Welfare of the children: the concern of every parent

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

The welfare of the children depends upon the righteousness of the parents. The more the parents are obedient to Allaah تعالى, the more they secure His protection for their children.

Allaah تعالى says:

﴿فَانطَلَقَا حَتَّىٰ إِذَا أَتَيَا أَهْلَ قَرْيَةٍ اسْتَطْعَمَا أَهْلَهَا فَأَبَوْا أَن يُضَيِّفُوهُمَا فَوَجَدَا فِيهَا جِدَارًا يُرِيدُ أَن يَنقَضَّ فَأَقَامَهُ﴾

{Then they both (Moosaa and Khidr) proceeded, till, when they came to the people of a town, they asked them for food, but they refused to entertain them. Then they found therein a wall about to collapse and he (Khidr) set it up straight…} [Surah al-Kahf (18): 77]

And the reason for repairing this wall was:

﴿وَأَمَّا الْجِدَارُ فَكَانَ لِغُلَامَيْنِ يَتِيمَيْنِ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ وَكَانَ تَحْتَهُ كَنزٌ لَّهُمَا وَكَانَ أَبُوهُمَا صَالِحًا فَأَرَادَ رَبُّكَ أَن يَبْلُغَا أَشُدَّهُمَا وَيَسْتَخْرِجَا كَنزَهُمَا رَحْمَةً مِّن رَّبِّكَ﴾

{“And as for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the town; and there was under it a treasure belonging to them; and their father was a righteous man, and your Lord intended that they should attain their age of full strength and take out their treasure as a mercy from your Lord…”} [Surah al-Kahf (18): 82]

In this verse, there is an indication, as guidance and a source of motivation for the Believers, who fear that they might die while their offspring are young and weak, that they should have Taqwa (Fear of Allaah) in all their affairs so that their children are under Allaah’s protection and care. Also, in this there might be a threat that the people might lose their children (to destruction) if they do not have the Taqwa of Allaah. In this verse, there is an indication that the Taqwa of the center figure is a cause of protection for the offshoot; so the righteousness of the people becomes the means for the protection of their children.

Allaah تعالى said:

﴿وَلْيَخْشَ الَّذِينَ لَوْ تَرَكُوا مِنْ خَلْفِهِمْ ذُرِّيَّةً ضِعَافًا خَافُوا عَلَيْهِمْ فَلْيَتَّقُوا اللَّـهَ وَلْيَقُولُوا قَوْلًا سَدِيدًا﴾

{And let those (executors of the bequest and the guardians of the orphans and the poor) have the same fear in their minds as they would have for their own, if they had left weak offspring behind. So let them fear Allaah and speak right words.} [Surah al-Nisaa’ (4): 9]

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The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said to Ibn `Abbaas رضي الله عنهما:

احفظ الله يحفظك احفظ الله تجده تجاهك

“Be mindful of Allaah and Allaah will protect you. Be mindful of Allaah and you will find Him in front of you.” [Sunan al-Tirmidhee (2516) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

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Ibn Rajab رحمه الله said:

Allaah تعالى protects the children of the slave (of His) after his death due to his righteousness as He تعالى said:

﴿وَكَانَ أَبُوهُمَا صَالِحًا﴾

{and their father was a righteous man} [Surah al-Kahf (18): 82]

The two orphans were protected because of the righteousness of their father.

Sa`eed Ibn al-Musayyib said to his son: “I increase in my prayer (i.e. lengthen it) because of you, hoping that (Allaah تعالى) will protect you because of it”, then he recited this verse:

﴿وَكَانَ أَبُوهُمَا صَالِحًا﴾

{and their father was a righteous man} [Surah al-Kahf (18): 82]

`Umar ibn `Abdul `Azeez رحمه الله said: “There is no believer who dies except that Allaah تعالى protects his children and the children of his children.”

[Jaami` al-`Uloom wal-Hikam (1/467)]

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Imaam al-Baghawee رحمه الله mentioned in his Tafseer:

Muhammad Ibn al-Munkadir said: “Because of the righteousness of the slave, Allaah تعالى protects his children and the children of his children, his lineage, his kindred, and the people who live around him. They are under Allaah’s protection as long as he is amongst them.”

[Tafseer al-Baghawee (3/211)]

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Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله said:

“Part of gratitude from Allaah تعالى for this righteous father was - being kind towards his children. This is from the blessings of being righteous parents that the children are under Allaah’s protection.”

[Tafseer of Surah al-Kahf of Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen]

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Imaam Ibn Katheer رحمه الله said:

{their father was a righteous man}, indicates that a righteous person’s offspring will be taken care of, and that the blessing of his worship will extend to them in this world and in the Hereafter. This will occur through his intercession for them, as well as their status being raised to the highest levels of Paradise, so that he may find joy in them. This was stated in the Qur’aan and reported in the Sunnah. Sa`eed bin Jubayr narrated from Ibn `Abbaas رضي الله عنهما: “They (the two orphans) were taken care of because their father was a righteous man, although it is not stated that they themselves were righteous.”

[Tafseer Ibn Katheer]