How to maintain a healthy home

Health is a blessing from Allaah The Almighty, the virtue of which is not recognized by many people. The Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “There are two blessings which many people waste: (they are) health and free time (for doing good).”[Al-Bukhaari, At-Tirmithi and Ibn Maajah] Health is a crown that adorns healthy people, so the Muslim family should take care of the following things in order to enjoy good health:

• Discipline is the key to the health of a Muslim home and is required in all aspects of life such as sleeping and eating well.
• Living in a well-ventilated house which lets in plenty of air and sunlight is also necessary, as they are important for health.
• Having natural plants inside and around the house, as they purify the air and provide more oxygen.
• Maintaining a moderate temperature in the home.
• Maintaining cleanliness is one of the most important factors for good health.
• Having furniture which meets health and safety standards to ensure the comfort of family members.
• Bearing in mind that ‘prevention is better than cure’.
• Taking all family members for regular health check-ups in order to avoid epidemics and seasonal outbreaks of diseases.
• Taking the necessary precautions to prevent illnesses, such as following a schedule for vaccines and various prophylactic medicines.
• Wearing comfortable clothes that would not prevent blood circulation in the body. Also, wearing heavy clothes in the winter  and light clothes in the summer.
• Following health instructions when standing, sitting, sleeping, ascending or descending the stairs, watching television and carrying or lifting heavy things.
• Eating a balanced diet that contains all the nutritional elements that are necessary for the body. Food should meet the nutritional requirements for every family member according to their age and health.

Necessary nutritional elements:

The types of essential nutrients necessary for the body and the kinds of food that contain them:

Proteins: They help in building the body as they provide it with the compounds that the body needs in order to grow and compensate the body for the tissues that it loses. Therefore, proteins are necessary for children as their deficiency slows down the process of building and renewing body tissues. Proteins can be found in meat, fish, eggs, milk, soya beans, lima beans , peas etc.

Carbohydrates and Fats: These provide the body with the energy it needs in order to move and exert physical effort. One should not eat a lot of this kind of food as it may lead to obesity . Foods that contain carbohydrates are cereals such as wheat, corn and rice, fruit, jam, candy, potatoes, taro etc. Animal fats such as butter and ghee andvegetable fats  such as olive,corn and cottonseed oil are also rich sources of energy.

Vitamins and Minerals: They protect the body from diseases and increase its vitality. They can be found in vegetables, fruit, nuts and fish.

Some bad nutritional habits:

• Drinking tea or stimulants while eating or directly after a meal. This prevents the absorption of iron and causes anemia. Thus, it is better to drink tea two hours or more after eating.
• Failing to chew food well overstrains the stomach and causes indigestion.
• Eating a lot of hot, spicy food causes gastric ulcers.
• Eating too much fried food that is cooked in fats causes indigestion and overstrains the digestive system.
• Not having breakfast weakens the body and lowers energy levels.
• Drinking soda or water while eating causes indigestion as it decreases the secretion and efficacy of gastric juices.
• Hands should be washed before eating or preparing food. Hair should not be combed in the kitchen so that it does not fall into the food.

Some health tips while cooking:

• Refreezing meat and fish more than once spoils them. Thus, they should be cut and divided into packs each of which would be sufficient for one meal.
• Salad should be prepared immediately before a meal so that it does not lose its vitamins because of being exposed to the air.
• Oil should not be used for frying more than twice, and it should be filtered in order to remove impurities.
• Water used for boiling vegetables can be reused, except that which has been used for boiling cabbage, potatoes and cauliflower.
• Meat, chicken and fish should be seasoned with onion and lemon before frying or grilling, then salt and spices should be added after that.
• If cooked food is over salted, the extra salt can be absorbed by adding a whole potato then removing it after it is cooked.
• The nutrients of certain vegetables like potatoes, squash, carrots and eggplant lie on the surface, so they should not be over peeled in order to preserve their nutritional value.
• When cooking food that has a mucilaginous consistency such as okra or taro, lemon juice should be added to the water before adding the vegetables in order to preserve its nutritional value.

Healthy posture while working:

• When lifting something heavy, it is preferable to bend the knees while keeping one’s body in an upright position.
• When carrying heavy objects, they should be held as near to the body as possible.
• When hanging clothes on a clothesline, wet clothes should be put in a laundry basket or bucket on a chair or a high table in order to avoid bending many times.
• When sweeping or wiping the floor, the appliances used should be of a suitable length in order to avoid too much bending.
• When pushing something heavy, the force of pushing should be at the center of the item being pushed.
• When sitting down to do some work, one must ensure that the height of the table and the chair are suitable for the nature of the task and provide adequate support to the body.

