Laura El Alam

For nearly two decades, my family and I lived within the cozy confines of a close-knit Muslim community in Southern California. Our kids attended Islamic school and later homeschooled, and we primarily associated with other Muslim families.

Among the many concepts we should teach our children about Islam, one of the most important is the remarkable, incomparable nature of Allah’s forgiveness. As they grow, our children are bound to make mistakes and commit sins.

We all want to raise successful, healthy, and morally responsible children. Did you know that empathy is one of the most important qualities we can practice if we wish to connect with our kids, instill Islamic values, and help them thrive in the future? 

When I embraced Islam in 2000, it was a source of surprise and confusion for my Catholic family. They knew very little about Islam, and what information they did have was based mostly on stereotypes and misinformation from the media.

“If you are grateful, I will give you more ... “

 (Surah Ibraheem, 14:7)

A woman’s 40s and 50s can be particularly difficult decades.