عربي
Home


Articles

Articles

Threats and Challenges Facing the Family
Author : Dr. Ahmad Al-Harasees
Date Added : 12-01-2023

Threats and Challenges Facing the Family

"Failure to Shoulder the Responsibility of Upbringing"

 

The family is the essential building block of society in the sense that it is the children`s first cultural, educational, and environmental vessel. The family consists of a group of individuals related by bloodline. It also holds society together and plays a key role in building a righteous, integrated, and closely knitted society in which love, cooperation, national unity, and security prevail. Moreover, the family is built on love, mercy, and dwelling in tranquility; as reflected in the following verse: " And among His Signs is this, that He created for you mates from among yourselves, that ye may dwell in tranquility with them, and He has put love and mercy between your (hearts): verily in that are Signs for those who reflect." {Ar-Rum/21}. 

One of the most important challenges facing the family nowadays is failure to shoulder the responsibility of upbringing, and this can be attributed to ignorance or negligence.

One of the major threats to the family is parents' failure to perform the responsibility of upbringing their children. This is despite the fact the Allah mentioned this responsibility in the Quran and tied it with children`s obedience and dutifulness to parents. He The Almighty Says {What means}: "Thy Lord hath decreed that ye worship none but Him, and that ye be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honour. And, out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility, and say: "My Lord! bestow on them thy Mercy even as they cherished me in childhood." {Al-Isra`/23-24}.

The importance of this responsibility is clearly reflected in the Prophetic tradition. Ibn 'Umar (May Allah be pleased with them) reported:

The Prophet (PBUH) said: "All of you are guardians and are responsible for your subjects. The ruler is a guardian of his subjects, the man is a guardian of his family, the woman is a guardian and is responsible for her husband's house and his offspring; and so all of you are guardians and are responsible for your subjects."

[Agreed upon].

Every person has certain responsibilities and will be held to account for them before Almighty Allah. It is worth pointing that fulfilling duties towards one`s dependents will be to his/her  benefit, in the first place, and that of society, in addition to receiving a reward for that from Allah. Conversely, failure to do so will have negative repercussions on society and being subjected to severe punishment from Allah. This is why the Prophet (PBUH) directs his nation to fulfill its duties in the best manner possible and guides to that, which is best for it with regards to religious and worldly interests.

In addition, a baby is born with a pure and sound hearts, so we must teach it the sound Aqida (Islamic creed) and arm it with piety and righteousness to achieve a sublime and strong society.

The responsibility of the man according to the above Hadith is achieved through raising his children and educating them, which requires keeping them far from suspicious matters, in addition to providing them with life essentials, such as clothes, food, and accommodation, but with moderation. He must also take care of them, do what is in their best interest and treat them justly. "Indeed, Allah Will Question everyone who is responsible about his charge."

As for the woman`s responsibility according to the same Hadith, it is reflected in serving her husband, raising his children to be righteous members of society, dealing with them patiently at times of hardship, managing their affairs, in addition to preserving her husband`s wealth.

Through inquiry and considering the situation of the families, we can summaries the educational methods as follows:

1- Authoritarian parenting style. This is the traditional method in which the parents control the personality of their children by imposing orders and setting up rules not up for discussion. They bear down heavily upon their children to control their behavior. This style makes the children lose self-confidence, rely heavily on their parents, don`t think on their own, and seek parent`s approval for every step they take. However, a gap may appear between the parents and their children as the latter grow older. This is to the level that the children become overwhelmed with the desire to get rid of their parent`s domination to enjoy their independent personalities.

2- Free-range parenting style. This is an easy method in which the parents don`t insist on certain rules of behavior, so there are no limits or controls. This style involves a great deal of freedom, but little order and guidance. This causes the children to become rebellious and disobedient, not governed by order or rules and tend to be impulsive. In addition, when they become teenagers, they tend to commit shameful practices, such as taking drugs. 

3- Balanced parenting style and its effect on the children. This method is a combination of the two previous methods of parenting; however, their negative aspects are avoided while the positives are highlighted. This method focuses on the child and developing his/her capacities, which means supporting the child`s independence within reasonable limits. Moreover, it must be stressed that marriage is a commitment that requires ability and competence, and here we don`t mean material capacity alone; rather, the capacity to maintain the marital relationship and find a balance of give and take, rights, and obligations; all of which emanates from responsibility.

 

 

 

 

Article Number [ Previous | Next ]

Read for Author




Comments


Captcha


Warning: this window is not dedicated to receive religious questions, but to comment on topics published for the benefit of the site administrators—and not for publication. We are pleased to receive religious questions in the section "Send Your Question". So we apologize to readers for not answering any questions through this window of "Comments" for the sake of work organization. Thank you.




