Topic:_ *THE CHILD IS INNOCENT*

BISMILLAH RAHMAN RAHEEM

Does the children knows that their parents are doing them wrong?

You could see that mostly, when a we grow up and realized something in our life or body appearance we ask our parents why this and that on my skin?

Similarly, neighborhood in the area blame the parents for their carelessness when the child was young.

In the community too people say:
It's the parents, they didn't train the child well that's why the child life is different.

Indeed our community is corrupt, some of the causes is irresponsible parenting.

A child is like a seedlings that you plant in your garden.

If you water your seedlings always morning and evening, the seedlings grow up look nice than a careless farmer who don't water his seedlings.

Likewise a child when in childhood, how the parents handled the child will determine the child upbringing.

*NB: Please this is not a matter of being rich before you able to train up your child uprightly*

Quran Suratul Tahrim verses 6 that says:
*"Oh believers! Protect yourself and your family (wife and children) from jahannam "*

Sadly, most muslim parents today dont obey this command and before they realize it's too late.

If we say innocent children we mean children *below 10 years* who has no knowledge about life.

We always say a *child is innocent* expecially from 5years to puberty stage.

Meaning there are a lot of things they don't know being it Haram or Halal and they don't also know other what their parents are doing to them will bring negative/positive effect in their life.

We listed out some points during our survey and observation we had from Zongo communities.

The following are the points we listed:

*1. CHILDREN HAIRCUT:*
Just look into your community children at age 2 - 10 years hair cut is unacceptable it's called Qaza in Arabic term.

And the Prophet s.a.w condemned such style.
It's a cut where part of the hair is shave and part not shave, meaning it's not level.

We have more of such styles in our community, you can bear witness.

So ask ask yourself does the child know what we call *beautiful life, style and fashion?* NO.

So it's the father or the mother who is responsible of that hair cut.

Our young daughters too are uses *Mersh and Wig (artificial hair)* to attach their hair.
It's the parents not the child choice, for the child is innocent.

Perhaps, such haram lifestyle might have some negative effect on the child,it's same as teaching the child Haram activities and if care not taking it will remain on him/her till older age and will be used to it.

*2. CHILDREN DRESSING:* Islam has prescribed a genuine dressing code for muslim.
In most cases we do not care to dress our children the Islamic way.

We are copying from the non Muslims way of dressing.
Our children the boys must be dress islamically��‍♂️ and girls��.
The boys dressing must not pass by the ankle and the girls too must dress completely just like the old girls even though they still be young.

Indeed such dressing will reflect to the child positively and spiritually.

And even if he/she grows up, they will not feel comfortable if they dress in non muslim way.

*3. MOVIES:* If we say movies not all movies, we mean the one which the parents themselves knows that its not islamically lawful for children to watch.

In this case the parents should not allow their children to watch such movies.

*4. NO DISCIPLINE:* Some parents love their children too much to the extent that, they do not discipline their children when they do wrong.

With this, the children will not get the right training and if someone discipline them too, then the parents becomes angry why such and such man discipline his child.

In a Hadith of the Prophet he says:
*"Spare the rode (cane) and spoil your child"*

Meaning if you refuse to cane your child, he/she may spoil.

In another hadith he say: *"train your child to pray salat and use cane to discipline them when they do not pray at the age of seven*"

The above indicated that children must be discipline in a right way when they do wrong.

But if a parent refuse to discipline their children, we all know the effect of it.

Child discipline doesn't only means canes, at least something different can be used to discipline a child and never cane to hurt your child.

We pray that may Allah grant us understanding of Islam and help us train our children righteously.

And our children, may Allah humble them to obey their parents.