Be Good Examples For Your Children And Nurture Them Upon The Sunnah.

‘Abdullah ibn ‘Āmir narrated: My mother called me one day when the Messenger of Allah (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) was sitting in our house. She said to me: “Come here, and I will give you something (in reward).” The Messenger of Allah (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) asked her: “What did you intend to give him?” She replied: “I intended to give him some dates.” The Messenger of Allah (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) said: “If you were not to give him anything, a lie would be recorded against you.” (Abu Dawood, no. 4991, declared hasan by Al-Albāni)

This Hadīth contains a warning against setting a poor example to one’s children—that a parent promises something to their child, and then does not give what they promised. A child may grow up thinking that lying or deception is acceptable behaviour in the adult world.

Children should be taught from a young age that the Messenger of Allah (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) is the most beautiful example to be followed. And if grownups (such as parents) make mistakes, they should repent and seek Allāh’s forgiveness because Allah created humans with weaknesses and they slip from time to time. So we should all try and rectify ourselves, move on and avoid repeating mistakes.

Therefore, the standard that we measure ourselves and the people by is the Allah’s Messenger (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam), as he said in an authentic Hadīth to a man who had his garments below his ankles, “Do you not have in Allah’s Messenger a fine example?” (Shamā’il of At-Tirmidhi).

After the Messenger (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) the ones we emulate foremost are Abu Bakr and ‘Umar, as the Messenger (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) stated:

“Follow these two after me: Abu Bakr and ‘Umar.” (Tirmidhi, 3662. Authenticated by Ibn Hibbān, 6902, and Al-Albāni)

He said this because they were the best two men who walked the earth after the Prophets. Then after these two, Uthmān and ‘Alī, and then the rest of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all).

The Messenger (salallāhu ‘alaihi wasallam) has inheritors after him who are also examples to be followed—and they are the righteous scholars of the Sunnah, those firm upon the ‘Aqeedah and Manhaj, steadfast upon the Religion, unharmed by those who forsake them or oppose them. These are the values, principles and foundations we nurture our children upon.

By Abu Khadeejah Abdul-Wāhid Alam.

May Allah grant us the strength to follow the Sunnah perfectly with our family!

Indeed in the Messenger of Allah (Muhammad SAW) you have a good example to follow for him who hopes in (the Meeting with) Allah and the Last Day and remembers Allah much.
Qur'an 33:21