It’s our offspring at stake!!!

Posted on by alfaida

Upbringing our children in current times is truly challenging. If nothing is done soon, one cannot imagine how worse it could get. There’s nothing more sad than “losing” your child.

Tips by Khalifah ‘Umar ibn’Abdil ‘Aziz

I feel that Khalifah ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdil ‘Aziz’s (rahimahullah) advice below is very apt and pertinent.

:وكتب عمر بن عبد العزيز إلى مؤدب ولده

 خذهم بالجفاء فهو أمنع لاقدامهم، وترك الصبحة فان عادتها تكسب الغفلة، وقلة الضحك فان كثرته تميت القلب، وليكن أول ما يعتقدون من أدبك بغض الملاهي التي بدؤها من الشيطان، وعاقبتها سخط الرحمن، فانه بلغني عن الثقات من حملة العلم أن حضور المعازف واستماع الأغاني واللهج بهما ينبت النفاق في القلب كما ينبت العشب بالماء. وليفتتح كل غلام منهم بجزء من القرآن يثبت في قراءته، فاذا فرغ منه تناول نبله وقوسه وخرج إلى الغرض حافيا، فرمى سبعة أرشاق، ثم انصرف إلى القائلة، فان ابن مسعود كان يقول:  يا بني قيلوا، فان الشياطين لا تقيل

(ذكره ابن أبي الدنيا في: ” ذم الملاهي” ص: ٩)

Khalifah ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdul ‘Aziz (rahimahullah) wrote the following instructions to his children’s mentor (teacher)

“Be strict on them for this is more effective in restraining them. Stop them from sleeping after Fajr Salah, for this causes stupidity / negligence. They should laugh less for a lot of laughing kills the heart / soul. Let the first thing you inculcate in them be the hatred for Music, for I have heard from various People of Knowledge (‘Ulama) that Music develops hypocrisy in the heart just as water grows grass.

Each of them should commence the day with the recitation of the Holy Quran in the proper manner. When they complete that, they should take their bows and arrows and proceed barefooted to the range. Each of them should shoot 7 times. Thereafter they should take mid-day sleep(siesta). For Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (radiyallahu’anhu) use to say: Oh my children! Take siesta,for verily the devils do not do so.”

(Kitabuz Zhammil Malahi of Hafiz Ibn abi Dunya pg. 9)

These words of Khalifah ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdil ‘Aziz (rahimahullah) give us the following lessons on upbringing of children:

1.  To commence the day with the recitation of the Quran

2.  Not to sleep after Fajr (until after sunrise at least)

3.  To abstain from music

4.  To laugh less

5.  Engagement in physical activity, like archery

6.  The importance of siesta (qaylulah)

Each of the above are valuable lessons of life, which we as adults can implement and also inculcate in our children.

Quran Recital every morning

Many of us commence our day by reading the news, which is more depressing than informative or by catching up on our timeline, or sifting through emails etc.

The recitation of Quran, first thing in the morning will bring barakah (blessing) in our affairs throughout the day. Our children should see us reciting the Quran after Fajr. This will subconsciously lead them on to the same.

Music; they are never too young to abstain

We often justify out leniency towards out kids’ indulgence in haram or makruh (repulsive) deeds by saying: “They are too young”

The fact that ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdil ‘Aziz detested music even for his under aged children, demonstrates to us how we should view the training of our own.

Don’t allow the seeds of hypocrisy to grow even at that tender age. The computer games that they play should be free of foul language, evil habits and the music should be turned off. Never underestimate the effect that these supposed “games” could have on an innocent mind. It’s sad, how lightly we take the issue of Music that even as adults, we repeatedly need to be cautioned of our ringtones.

Who is there that can say he has never heard a musical ringtone go off while in Salah in the Masjid?!

Who would have believed it if we were told a decade ago, that a time will come when a Muslim will play music or at least allow it to be played while in Sajdah, the closest posture we could get to Allah Ta’ala?!

Entertainment

Today we all look for how to be best entertained rather than spend our time usefully.

Laughter and jokes have become so common, that at times one will notice people joking even at a Janazah!

The rare opportunity we get to ponder about death doesn’t pass with an unnecessary joke or fable being shared.

Even in religious lectures, the crowds are inflated if the speaker can entertain better…

As mentioned earlier, these were ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdil ‘Aziz’s (rahimahullah) guidelines for the upbringing of children. Alas many of us adults need this lesson too.

Natural physical activity

‘Khalifah ‘Umar ibn ‘Abdil ‘Aziz (rahimahullah) specifically ordered the mentor to take them outdoors for archery daily. The pagan Arabs also preferred to send their kids to the villages where they could spend their time outdoors, herding goats and learning basic life skills. In fact, until a few decades ago, we too would spend our days outdoors in various activities.

Today’s child may be engaging in very similar activities too, but instead of it being outdoors they do it on a screen! It’s no more physical, it’s actually electronic!

Physical activity has its own benefit in early childhood development that can never be replaced with any electronic device. Parents need to carefully think of ways to keep their children occupied in a manner that won’t just keep them from bothering their parents, but ways that will enhance the child’s mind, body and Iman as well.

May Allah guide us all, and may He inspire us with the correct tact in upbringing our innocent offspring. Amin.