First Aid:

• Do not consume or administer any medicine unless one is sure that it is suitable for that particular ailment, and use it only after consulting a doctor.
• In case of a fracture or sprain, one should go to the nearest hospital so that the doctor can make a splint for the patient.
• If any foreign body penetrates the skin such as a piece of glass, wood, or nail, it should be taken out of the body by tweezers then a disinfectant should be put on the affected part. If it is difficult to take out the foreign body, one should go to the nearest hospital or clinic to do the necessary treatment.
• It is preferable not to use any medicines for the eye or the ear except after consulting a doctor.

Home pharmacy:

Having a first aid kit at home is necessary in order to help an injured person quickly until the doctor arrives or until the patient is taken to the hospital. It is not necessary that one of family members be a doctor or a pharmacist in order to prepare this kit. However, one should take the following factors into consideration:

• The first aid kit should be kept out of reach of children in order to prevent poisoning in children  as a result of them mistakenly taking medications while thinking they are some kind of candy. This is especially necessary nowadays since medicine packages tend to be attractive and colorful, and often lack safety catches that cannot be opened by children.
• The home first aid kit should consist of separate racks for different types of medications. For instance, one rack may contain medicines to treat burns and injuries, the second one may contain bandages and so forth, while the third one may contain eye drops and ointments prescribed by the doctor, another rack may contain medicines taken orally.
• It is preferable to have a special first aid kit for children’s medications.
• The first aid kit should be kept in a well-ventilated place that is neither hot nor humid. Some medicines have to be kept in the refrigerator, so there must be a special area  assigned for this in the refrigerator if possible, which is kept out of reach of children.
• The name of the medicine should be written in clear and readable handwriting on the packages in which they are placed, if necessary.
• If several members of the family are sick at the same time, the name of each patient should be written on their medicine in order to avoid confusion.
• Patients should take the prescribed dosage at the times specified by the doctor and the pharmacist. They should not stop taking the medicine prescribed by the doctor until the doctor has been consulted.
• Patients should not retake the medicine without consulting the doctor.
• If taking any medicine results in an allergy such as a rash or redness of the skin, the patient should stop taking the medicine at once, then consult the doctor or the pharmacist as soon as possible in order to avoid any complications.
• If one of the family members uses medications for chronic conditions such as diabetes, blood pressure, gastric ulcer, rheumatism etc., such medicines should be kept in a separate corner of the home first aid kit. These medicines should only be opened by the patient personally or by the person who gives him the medicine so that they would not be confused with other medicines.
• The home first aid kit should contain a disinfectant, scissors, tweezers, gloves,bandages, a gauze bandage , plaster, cotton and a thermometer.

Deen is sincerity

 The Deen is Sincerity

Ash-Shaikh ‘Abdur-Rahmaan As-Sa’dee’s Explanation of the Hadeeth:
“The Deen is Sincerity”
Translated by Aqeel Walker

On the authority of Tameem Ad-Daaree (radhiyallaahu ‘anhu-may Allaah be pleased with him) who said that the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam-may Allaah send blessing and peace upon him) said, “The religion is sincerity, the religion is sincerity, the religion is sincerity.” They said, “To whom O Messenger of Allaah?” He said, “To Allaah, and His Book, and His Messenger, and the leaders of the Muslims, and their common folk.” (Reported by Muslim)

Be sincere to Allah

The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam-may Allaah send blessing and peace upon him) repeated this word (Naseehah – sincerity) showing the importance of the status (of it), and giving guidance to the Ummah (Muslim nation) that they should know with true knowledge that religion, all of it – its apparent aspects and its internal aspects – is contained in sincerity. And it (sincerity) is the complete establishment of these five rights.

So sincerity to Allaah is acknowledging the oneness of Allaah, and His uniqueness in His perfect attributes in a manner that no one shares with Him in them in any way whatsoever. It is also the establishment of His worship, both outwardly (with the actions) and inwardly (with the heart). And it is to turn to Him in every time with worship and servitude, and asking Him with hope and fear, along with repenting to Him and constantly asking His forgiveness. This is because the slave of Allaah will definitely have something of shortcomings regarding the obligations of Allaah, or commission of some of the forbidden things. Thus, with continuous repentance and constant seeking of forgiveness, the person’s deficiency is made up for, and his actions and speech are perfected.

