THE WORD OF GOD

is achieved through diligence and hard work; progress bestowed by others is not genuine progress. The most valuable legacy parents can bestow upon their children is education, training to trust their hard work, avoid conflicts, be content with their rightful share, embrace realism instead of indulging in fantasies, and understand that moral inheritance surpasses material wealth. There is a verse of the Quran which states that our family is a trial for us. How should we understand this? In a Hadith, the Prophet of Islam has said, ‘Woe to the one who leaves his family in a good state and presents before his Lord in a bad state.’ (Musnad al-Shihab) In another Hadith it is said: “A person will be brought on the Day of Judgement, and it will be said to him: ‘Your family consumed your good deeds.’” (Takhrij al-Hadith al-Kashshaf) This indicates that on the Day of Judgement, individuals will be confronted with the reality that their familial obligations consumed their righteous deeds. God has given man families and has set some duties to be done to them. But it so happens that man becomes so obsessed with his family, their wellbeing, that he dedicates all his time, wealth and resources to them. Where he was supposed to make God his supreme concern and involve himself in tasks such as that please his Creator, he is excessively attached to his children. Where he should have given his time, energy and wealth in the cause of God, he focuses his energy on amassing more wealth to pass onto the next generation. Such a person will find himself empty handed with God. And as per a Hadith, it equates to sacrificing one’s Hereafter to build the world of others. o Positive leaders give the right direction to their people so that they set about struggling for what is right, rather than just register complaint after complaint.