We pray in the same house but live emotionally apart. How can we reintroduce love in a way that feels real, not forced, for our child to witness? 

Parenting Perspective 

Starting with Common Ground 

Start with what you already have in common: your worship. If you are both turning to Allah under the same house, something sacred still binds you together. From there, love can be quietly reintroduced, not through great romantic gestures, but by modest acts of compassion, such as bringing water after prayer, making place on the prayer mat, or sharing a moment of meditation after a busy day. Children notice these subtle expressions of tenderness. 

A Strategy for Reconnection 

What they need to see is not faked affection, but rather the desire to care again. For the sake of your children, do not go right into performative displays. Instead, concentrate on lowering the emotional tone of everyday life. Speak in a somewhat warmer tone. Make eye contact when passing the tea. Choose one area of common ground, parenting, spirituality, a domestic routine, and infuse it with greater respect and lightness. Allow your child to observe this: the reawakening of benevolence, not manufactured warmth. They are not searching for perfection. They are looking for evidence that people can drift apart and then choose to reconnect. 

Spiritual Insight 

Emotional connection is valued as a form of worship in Islam, not as an alternative to spirituality. Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al Furqaan (25), Verse 74: 

‘And those people that say: O our Sustainer, Grant to us (those circumstances that) makes our spouses and our offspring, a comfort for our eyes; and make us from those that have attained piety, and a role model.’ 

This beautiful dua reminds us that emotional connection is a divine gift worth praying for, since it strengthens our family and inspires the future generation. It is recorded in Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith 3688, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘Allah is Gentle and loves gentleness, and He grants reward for it that He does not grant for harshness. ‘

Let it be your starting point. Reintroduce love not as an obligation, but as a softness And a mercy that calms your house. Your child will learn not just what love looks like, but also how to resuscitate it with dignity, faith, and care.