الطفل... أمانةُ الأسرة ومسؤوليةُ المجتمع : The Child... Family Trust and Societal Responsibility

أَعُوذُ بِاللّٰهِ مِنَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

In the name of ALLAH, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

الطفل... أمانةُ الأسرة ومسؤوليةُ المجتمع

The Child... A Family Trust and a Societal Responsibility

Praise be to Allah, Who honored the human being from the very beginning of his creation and encompassed him with His care throughout the stages of his life. I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah alone, having no partner; He perfected His law and completed His favor. I also bear witness that our master and Prophet, Muhammad, peace be upon him, is the servant of Allah and His Messenger; he established the foundation of the family upon mercy, cared for the young, and enjoined kindness towards them. May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, his family, all his companions, and those who follow them in righteousness until the Day of Judgment. This is the recited verse from Surah At Taghabun and its translation:

أَمَّا بَعْدُ، فاعوذ باللہ من الشیطان الرجیم- بسم اللہ الرحمن الرحیم

إِنَّمَآ أَمۡوَٲلُكُمۡ وَأَوۡلَـٰدُكُمۡ فِتۡنَةٌ۬‌ۚ وَٱللَّهُ عِندَهُ ۥۤ أَجۡرٌ عَظِيمٌ۬

Your wealth and your children are only a trial, whereas Allâh! With Him is a great reward (Paradise).

Surah At Taghabun – 15

O servants of ALLAH: Fear ALLAH and Adopt piety and obey ALLAH. Fear Allah—O servants of Allah—and fulfill the rights of your children that Allah has made obligatory upon you. Safeguard both their religious and worldly rights, for you shall be held accountable for them before Allah. Know—may Allah have mercy upon you—that Islam has accorded special care to childhood, basing its rights upon mercy and nurturing. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) embodied these principles in both word and deed; for instance, he would seat Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) behind him on his mount and instruct him, saying: "O young man, safeguard Allah and He will safeguard you; safeguard Allah and you will find Him before you. If you ask, ask of Allah; and if you seek help, seek help from Allah." From this noble Prophetic guidance, we realize that the care of a child is a religious trust—a duty both religious and ethical—mandated by Allah the Almighty and established upon foundations laid by Islam.

Fathers and mothers: In Islam, a child possesses rights that begin from the very first moments of existence and accompany them throughout every stage of their upbringing. Foremost and greatest among these is the right to life; Islam has strictly forbidden any act of aggression against a child—whether through infanticide, prohibited abortion after the soul has been breathed into the fetus, or neglect that leads to the child's death or harm. A child is a cherished human being, possessing a sanctity safeguarded by Allah Almighty—even while still a fetus in the mother's womb. Allah—Exalted is His Majesty—says in Surah Al Israa:

وَلَا تَقۡتُلُوٓاْ أَوۡلَـٰدَكُمۡ خَشۡيَةَ إِمۡلَـٰقٍ۬‌ۖ نَّحۡنُ نَرۡزُقُهُمۡ وَإِيَّاكُمۡ‌ۚ إِنَّ قَتۡلَهُمۡ ڪَانَ خِطۡـًٔ۬ا كَبِيرً۬ا

And kill not your children for fear of poverty. We shall provide for them as well as for you. Surely, the killing of them is a great sin.

Surah Al Isra – 31

Furthermore, Islam guaranteed his right to breastfeeding, due to the benefits it offers for preserving his health and ensuring his full growth; for the Almighty says in Surah Al Baqara:

وَٱلۡوَٲلِدَٲتُ يُرۡضِعۡنَ أَوۡلَـٰدَهُنَّ حَوۡلَيۡنِ كَامِلَيۡنِ‌ۖ لِمَنۡ أَرَادَ أَن يُتِمَّ ٱلرَّضَاعَةَ‌ۚ وَعَلَى ٱلۡمَوۡلُودِ لَهُ ۥ رِزۡقُهُنَّ وَكِسۡوَتُہُنَّ بِٱلۡمَعۡرُوفِ‌ۚ

The mothers shall give suck to their children for two whole years, (that is) for those (parents) who desire to complete the term of suckling, but the father of the child shall bear the cost of the mother's food and clothing on a reasonable basis.

Surah Al Baqarah – 233-Part

It guaranteed his right to maintenance, obliging the father to provide the necessities of food, drink, clothing, and shelter, and regarding the effort to do so as one of the most noble acts of devotion; the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said of a man who went out to seek a livelihood: "If he went out striving for the sake of his young children, then he is in the path of Allah." It also safeguarded his identity and dignity by advocating for a proper family upbringing, mandating that the child be attributed to his father, and requiring that he be given the best of names.

