I'm working at a primary school library, I am catching up on my junior novels and at the moment reading Dragon Rider by Corniella Funke. It is fantasy  

Back to Harry Potter, it seems I missed something where's the third movie, the prison of Azkaban?

Goblet of fire(book/movie 4) got released yesteray,..but I dont like movies.

You know which ones is my favourite novel so far?It is Lord of the Rings,by JRR Tolkien, which again has a bit of magic innit.Awesome!

If u want Harry Potter 1 to 6 books u can PM me at mailto:[email protected] - [email protected] , it is in Acrobat format(.pdf).

Regards,Dayem.

Dayem wrote: Goblet of fire(book/movie 4) got released yesteray,..but I dont like movies.

I can't see number 4 yet, haven't watched no.3 yet nor have i read book 4.

I seemed to be wanting to read the books first then see the movies

I do find it very much inline with the book, you know how movies tend to go away and adapt things for the movie medium, I didn't find it with the HP movies, well at least with the first two

You know which ones is my favourite novel so far?It is Lord of the Rings,by JRR Tolkien, which again has a bit of magic innit.Awesome!

All 3 or just read book one ?

I haven't read the books, watched the movies thou, awesome! 

And thanks for the offer but I think I will get the book/s :)

Dayem wrote: Harry Potter is getting boring with Mr.Harry now grown up 'wizard'.I liked book no.1-4, but rest two arn't good. I agree with what Amina said, it is a simple-fun-book and nothing more.It is better to read Harry Potter in your free time, rather than glare at T.V. Harry Potter is one of those rare book which made me realise that books are not always boring.Encouraged after reading it, I tried my hands at Dickens and Jeffry Archer novels.It didnt had any negative effect on me(I hope)-rather helped me increase my english. Regards,Dayem.

i agree with u about book 5 and 6 being boring now that Harry is Grown up. 

Angel wrote: All 3 or just read book one ? I haven't read the books, watched the movies thou, awesome!  And thanks for the offer but I think I will get the book/s :)

All 4 dearie.THE HOBBIT is the first one, though tolkien wrote it only after he has written the first three.

Well, I did wtched The Lord Of The Rings trilogy, but it had lots of violence; I would not recomend it.

HP's 3rd movie was a bit diifferent from the exact story of the books.And comparing, it ws better than Hp1 and HP2.Daniel's(harry) hair was not soooooooooo wild innit.

Regards,Dayem.

Dayem wrote: Angel wrote: All 3 or just read book one ? I haven't read the books, watched the movies thou, awesome!  And thanks for the offer but I think I will get the book/s :) All 4 dearie.THE HOBBIT is the first one, though tolkien wrote it only after he has written the first three.

4?? :)

Well, I did wtched The Lord Of The Rings trilogy, but it had lots of violence; I would not recomend it.

I watched, probably a bit much violence but I enjoyed them anyways :)

HP's 3rd movie was a bit diifferent from the exact story of the books.And comparing, it ws better than Hp1 and HP2.Daniel's(harry) hair was not soooooooooo wild innit. Regards,Dayem.

I have to wait and see, I am ready to see no.3 now

lol! if I followed the hype I would be up to date

I am getting that its getting boring now, that Harry is grown up.

Apparently the kid that plays Harry wants to leave and move onto new projects.

Bismillah,

When we first came back to America from living overseas, I read the first Harry Potter to my sons.  They enjoyed it and oddly never ran around shouting spells then.  By the third book, my oldest wasn't interested anymore, and my youngest would say things like Animus which means in the book not in real life to make something stationary move.  No one I know has ever shown an interest in withcraft because of these books, let alone gotten into it. 

Beginning witchcraft is very different from what is depicted in HP books.  So Kids are just not going to go from one to the other because of these differences.  The beginnning of witchcraft is like earth worship, more like Indian religions (American).

What it did do was get my kids interested in reading.  It would be nice if Muslim kid stories weren't so expensive.  I bought two for $20 bucks, little ones.  We don't buy books until they are on the discount shelf or the thrift store.  One book we have is Betsey and Joe and the Squirrel, a very obscure thing with a sweet story.  And I'm not worried that my son will start talking to squirrels, although I do sometimes.

sis. Abeer wrote: Amina habibti, you think it's cute that they're running around yelling out spells????????  Will it be cute when they start messing around with witchcraft, and give up their faith (as this is a form of shirk)???  MA'ADH ALLAH!  Please, don't let them watch or read such satanic material.   You should also refrain from such.

Well, have u read-or listened-as a kid, to 'Arabian Nights'?Alladin and the lamp is a very famous story-well it has a Jin who do all the work for Mr.Alladin.

Now, we all know that Jin r like humans-Allah(swt) created both Jin and Humans, and this life is a test for BOTH.And Jins are not slave of humans.Now, will u discourage a kid from reading Alladin?

It is only a story.It helps in increasing imagination.Is that wrong?

And as for Harry Potter, a child is going to get bore,after shouting his throat sore saying stupid spells.

For heaven's sake, Rowling created the spells out of her own mind.It hasnt got any importance.Nothing is going to happen if u point a wooen club and shout ACCIO.(It is a summoning charm in HP-the best u can summon is cold-syrup; as it sound like someone sneezing!)

Regards and happy-reading,

Dayem.

Abeer23 wrote: Amina habibti, you think it's cute that they're running around yelling out spells????????  Will it be cute when they start messing around with witchcraft, and give up their faith (as this is a form of shirk)???  MA'ADH ALLAH!  Please, don't let them watch or read such satanic material.   You should also refrain from such. Consider this a piece of advice from your big sister. Salaam

i don't think my brothers will give up their faith just because they enjoy yelling out spells.  They haven't read the HP books.  They don't like reading(2 of them don't know how to read).  I see nothing wrong with watching harry potter.  Its just for fun.  They know its not real.  My parents have tought them enough about islam for them to know its not real and they shouldn't believe it.   

As for me reading Harry Potter.  I know better then to believe all the magic.  I will never put Harry potter before my deen.  i will never go into witchcraft either.  like i said before i only read harry potter for fun and nothing else.  anyway thanks for the advice. 

Angel wrote: Dayem wrote: Angel wrote: All 3 or just read book one ? I haven't read the books, watched the movies thou, awesome!  And thanks for the offer but I think I will get the book/s :) All 4 dearie.THE HOBBIT is the first one, though tolkien wrote it only after he has written the first three. 4?? :)

Ohk, Num.1-The hobbit.Deals with how Baggin got the ring in the Goblin cave.Later they kill a dragon.

num.2-The fellowship of the ring-How frodo gets the ring and sets out to destro it(first movie).

num.3-The two towers-Deals with the loss of the two towers of the Evil king.(second movie)

num.4-The return of the king-Frodo completes the task thanx to Gollum(third movie).

Regards,Dayem. 

i was just serfing the net and i ran into this site.  check it out.

http://www.maniacmuslim.com/Hogwarts_Muslim_Students_Association.html?PHPSESSID=c8fb81eedefbeec5c531813ebc761e6f - http://www.maniacmuslim.com/Hogwarts_Muslim_Students_Associa tion.html?PHPSESSID=c8fb81eedefbeec5c531813ebc761e6f

Bismillah,

That was hilarious.  Thanks, sister.

MOCKBA wrote: Bismillah Salamu'alaikum Herjihad, Of some fiction, i recommend you and your kids "The Little Prince" by Antoine De Saint-Exupery... if you haven't read it yet.

Assalamu Alaikum:

The Little Prince, one of my all time favorites.... note my signature....