In Islam, the mentality of freedom is replaced by responsibility. This responsibility is not merely towards yourself and your own desires, rather it is the responsibility to Allah (swt) your creator. The Social System of Islam, which deals with the relationship between men and women and the issues that arise between them, defines clear guidelines for a stable and harmonious family structure. It is upon this basis that your relationship as a parent with your child is built, and it is this that provides the environment in society which can enable you to ensure that your child will grow up to be someone you are proud of.

The primary duty to bring up your child lies on the neck of you as the parent. Allah (swt) says,

“Oh you who believe, save yourselves and your families from the Hellfire, whose fuel is men and stones.” [TMQ 66:6]

This ayah defines what your ambitions for your son or daughter should be. Your primary concern should be that he or she attains the Paradise and is saved from the Hellfire. Only after this is it worth considering what kind of education or career they should pursue. After all, if your aims for your child lie solely in the bounties and pleasures of this life, you will give them little in the way of preparation for the life to come, which is the ultimate destination for both of you.

The essence of achieving success in this endeavour lies in education of your child with the correct Islamic understanding. You must teach them about the true belief in Allah (swt) and His Messenger (saw), and how they should fulfil their obligations as a Muslim. And this you must do in such a way that they have complete conviction in what they are doing.

This includes teaching them about the rational proofs of the Islamic ‘aqeedah, the prayer, the fasting, the duty of da‘wah and jihad, the conduct of a Muslim - in short, all the things which are fard (obligatory) upon them and haram (forbidden) for them. For it is only when one is inculcated with the mentality of obedience to the commands and prohibitions of Allah (swt) that anyone can hope to attain the Paradise.

How can you make sure that this duty is fulfilled? The first thing to do is to take a look at yourself. Are you ready to save yourself from the Hellfire? Unless you are, how can you hope to prevent your child from arriving at such a fate? If you are going to educate your child with knowledge of the deen (i.e. Islam), you must know it yourself. And then, if you are to be a good example to your child, you must practice Islam fully in your own life. This is the first stage in fulfilling your responsibility as a parent.

Ibn Majah narrated that the Prophet (saw) said, “Teach your children and teach them properly.”

Ibn Jurayr narrated that the Prophet (saw) said, “Order your children to abide by all the commands of Allah, and to avoid all the prohibitions, and by that you protect them from the Hellfire.”

Once you have equipped your child with an understanding and conviction in Islam - the basic and most vital preparation that you could give, he or she will be ready to face all that the world can offer.