Parenting Perspective 

Empathy is a vital skill that helps children understand and connect with the feelings of others, leading to stronger relationships and greater compassion. While it does not always develop naturally, it can be intentionally nurtured through everyday family interactions. 

Key Practices for Nurturing Empathy 

Integrating empathy into daily life begins with simple, consistent practices. 

• Model empathetic behaviour: Children learn by watching you. When they see you acknowledge someone’s feelings, comfort a family member, or apologise after a disagreement, they learn how to do the same. Use validating language like, ‘I can see you are upset, and I understand why’. 

• Encourage perspective-taking: Guide your child to consider how others might feel. If a sibling is sad because their toy was taken, ask, ‘How would you feel if someone took your favourite toy without asking?’ This helps them step outside their own experience. 

• Discuss emotions in stories: Use books, films, and everyday situations as opportunities to discuss feelings. Ask questions like, ‘How do you think that character feels right now?’ or ‘Why do you think they are sad?’ 

• Name their own feelings: Help your child build an emotional vocabulary by encouraging them to identify and articulate what they are feeling. This self-awareness is the foundation for understanding the emotions of others. 

Creating Opportunities for Empathy 

Empathy is best learned when it is put into practice. Create regular opportunities for your child to perform acts of kindness and consideration. 

• Involve them in acts of service: Frame helping others as an act of empathy. For example, say, ‘Let’s help your father with the gardening because he has had a long day,’ or ‘How can we make your brother feel better after he fell down?’ 

• Teach the value of active listening: Encourage your child to listen fully before responding. When a friend or sibling is upset, guide them to say, ‘I am sorry that happened. Can you tell me more about it?’ This teaches them that truly hearing someone is a powerful way to show you care. 

Spiritual Insight 

In Islam, empathy is deeply connected to the core teachings of compassion, mercy, and brotherhood. The ability to feel for others is considered a virtue, perfectly exemplified in the character of the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al Ahzaab (33), Verses 21: 

‘Indeed, there is for you (O mankind) in (the personality of) the Messenger of Allah (Almighty) (Prophet Muhammad ﷺ), an outstanding example of incredible benevolence; it is for those people that have hope in Allah (Almighty) and the Day of Judgment, and (desire) to remember Allah (Almighty) excessively.’ 

This verse reminds us that the best example of empathy is found in the life of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, whose interactions were always filled with kindness, patience, and profound understanding. By following his example, we teach our children to value the feelings of others and to always strive to connect, comfort, and care. 

It is recorded in Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 13, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘None of you will have faith till he wishes for his brother what he likes for himself.’ 

This hadith captures the very essence of empathy: the ability to want for others the same good that you want for yourself. By instilling this principle in our children through daily practice, we are not only building their emotional intelligence but also strengthening their faith and their connection to the community. Through empathy, children learn to care for the well-being of others, creating a compassionate atmosphere that begins in the home and extends to the wider world.