All praise is due to Almighty God, Allah, and may He, the Exalted, bestow His peace and blessings upon Prophet Muhammad, Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam, upon his good and pure family, as well as upon all of the noble companions, and upon those who follow them in righteousness until the Day of Judgment. Friends, a very serious issue that confronts the Islamic world today is the character of our youth, which is far removed from Islamic teachings. When I read newspaper accounts about the behavior of our youth my heart cries with pain. I anguish where is the Ummah heading? Could anyone have imaged that in this Ummah a mother would have an illicit relationship with her son? Lamentably, this is happening. A Muslim youth would be drinking? A Muslim youth would be stealing? A Muslim youth and s/he has no respect towards his/her elders? Bad character is manifesting itself everywhere. And the Prophet Muhammad, Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam, was sent into the world to correct human conduct and morals. As the famous poet Shauki said: “In the world communities are raised with noble conduct, communities are obliterated with bad character.” We have become addicted to criticizing others. So and so is doing such and such. Day and night we are accustomed to levelling accusations against others. Do we not consider what we are doing? Which direction our community is heading? The biggest responsibility that falls on the Muslim Ummah is to provide correct Islamic teachings and instill outstanding morals and character in our children.
No matter what education they pursue the paramount consideration must be for our children to develop a strong Islamic moral character. They must never lie, never deceive anyone, nor look towards strange women. Should they be a shopkeeper then they must not misappropriate even five pence. A community imbued with good morals always ascends. This is a universal principle that holds true in all times. And a morally bankrupt community always degenerates and becomes devoid of progress. We need to inculcate good habits in our children. This is imperative for our progress. Pitifully our situation is such that we send children to Maktabs (supplementary religious schools) from the early age but when they attain the age of 12 they leave the Maktabs but continue to pursue schooling. These children then have no contact whatsoever with the glorious Qur’an or any Islamic books. In fact between the ages of 12 and 24 a young person is most susceptible. This point is confirmed by educationalists. During this period if a child’s guidance and upbringing is overlooked or neglected then she/he will not remain steadfast on Islam. Rasulullah, Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam, used to discern even minor things. Once Hussain, Radhiallahu Anhu, placed a piece of date in his mouth which was designated as Sadaqah (voluntary charity). Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam placed his finger inside the mouth and made him vomit it out, saying “This item is earmarked as Sadaqah and it cannot be consumed by you.” If the same scenario was before us we would allow the child to eat the date saying, “He’s a kid. What’s wrong with him having a date? When he grows up he will understand the difference between Halal or Haram.” No, Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam immediately stopped Hussain Radhiallahu Anhu. Similarly, once a boy was eating with Rasulullah, Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam. Instead of eating food which was near him he was taking food from different places. So Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam explained to him gently, “My dear son, first recite Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim, eat with your right hand, and eat from in front of you.” This illustrates that Rasulullah, Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam, used to sit with children and observe their eating habits. Do we ever do the same? Nowadays children are eating whilst walking, standing and on their way to school. We don’t even reprimand them saying this is contrary to the lifestyle of Muslims. In the lifestyle of Rasulullah, Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam, we have a comprehensive mode of living. Rasulullah, Sallallahu Alyhi Wasallam, has taught us an entire way of life which is distinct and supreme. We have neglected that lifestyle and become careless and as a result our children have fallen prey to an un-Islamic lifestyle.
My friends, it is a serious matter of concern that our society is in a state of decadence and our children and youth are going astray, totally pursuing a wayward life. For Muslim parents, the need to provide sound Islamic upbringing should take precedence over all other responsibilities they owe to their children. Life is constituted of good morals and character. The Prophet, Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam, was sent into the world for teaching good character to humanity. Within such a short period of time, he established such splendid character among his Companions. Today, there is no parallel to these people. The character of Abu Bakr, Umar, Osman, Ali, Radhiallahu Anhum – who nurtured their character and made them who they were? Undoubtedly, they were taught by Sayyidina Muhammad, Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam. Those who sat in the company of Prophet Muhammad, Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam, their character was raised to sublime heights. After departing from the Prophet’s company, Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam, they would never again speak a lie, oppress anyone. And if ever they happened to utter something wrong it would agitate and stir great remorse. Once Sayyidina Abu Bakr, Radhiyallahu Anhu, was seen pulling his tongue and rebuking himself: “How could I have said a harsh word to my fellow Muslim brother.” Nowadays we tend to lie, gossip, and backbite whilst forgetting the heart of a Muslim will be hurt. At this moment the most important duty that falls Muslim parents is to impart correct Islamic education to their children and inculcate sound Islamic character. Our character should be of such a high standard that humanity is drawn to Islam. What kind of bad character is this: there was a public demonstration in Lucknow, India against the publication of cartoons in Denmark depicting the Prophet, Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam. During the demonstration evil slogans were being chanted, shop-keepers were forced to shut their shops – including shops belonging to non-Muslims, car windows smashed, cars set alight in the street. What kind of emotional and irrational response is this? To illustrate your protest at the publication of cartoons you are recklessly damaging property. Where is the sense in this?
