The Trial of the Family

THE TRIAL OF THE FAMILY Outwardly, people may mention God and Islam, but their love is solely reserved for their immediate family. Their preoccupation revolves around their family’s well-being. They dedicate their time, wealth, and resources exclusively to them. Upon death, they will meet God empty-handed. T he Hadith literature contains numerous narrations that shed light on family dynamics. Two such narrations are shared below: “Abdullah bin Umar narrated that the Messenger of God said, ‘Woe to the one who leaves his family in a good state and presents himself before his Lord in a bad state.’” (Musnad alShihab, Hadith No. 314) The wording of the second narration is as follows: “A person will be brought on the Day of Judgment, and it will be said to him: ‘Your family consumed your good deeds.’” (Takhrij al-Ahadith al-Kashshaf by Zailai, Hadith No. 1357). This indicates that on the Day of Judgment, individuals will be confronted with the reality that their familial obligations consumed their righteous deeds. In ancient times, this weakness was found only in a few individuals. However, in the present age, it has