In reference to sincerity to Allaah’s Book, then that is by memorizing it, and contemplating it, and learning its words and meanings, and striving to act according to it within oneself and with others.

Be sincere to Quran

In reference to sincerity to the Messenger, then it is by believing in him, loving him, and placing him in regards to love, before oneself, wealth and children. And it is following him in the fundamentals of the religion and its branches. And it is giving precedence to his speech over the speech of everyone else. It is also striving to follow his guidance and aiding his religion.

Be sincere to Messenger

In reference to sincerity to the leaders of the Muslims – and they are their authority figures, such as the Great Imaam (the Khaleefah), as well as the rulers (Umaraa’), and the judges, and all of those who have some form of authority, whether it be general or specific. Sincerity to them is in believing in their authority, and listening to them and obeying them, and encouraging the people to do so. It is also doing whatever one is able to do to give them proper direction (guidance) and alerting them to everything that would benefit them and benefit the people, and assist them to establish their obligation.

Be sincere to Leaders and common folk

In reference to sincerity to the common folk of the Muslims, then it is by loving for them what one would love for himself, and hating for them what one would hate for himself, and making effort in that regard according to one’s ability. For verily whoever loves something, he strives for it, and he makes effort in making it a reality and perfecting it.

So the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam-may Allaah send blessing and peace upon him) explained sincerity with these five matters, which comprise the establishment of Allaah’s rights, the rights of His Book, the rights of His Messenger, and the rights of all of the Muslims with their different circumstances and statuses. And that contains the religion in its entirety. And nothing is left except that it is included within this comprehensive and all-inclusive statement. And Allaah knows best.

Explanation by Ash-Shaikh ‘Abdur-Rahmaan bin Naasir As-Sa’dee (may Allaah have mercy upon him)
Source: Bahjatu Quloob il-Abraar wa Qurratu ‘Uyoon il-Akhyaar fee Sharhi Jawaami’ il-Akhbaar, hadeeth number 3.
Translated by Aqeel Walker
2/2/07

A Powerful Story About Prayers(salah)

Even though it is not the policy of  PeaceDeen to publish fiction stories, this story is published only for giving a strong message to those who are negligent of their prayers.

 

He remembered his grandmother’s warning about praying on time: “My son, you shouldn’t leave prayer to this late time”. His grandmother’s age was 70 but whenever she heard the Adhan, she got up like an arrow and performed Salah. He, however could never win over his ego to get up and pray. Whatever he did, his Salah was always the last to be offered and he prayed it quickly to get it in on time. Thinking of this, he got up and realized that there were only 15 minutes left before Salat-ul Isha. He quickly made Wudhu and performed Salat-ul Maghrib. While making Tasbih, he again remembered his grandmother and was embarrassed by how he had prayed. His grandmother prayed with such tranquility and peace. He began making Dua and went down to make Sajdah and stayed like that for a while. He had been at school all day and was tired, so tired. He awoke abruptly to the sound of noise and shouting. He was sweating profusely. He looked around. It was very crowded. Every direction he looked in was filled with people.

Some stood frozen looking around, some were running left and right and some were on their knees with their heads in their hands just waiting. Pure fear and apprehension filled him as he realized where he was.

His heart was about to burst. It was the Day of Judgement. When he was alive, he had heard many things about the questioning on the Day of Judgement, but that seemed so long ago. Could this be something his mind made up? No, the wait and the fear were so great that he could not have imagined this. The interrogation was still going on. He began moving frantically from people to people to ask if his name had been called. No one could answer him.

All of a sudden his name was called and the crowd split into two and made a passageway for him. Two people grabbed his arms and led him forward. He walked with unknowing eyes through the crowd. The angels brought him to the center and left him there. His head was bent down and his whole life was passing in front of his eyes like a movie. He opened his eyes but saw only another world. The people were all helping others. He saw his father running from one lecture to the other, spending his wealth in the way of Islam. His mother invited guests to their house and one table was being set while the other was being cleared. He pleaded his case, “I too was always on this path. I helped others. I spread the word of Allah. I performed my Salah. I fasted in the month of Ramadan. Whatever Allah ordered us to do, I did. Whatever he ordered us not to do, I did not.”