Patience, steadfastness and good character are prerequisites for being a good Muslim. Muslims need to create awareness and understand the challenges they are facing.
We have been taught moderation. How much injustice was perpetrated against the Prophet, Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam, in Makkah Mukaramah? You all know that thorns were placed in his path and he was persecuted. But did he ever respond by asking his Companions to take out a demonstration? In fact, when a lady who used to lay thorns in the path of the Prophet, Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam, fell ill, the Prophet himself when to visit her. Such was his character. He enquired “Why have you not laid any thorns in my path recently?” She enquired, “Who are you?” Prophet Muhammad, Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam, replied: “I am the same Muhammad for whom you lay thorns.” She started weeping profusely. As they say, “With character you win, with character you respond.” My dear Prophet, Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam, exemplified the noblest character. Despite being hit with stones and bleeding profusely, so much that when angels were sent asking him to order that the mountains of Taif crush the perpetrators belonging to Banu Thaqif, he replied, “O Allah, grant my people guidance.” He did not retaliate in the least as he was sent as a mercy for mankind and to guide humanity to the truth and beauty of Islam. All true scholars teach the youth that instead of fighting over religious issues, the youth should provide their opinion through evidence and without any conflict because difference and questions increase our knowledge. The Muslim youth throughout world need to understand their role and responsibilities as Muslim world at present going through difficult circumstances. In the Quran, we have two contrasting stories i.e., story of Abraham and Ismael and Noah and his son. In the former, there is an invitation to sacrifice, in the latter an invitation to salvation. On the one hand, there is obedience and submission; on the other, rejection and rebellion. What can we learn from all this? The children of prophets, Imams, and the ‘ulama [“religious scholars”] are all human, like the rest of homo sapiens, molded as much by positive influences as by negative ones. They probably live, too, within the arena of conflict, where positive forces confront negative ones, that each may learn and experience internal conflict by wrestling with powerful external conflict. On this basis, it is not a foregone conclusion that the child of a prophet will be righteous, or that the child of an Imam or a ‘alim or an activist will be like the parent. The father forms part of the environment, and he is simply one of several factors which condition the personality of the child.
One thing that deserves mention is that a corrupt community may take away a prophet’s family from him without any resistance. This is because resistance (by the prophet) is directed against the greater community, and it may very well be that the force of the opposition represents enough material strength and challenge to undermine the basic elements of prophethood, as the mundane circumstances work themselves out. In this setting, the community may be transformed into a powerful force even on the household of a prophet, guardian, or scholar. Some prophets, scholars, and saints have even been tested through their spouses who take an opposite stance to the prophetic message, opposing the actions of the prophet. This is what the Qur’an tells us about the wives of Noah and Lot: God sets forth as an example to the disbelievers the wife of Noah and the wife of Lot. They were under two of our righteous servants, but they betrayed them so that they [the husbands] availed them naught against God. It was said to them: Enter the fire with those who go therein. (Al-Tahrim, 66:10) Patience, steadfastness and good character are prerequisites for being a good Muslim. Muslims need to create awareness and understand the challenges they are facing. It pains me to see how apathetic Muslims have become. We must always be on our guard that our wrongdoings should not blemish or tarnish the image of Islam. May Almighty Allah grant us understanding of the challenges that face us, protect us and grant us all the Tawfiq (strength and ability) to practice the wonderful teachings of Holy Prophet Muhammad, Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam. Ameen!
(The author an associate professor at S K University of Agriculture Sciences & Technology-SKUAST Srinagar writes on Islamic topics exclusively for “Kashmir Horizon”. His views are personal)