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Quoting HamduRabbi:
Children (sons and daughters) have the indisputable rights to be properly reared. Parents have the obligation to ensure that their children?s material and spiritual needs are fully met. Education encompasses (1) providing proper skills for the children to earn halal sustenance when they reach adulthood; (2) spiritual needs, i.e safeguarding the child?s natural fitra towards submission to Allah (SWT); and (3) ethical behavior in order to develop and maintain proper manners with other Muslims and the rest of Allah (SWT)?s creation. Allah, the Almighty, says: "O you who believe! Ward off from yourselves and your families a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones..." (The Holy Quran: 66:6)
The Holy Prophet (SAWS) said: "everyone of you is a protector and guardian and responsible for your wards and things under your care and a man is a guardian of his family members, and is accountable for those placed under his charge." (recorded by both Bukhari and Muslim)
Children are a trust put in the hands of their parents. The latter will be answerable before Allah (SWT) on the Day of Judgment about their children. They will be held accountable as to whether or not they nurtured and protected their offspring's spiritual and religious needs in order to rear them to be righteous men and women. If they met such obligations, then the children will be a consolation for their eyes in both the present world and Hereafter. Allah, the Almighty says: "And those who believe and whose offspring follow them in Faith, to them shall We join their offspring, and We shall not decrease the reward of their deeds in anything. Every person is a pledge for that which he has earned." (The Holy Quran: 52:21)
The Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) in this context, said: "When a believer dies, his work ceases to be except in three areas: a perpetual Sadaqa (charity), some useful knowledge he leaves and a righteous son (or daughter) praying for him." (Muslim)
Many examples around us make us realize that in today?s society, some fathers, have utterly neglected their children's rights and bargained away their parental obligations. Similar situations are observable in other parts of the world as well. We see many single mothers struggling to assume the roles of both fathers and mothers. May Allah (SWT) help them, alleviate their burden, make it easy for them to succeed in their endeavor and reward them for such efforts in this world and in the Hereafter.
Failure to assume parental responsibilities may have drastic consequences. Children may get lost and begin to grope in darkness. Their fathers have cut all ties with them, too busy in worldly affairs promoting their financial situation and hoarding wealth. They fail to enquire about their children?s company which may have very negative influences. They fail to guide their children towards doing good and avoiding evil, at a time when the young are in most need of parental care, love, attention and guidance. A father?s duties are not confined solely to catering for his child's physical well-being, nutritious needs and clothing. He is expected to care about this child spiritual side and character as well. He has the responsibility to expose the child to useful knowledge conducive to faith and submission to Allah (SWT). A father should work to envelop his child?s soul with a clad of piety and the fear of Allah.
In households where there is more than one child, all youngsters have the full right to equal parental treatment. No one should be given preference over the others in gifts or presents. The canonical law of Islam dictates that no child should enjoy privileges to the prejudice of his brothers or sisters. Differential treatment of siblings is injustice. Allah (SWT) forbids injustice because it may lead to (a) aversion on the part of the deprived child, (b) hostility between the ill-treated and the pampered ones, (c) as well as between the former and his parents. One child could show more honor to his parents than his other brothers or sisters. As a result the parents may single him out for more privileges to the exclusion of the others. This behavior is unjustifiable because the dutiful child is rewarded by his Rabb. There is a potential side effect: the privileged child may lean towards vain glory, while the underprivileged could develop an aversion toward his parents, overstep and overlook the respect he owes, and indulge in further disobedience. Life may run through many cycles. The undutiful child could turn into a respectful one and vice versa; after all, hearts are in the grasp of Allah and they could show different emotions as He desires.
Bukhari and Muslim recorded a narration from An-Numan bin Bashir that his father Bashir bin Sa'd took him to Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) and said, "I have given this son of mine a slave." The Holy Prophet (SAWS) asked: 'have you given to all your sons the like?? He replied in the negative. The Holy Prophet (SAWS) said, 'Take back your gift then.'"
In another narration, the Holy Prophet (SAWS) said: "Be afraid of Allah, and be just to your children."
And in another narration, he (saws) said: "Make anyone else a witness upon this because I cannot be a witness on a Zulm (wrongdoing)."
From the above ahadith, the Holy Prophet (SAWS) assimilated preference of one's child over another to injustice which is synonymous with Zulm (wrongdoing). We all know that Zulm is Haram (prohibited). It adequate here to distinguish between preference and making an exception when one child as special needs such as a physical handicap or a particular illness that requires special treatment. Such an exception serves special exigencies and runs in the same channel of supporting one's family.
When the parent has discharged his obligations towards his offspring in all aspects decried above, the child is expected to be fully obedient and to honor to his parents. Failure o fulfill parental duties is punishable in the eyes of Almighty Allah (SWT).
