Then the Prophet told to the person...

Then the Prophet told to the person: “Why didn’t you keep in your consideration the need for justice and equality between your children?[^5] ‘Ali, The Commander of the Faithful, says: “Delivering justice and equality to people is the best of politics."[^6] One woman came to the presence of the Prophet’s wife, Ayesha, with her two little children. Ayesha gave her three dates. The mother gave one each to the two children and then equally divided the third date and gave one to each of them.

When the Prophet returned home, Ayesha narrated the incident to him. The Prophet said: "Why are you surprised at the action of that woman? For keeping justice and equality in view Allah will give her a place in the Heaven!!"[^7] If the parents treat their children unjustly in a partial manner they will create a very harmful impression on them. The children will take after the unjust attitude of the parents and behave the same way with others.

With time this attitude will become a part of their natures. The children who had been the victims of injustice from their parents will carry rancor for them in their minds It is possible they turn rebellious and disobedient. With treatment of injustice and partiality there is chance of jealousy and enmity springing up between brothers and sisters and it might go to the limit of sometimes harming each other.

The children who have received unjust treatment at the hands of their parents will have feelings of dejection and oppression that will get engraved in their minds. It is quite possible that later on they develop psychic disorders. The parents will be responsible for all the consequences of their partial and unjust treatment meted out to their children. But the parents, in all fairness, give equitable treatment to all their children. At different ages the children will have differing requirements.

Because they are born at different times and are of different sexes, they may not have similar requirements all the time. The law of justice and equality too is not rigid about equal treatment in such differing circumstances. Will it be right to lift the elder child in your lap like you do to a babe in the cradle? Similarly, will it be right to give the same amount of pocket money to a child of three years as is given to his sibling who is eighteen years old.

Can a daughter be given the same freedom of movement that is given to a grown up son? Fair play and justice don’t approve of any such concessions and we too don’t recommend them.