O servants of Allah, Islam’s concern for the child was not limited merely to preserving their life and caring for their physical well-being; rather, it extended to shaping their character, refining their morals, and cultivating their intellect, so that they might grow into a righteous believer who is beneficial to both themselves and their community. Foremost among their rights is a sound upbringing—one founded upon setting a good example rather than relying heavily on verbal instruction—for a child learns more from what they see than from what they hear. Indeed, the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) was the finest role model in this regard, demonstrating mercy toward children, treating them kindly, and guiding them with wisdom and gentleness. An essential aspect of this upbringing is treating children—both male and female—with justice. Islam encourages equality among them regarding gifts and attention, aiming to shield their hearts from resentment and to foster affection between them. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) emphasized this matter strongly; when a man came asking him to witness a gift he had singled out for one of his children, the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: "Ask someone else to witness this, for I do not bear witness to injustice." Beneficial education is also among a child's rights; this entails teaching them what benefits both their religious and worldly life and nurturing their intellect in a manner suited to their innate nature and stage of development. The aim is for them to grow up grounded in beneficial knowledge, upright character, and steadfast obedience to Allah the Almighty. Furthermore, it is a fundamental right of the child to be treated with mercy and respect, addressed gently, and made to feel their own worth and significance; indeed, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to speak to children in ways that cultivated their minds and reassured their hearts, fostering their growth in confidence and serenity. Fathers and mothers must guard against verbal or physical abuse, for excessive harshness breeds either brokenness or stubbornness—both of which are detrimental. They should also avoid overburdening the child with excessive tasks and obligations without regard for their need for rest and play; for permissible recreation is a right that fosters the child’s holistic development, balances their personality, and prepares them to shoulder life’s responsibilities.

So fear Allah—O you who are entrusted with the upbringing of others—and fulfill the trust that Allah has placed in your care. Persevere and remain steadfast in this, seeking the reward from Allah; and with Allah lies the excellent reward.

أقولُ مَا تَسْمَعُونَ، وَأَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ العَظِيمَ لِي وَلَكُمْ، فَاسْتَغْفِرُوهُ يَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ، إِنَّهُ هُوَ الغَفُورُالرَّحِيمُ، وَادْعُوهُ يَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ، إِنَّهُ هُوَ البَرُّ الكَرِيمُ

I say what you hear, and I ask forgiveness from ALLAH Almighty for me and for you, so ask forgiveness from Him and He will forgive you, for He is the Forgiving and Merciful, and pray to Him and He will answer you, for He is The noble righteousness..

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَاهِبِ النِّعَمِ، ذِي الْفَضْلِ وَالْكَرَمِ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ، وَحْدَهُ لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ، وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا عَبْدُهُ وَرَسُولُهُ، ﷺ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ وَمَنْ تَبِعَهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ إلَى يَوْمِ الدِّينِ

Praise be to Allah, the Bestower of blessings, the Possessor of grace and generosity. I bear witness that there is no deity but Allah alone, having no partner, and I bear witness that Muhammad, peace be upon him, is His servant and His Messenger—may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, his family, his companions, and those who follow them in righteousness until the Day of Judgment.

To proceed, O Muslims: The role of society in protecting the child and upholding their rights is inseparable from the role of the family; indeed, society serves as the broader environment that encompasses families. Consequently, responsibility for the child and their rights is a collective one—a responsibility that entails protecting children from various forms of delinquency, the hazards of technology, and the corrupting influence of bad company. Among the rights of the child that only society can fully uphold are the rights of the orphan and the needy. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) encouraged the sponsorship of orphans, saying: "The one who sponsors an orphan and I will be in Paradise like these two"—pointing with his middle finger and the one next to it. Allah—Glorified be His Majesty—also said, addressing His Prophet, peace be upon him, and the Ummah through him, says in Surah Ad Dhuha:

فَأَمَّا ٱلۡيَتِيمَ فَلَا تَقۡهَرۡ

Therefore, treat not the orphan with oppression,

Surah Ad Dhuha – 9

He called upon the well-to-do and the wealthy in society to spend from the wealth of God that He had bestowed upon them; the Almighty and Majestic says in Surah Al Baqara:

قُلۡ مَآ أَنفَقۡتُم مِّنۡ خَيۡرٍ۬ فَلِلۡوَٲلِدَيۡنِ وَٱلۡأَقۡرَبِينَ وَٱلۡيَتَـٰمَىٰ وَٱلۡمَسَـٰكِينِ وَٱبۡنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ‌ۗ وَمَا تَفۡعَلُواْ مِنۡ خَيۡرٍ۬ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِهِۦ عَلِيمٌ۬

Say: Whatever you spend of good must be for parents and kindred and orphans and Al¬Masâkin (the poor) and the wayfarers, and whatever you do of good deeds, truly, Allâh knows it well.

Surah Al baqarah – 215-Part

Let those with wealth spend their wealth, those with knowledge share their knowledge, and those with influence use their influence; let them dedicate all of this to the care of the community's children.

So, fear Allah—O servants of Allah—and realize that the child of today is the man of tomorrow and the pillar of society; indeed, the well-being of society begins with the proper upbringing and moral guidance of the young. Let us all join hands for the sake of a better future for our children and our nation. This is a call to all fathers and mothers—and to all of us—to review our parenting methods and refine our child-rearing skills, while embodying patience, mercy, and gentleness.