🧒 Raising children (tarbiyah) · #61
A young child asks "Where is Allah?" or "Who created Allah?". How should we answer?
Welcome the question happily, answer briefly at the child's level, and do not scold them for asking.
Surah al-Ikhlas is the short, basic answer: Allah is One, the One all depend on, He neither begets nor was begotten, and there is none comparable to Him (al-Ikhlas 112:1–4); there is nothing like unto Him (ash-Shura 42:11). For "who created Allah", the Prophet ﷺ himself foresaw that Satan would whisper this question, and taught us to seek refuge with Allah and stop that chain (Sahih al-Bukhari 3276) — to a child, explain that every thing that exists has a maker, but Allah is not a "thing"; He is the First, without beginning. Use examples from nature: who makes the rain, who makes us breathe. If you do not know the answer, say "let us ask the teacher together". See Educating the family.
Surah al-Ikhlas is the short, basic answer: Allah is One, the One all depend on, He neither begets nor was begotten, and there is none comparable to Him (al-Ikhlas 112:1–4); there is nothing like unto Him (ash-Shura 42:11). For "who created Allah", the Prophet ﷺ himself foresaw that Satan would whisper this question, and taught us to seek refuge with Allah and stop that chain (Sahih al-Bukhari 3276) — to a child, explain that every thing that exists has a maker, but Allah is not a "thing"; He is the First, without beginning. Use examples from nature: who makes the rain, who makes us breathe. If you do not know the answer, say "let us ask the teacher together". See Educating the family.
Sources
Surah al-Ikhlas 112:1Surah asy-Syura 42:11Sahih al-Bukhari 3276