The most important task and responsibility that a person is obliged to bear in this life is the care and supervision of children through proper training and perfect cultivation.
Children are one of Allah’s greatest blessings and a form of trust which parents are assigned.
Allah, while speaking about the qualities of believers, mentions, “And those who guard their trust and are mindful to the covenant.”
Allah’s repeats the same message, “O you who believe, betray not Allah and the Messenger and breach not your trust while you know.”
To ensure proper care of children and safeguard this trust, Allah not only imposed some obligations upon parents, but also brought them under a sense of accountability, with failure to perform one’s duty resulting in severe punishment, and successful fulfillment of duty resulting in great reward.
In order to evoke a sense of accountability among those who are responsible for the welfare of children, Allah says, “O you who believe, save yourselves and your family from hellfire, the fuel of which will be human flesh and stones.”
Imam Ali bin Abi Talib, the righteous Caliph, while interpreting the method of saving one’s family from hellfire says, “It is only by educating and disciplining them.”
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) also highlighted the importance of training of and cultivating good habits among children in the Hadith.
He says, “Each one of you responsible and every one of you will be asked about his responsibility. The Imam is responsible and he will be asked about his responsibility… The man is responsible and will be asked about the responsibility of his children.”
By the word “responsible” in the habits, Prophet Muhammad intends to raise the sense of responsibility among us and remind those who are responsible about the day when they will be questioned in person.
Some scholars say, “The father will be asked about his son and the son will be asked about his father, because both of them owe to each other in terms of their rights and responsibilities.”
Ibn Umar says, “Discipline your son for you will be questioned about his refinement, and He will be questioned about your obedience.
As Allah obliged the son to be kind and faithful to his parents, likewise the parents have also been obliged to be careful in disciplining and training their children. Parents have a vital role to play in molding the innate nature of their children, because for children, parents are most influential and effective in defining morality, faith etc.
Also Read: NOTES FOR PARENTS
Prophets Muhammad said, “No one is born except upon natural instinct, then his parents turn him into a Jew or Christian or Magian. As an animal produces their young with perfect limbs, do you see anything defective?”
The concluding lines of the above statement unfold a beautiful and comprehensive parable through which the Prophet set to determine the role of parents, “The young ones of animals are born free of any defect, it is only later that a shepherd or the animal itself causes any defect.” Likewise, a child is born per natural instinct, free of any deviation and defect. Later on, the deviation he shows is either because of bad company or the carelessness of parents.
Having children is not only a blessing, but also a responsibility upon those who raise them. There is a set of guidelines and principles for the perfect upbringing of children, taking note of which will enable parents to achieve the noble goal and help them to discharge the responsibility they owe towards children.
Translated from Rakayiz fee al tarbiyah al islamiyah by Abdur Razzaq al Badr, Dean Islamic University of Medina
