How much Islamic is your Child’s Education?
• Last Updated on February 20, 2017 @ 9:21 am by Islaminlife Admin
Among the matters that Shariah emphasizes, some are paid very little heed by us. For instance, in case of choosing the right basic education for our children – we neglect our responsibility. On this issue, we consider the worldly factors seriously and the religious teaching is overlooked. We have come up with smart excuses as to why we set off our beloved children on the general education’s path, but not on the religious learning’s. These reasons could please us and the audience whom we somehow convince, but not our Creator, Who has already made us responsible for our child’s righteous education. Therefore, if for my negligence my child is forged only towards worldly education and there is no initiative from my side to instill the religious understanding in her, I will be held accountable for it in the court of Allah Taala. This responsibility could be put aside in no way, because it is compulsory (Waajib) to carry on.
Many people among us think that providing the children religious teachings means to teach them kalima, namaz and some dua. In fact, as we ourselves have been on the wrong track (who did not acquire the fundamental religious education), we think of our child in the same way. Rather, I rear up my child much more carefully, so that she does not miss the worldly possessions like I had! If I could achieve a certain degree, dream about my child is that she should achieve at least higher than mine. If I could not have attained my goal, I wish my child would attain it somehow. People even say that through my child I would see my dreams come true. It would have been a sensible thought and conclusion if it were something rewarding and positive for both me and my child. But what we mean is, I have worked less(?) for this world and so I had lagged behind; my child should work much harder and earn much more money and fame – reach the destiny I dreamt for, I cherished. This notion triggers so seriously that I engage into rigorous efforts to instill in her the worldly education from the very childhood, spending every effort as much as possible. Very few people today think of reward or punishment of afterlife. Leave out the matters of afterlife – very few people think of the realities of this world. While pursuing the ‘goodies’ for my child I miss completely my own worldly-benefits related to my child’s future. In many cases, people miss to choose the right thing for their child because they themselves have no idea of what is good or bad. But unfortunately they decide whatever they ‘think’ and act up accordingly. When one who cannot decide correctly regarding his own life, how can one expect to decide about his child correctly? When a man’s objective of life takes the wrong way, every of his task is wrong and all those have a ripple effect in his life, i.e. each and every mission direct him erroneously and how can he ever expect a fruitful outcome at the end with wrong moves all through? In my whole life I have walked along the wrong way, hoarded the wrong concept and knowledge and never thought of assessing those rightly. How could I suddenly think rightfully for my child?
Just think, why do Muslim mothers make the evil TV babysitter and how come they relax by handing their children over such a disastrous company? Why do the fathers squander so much money for the child’s worldly education whereas no or very little is spent for her religious teaching? Sowing the wrong thing will never give me a fruitful reaping.
Thinking only of worldly benefits, still in the wrong way, parents are completely depriving their children of religious education; moreover, taking a very high risk by forwarding their beloved children toward a system that explicitly put the next generation far away from acquiring fundamental religious education. Rather, today the general education has taken a monstrous shape! It teaches things that makes a human superfluously engaged in worldly matters and completely oblivion of the afterlife; the greatest harm is that the acquirer of general education never come to be enlightened with the knowledge that has been revealed divinely, which clearly explains the objective of human life, what is right and wrong etc. If we intent to write the negative aspects of today’s secular education one by one here*, time and space would not permit.
For today and now, just imagine two scenes and meditate on your situation. First, when your child would stand beside your deathbed and/or stand beside your grave when you would be laid to rest – what would s/he be doing for you? How much would you be benefitted by him/her in the grave-life? Or, is it you do not need any support there?(!) [Every man in grave will be craving for some good deeds from their living relatives in the world] Second, on the Day of Judgment, when in the Court of Allah Taala, your child would bear witness of WHAT had you arranged to teach her in the world – what would be your condition then?
As a Muslim, let us reconsider our doings. If I am doing Tawba and making a comeback, if I am realizing my wrongdoings, let my child be saved by me! Let me rear up my child providing her the right education. Let this noble responsibility be carried on by me with care and sincerity. There is hope that Allah Taala would pardon my wrongdoings.
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*Obviously we acknowledge the need and necessity (i.e. the positive aspects) of secular education, but not all the ways and approaches being implemented today are leading to a righteous goal, rather, most of it has a greater threat. Therefore, as a Muslim, one has to be highly concerned of what he learns and how he implements it.
