Balancing Career and Religious Duties: Challenges of Working Muslim Parents toward Their Children’s Qur’anic Learning

Abstract

The practice of reading the Quran is a necessity and responsibility for Muslims, with parents playing a pivotal role in shaping their children’s understanding and appreciation of Quranic education. However, the increasing demands of modern life, coupled with career priorities, have contributed to a decline in Quranic proficiency among parents. The implications of this decline pose significant challenges in effectively teaching the Quran to their children. While previous research has mainly concentrated on students’ Quranic proficiency, limited attention has been given to parents as the first educators at home. Therefore, this paper aims to identify the challenges faced by parents in educating their children to recite the Quran. This study collected data using a quantitative research design through a survey involving working parents aged 25 and above who had children aged 9 to 12 years. The findings reveal that working parents face several challenges in guiding their children’s Quranic learning, including time constraints and insufficient Quranic knowledge. These challenges are partly influenced by the moderate level of Quranic proficiency among parents, which mirrors the proficiency levels observed in their children. Hence, this paper emphasizes that working parents require better support to address the challenges they face in facilitating their children’s Quranic learning. Educational institutions and Quranic centres should offer more flexible learning options and practical resources to help parents manage these challenges more effectively.