Children (sons and daughters) have the indisputable rights to be properly reared. Parents have the obligation to ensure that their children?s material and spiritual needs are fully met. Education encompasses (1) providing proper skills for the children to earn halal sustenance when they reach adulthood; (2) spiritual needs, i.e safeguarding the child?s natural fitra towards submission to Allah (SWT); and (3) ethical behavior in order to develop and maintain proper manners with other Muslims and the rest of Allah (SWT)?s creation. Allah, the Almighty, says: "O you who believe! Ward off from yourselves and your families a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is men and stones..." (The Holy Quran: 66:6)
The Holy Prophet (SAWS) said: "everyone of you is a protector and guardian and responsible for your wards and things under your care and a man is a guardian of his family members, and is accountable for those placed under his charge." (recorded by both Bukhari and Muslim)
Children are a trust put in the hands of their parents. The latter will be answerable before Allah (SWT) on the Day of Judgment about their children. They will be held accountable as to whether or not they nurtured and protected their offspring's spiritual and religious needs in order to rear them to be righteous men and women. If they met such obligations, then the children will be a consolation for their eyes in both the present world and Hereafter. Allah, the Almighty says: "And those who believe and whose offspring follow them in Faith, to them shall We join their offspring, and We shall not decrease the reward of their deeds in anything. Every person is a pledge for that which he has earned." (The Holy Quran: 52:21)
The Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) in this context, said: "When a believer dies, his work ceases to be except in three areas: a perpetual Sadaqa (charity), some useful knowledge he leaves and a righteous son (or daughter) praying for him." (Muslim)
Many examples around us make us realize that in today?s society, some fathers, have utterly neglected their children's rights and bargained away their parental obligations. Similar situations are observable in other parts of the world as well. We see many single mothers struggling to assume the roles of both fathers and mothers. May Allah (SWT) help them, alleviate their burden, make it easy for them to succeed in their endeavor and reward them for such efforts in this world and in the Hereafter.
Failure to assume parental responsibilities may have drastic consequences. Children may get lost and begin to grope in darkness. Their fathers have cut all ties with them, too busy in worldly affairs promoting their financial situation and hoarding wealth. They fail to enquire about their children?s company which may have very negative influences. They fail to guide their children towards doing good and avoiding evil, at a time when the young are in most need of parental care, love, attention and guidance. A father?s duties are not confined solely to catering for his child's physical well-being, nutritious needs and clothing. He is expected to care about this child spiritual side and character as well. He has the responsibility to expose the child to useful knowledge conducive to faith and submission to Allah (SWT). A father should work to envelop his child?s soul with a clad of piety and the fear of Allah.
In households where there is more than one child, all youngsters have the full right to equal parental treatment. No one should be given preference over the others in gifts or presents. The canonical law of Islam dictates that no child should enjoy privileges to the prejudice of his brothers or sisters. Differential treatment of siblings is injustice. Allah (SWT) forbids injustice because it may lead to (a) aversion on the part of the deprived child, (b) hostility between the ill-treated and the pampered ones, (c) as well as between the former and his parents. One child could show more honor to his parents than his other brothers or sisters. As a result the parents may single him out for more privileges to the exclusion of the others. This behavior is unjustifiable because the dutiful child is rewarded by his Rabb. There is a potential side effect: the privileged child may lean towards vain glory, while the underprivileged could develop an aversion toward his parents, overstep and overlook the respect he owes, and indulge in further disobedience. Life may run through many cycles. The undutiful child could turn into a respectful one and vice versa; after all, hearts are in the grasp of Allah and they could show different emotions as He desires.
Bukhari and Muslim recorded a narration from An-Numan bin Bashir that his father Bashir bin Sa'd took him to Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) and said, "I have given this son of mine a slave." The Holy Prophet (SAWS) asked: 'have you given to all your sons the like?? He replied in the negative. The Holy Prophet (SAWS) said, 'Take back your gift then.'"
In another narration, the Holy Prophet (SAWS) said: "Be afraid of Allah, and be just to your children."
And in another narration, he (saws) said: "Make anyone else a witness upon this because I cannot be a witness on a Zulm (wrongdoing)."
From the above ahadith, the Holy Prophet (SAWS) assimilated preference of one's child over another to injustice which is synonymous with Zulm (wrongdoing). We all know that Zulm is Haram (prohibited). It adequate here to distinguish between preference and making an exception when one child as special needs such as a physical handicap or a particular illness that requires special treatment. Such an exception serves special exigencies and runs in the same channel of supporting one's family.
When the parent has discharged his obligations towards his offspring in all aspects decried above, the child is expected to be fully obedient and to honor to his parents. Failure o fulfill parental duties is punishable in the eyes of Almighty Allah (SWT).
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