Parents’ Obligation to Their Children

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Imam ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Alawi al-Haddad (q.s.) wrote, in “The Rights of Children”, “Indeed upon parents are the rights of the children.  That is in maintaining the meeting of their requirements so long as they are dependant of it.  This includes teaching them adab, beautiful nurturing as well as guidance towards a praiseworthy disposition, traits of excellence and striking meticulous qualities.  Protect and shield them from the opposite of that. 

Choose beautiful names for them, and to choose for them blessed mothers from among the devout, praiseworthy and fertile, as per what the Prophet (s.a.w.) said,  ‘Also it is upon them to be equal in distribution of offerings between them and to not let natural attachments or desires of the soul place one child over another.’ 

Vital for the parent at the forefront of the rights of the child is beautifying character and nurturing in order to inculcate for them love of all that is good and awareness of the truth, the profundity of matters of religion, the aversion of matters of the world, and preference for matters of the next life.  Whoever neglects the teaching of fine character, beautiful nurturing, and cultivates in their hearts adoration for the world and its desires as well as little interest for matters of religion – after which they are disobedient, then there is no one left to blame but themselves.  The most ruined are the neglectful!  The transgressors have spread innumerably during these times as a result of heedlessness, in what we have made mention of.”