How “TIBS” Was Born
I was inspired to develop the TIBS (Teaching Islam Based on Stories) method by Asef, a Student with ADHD who found religious education boring and unmotivational in 2015. Despite the challenges of teaching him for 8 years ((grade 2 to grade 9), his parents had hope that he would learn something about Islam, spirituality, and morality in Noor House’s Fridays classes. The problem was that the traditional approach to teaching religious subjects was not working for him or other unmotivated students like him.
I realized that the Islamic educational materials from other organizations were not effective enough in engaging young students, especially those living in North America. The kids could not relate to the subject matter in their daily lives, and the language and concepts were often unfamiliar and difficult to understand.
To solve this problem, I started writing stories that incorporated Islamic teachings and values. The stories were written to engage young readers with relatable characters and situations. The first story was a hit with Asef, who declared:
“This is the way to teach Islam.”
This “aha moment” with Asef inspired me to continue writing stories that could help young students learn and enjoy Islam in a fun and engaging way. Thus, TIBS was born, with the goal of providing a new and innovative approach to teaching Islamic education. Through the power of storytelling, TIBS hopes to inspire a new generation of young Muslims who can learn about their faith and live their lives with purpose and meaning.
(Note: Asef is not the student’s real name)
