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How to Talk to your Muslim Child about Sex
Our children are growing up in a hypersexualized world. It is a subject that most Muslim parents find difficult and awkward to discuss with their children. This book will lessen that discomfort and build your confidence to tackle this sensitive subject. Firoza Osman outlines how an Islamic foundation when talking to your children about sexual matters from preschool (proper vocabulary, boundaries) to adolescence can help shape a healthy Islamic identity and view of sexuality. How to Talk to Your Muslim Child about Sex offers practical suggestions to · Building an Islamic understanding of sex and sexuality· The challenges of raising children in a digital age· Building communication and connection with your children so they come to you for information· How and when to explain puberty, physical intimacy, dating and healthy relationships, consent, gender issues, pornography. Firoza Osman has over 20 years of teaching experience with youth and adolescents, working as a Further Education lecturer in the UK, Educational Assistant with a public school board and Afterschool Program Manager for a Canadian Islamic non-profit organization delivering workshops to Muslim youth on Healthy Relationships. She has two adult sons in the UK and resides with her husband in Edmonton, Canada.
- GenresParenting
144 pages, Paperback
Published July 28, 2020
12 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 19, 2020
How to Talk to Your Muslim Child About Sex" by Firoza Osman (@halal_birdsandbees.talk) is a valuable parenting manual for Muslim parents.
It is not just about how to talk about sex and related issues, but provides a basic overview of how to establish a healthy, open relationship with one's children from a young age.
To be clear, this book is not a fiqh book, nor does it specifically reference fiqh rulings. However, the author does provide plenty of references to secular educational sources for scientific/ medical facts & statistics related to digital safety, social media, & sexual health.
I appreciated that the author began her book addressing parents about the reality of today's environment for children, especially in the West - both online & offline. Chapter 2, which focused on establishing connections with children, was an excellent way to set the foundations needed before tackling the tough topics. Chapter 3 covered the bulk of the sex related topics & broke down everything from menstruation and puberty, contraception & STI's, the dangers & effects of porn, & more.
Particularly helpful was breaking down each topic for different age groups of children & providing a general "script" of how one can broach these topics. When discussing the issue of teens & attending parties where alcohol & so on are present, the author notes that she allowed her own children to do so, but has provided a follow-up note that this not something she is recommending for other Muslim parents to do, & will amend in future editions of the book. There are a couple other areas where I would personally disagree with the author, but overall, I found it quite good.
Though not a definitive textbook on #MuslimSexEd, I recommend this book to Muslim parents to have an understanding of what their kids are facing & what discussions they need to have with their children. I also recommend that Muslim parents ensure to learn the relevant fiqh of puberty & intimacy, in order to be able to teach their children these very necessary Islamic rulings.
It is not just about how to talk about sex and related issues, but provides a basic overview of how to establish a healthy, open relationship with one's children from a young age.
To be clear, this book is not a fiqh book, nor does it specifically reference fiqh rulings. However, the author does provide plenty of references to secular educational sources for scientific/ medical facts & statistics related to digital safety, social media, & sexual health.
I appreciated that the author began her book addressing parents about the reality of today's environment for children, especially in the West - both online & offline. Chapter 2, which focused on establishing connections with children, was an excellent way to set the foundations needed before tackling the tough topics. Chapter 3 covered the bulk of the sex related topics & broke down everything from menstruation and puberty, contraception & STI's, the dangers & effects of porn, & more.
Particularly helpful was breaking down each topic for different age groups of children & providing a general "script" of how one can broach these topics. When discussing the issue of teens & attending parties where alcohol & so on are present, the author notes that she allowed her own children to do so, but has provided a follow-up note that this not something she is recommending for other Muslim parents to do, & will amend in future editions of the book. There are a couple other areas where I would personally disagree with the author, but overall, I found it quite good.
Though not a definitive textbook on #MuslimSexEd, I recommend this book to Muslim parents to have an understanding of what their kids are facing & what discussions they need to have with their children. I also recommend that Muslim parents ensure to learn the relevant fiqh of puberty & intimacy, in order to be able to teach their children these very necessary Islamic rulings.
February 11, 2026
ok i came to this thinking this is wildly premature? my kid is still a baby, we’re still in our peekaboo era.. so isnt sex education like a future-me problem? but then it hit me, if i wait until it feels urgent then i’ve already waited too long.
good, quick read. and no this book isnt about the usual, where do babies come from? if i was inside your tummy then why do i also look like dad.. (at a family dinner situation..) it’s about building a foundation long before those questions show up. and what i loved the most is that the book treats sexuality as a values conversation, not a crisis conversation. it situates sex education within Islamic ethics without reducing it to fear based messaging or vague “just don’t” warnings. theres nuance and actual strategy.
i especially liked the emphasis on age-appropriate layering. youre not giving a biology lecture to a toddler, youre teaching body autonomy, anatomical language and privacy boundaries. so jt made me realize that these early conversations arent about sex per se, theyre about safety and self respect. and in a world that will absolutely educate our kids whether we like it or not (hello, internet), silence is not a strategy.
also it’s a very practical book with scripts and scenarios. what to say when extended family undermines your approach. how to respond if your child asks something that catches you off guard. it thankfully assumes that parents are human, sometimes very unsure.. and equips them anyway. also, YES. full marks for not framing the western world as a moral apocalypse.
coming to this as a parent of a baby, i initially thought I’d bookmark it for “later.” instead it made me realize later starts now. the tone is rooted in tradition but aware of modern realities and it respects both faith and facts. so yea even if your child is still drooling on your shoulder, this is less about when to start and more about how to think.
highly recommend reading it before you think you need it.
good, quick read. and no this book isnt about the usual, where do babies come from? if i was inside your tummy then why do i also look like dad.. (at a family dinner situation..) it’s about building a foundation long before those questions show up. and what i loved the most is that the book treats sexuality as a values conversation, not a crisis conversation. it situates sex education within Islamic ethics without reducing it to fear based messaging or vague “just don’t” warnings. theres nuance and actual strategy.
i especially liked the emphasis on age-appropriate layering. youre not giving a biology lecture to a toddler, youre teaching body autonomy, anatomical language and privacy boundaries. so jt made me realize that these early conversations arent about sex per se, theyre about safety and self respect. and in a world that will absolutely educate our kids whether we like it or not (hello, internet), silence is not a strategy.
also it’s a very practical book with scripts and scenarios. what to say when extended family undermines your approach. how to respond if your child asks something that catches you off guard. it thankfully assumes that parents are human, sometimes very unsure.. and equips them anyway. also, YES. full marks for not framing the western world as a moral apocalypse.
coming to this as a parent of a baby, i initially thought I’d bookmark it for “later.” instead it made me realize later starts now. the tone is rooted in tradition but aware of modern realities and it respects both faith and facts. so yea even if your child is still drooling on your shoulder, this is less about when to start and more about how to think.
highly recommend reading it before you think you need it.
January 13, 2023
As a parent, it is our responsibility to guide our child about sex. But in the other hand, it feels akward and uncomfortable to start the conversation. This book explains in examples, easy to understand and to apply
November 29, 2022
A great starting point, lays a good foundation for having conversations with your kids at different ages. Is tolerant and the most inclusive I’ve seen so far from an Islamic perspective.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews