As the two boys, one year apart in age, entered the Medina mosque, everyone was listening attentively to the sermon. Dressed in red shirts, the little ones toddled forward with baby steps, yet their determination to reach their grandfather at the pulpit was unwavering. The affection felt by the Prophet (saw) for his grandchildren was so strong that he could not simply ignore Hasan and Husayn (ra) and continue his sermon. To the astonished looks of the congregation, the Messenger of Allah (saw) took the three steps down from the pulpit and picked up the two toddlers, who, in the future, would be heralded as the young lords of paradise (Tirmidhi, Manaqib, 30). When he climbed up the steps with his grandsons in order to finish his sermon, he said, “Allah spoke the Truth: Indeed, your wealth and your children are a trial. (Anfal, 8:28) I looked at these two children walking and falling down, and I could not stand by patiently anymore until I had interrupted my talk and picked them up.” (Tirmidhi, Manaqib, 30; Nasa‘i, Jum’a, 30) The Prophet (saw) was not angry. On the contrary, he was happy and perhaps so excited that he interrupted his flowing sentences to unhesitatingly and openly show his love for his grandchildren. This love was imprinted on our hearts during the creation of mankind. Allah the Almighty granted us the desire to have children and to continue our lineage (A’raf, 7:189), and He (swt) never denied the prayers and requests of those who genuinely wanted to have children (Baqarah, 2:128; Al-i ‘Imran, 3:35, 38; Maryam, 19:5-6).
It is extremely meaningful that while our Prophet (saw) expressed his love for his grandchildren, he also warned us that this love could be turned into a weakness. He told us that our interest in our children was one of life’s most important tests. By this, it was as if our Lord was warning his servants by reading one of his revelations as an example, saying, “Don’t be like those who failed this test because they succumbed to love”. Likewise, Allah the Almighty repeatedly reminded us that a child, who could latch onto people with his cuteness, and was so favored and was one of the blessings of this world (Al-i ‘Imran, 3:14; Kahf, 18:46), was, in reality, a major test for us: “Know that your possessions and your children are only a test, but the reward is great in the sight of Allah.” (Anfal, 8:28; Mu’minun, 23:55-56)
Parents are not the owners but the custodians of their children (Muslim, Fadha’il al-Sahaba, 107). Allah wished to send a new life to the earth and put parents in charge of making, birthing, and raising this being. Therefore, the parents, who take on a serious responsibility on Allah’s behalf, are obliged to properly raise the little person that He turned over to them. They must take care of what Allah (swt) has entrusted to them, and not betray Him. This means that they don’t have the freedom to do what they want regarding the child. For the day will come when they will be held accountable by Allah as to how they treated this child with whom they’d been entrusted, how they fed him, and how they protected him.
Children sprout with love, bloom with kindness, and grow with compassion. At every age, they have the right to see unconditional and inestimable love from their parents. Due to this, our beloved Prophet never hesitated to show love towards children. He sometimes held children in a warm embrace and kissed them (Bukhari, Buyu’, 49), at other times, he gently patted them with his fragrant hands (Muslim, Fadha’il, 80). Since he understood that a child needed laughter and play just as much as discipline and guidance, he would playfully fill his mouth with water and gently squirt it at the children since he knew that a child needed jesting and play at least as much as discipline and seriousness, he would fill his mouth with water and squirt it at children (Bukhari, ‘Ilm, 18), and play horsy with his grandchildren on his back (Tirmidhi, Manaqib, 30). While he spoke highly of those who showed affection to their children (Muslim, Fadha’il al-Sahabah, 201), he reproached with regret those who withheld love from their child (Bukhari, Adab, 18; Muslim, Fadha’il, 64) saying, “He is not one of us who does not have mercy upon our young, nor knows not to honor our elders.” (Tirmidhi, Birr, 15)
As a manifestation of love and compassion, a child has a right to receive blessings from their elders. With the example of Prophet Ibrahim, who prayed, “O Lord, make this town safe! Preserve me and my offspring from idolatry” (Ibrahim, 14:35), parents should support their children’s wellbeing with their prayers. Likewise, our Prophet had numerous prayers for the well-being, prosperity, forgiveness, and health of the children he held in his lap (Muslim, Fadha’il al-Sahaba, 143; Muslim, Fadha’il al-Sahaba, 172; Bukhari, Adab, 22; Bukhari, Fadha’il al-Sahaba, 22). Therefore, the sunnah of the Prophet is intended to fulfill children’s material needs while also guiding their spiritual development.
As the Messenger of Allah (saw) taught us, our children have the right to engage in life and to learn social life under the supervision of their elders. In that regard, we see that the Prophet (saw) did not keep children away from a life of worship, and he even allocated a place in the mosque at prayer times for children (Abu Dawud, Salat, 96). Whenever he returned from a journey or battle, he paid special attention to the children who came to greet him. He took delight in lifting them onto his horse and embracing them as he entered the city (Bukhari, Libas, 99; Muslim, Fadha’il al-Sahaba, 66). He did not discourage the presence of children at the council; on the contrary, he would first offer the seasonal fresh fruit he had brought for himself to the children beside him (Muslim, Hajj, 474).
All rights granted to a child apply equally to every child, regardless of religion, language, race, or gender. A needy and disadvantaged child enters the world with the same rights as a fortunate child raised in the comfort and opportunities of a loving family environment. One should not forget the statement of our Prophet (saw), “You should give the rights of all those who have a right on you” (Bukhari, Sawm, 51; Bukhari, Adab, 86). The first order of the Holy Qur’an, to help needy and orphaned children, should not be forgotten (Nisa, 4:127). We have such a Prophet who, even while performing worship and leading the prayer as the imam to the companions, was mindful of the little children in the congregation: “When I start the prayer I intend to prolong it, but on hearing the cries of a child, I cut short the prayer because I know that the cries of the child will incite its mother’s passions.” (Bukhari, Adhan, 65; Muslim, Salat, 192)
Every child is innocent enough not to be held accountable for their actions until they enter adolescence; and sinless enough that their mistakes will not be recorded by the recording angels (Abu Dawud, Hudud, 17). One day they will be an adult, and then the effect of their actions from childhood will carry over a lifetime. If parents give children the gift of life and respect their rights, then they will be fully compensated for their efforts. Our Prophet gives the glad tidings to parents that as a result of the beautiful work they left behind as a gift to life, the books of their good deeds will not be closed even after they die (Muslim, Wasiyya, 14; Abu Dawud, Wasaya, 14). When parents ask in Paradise, “O Lord, how did we attain such a high station here?” the answer they will receive is priceless: “With the prayers of your children who asked forgiveness for you!” (Ibn Majah, Adab, 1; Ibn Hanbal, II/509)
