 |
|
|
||
|
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Click here to print out in PDF Click here to print out in PDF in Arabic
The role of the family in raising children
Dear Muslims. Family is the base of society and its main building unit. The extent of the wealth and the strength of the community are, to large extent, dependent on the strength and the wealth of the families forming that community. Because Islam aims to build strong and healthy community, it is concerned about the society and its structure. Questions related to family, marriage, divorce, inheritance rights, etc. are given a lot of space in the normative sources of Islam. The roles of different individuals in the family are well defined and the way to build strong families is described in details in Quran and Sunnah. Today, we will talk about the role of the Islamic family in raising the children in the right way and its responsibility in bringing useful individuals for the society. It is the responsibility of the parents to raise their children. This responsibility involves providing their essential needs, such as food, clothes, medicines and other worldly needs, as well as teaching them the right and descent behavior, attitude and morals. In addition, it also includes showing them their role in the community, i.e. their rights and duties, and teaching them about their religion and the right way to practice it. Children are trusts (amanah) given to us by Allah: Truly, We did offer the Trust to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they declined to bear it and were afraid of it. But man bore it. Verily, he was unjust and ignorant. [Koran 33:72]. We will be asked about this trust, how did we deal with and what did we make with it. We will be responsible and judged by their bad behavior if we did not fulfill our responsibilities in teaching them the right morals. Imam ibn Al-Qaiem said: Parents are responsible of most of the misbehavior (and sins) done by their children when they don’t teach them about their religion practice and morals. By that, they are making them useless individuals both for their parents and their community. That is why it is a great violation for the children rights to do so. Educating the children and making them aware about their religious and social responsibilities at early ages is crucial for building their character. This, ideally, should be a continuous practice that is executed at different ages throughout their life. We should teach them how to cooperate and love each other. We have to show them the value of discipline and attitude and how does it help in achieving success. Moreover, we need to educate them how to choose their friends and show them how bad friends can lead one to fail in life and follow the devil and the evil way. To do all that we need to use wide range of tools such as useful TV or radio programs, admitting them to some religious courses to teaching them about Quran and Sunnah …etc. we also need to follow them when they are away from us, especially at the early ages. We should be careful about who they meet and what type of activities they do when they are with their friends as well as at their leisure times. Dear Muslims. Raising children is not an easy task and we should pay attention to it. Remember that the child is very observant and can easily be affected by the behavior of his parents. If he grow up watching them doing mistakes he will follow their way and vice verse. Hence, one of the very best ways to raise the children is to reform ourselves and provide a good example for them by our ideal behavior. For instance cheating and lying to the child by promising rewards if he obey or do what requested from him without doing it will teach him to be a liar. Another effective way to motivate children to behave and obey their parents is awards. It is recommended to give them presents as a reward for their good behavior from time to time. That will give them the necessary motivation as they don’t know the bad effect of their misbehavior when they are young. Award is not limited to money or presents but can be also be by praising them and giving them compliment in public for their nice and good behavior or attitude.
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
|
|
||
