Beloved Prophet ﷺ said (meaning): Everyone of you is a guardian and responsible for his subjects. The leader in charge of the people is a guardian and is responsible for them; the man is a guardian over his household and is responsible for them; the woman is a guardian over her husband’s house and his children and is responsible for them; the slave is a guardian over his master’s property and is responsible for it. Verily, each of you is a guardian, and each of you is responsible for his subjects. Bukhari
Being a responsible member of one’s family is an important duty of faith. Every believer must fulfill the responsibilities that Allah Almighty has entrusted to them.
Everyone is accountable to Allah Almighty. We are being tested on what we do in the position He has placed us in. One’s role within the family is the most fundamental and important responsibility. If someone cannot be a good brother or sister, a good husband or wife, or a good father or mother, how can they be expected to fulfill their responsibilities well in other roles? Here, being “good” means acting in a way that pleases Allah and following His commands—not merely out of blood ties. Family ties can sometimes lead people to take the side of their relatives even when they are in the wrong. That is never right! However, valuing family relationships and maintaining them is important. A believer does so for the sake of faith and because it is a command of Allah.
Family harmony and peace depend on fulfilling one another’s rights. The more diligently each of us fulfills our own responsibilities, the stronger and healthier our relationships with others will become.
There is no substitute for family happiness and peace in this worldly life. Resolving family issues brings immense peace of mind to an individual. When there is discord in the family, it affects every aspect of life.
There are tremendous rewards in the Afterlife for fulfilling the rights of one’s family. Conversely, those who wrong or oppress their family members face severe punishment.
A person who fulfills their responsibilities toward their family is more likely to be beneficial and righteous in society and the country. To be righteous as a servant of Allah and a member of the Ummah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, one must first be a righteous member of one’s family.
A person who lives an irresponsible, self-indulgent, and unrestrained life harms themselves first and then their family. Such a person becomes a burden on their family and on society.
It is only natural that someone who continually causes pain and suffering to others becomes disliked by those around them. Living solely according to one’s own whims and desires leads a person to moral decline and causes suffering to others.
The role of the head of the family and other leading family members is therefore even more significant. They are responsible for the tarbiyah (moral upbringing and guidance) and reform of those under their care. Along with working to improve themselves, they must also take responsibility for guiding and helping others improve. Therefore, they must be the most responsible and accountable members of the family.
