Children are Allah’s greatest gift to legitimate couples. Their presence in a home is blessing. Their contribution to matrimonial security is immense. As the cynosures of their parents’ lives, those are children for you. They can sometimes act as teachers just as they can be available as students. They learn fast. They teach fast. They are a major security factor for parents in any given environment.
Whether in Ramadan or outside it, children have both temporal and spiritual roles to play in a matrimonial home. And with such roles, they sometimes create hope for humanity and sometimes, they can signal despair unexpetedly. They are the greatest asset in the possession of parents in times of peace or times of danger. They are also the greatest weapon for their parents against the forces of Satan.
Sometimes, because of their innocence, they pave way for Allah’s forgiveness and quick acceptance of prayers. And, most importantly, children guarantee the continuity of human existence on earth. It is only with them that the dream of today becomes a possible reality tomorrow.
In the Qur’an, children are mentioned many times and, most often, with reverence. They are treated in that glorious book as a major issue in the life of couples. As orphans, they do not only have a role to play, they also compel some adults without children to play a role relating to them.
As heirs to their parents, children have substantial shares in the inheritance left by their parents. As a matter of fact, children are like cubs of lions, following the footsteps of their parents or guardians scrupulously to the admiration of those parents. Muslim children are often with their parents, during the five daily prayers. They watch their parents as the latter give charity to the poor. They accompany them to public lectures and Islamic social gatherings. And, in Ramadan, Muslim children are part of their parents’ spiritual package. They wake up with their parents at night. They fast with them in the day. They break the fast with them at sunset. They join their parents at Tafsir and night lectures. They participate in the observance of Tarawih and Laylatul Qadr as well as in giving Zakatul Fitr to the poor.
In all these activities, they are supposed to be encouraged to become models for other Muslim children outside their vicinities. Therefore, at the tender age of about seven years old, they should be guided and encouraged to fast even if for half a day. And when they reach the age of 10, they should be strengthened in faith and in Islamic activitiesl through fasting. They should be provided with necessities of life both on the temporal and spiritual grounds. With these, they will grow up to become the fulfilment of their parents’ dreams.
It must be noted that most children grow up as good or bad citizens by emulating their parents. A child is therefore what his parents make him/her. If advantage of Ramadan is not taken by parents to mould their children into good Muslims what other platform will be used? Your child is your sun. Make hey with it while it shines.
RAMADAN KARIM!