The Responsibilities of Parents

THE RESPONSIBILITIES OF PARENTS Parents must instil duty-consciousness rather than right-consciousness in their children. They should help them make modesty their guiding principle, rejecting attitudes of pride and superiority. R egarding the upbringing of children, there is a hadith narrated by Anas ibn Malik: “Treat your children well and teach them good manners.” (Sunan Ibn Majah, Hadith No. 3671) This hadith emphasizes treating children well and instilling good manners in them. In this hadith, good manners encompasses training in life management. It implies teaching children how to live in the world so they become an asset rather than a liability to their families and society. Pampering children is the worst gift parents can give them. Conversely, training them to lead a principled life is the best gift parents can offer. For instance, instilling in children the attitude of refraining from complaints about others and helping them learn to reflect on their mistakes in every situation, make corrections and strive to become better individuals.