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31/01/14

GIVE ME THE CHILD OF TODAY AND I WILL GIVE YOU THE MAN OF TOMORROW!

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Hakeemul Ummah Hazrat Moulana Ashraf Ali Thaanwi Sahib رحمه الله has said in Aadaabul Mu’aasharah that we nowadays rear our children in a similar manner as cattle are reared.

The cattle are well fed and fattened and eventually they are slaughtered. Similarly, we feed our children well, adorn them with (designer) garments and (accessories) jewellery and rear them in luxury. The ultimate end of such children is Jahannum. In the process, the parents will also suffer punishment due to the children being brought up in luxuries whilst at the same time being deprived of proper Islamic training. Many of our children are ignorant of the importance of Salaah and Saum (fasting); the fault lying with the parents who have deliberately kept the children ignorant of the fundamentals of Deen.

The children of the Ummah are the future of the Ummah.

How wisely has it not been said: Give me the child of today and I will give you the man of tomorrow!

Great personalities were moulded during their childhood. Thus we need to be extremely careful how we rear our children.

Moulana Thanvi Rahmatullahi alayh has given the following advice with regards to how to bring up children:

If it is a girl, do not give her the habit of worrying too much about plaiting and parting her hair or wearing very stylish clothing.

When a child persists or insists on having something, do not fulfill all his wishes or else he will become spoilt.

Prevent the child from talking very loudly or shouting. Especially if it is a girl and she speaks in this loud shouting manner, you should scold her and reprimand her. If you do not do this, this habit will remain when she grows up.

Safeguard your child from speaking or mixing with children who have evil habits, who are not interested in their learning, who are in the habit of wearing stylish clothes or eating extravagant dishes.

Always inculcate a hatred for the following actions in your child, i.e. teach him to hate the following acts:

becoming angry,
speaking lies,
envying someone,
stealing,
carrying tales,
defending whatever he does or says,
to unnecessarily “make up” stories,
speaking excessively without any benefit,
laughing unnecessarily or laughing excessively,
cheating or deluding someone,
not thinking about or not differentiating between good and bad.
If any of these acts or traits are found in him, stop him immediately and warn him.

Occasionally you should give them some money so that they may purchase whatever they wish.

Teach them the etiquette and manners of eating, sitting and standing in gatherings.

The habit of waking up early should be inculcated in the child.

When the child reaches the age of seven, inculcate the habit of offering salât.

As far as possible, make him learn under a religious-minded teacher.

Comment: This is very important. Allowing an immoral, sinful person to teach our children in private non – Muslim schools etc. will surely have disastrous consequences.

A pious person, on the other hand, will influence our children to do good deeds and have respect and the Fear of Allah Ta’ala, Insha-Allah.

THE ULTIMATE KINDNESS

Posted on by alfaida

 

Every mother knows that it is impermissible for a child to breastfeed after the age of two. At the same time, mothers understand that their infant children cannot progress from a purely milk-based diet to a diet of solids overnight. If this drastic, unfamiliar change is thrust upon the child in an instant, he will struggle to adapt and his digestive system will suffer.

In exactly the same way, we all know that once a child becomes baaligh (reaches the age of maturity), it is compulsory for him to perform all the five daily salaah on time. Furthermore, in the case of a male, these salaah will have to be performed in the masjid.

Just as a mother begins weaning her breastfeeding child in advance, and gradually introduces solids to him, so that when he is two years of age, he is already accustomed to solids and can easily make the transition, the parents should adopt the same approach for their children’s salaah.

The hadeeth teaches us that we should commence teaching and training our children to perform their salaah when they reach the age of seven. Thereafter, when they reach the age of ten, they should be disciplined for showing laziness in regard to salaah. (Sunan Tirmizi #407) In other words, by the time they reach the age of ten, the concern for salaah should be firmly embedded in their hearts and punctuality on salaah should be their second nature.

As parents, it is really an injustice and unkindness on our side that we fail to teach our children the importance of salaah when they are young, and thereafter, when they are teens, we suddenly expect them to have perfect punctuality on their salaah. Although they are responsible and answerable for their own actions at this time, we will undoubtedly have a share in their sin of neglecting salaah as we are partially to blame.

The effort must be made to teach the children the importance of salaah. This is easily achieved through reading the chapter ‘Virtues of Salaah’ to our children in our daily home ta’leem of Fazaail-e-Aa’maal. Mothers should make their daughters and small sons perform salaah with them so that they learn the concept of salaah and develop eagerness for it.

Once a son reaches the age of seven, his father should begin taking him to the musjid. However, before doing so, the father must ensure that his son understands the sanctity of the masjid and knows how to conduct himself correctly. Thereafter, he must monitor his son and discipline him appropriately so that his son does not disturb others and become a nuisance in the masjid. In this regard, small children that do not understand the sanctity of the masjid should not be taken to the masjid.

Training our children in this manner is not only compulsory – it is a highly-rewarding investment and one of the ultimate acts of kindness that we can show them. Every single time our child performs salaah, until the day he or she passes away, we will be rewarded, as we taught them to perform salaah.

May Allah Ta‘ala bless us all to be punctual on our salaah and train our children correctly.

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