🧒 Raising children (tarbiyah) · #169

How do I teach my child that half-siblings (same father) are real siblings, not strangers?

They truly are real siblings because they share a father, and your child needs to hear this fact from you with confidence and calm. Use clear family language: call them abang, kakak, adik (big brother, big sister, little sibling) or siblings, not ‘the children next door’. Explain that the blood tie through the father makes them mahram and, in certain situations, heirs of one another; this bond lasts for life. Tell your child how fortunate it is to have many siblings who love and help in hard times. Show respect towards them yourself, because children copy actions, not just words. Start by mentioning their names in daily conversation as a normal thing. Read also children in polygyny.

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This answer is general reference, not a fatwa. For your situation, consult the religious affairs office, a Syarie lawyer or your state Syariah Court.

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