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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books The Family Life of Islam Part Two : Parents and Children 8. PARENTS AND CHILDREN . Your parents and your children, ye know not which of them are nearest to you in benefit. . (Qur'an, 4:11) This ayah shows the Islamic attitude towards the relationship between parents and children.

From infancy to adulthood, it is unparalleled ten der love and care of the parents which brings the child from the stage of absolute weakness and helplessness to perfect strength and independence. Conversely, in old age a man becomes like a small child; the mind and body turn so weak that Allah says If We grant long life to any, We cause him to be reversed in nature . .

(Qur'an, 36:68) Yesterday, your parents looked after you when you were too feeble to look after yourself; today you must look after them. 9. WHY SO MUCH EMPHASIS ON THE RIGHTS OF PARENTS? Here is a point to ponder over: We do not find in the Qur'an and hadith so much emphasis on looking after the children as is the case with the rights of the parents. Why? The shari `ah has put a new challenge to those who think. Find out how logical this attitude is.

The fact is that the parent's heart is the fountainhead of the love for the child; this affection becomes the life-blood of the parents. The Qur'an has alluded to this instinctive parental love in several places. On the other hand, children especially when they are no longer in need of parental care, do not feel so much love for the parents. We are not speaking about respect.

Here the talk is about instinctive love; and experience is a reliable witness to confirm this observation It is a known fact that sign-posts are not needed on straight highways; but at a cross-roads where several routes branch out, one cannot expect to get onto the right path without a guide or a sign-post. It is for this reason that Islam does not emphasize in so many words those aspects of life which are taken care of by human nature itself.

It is where the hold of natural instinct is loosened that Islam extends its helping hand and leads man on the right path by telling him what he is expected to do. It was for this reason that Islam did not explain the rights of children so forcefully; but full emphasis was given to the rights of the parents, as will be observed in coming chapters. 10.