Be Righteous, for your Children Sake

Of the most beloved things for us in this life are our children.  Allah the Highest placed this love in the hearts of men and women even before they have them, He said : “HAS BEEN BEAUTIFIED TO MANKIND TO LOVE ALL DESIRED THINGS OF WOMAN AND CHILDREN ……….”  (S:2 A:14)

Then, Allah the Highest placed this love in the hearts of the parents after having their children so that they do not rest, sleep or feel pleased until their children are.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said that Allah the Highest said : “And I placed the love of you in the hearts of your parents so that they do not sleep until you sleep and do not feel full until you are full”.

This love in our hearts for our children, boys and girls, should be a great incentive for us to be righteous.  Why?

For a number of reasons; some to do with the children and others to do with the parents:

As for the Children; it is because they learn their character and manner from their parents through imitation and not through listening to them.  Children do as their parents do not as they tell them to do.  They pray regularly when they see their parents pray regularly.  They tell the truth when they hear the parents always tell the truth and they become honest when they see their parents being honest.

If the parents do not pray but order their children to pray, they will not.  If the parents lie but order their children to be truthful, the children will lie.  If the parents are dishonest and tell their children to be honest, their children will be dishonest.

Allah’s care and honouring of the children for the sake of their righteous parents is both in this life and in the Hereafter.  In this life as Allah the Highest told us about it in the course of the narration in the Quran of the encounter of Moses peace be upon him and Al-Khedr.  “AS FOR THE WALL, IT BELONGED TO TWO ORPHAN BOYS IN THE TOWN.  UNDERNEATH IT WAS HIDDEN A TREASURE LIFT TO THEM, AND THEIR FATHER WAS RIGHTEOUS.  YOUR LORD’S WILL WAS THAT THEY GROW UP TO STRENGTH BEFORE THEY EXTRACT THEIR TREASURE, OUT OF YOUR LORD’S MERCY.  DID NOT DO IT OUT OF MY WILL”.  (S:18 A:82)

In the Hereafter, Allah the Highest bestows His Bounty upon the children of the righteous parents also for the sake of their righteous parents.  He grants them entry to Paradise and raises them to let them join their parents, He said : “AND THOSE WHO BELIEVE AND THEIR OFFSPRING FOLLOWED THEM WITH BELIEF, WE MAKE THEIR OFFSPRING JOIN THEM”.   (S: 52  A:21)

As for the benefit to the parents, the righteous children are of the parents deeds, for on such righteousness they brought them up.  Therefore, the benefit of their righteousness is recompensed to their parents as well as them.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said : “He who cite a good example and it is followed, he will have it’s reward and the reward of those who do the same, without taking any of their reward away.  And who cites a bad example and it is followed, he will have it’s sins and the sins of those who do the same, without taking any of their sins away”.  (Magah: Moqademan;14 & Ahmed:5;387 – 2;52)

Righteous children remember their parents with Dawaaa, Salah, Haj and Charity and other good deeds which Allah the Highest rewards both child and parent for.  Allah’s messenger prayer and peace upon him said : “When one of you dies his deeds (in this life) cease except for three; a continuous charity, a knowledge benefiting people and righteous children praying or saying dawaa for him”

So we see that the righteousness of the parents will yield goodness for both them and their children, out of Allah’s Generosity to His righteous slaves.

May Allah the Highest makes us among them. Ameen.

Dr.Ahmed Saafan

Consultant Psychiatrist, El-Zohour Hospital

31 St. no. 9, Mokatum, Cairo

5084881 – 5084882

aamsaafan@yahoo.co.uk