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Why is our youth turning away from Islam. One factor explained by Sheikh Mohammed Al-Hilli

(bismillah) (salam) , InshAllah you are well! I wanted to open up a thread in which we can share ideas about how we can encourage the youth to WANT to become practicing Muslims in a place where Islamic teachings are either scarce or nonexistent. There are so many theories about how to go about this roaming around the internet and speech but very little 'practical' ideas that have been implemented in community centers and/or mosques in the West. Having said that, what kind of fun activities have you done ( or think could be done) to teach shia Islam whilst making it engaging for youth/young adults who really feel 'forced' to be there? Here are a few ideas that I've come across by either consulting or practicing: -Organizing a theatrical plays/movies about an Islamic teaching or history -Islamic Book reading club -Creating a question and answer competitions like jeopardy between two groups -painting projects regarding islamic events -molding clay into historical islamic events -photo/video/art contests -teaching kids about charity by helping them make their personalized piggy banks -keeping a 'kind acts' and 'sins' (the sins should be personal not for sharing) diary / or jar to be more creative---personalizing the jar or notebook could be another activity -making 'ya hossain' headbands -Islamic sleepover retreats -islamic movie nights -making a piñata with written 'sin's on it, so when you hit it, you are 'symbolically' hitting away the sins - having a sisters panel to discuss hejab and the youth insecurities about it - skyping/google hangout speakers from around the nation or globe -making 12 groups to research facts about the 12 imams, then to present their findings on small posters. collectively binding that into a book about the Ahlul bait as. -Giving water/hot chocolate out during ashura -Repeating quranic verses for students to memorize& quran competitions -teaching about eating halal/haram by having a game where they have to add the feather on the turkeys tail while being blindfolded--the activity's introduction could be a mini speech about halal meat? -making a massive paper tree and having the youth to write things that they are thankful for on separate leaves -s c r a p booking -having mini lectures given by members of the community & provide snacks -have sporting events as a means to bond -drawing/crafting/baking/cooking etc. workshops as a means to bond -making a family tree of the Ahlul Bait as whilst telling stories -having a friday or sunday school AND inviting parents for a mini parent-teacher conferences once a semester -creating a youth/young adult committee -creating a point system where youth can receive prizes for rewards -writing poetry given certain key words -taking the youth/young adult to the zoo/ice skating etc to bring compassion -Canned good drive to the homeless -volunteering at Elderly homes -writing letters to self about self improvements to be handed back to the individuals a year later -making an islamic activities diary to pass along the next generation -translating islamic text as a group ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ updating the list based on thread responses: -bake sale -Essay competition- [Give the youth a topic and ask them to compose an essay of a certain number of words. Have three judges from adults who will choose the three best essays. Have the three winners read their essay aloud to everyone. Award them with small prizes. Give a small gift to everyone who participated. Talk about having the same event in the future and hoping to make it an annual event.] A movie night [would be really good for teenagers if you could find an engaging way to criticize and look at a movie Islamically. If content is an issue, there are places where you can purchase edited versions of movies that have been edited for broadcast television.] If you are a parent, teacher or anyone with a creative mind, I would love to have your input to implement such activities at our youth/young adult Islamic centers someday inshAllah. Please keep adding to the list. It could be a good parenting guide for all of us. jazakAllah khairan & thanks so much in advance! Mysterious secrets