Thursday, November 5, 2009

Throw Away that TV

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
اسلام عليكم


You already know that TV is not good for you especially to the developing, innocent minds--our children. But are you courageous enough to throw that TV away? Perhaps this poem below by the author of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (his book was adapted into 2 major movies) will give you that push, inshaAllah.


Remember, you are the parent entrusted by Allah to raise your children well, to teach them to worship Allah alone. This is the only purpose of our lives--to worship Allah alone. So, don't let them worship the screen. Children are like sponges, they absorb everything--so why not let them absorb the Qur'an--the words of Allah, which is the key to their success (as well as yours) in this world and the next world. It is not too late to start now, never too late, even if your kids are older, but do it now. First, make a sincere intention seeking Allah's help, then throw that TV (and the like) away!

May Allah give you the courage, patience and perseverance, and may Allah protect our children. Ameen.

A poem from 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' by Roald Dahl

November 29, 1996

By ROALD DAHL

The most important thing we've learned,

So far as children are concerned,

Is never, never, NEVER let

them near your television set --

Or better still, just don't install

The idiotic thing at all.

In almost every house we've been,

We've watched them gaping at the screen.

They loll and slop and lounge about,

And stare until their eyes pop out.

(Last week in someone's place we saw

A dozen eyeballs on the floor.)

They sit and stare and stare and sit

Until they're hypnotized by it,

Until they're absolutely drunk

With all that shocking ghastly junk.

Oh yes, we know it keeps them still,

They don't climb out the windowsill,

They never fight or kick or punch,

They leave you free to cook the lunch

And wash the dishes in the sink --

But did you ever stop to think,

To wonder just exactly what

This does to your beloved tot?

IT ROTS THE SENSES IN THE HEAD!

IT KILLS IMAGINATION DEAD!

IT CLOGS AND CLUTTERS UP THE MIND!

IT MAKES A CHILD SO DULL AND BLIND

HE CAN NO LONGER UNDERSTAND

A FANTASY, A FAIRYLAND!

HIS BRAIN BECOMES AS SOFT AS CHEESE!

HIS POWERS OF THINKING RUST AND FREEZE!

HE CANNOT THINK -- HE ONLY SEES!

"All right!" you'll cry. "All right!" you'll say,

"but if we take the set away,

What shall we do to entertain

Our darling children? Please explain!"

We'll answer this by asking you,

"What used the darling ones to do?

"How used they keep themselves contented

Before this monster was invented?"

Have you forgotten? Don't you know?

We'll say it very loud and slow:

THEY . . . USED . . . TO . . . READ! THEY'D READ and READ,

AND READ some more. Great Scott! Gadzooks!

One half their lives was reading books!

The nursery shelves held books galore!

Books cluttered up the nursery floor!

And in the bedroom, by the bed,

More books were waiting to be read!

Such wondrous, fine, fantastic tales

Of dragons, gypsies, queens and whales

And treasure isles and distant shores

Where smugglers rowed with muffled oars,

And pirates wearing purple pants,

And sailing ships and elephants,

And cannibals crouching 'round the pot,

Stirring away at something hot.

(It smells so good, what can it be?

Good gracious, it's Penelope.)

The younger ones had Beatrix Potter

With Mr. Tod, the dirty rotter,

And Squirrel Nutkin, Pigling Bland,

And Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle and --

Just How The Camel Got His Hump,

And How The Monkey Lost His Rump,

And Mr. Toad, and bless my soul,

There's Mr. Rat and Mr. Mole --

Oh, books, what books they used to know,

Those children living long ago!

So please, oh please, we beg, we pray,

Go throw your TV set away,

And in its place you can install

A lovely bookshelf on the wall.

Then fill the shelves with lots of books,

Ignoring all the dirty looks,

The screams and yells, the bites and kicks,

And children hitting you with sticks --

Fear not, because we promise you

That, in about a week or two

Of having nothing else to do,

They'll now begin to feel the need

Of having something good to read.

And once they start -- oh boy, oh boy!

You watch the slowly growing joy

That fills their hearts. They'll grow so keen

They'll wonder what they'd ever seen

In that ridiculous machine,

That nauseating, foul, unclean,

Repulsive television screen!

And later, each and every kid

Will love you more for what you did.

http://www.stumbles.org.uk/John/rec/Poems/R_Dahl.html

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