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Lesson Children's Rights
Allah has inspired the hearts of fathers and mothers to wish for offspring to be strong and healthy, and this was the wish of our father Adam and his wife (peace be upon them both.) Allah says: (He is the One Who created you from a single soul, then from it made its spouse so he may find comfort in her. After he had been united with her, she carried a light burden that developed gradually. When it grew heavy, they prayed to Allah, their Lord, “If you grant us good offspring, we will undoubtedly be grateful.) [Al-'Araf:189] Obtaining this wish is a favor from Allah, which necessitates constant gratitude.
Islam placed great importance on the issue of offspring and what is related to it. What makes that clear are the words in the Quran about offspring and the blessing of children after talking about Allah’s sovereignty over the heavens and the earth. Allah says: (To Allah ˹alone˺ belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. He creates whatever He wills. He blesses whoever He wills with daughters, and blesses whoever He wills with sons, or grants both sons and daughters, ˹to whoever He wills˺, and leaves whoever He wills infertile. He is indeed All-Knowing, Most Capable.) [As-Shura:49-50] Allah refers to children as an adornment of this life, as He says: (Wealth and children are the adornment of this worldly life) [AL-Khahf:46]
The legislation attached great importance to children and their upbringing, as they are the pillar of the future. With their righteousness, servitude to Allah continues on earth and is achieved in a manner that pleases Allah, as He says: (O believers! Protect yourselves and your families from a fire whose fuel is people and stones.) [At-Tahreem:6] Ali, (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "That means teaching and disciplining them. And the Prophet ﷺ said: «He, who brought up two girls properly till they grew up, he and I would come (together) (very closely) on the Day of Resurrection, and he interlaced his fingers (for explaining the point of nearness between him and that person).» (Muslim,2631)
Children's Rights Over Parents
These rights include providing housing, food, drink, clothing, health care, and spending on children in the manner urged by the legislation. These rights are obligatory on the father if he has the ability to fulfill them.
One of the most significant moral rights that children are owed is that they are raised with a moral upbringing based on the correct foundations of the religion. Therefore they are taught the Quran, the authentic Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ and his biography. They are brought up on the teachings of Islam by doing what is commanded and leaving what is forbidden, and adhering to all good morals, all of this while glorifying Allah, His love, and the love of His Prophet ﷺ, His religion, and His law.
Kindness to children significantly impacts their upbringing and improves their ability to perceive things better, provided that it does not lead to excessive pampering that affects their behavior later in life. But, on the other hand, a lack of mercy and kindness towards children, treating them with harshness and sternness, or exposing them to apathy on the part of parents, may lead to harming their souls, extinguishing the flame of intelligence in their minds, and tempting them to disobedience and rebellion, and perhaps seduction and corruption.
Among the moral rights; Providing an atmosphere of respect, calmness, tranquility, and affection in the family so that the quarrels of parents or older brothers do not prevail, as this affects the behavior of the young and makes the atmosphere tense and highly charged.
Moral rights include Parents that are keen to find companionship for their children and not allow them to mix with people with bad behavior or blameworthy habits. This is because this affects their behavior, and they can easily imitate the terrible manners displayed by others.
Fathers and mothers should monitor the conditions of their sons and daughters, monitoring their behavior and intervening with advice, guidance, and assistance whenever needed. However, it must be moderate, so guidance and commentary should not be continuous and sequential, nor should it be on every big or small issue. This may make the child weary of listening or acting upon advice. Therefore, the father and mother should choose the appropriate times and methods for advice and guidance.
Children's rights over parents
Choosing a Good Husband and a Good Wife
The man has to choose who he thinks will be a good mother, and the woman has to choose who she thinks will be a good father.
Children's right to exist and be alive
The Right of Children to Lineage
It is the right of the child to belong to his father because everything related to the child's material and moral rights is linked to this right. Therefore, a man has no right to disown the child or deny his connection to him except with concrete evidence.
Children's Right to be breastfed
Modern science has proven and established many health, psychological, and social benefits of breastfeeding. It is the most appropriate and complete for the child's needs and immunity and for his good psychological and mental formation, which affects intelligence and behavior in the future, and good and proper interaction with situations and feelings.
Children's Right to a Good Name
It is not a secondary right but rather one of the essential obligations that the Messenger ﷺ encouraged his companions (may Allah be pleased with all of them). He also commanded them to avoid names with negative meanings. On the other hand, the Messenger ﷺ was keen on good names to the point that he changed the names of some of his companions after they entered Islam because of the impact it had on their personalities and behaviors.
The Right of the Children to an ‘aqeeqah (celebration of sacrificing an animal when there is a newborn.)
It is what is sacrificed on behalf of the newborn - with specific intentions and conditions - out of gratitude to Allah. The Prophet ﷺ: «A boy is in pledge for his Aqiqah, Sacrifice is made for him on the seventh day, his head is shaved, and he is given a name.» (Abu Dawud, 2838), and he ﷺ said: « two sheep equal (in age) for a boy and one for a girl at their birth.» (Abu Dawud, 2834)
Children's Right to Fair Treatment
This fair treatment concerns both psychological as well as physical treatment. There should be no difference between males and females. On the authority of Al-Nu’man bin Bashir (may Allah be pleased with them), who said: "My father gave some money to me as a gift, so my mother, Amra bint Rawaha, said: I will not be satisfied until the Messenger of Allah ﷺ testifies. So my father went to the Prophet ﷺ to call him as a witness to my Sadaqah (i.e., gift), and he asked: «Have you done the same with all your children?» He replied, "No." So he said: «Fear Allah and treat your children equally." My father then returned and took back that gift.» (Al-Bukhari, 2587, Muslim, 1623)
Their Right to be Supplicated for and Not Against
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: «There are three supplications that will undoubtedly be answered: the supplication of one who has been wronged; the supplication of the traveler; and the supplication of a father for his child.» (Ibn Majah, 3862) The Messenger of Allahﷺ said: «Do not invoke curses on yourself or your children or your possessions lest you should happen to do it at a moment when the supplications are accepted, and your prayer might be granted.» (Muslim, 3009)
