How can parents help children see barakah in meals by keeping phones off the table? 

Parenting Perspective 

Frame Meals as Sacred Family Time 

When phones are allowed at the dinner table, a family meal can quickly become a silent scrolling session instead of a moment of connection. Parents can explain that mealtimes are about more than just food; they are special times for gratitude and conversation. By framing the rule positively, saying, ‘When we eat together without distractions, our time and food have more blessing (barakah),’ parents connect the act of putting phones away with a beautiful spiritual concept. 

Create Rituals of Presence and Gratitude 

Families can establish simple but powerful rituals like reciting ‘Bismillah’ in unison, sharing one good thing about each person’s day, or making a collective du’a after the meal. These small practices naturally draw everyone’s focus towards each other and away from devices. Over time, children learn to associate the dinner table with warmth, gratitude, and connection, not with the buzz of notifications. 

Lead by a Consistent Example 

For this lesson to be effective, parents must practise what they preach. When children consistently see their parents silencing their phones or leaving them outside the dining area, they understand the rule is about mutual respect, not simply a way to control them. This consistency from parents transforms the mealtime into a true sanctuary of presence, where the food nourishes both the body and the soul. 

Spiritual Insight 

Gratitude Invites Increase 

The Quran teaches that expressing gratitude for Allah’s blessings is a direct cause for those blessings to be increased. A meal free from distractions is a powerful way for a family to collectively show thankfulness for their provision. 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Ibraheem (14), Verse 7: 

‘And (remember) when your Sustainer made this declaration; (saying that): “If you show gratitude, I (Allah Almighty) will indeed, amplify them for you (provisions and sustenance); however, if you become ungrateful, then indeed, My punishment is Meticulous (in execution)”.’ 

The Blessing is in Togetherness 

The prophetic tradition explicitly links the blessing in food to the act of eating together. This encourages families to share meals with presence and unity, which multiplies the barakah for everyone present. 

It is recorded in Sunan Ibn Majah, 3287, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘Eat together and do not eat separately, for the blessing is in being together.’ 

Unlocking Blessings Through Presence 

By demonstrating gratitude, practising presence, and treating mealtimes as sacred, parents can help their children experience the barakah in both their food and their family connections. Over time, children learn that putting phones away is not a restriction, but is instead a key to unlocking the blessings of Allah Almighty in their daily lives.