How can parents model reverence when using Islamic learning apps or digital duas? 

Parenting Perspective 

Show That Digital Does Not Mean Casual 

Children often assume that anything on a screen can be treated casually. Parents must model the correct adab by using Islamic learning apps with the same care they would show a physical book. This includes sitting attentively and avoiding multitasking. By saying aloud, ‘These are the words of Allah, even though they are on my phone,’ a parent reinforces the crucial message that respect for sacred content is timeless. 

Create Intentional Moments for App Use 

Parents can show that these apps are for focused reflection, not for background noise. For example, they can pause to read a du’a with full attention or listen to a short tafsir clip as a family and then briefly discuss it. By treating these as special and purposeful moments, parents teach that engaging with Islamic content online is an act of worship (ibadah), not just casual scrolling. 

Practise and Model Consistency 

Children learn through repetition and observation. If parents consistently show reverence in how they handle and respond to digital Islamic content, this behaviour will become a part of the family’s culture. Over time, children will naturally copy these actions, learning that sincerity and dignity are more important than the format of the content. 

Spiritual Insight 

A Blessing Better Than Worldly Things 

The Quran teaches us that the bounty and mercy of Allah, which include the guidance He has sent down, are things in which we should rejoice. They are far better and more valuable than any worldly thing we could accumulate. Engaging with this guidance, even through an app, is a great blessing. 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Yunus (10), Verse 58: 

‘ Say (O Prophet Muhammad ﷺ): “In this the Bounty of Allah (Almighty) and His Mercy, with these (bestowments) they should rejoice, this is better than all their wealth and possessions they can amass”.‘ 

The Weight of Simple, Sincere Words 

The prophetic tradition highlights that even the simplest words of remembrance are immensely beloved to Allah. This reminds us that the value is in the sincerity of the utterance, not the medium through which we read or learn them. 

It is recorded in Sunan Ibn Majah, 3811, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘The most beloved words to Allah are four: SubhanAllah, Alhamdulillah, La ilaha illAllah, and Allahu Akbar. It does not matter with which one you begin.’ 

Reverence is Not Tied to the Medium 

By treating Islamic apps with care, creating intentional moments for reflection, and modelling consistency, parents can show their children that reverence is not tied to a physical object, but to the sacred meaning of the content itself. This approach ensures that digital tools are used to strengthen iman, rather than weaken adab, in the home.