Spiritual training for the members of the household
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A’ishah RA said: “The Messenger of Allah, Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam used to pray Qiyaam at night, and when he prayed Witr he would say, ‘Get up and pray Witr, O ‘A’ishah’” (Reported by Muslim, Muslim bi Sharh al-Nawawi, 6/23).

The Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said: “May Allah have mercy on a man who gets up at night and prays, then he wakes up his wife to pray.” (Reported by Ahmad and Abu Dawood. Saheeh al-Jaami’, 3488).

Encouraging the members of one’s household to give charity is another means of increasing faith. This is something very important which the Prophet Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam encouraged, when he said, “O women! Give in charity, for I have seen that you form the majority of the inhabitants of Hell.” (Reported by al-Bukhari, al-Fath, 1/405).

One of the new ideas is to have a box at home for donations to the poor and needy: whatever is put in the box belongs to them, because it is their vessel in the Muslim home.

If the family members see an example among them fasting on al Ayyaam al-Beed (the 13th, 14th and 15th of each Hijri month), Mondays and Thursdays, Taasoo’aa’ and ‘Aashooraa’ (the 9th and 10th of Muharram), ‘Arafah, and frequently in Muharram and Shabaan, this will be a motive for them to do likewise.

Paying attention to Athkaar and Sunnah Dua’s that have to do with the home Atkhaar for entering the home: Muslim reported in his Saheeh that the Messenger of Allah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said: “When any one of you enters his home and mentions the Name of Allah when he enters and when he eats, the Shaytaan says: ‘You have no place to stay and nothing to eat here.’ If he enters and does not mention the name of Allah when he enters, [the Shaytaan] says, ‘You have a place to stay.’ If he does not mention the name of Allah when he eats, [the Shaytaan says], ‘You have a place to stay and something to eat.” (Reported by Imam Ahmad, al-Musnad, 3/346; Muslim, 3/1599).

Abu Dawood reported in his Sunan that the Messenger of Allah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam said: “If a man goes out of his house and says, ‘Bismillaah, tawakkaltu ‘ala Allah, laa hawla wa laa quwwata illaa Billaah (In the name of Allah, I put my trust in Allah, there is no help and no strength except in Allah),’ it will be said to him, ‘This will take care of you, you are guided, you have what you need and you are protected.’ The Shaytaan will stay away from him, and another Shaytaan will say to him, ‘What can you do with a man who is guided, provided for and protected?’” (Reported by Abu Dawood and al-Tirmithi. Saheeh al-Jaami’, no. 499).