Parenting Perspective 

Children often do small helpful tasks (like passing water, tidying cushions, or carrying groceries) without realising these can become acts of worship with the right intention. Teaching them to make niyyah (intention) does not need to be heavy or complicated. A quick, simple practice can help them learn that service for others is a way of pleasing Allah Almighty. 

Use a Short Phrase 

Introduce a simple reminder such as: ‘I am doing this to please Allah.’ Encourage your child to say it quietly before beginning a task. The phrase should be short enough that even younger children can remember it easily. 

Link Intention to Everyday Acts 

When you see your child serving in small ways, gently connect the action to niyyah: ‘You gave water to your brother. If you say, “I am doing this for Allah,” it becomes worship too.’ This shows them that daily life is full of opportunities. 

Model and Repeat 

Make your own niyyah out loud for simple acts: ‘I am giving this food to please Allah.’ Hearing you verbalise intention normalises the practice and makes it feel natural, not formal. 

Keep It Encouraging 

Praise their effort when they remember: ‘You made niyyah before helping me; Allah will love that.’ Linking intention to encouragement builds motivation without pressure. 

By teaching a quick, repeatable way to make niyyah, parents help children view small acts of service as opportunities to earn reward, shaping both character and spiritual awareness. 

Spiritual Insight 

In Islam, actions are judged by intentions, and even the simplest acts can be transformed into worship when done for the sake of Allah Almighty. Training children to say a short niyyah turns ordinary service into a spiritual investment. 

Qur’an Guidance 

Allah Almighty states in the noble Quran at Surah Al Bayyinah (98), Verses 5: 

‘And they were not commanded to worship anyone except Allah (Almighty); become sincere (in following) the pathway of life (compliant with existential nature as created by Allah Almighty)…’ 

This reminds us that sincerity is at the heart of worship. Helping children connect service to Allah Almighty nurtures sincerity from an early age. 

Hadith Reminder 

It is recorded in Sahih Bukhari, Hadith 1, that the holy Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: 

‘Actions are but by intention, and every man will have only what he intended.’ 

This teaches us that intention gives weight to our deeds. A small act with the right niyyah can outweigh a larger act done without sincerity. 

By offering children a quick way to make niyyah, parents raise them to see daily life as filled with spiritual potential. Each act of service, no matter how small, becomes a seed of reward and a habit of sincerity that will carry into their adulthood.