He began to cry and think about how much he loved Allah. He knew that whatever he had done in life would be less than what Allah deserved and his only protector was Allah. He was sweating like never before and was shaking all over. His eyes were fixed on the scale, waiting for the final decision. At last, the decision was made. The two angels with sheets of paper in their hands, turned to the crowd. His legs felt like they
were going to collapse.

He closed his eyes as they began to read the names of those people who were to enter Jahannam. His name was read first. He fell on his knees and yelled that this couldn’t be, “How could I go to Jahannam? I served others all my life, I spread the word of Allah to others”. His eyes had become blurry and he was shaking with sweat. The two angels took him by the arms. As his feet dragged, they went through the crowd and advanced toward the blazing flames of Jahannam. He was yelling and wondered if there was any person who was going to help him. He was yelling of all the good deeds he had done, how he had helped his father, his fasts, prayers, the Qur’an that he read, he was asking if none of them would help him. The Jahannam angels continued to drag him. They had gotten closer to the Hellfire. He looked back and these were his last pleas. Had not Rasulullah [saw] said, “How clean would a person be who bathes in a river five times a day, so too does the Salah performed five times cleanse someone of their sins”?

He began yelling, “My prayers? my prayers? my prayers.” The two angels did not stop, and they came to the edge of the abyss of Jahannam. The flames of the Fire were burning his face. He looked back one last time, but his eyes were dry of hope and he had nothing left in him. One of the angels pushed him in. He found himself in the air and falling towards the flames. He had just fallen five or six feet when a hand grabbed him by the arm and pulled him back. He lifted his head and saw an old man with a long white beard. He wiped some dust off himself and asked him, “Who are you?” The old man replied, “I am your prayers”. “Why are you so late! I was almost in the Fire! You rescued me at the last minute before I fell in!!”

The old man smiled and shook his head, “You always performed me at the last minute, did you forget?” At that instant, he blinked and lifted his head from Sajdah. He was in a sweat. He listened to the voices coming from outside. He heard the adhan for Salat-ul Isha. He got up quickly and went to perform Wudhu.

First Questioning will be about Salah
On the authority of Hadrat Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him), who said that Allah’s Messenger (may Allah’s blessings and peace be upon him) said:
The first of his actions for which a servant of Allah (The Glorified and the Exalted) will be held accountable on the Day of Resurrection will be his prayers. If they are in order, then he will have prospered and succeeded; and if they are wanting, then he will have failed and lost. If there is something defective in his obligatory prayers, the Lord (The Glorified and the Exalted) will say: See if My servant has any optional prayers with which may be completed that which was defective in his obligatory prayers. Then the rest of his actions will be judged in like fashion. (Tirmidhi, Abu Dawud, an-Nasai, Ibn Majah and Ahmad). (Hadith Qudsi)

Peace, Peace, Peace!!!

“And when you are greeted with a greeting, greet [in return] with one better than it or [at least] return it [in a like manner]. Indeed, Allah is ever, over all things, an Accountant.” (Quran 4:86)

“But when you enter houses, give greetings of peace upon each other – a greeting from Allah , blessed and good. Thus does Allah make clear to you the verses [of ordinance] that you may understand.” (Quran 24:61)

Narrated Abu Umamah The Prophet(SAW) said: ” Those who are nearest to Allah are they who are first to give a salutation/greeting” (Abu Dawood 5178)

Benefits: Unifies the hearts and strengthens bonds between people.

HOW TO GREET:

The complete and best form for the greeting is “Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh” meaning “peace, mercy, and blessings be upon you from Allah ”.

Islam is a religion of peace so its greeting is also “Peace onto you!”

This is because Imam At-Tirmithi reported in a good hadith that a man came to the prophet (S.A.W.) and said, “Assalamu alaikum “. The prophet responded and the man sat down. The prophet said, “Ten rewards.”

Another man came and said, “Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullah.” The prophet responded and the man sat down. The prophet said, “twenty rewards.”

Then another man came and said: ”Assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu.” The prophet responded and the man sat down. The prophet said, “thirty rewards.

