Parenting in Islam

By Ustaza Nuzhat Fatima

PUBERTY

🌸Ali ibn Abi Talib reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said, “The pen is lifted from three people: a sleeping person until he awakens, a child until he becomes an adult, and an insane person until he regains his sanity.”
In another narration, the Prophet said, “A young boy until he reaches puberty.”

Source: Sunan al-Tirmidhī 1423
Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Albani

🌸Pen being lifted refers to the fact that such a person in the above mentioned situations is not accountable for what he did.

Puberty is marked by the onset of periods in girls and the appearance of mustache, underarm and groin hair and the crackling of voice in boys. This stage in life is extremely tremendous and the parents need to advocate to their children that from this point on, their Record of Deeds is started. From here on, they would be accountable for each and every action. These actions would go into good deeds or bad deeds, which would ultimately decide their future in this world and the hereafter. They should be taught that prayer is now obligatory. The purpose of doing this is that the dream of every parent that their children should have a good life and be successful in the hereafter can be achieved, as Allah says:

🌸Whoever does good deeds, whether male or female, and is a believer, We will surely bless them with a good life, and We will certainly reward (in the hereafter) them according to the best of their deeds.(Quran, 16:97).

Prayer serves as a means to refrain from immoralities and sins. So the youth on his way to this new vulnerable stage in life is helped by Allah to refrain from the fitnahs of shaitaan and our time.

🌸Recite what has been revealed to you of the Book, and perform the Salah. Verily, the Salah prevents from Al-Fahsha’ (immoral sins) and Al-Munkar (evil deeds) and the remembering (praising) of Allah is greater indeed. And Allah knows what you do.”(Quran 29:45

A youth that spends time in the worship of Allah will be among the seven categories of people who will be granted shade under the Arsh(throne) of Allah azz’awajal on the Day where there is no shade but His, while people will be drowning in their own sweat, the duration of which is 50,000 years. (ref: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī 660, Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim 1031).

A child who is brought up on these guidelines will turn out to be a true Sadaqa Jari’ah (continuing charity after death) for the parents.

May Allah make it easy for the parents to raise their children on the true teachings of Islam…amiin.