Raising children in Islam is a complete, realistic, and balanced process. It is a complete and comprehensive raising for all that a parent would need to raise their children. Islam has not left an aspect of human life except to address it and clarify the good, evil, right, and corruption. This what makes balance inside the Muslim’s home. In this article, we will be discussing the basis of well raising the children according to the basis of Islam.
The importance of raising up the children
Islam has established a basis in raising the children, as well as raising them up to be good individuals to the society will affect the community positively. Scholars and scientists have cared about raising children, they have written books about raising children. As the children are the responsibility of their parents. The prophet PBUH has shown the virtues of raising the children, as mentioned in the hadith:
A woman came to me with her two daughters. She asked me (for charity) but she found nothing with me except for one date-fruit, so I gave it to her. She accepted it and then divided it between her two daughters and herself ate nothing out of that. Furthermore, she then got up and went out. When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) came in, and I narrated to him the story, he said, “He who is involved (in the responsibility) of (bringing up) daughters, and he is benevolent towards them, they would become a protection for him against Hell-fire”.
Basis of bringing up children in Islam
Children are one of the most beautiful blessings that are bestowed by Allah, their love is instilled in our nature; they are the joy of our life and its adornment, but this joy cannot be completed without the goodness of the children and having good morals. Raising them is a tiring task, and requires great responsibility. Bringing up children must be based on good basis and rules, most important of which are:
Raising up children on a good role model
there are a great role and responsibility on the shoulders of the parents to raise their children in a good role model. As it helps in shaping the personality of the children, children by nature love to emulate and imitate. The closest persons to them in this age are the parents in order to satisfy their instinct. So, at this age, parents must be the best role model for their children.
Raising up children must be based on love and caring:
This is applied by taking care of the health of the children and following the approach of the Prophet (peace be upon him) of Azkar, and providing love and caring to them.
Bringing up children must be based on good virtues
it is necessary to teach children good habits, words of welcome, the etiquette of receiving guests.
Bringing up children is an interactive process based on creating a dialogue with the child
This can be by opening quite a discussion with them and allowing to express their opinion.
Raising up is a disciplined process
if parents forbid their children from something, they must adhere to it and not obey the will of the children when they cry and scream.
Glimpses from the companions of the prophet [PBUH]
There are lots of morals that we can learn from the companions of the prophet in how they were raising their children. As the prophet said in the hadith
“My Companions are like the stars, whichever of them you follow you will be rightly guided”
And following the sayings of the prophet we will be spotting the light in some role models from some companions of the prophet to learn how they were treating and bringing up their children. One of the most common stories is what happened with Umar ibn al-Khattab and Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr
Umar ibn al-Khattab and Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr
He was walking in the road, there were a group of children playing in the road, so when they saw him, they ran away from him except one, Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr. Umar wondered why he did not run with the other kids. Ibn al-Zubayr replied that he wasn’t accused of something bad so that he runs away, the road wasn’t so tight to give him space.
The story of a young shepherd and Umar ibn al-Khattab
Umar came out when he saw a boy shepherding a sheep, and said to him: sell one of these sheep; he said: it is not mine, and he said: Tell the owner that the wolf has taken one, and the boy said: Where is Allah?
In the end, one of the educational features on which the child must be raised is the love of the Prophet (peace be upon him), and we note in the behavior of the children of companions the speed of their response to the messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), and the execution of his orders.