The Importance Of Knowing The Fundamentals Of Your Deen

Imaam Ibn ‘Abdil-’Izz Al-Hanafee (d. 729H) said:

“Knowledge of the fundamentals of the religion is the most noble branch of knowledge, since the excellence of a certain type of knowledge depends on what it is concerned with…

…The need of the servants for this knowledge is greater than every other need; and it is the most necessary of all things for them, since there is no life for the hearts, nor any delight, nor any tranquility, except through knowing their Lord, the (only) One to be worshipped, their Creator – with His Names, His Attributes and His Actions, and that He – along with all that – is more beloved to the person than anything else…”

[Sharhul ‘Aqeedatit Tahaawiyyah, p. 69]

Understanding Your Deen is most important.

And included among the fundamentals of the deen is knowing Allaah through His Names and Attributes & knowing the correct ‘Aqeedah.

History of Islam during the Lifetime of the Prophet and the Rightly Guided Caliphs (1of 2)

In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious and The Most Merciful

Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)- A Brief Description

He was by far the most remarkable man that ever set foot on this earth. He preached a religion, founded a state, built a nation, laid down a moral code, initiated numerous social and political reforms, established a powerful and dynamic society to practice and represent his teachings and completely revolutionized the worlds of human thought and behavior for all times to come.

“HIS NAME IS MUHAMMAD” ,May Peace of God Be Upon Him

He was born in Arabia in the year 570 C.E., started his mission of preaching the religion of Truth, Islam (submission to One God ) at the age of forty and departed from this world at the age of sixty-three.

During this short period of 23 years of his prophet hood, he changed the complete Arabian Peninsula from paganism and idolatry to worship of One God, from tribal quarrels and wars to national solidarity and cohesion, from drunkenness and debauchery to sobriety and piety, from lawlessness and anarchy to disciplined living, from utter bankruptcy to the highest standards of moral excellence.

Human history has never known such a complete transformation of a people or a place before or since – and all these unbelievable wonders in JUST OVER TWO DECADES.

Human history has never known such a complete transformation of a people or a place before or since – and IMAGINE all these unbelievable wonders in JUST OVER TWO DECADES.

Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was a religious teacher, a social reformer, a moral guide, an administrative colossus, a faithful friend, a wonderful companion, a devoted husband, a loving father – all in one.

No other man in history ever excelled or equaled him in any of these different aspects of life – but it was only for the selfless personality of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) to achieve such incredible perfection.

Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was nothing more or less than a human being but he was a man with a noble mission, which was to unite humanity on the worship of ONE and ONLY ONE GOD and to teach them the way to honest and upright living based on the commands of God.

He always described himself as, ‘A Servant and Messenger of God’ and so indeed every action of his proclaimed to be.

No other man in history ever excelled or equaled him in any of these different aspects of life – but it was only for the selfless personality of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him)

Caliph: An Introduction

Meaning of the Word ‘Caliph’

The word ‘Caliph’ is the English form of the Arabic word ‘Khalifa,’ which is short for Khalifatu Rasulil-lah. The latter expression means Successor to the Messenger of God, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him). The title ‘Khalifatu Rasulil-lah’ was first used for Abu Bakr, who was elected head of the Muslim community after the death of the Prophet.

The Significance of the Caliphate

The mission of Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him), like that of the earlier messengers of God, was to call people to the worship of and submission to the One True God. In practice, submission to God means to obey His injunctions as given in the Holy Qur’an and as exemplified by Sunnah (the practice of the Prophet). As successor to the Prophet, the Caliph was the head of the Muslim community and his primary responsibility was to continue in the path of the Prophet.

Since religion was perfected and the door of Divine revelation was closed at the death of the Prophet, the Caliph was to make all laws in accordance with the Qur’an and the Sunnah. He was a ruler over Muslims but not their sovereign since sovereignty belongs to God alone. He was to be obeyed as long as he obeyed God.

He was responsible for creating and maintaining conditions under which it would be easy for Muslims to live according to Islamic principles, and to see that justice was done to all. Abu Bakr, at the time he accepted the Caliphate, stated his position thus:

“The weak among you shall be strong with me until their rights have been vindicated; and the strong among you shall he weak with me until, if the Lord wills, I have taken what is due from them… Obey me as long as I obey God and His Messenger. When I disobey Him and His Prophet, then obey me not.”

 The Rightly-Guided Caliphs (Al-Khulafa-ur-Rashidun)

Those Caliphs who truly followed in the Prophet’s foot steps are called ‘The Rightly-Guided Caliphs’ (Al-Khulafa-ur Rashidun in Arabic). They are the first four Caliphs: Abu Bakr, ‘Umar, Uthmân and Ali. All four were among the earliest and closest Companions of the Prophet (peace be on him).

