As Muslims, we all know the importance of salah (prayer). It is the first thing that we will be brought to account for in front of Allah (S), and is the most important pillar of Islam after the shahadah (our testament of faith).

While it still can be hard for many of us to establish regular prayer habits and truly learn to love salah, we know how important this is. But, how do we cultivate this love of prayer in our children, especially with so many things competing for their attention? How do we encourage our children to form the habit of praying, and develop a love for performing salah?

The ultimate goal for so many parents is to want our kids to feel a desire to pray within themselves and long to speak to their Lord, without being compelled to do so by their parents. We want our kids to understand that our five daily prayers are an obligation, and not a choice.

Here are 10 ways you can encourage your child to pray and help cultivate a love for prayer within them:

1. Teach by example: Children naturally learn through imitation; they like to imitate their parents. Let them see you making wudu (abulations for prayer) and taking your prayer mat out once you hear the adhan (call to prayer).

As the parent, you are the primary example to your child of what being a Muslim means. If you prioritize the prayer in your day, and try not to delay or miss it, your child will, Insha'Allah, grow-up knowing its importance.

For example, when it's time for prayer, you can tell your child, “I have an appointment with Allah. I can’t be late!” If you are out and about, make sure to pause for salah and ask your child to help you find a nice spot to complete your prayers. Keep a hijab and prayer mat handy in your glove compartment so your children can join you.

2. Start young: It is encouraged, according to hadith, to encourage your kids to pray when they are seven years old, with prayer becoming established, Insha'Allah, by the time they are 10. [Abu Dawod (459) and Ahmad (6650)]

Although it is not necessary for children to pray before the age of seven, it is still wise to create an atmosphere in the home that encourages them to pray when they are young. Most parents begin earlier then that, encouraging kids to join in congregational prayer at home and just "go through the motions" without knowing the proper Quran ayahs to recite.

Be sure to hype up your kids as they "pray" with you! It shouldn't be a stretch because it's super cute when our little ones join us on the prayer mat. :)

3. Let them have their own Musallah: If you have space, allocate a specific room as a prayer room. If you cannot do this, then try to find a corner of a room that is only for prayer. Give your child their own special prayer mat that is for their use! Help them pick one out. There are so many wonderful places to get one. This one is interactive and teaches about wudu, salah times, salah positions and more. Etsy has so many options that can be customized to your liking. This one by Takva is simple, pretty and cushioned!

Children will understand how important the prayer is that it has even been given its own area in the house. Teach the children that this area is only for salah and must be kept clean and tidy. Make it a thing of excitement and fun when it's time to go to the Musallah area for prayer!

4. Make it visual! Children respond well to visual cues and reward charts. Charts and Islamic calendars will encourage your children to pray on time. Hang it up somewhere in the home, and it will act as a visual reminder to your child, reminding him or her of the times of each prayer.

Alternatively you can make prayer tree. For every prayer the child does on time, they color in one leaf green. If the prayer is late they color in the leaf orange to encourage them to prayer on time. If they miss a prayer, then the leaf is colored in red, with the goal being to try for as green a tree as possible.

5. Party time! When your child turns seven, throw them a “Prayer Party!” Invite all their friends to share in the excitement of this new stage in their life. It's an honor to be able to pray!

Give them their own prayer mat (see above for links to purchasing kid-friendly prayer mats), hijab, tasbeeh or adhan alarm clock. Insha'Allah they will be so excited and proud to pray salah.

6. Teach them about Allah (S): Without an understanding of Allah (S), the prayer becomes just a ritual; a ritual that is lacking a spiritual and emotional connection to their Lord.

From infancy, talk to your children about how Allah (S) made everything and how Allah (S) provides for them and will protect them. This will, Insha'Allah, inculcate a deep love for Allah (S) in their hearts. Talk to them about how salah is a conversation between them and Allah (S), and the surahs they are reciting are part of that conversation.

7. Talk to them at length about the Prophet Muhammad (saw). Read stories and talk about his seerah (studying the life of the Prophet) as part of your normal daily routine. There are wonderful seerah lectures you can listen to in the car with the kids as well when you drive them to their activities, like this podcast by Sheikh Yasir Qadhi. As he becomes more beloved to them, they will take him as their role model and want to emulate him.

8. Break it down into small steps: It can be a very dramatic jump to go from never praying, to praying all five prayers daily. So start in small steps. Maybe start with congregational Maghreb or Isha family prayer (since parents should be home from work for those prayers.) Then add more and make that consistent. Have your child repeat the parts of the prayer with you as you go through it, over and over, until they are able to have the parts memorized.

Be sure to praise them and shower your love upon your kids. Make sure to associate prayer with a time of peace and love as much as possible. Give it importance in your life and in your children's lives.

9. Be consistent: Although we want our children to love salah, there will be times when they feel lazy and do not want to pray.

As parent’s it is our responsibility to make sure that they pray, particularly by the time they are 10-years-old. To establish the habit you must be consistent. Once you feel they are consistent, keep up with the reminders as they continue to grow. Have sincere and loving talks with them about why prayer is so important and how it is such a special time to share with Allah (S).

10. Family time: One way of encouraging a positive attitude to the prayer is to make it a collective practice, as discussed above.

Try to pray at least once a day as a family. If your child is able, give him the responsibility of making the adhan (call the prayer). Encourage your child to lead you in prayer as you practice together and get comfortable. Let them know that it's ok if they forget what to say or how many rakat to do, that you will remind them and eventually they'll remember. Present prayer as a special, wonderful thing they get to take part in.

Take your children to the Friday prayer and Eid prayers as often as possible. The power of seeing a whole community praying together is so important and will give them a strong sense of identity.