They either go standing or sit on the lap of the father.

They either go standing or sit on the lap of the father. They are not allowed to speak in the party. And even if they take courage in their hands to speak, they don’t get any attention from the elders. They are summoned, if ever, with indecorum. Islam gives all attention to the need for showing respect to the children.

The Prophet of Islam has said: "Respect your children and give them good training so that Allah rewards you." ‘Ali, The Commander of the Faithful, says: “The meanest person is one who shows disrespect to others."[^1] The Prophet always, and everywhere, used to treat children with affection and respect. Whenever he returned from his travels, the children used to run out and receive him. He used to hug and kiss them. Some of the children used to mount with him on the steed.

He used to ask his other companions to take the other children on their horses. This way he used to enter the ramparts of the city. Insulting behaviour with children, even with babes in arms, is forbidden. Umm al Fadhl says: “The Prophet, when Imam Husayn was a babe in the arms, one day took him from me and hugged him, the child wet his clothes. I snatched Husayn away from the Prophet at that moment, when the child started crying. The Prophet told me, ‘Umm al Fazl, Keep your cool.

Water can clean my clothes. But who will remove the displeasure and hurt of the child Husayn’"[^2] One gentleman writes: “I had no significance in the consideration of my parents. Not only that they did not have any respect for me, they used to insult and admonish me time and again. They never allowed me to do any work. If ever I took initiative to do some work, they used to find fault. They used to insult me in the presence of their friends and mine.

They never allowed me to say anything while others were around. All these things made me carry the feelings of inferiority and shame for myself. I started considering myself a useless person. Now that I am a grown up man, I continue to labour under the same feelings of dejection. If I am confronted with difficult tasks, I feel myself helpless and incapable of doing it. I feel that because I am unable to have my own opinion about my capability, others should volunteer their opinion about me.

I consider myself insignificant and absolutely incapable. I have no confidence on myself. Even I find myself at a loss to speak in the presence of others.