They lived simple and righteous lives and strove hard for the religion of God. Their justice was impartial, their treatment of others was kind and merciful, and they were one with the people – the first among equals. After these four, the later Caliphs assumed the manners of kings and emperors and the true spirit of equality of ruler and ruled diminished to a considerable extent in the political life of Muslims.

It should be clearly understood that the mission of Prophet Muhammad (peace be on him), and hence that of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs, was not political, social or economic reform, although such reforms were a logical consequence of the success of this mission, nor the unity of a nation and the establishment of an empire, although the nation did unite and vast areas came under one administration, nor the spread of a civilization or culture, although many civilizations and cultures developed, but only to deliver the true message of God to all the peoples of the world and to invite them to submit to Him, while being the foremost among those who submitted.

 

Rights of children in Islam

In the name of Allah, The Most Gracious and The Most Merciful

The rights of children are not guaranteed by the actions of their parents, their communities, or even their governments. Allah Himself guarantees children’s rights.

Allah Himself guarantees children’s rights.

Islam establishes a legal framework and embodies a code of ethics designed to protect the rights of an individual, including his or her right to live in a secure society.

For children, security is of the utmost importance. In Islam, the rights of a child begin even before birth; in fact they begin before conception.

In Islam, the rights of a child begin even before birth; in fact they begin before conception.

Caring for and raising children in the proper manner is a duty on parents and it is not always easy. In fact, Allah reminds us in the Qur’an that children may indeed be a great trial for their parents.

(إِنَّمَآ أَمْوَلُكُمْ وَأَوْلَـدُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ وَاللَّهُ عِنْدَهُ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ)

“Your wealth and your children are but a trial…” (Al Qur’an 64:15)

The triumphs and tribulations of life are a test and children are no exception. They can bring great joy but sometimes they also bring great sadness. Allah in His infinite wisdom never leaves an individual alone in the face of life’s trials.

The triumphs and tribulations of life are a test and children are no exception.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:

“Every one of your (people) is responsible. And every one is responsible for whatever falls under his responsibility. A man is like a shepherd of his own family, and he is responsible for them.”-(Bukhari and Muslim)

Children are a trust given to their parents and parents are to be held responsible for this trust on the Day of Judgement.

Parents are required to feed, clothe, house, nourish and sustain their children, and provide them with security and education.

Parents are required to feed, clothe, house, nourish and sustain their children, and provide them with security and education.

Parents too are responsible for the religious training and spiritual guidance of their children. The heart of a child must be filled with faith, peace and tranquillity.

A child’s mind must be entertained with proper guidance, knowledge and wisdom, a true sense of purpose and moral and ethical understanding. All of this must be accompanied with emotional support and encouragement, a feeling of belonging and being valued.

The heart of a child must be filled with faith, peace and tranquillity, with emotional support and encouragement, a feeling of belonging and being valued.

Seeing the Prophet kissing his grandson, a person named Alaqr’a Ibn Habis found this behaviour strange and said, “I have ten children, but I never kissed any of them.” He Prophet replied, “The uncompassionate will not be treated mercifully.”- (Bukhari and Tirmidhi)

If parents fulfil this responsibility of showing compassion, they will be free from the consequences of its neglect on the Day of Judgement. The children will become better citizens and a pleasure to the eyes of their parents, first in this life and then in the hereafter. Allah says,

﴿وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَاتَّبَعَتْهُمْ ذُرِّيَّتُهُم بِإِيمَـنٍ أَلْحَقْنَا بِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّتَهُمْ وَمَآ أَلَتْنَـهُمْ مِّنْ عَمَلِهِم مِّن شَىْءٍ كُلُّ امْرِىءٍ بِمَا كَسَبَ رَهَينٌ)

“And those who believed and whose descendants followed them in faith – We will join with them their descendants, and We will not deprive them of anything of their deeds…”-(Al Qur’an- 52:21)

Moreover, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:

“Upon death, man’s deeds will stop except for three deeds, namely: a continuous charitable fund, endowment or goodwill; knowledge left for people to benefit from; and a pious righteous and God-fearing child who continuously prays to Allah, for the souls of his parents.”- (Muslim)

Such a statement reflects the value of proper child-rearing. It has an everlasting effect, even after death.

Source: The Rights of children in Islam Reviewed by Muhammad AbdulRaoof