Summarized Fatawaa

What is the ruling of Islamic Law on a father shaking hands with his son’s wife after she has been divorced three times?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
The wife of one’s son is among the women permanently prohibited to the husband’s father as soon as the marriage contract  is concluded, based on the saying of Allah the Exalted: “Prohibited to you are your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, your paternal aunts, your maternal aunts, your brother’s daughters, your sister’s daughters, your foster mothers, your foster sisters, your wives’ mothers, and your stepdaughters under your guardianship [born] of your wives with whom you have consummated marriage. But if you have not consummated marriage with them, there is no sin upon you. [Also prohibited are] the wives of your sons who are from your loins, and that you take [in marriage] two sisters simultaneously, except for what has already occurred. Indeed, Allah is ever Forgiving and Merciful.” [al-Nisāʾ/23]
This prohibition begins once the son’s marriage contract with his wife is complete, and it remains in force even if the son separates from her before consummation or before any seclusion (khalwah) with her. It is therefore permissible for the father to shake her hand and to be alone with her, provided there is no fitnah (temptation) and no suspicion.
It is stated in ʿUmdat al-Sālik (p. 204): “It is forbidden to marry… the wives of one’s fathers and of one’s sons. All of these women become prohibited by the mere contract, … all of that being a permanent prohibition.” End quote, with slight adaptation. And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on someone who is uncertain whether he omitted one of the ab‘āḍ of the prayer, such as being uncertain whether he omitted the first tashahhud?

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ.
The ab‘āḍ include the middle tashahhud and the qunūt in Fajr prayer — for which sujūd as-sahw (the prostration of forgetfulness) is prescribed if left out. Whoever is uncertain, during the prayer, whether he omitted one of these elements, should proceed on the assumption that he did not perform it, and should perform sujūd as-sahw accordingly.
It is stated in ‘Umdat as-Sālik (p. 63): "If he is uncertain... whether he omitted a specific ab‘āḍ element, or whether he performed sujūd as-sahw, or whether he prayed three or four rak‘ahs — he proceeds on the assumption that he did not do it, and performs sujūd as-sahw."
The original principle (al-aṣl) for someone uncertain about [having performed] the first tashahhud is that he assumes he did not perform it. And Allah, the Exalted, knows best.

Is it permissible to slaughter sacrificial animals in public squares and streets?

Praise be to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our Master, the Messenger of Allah.
 
The slaughtering of sacrificial animals (udhiyah) should take place in locations designated for slaughter, such as abattoirs (slaughterhouses), or in sites allocated by the relevant authorities for this purpose.
 
It is not permissible to perform slaughtering in a random or haphazard manner—such as in public squares, on roadsides, or in front of houses—in a way that creates health hazards, causes public nuisance, or endangers public safety. And Allah Almighty knows best.

What is the ruling on the prayer of one who said "Subḥāna Rabbiya al-ʿAẓīm" in prostration (*sujūd*) and forgot to correct it?

 

All praise is due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon our master, the Messenger of Allah.
Saying “Subḥāna Rabbiya al-ʿAẓīm” in bowing (rukūʿ) and “Subḥāna Rabbiya al-Aʿlā” in prostration (sujūd) is one of the hayʾāt (non-essential sunnahs) of the prayer. Whoever omits it, whether deliberately or by forgetfulness, or replaces it with another remembrance (dhikr), his prayer is valid and he does not perform sujūd al-sahw. Shaykh al-Islām Imam al-Nawawī (may Allah have mercy on him) said: “Our school holds that one does not prostrate for omitting the audible or silent recitation, the tasbīḥ, and the rest of the hayʾāt.” [al-Majmūʿ, Vol.4/p.127]
If he performs sujūd al-sahw for something that does not call for it, his prayer is invalidated, because he introduced a prostration of forgetfulness without a cause, and he must repeat the prayer. The exception is one who did so out of forgetfulness or ignorance, whether because he recently entered Islam or because he lives far from scholars; he is excused and his prayer is not invalidated.
It is stated in Mughni al-Muḥtāj (Vol.1/p.417): “It is stated in al-Anwār: If he does something that does not call for sujūd al-sahw, thinking that it does, and then prostrates, his prayer is not invalidated if he is ignorant because he recently entered Islam or because he is far from scholars.”
Since this issue is hidden from the laity, as it is among the subtleties of knowledge, and the laity are excused for ignorance of whatever is of such a nature, and their act of obedience is not invalidated because of it, it may be said that the prayer of one who has not acquired knowledge of the issue is not invalidated. As for after knowing it, the prayer is invalidated.
Whoever realizes while still in the prayer that his prostration was out of place, it is sunnah for him to perform sujūd al-sahw. And Allah Almighty knows best.

See More