Nurturing Virtue: The Quranic Guide to Parenting

“The Role of Parents in the Growth and Flourishing of Children

From the Quranic perspective, parents play a crucial role in the growth and flourishing of their children. The Holy Quran instructs parents to love their children, educate them, and nurture their upbringing. Moreover, it repeatedly emphasizes the importance of respecting children’s rights.

One of the most significant roles of parents is to fulfill the essential needs of their children, specifically addressing their physical, social, emotional, and educational requirements. Parents should also respect their children and teach them to respect others.

Parents are also responsible for the moral upbringing of their children. For successful upbringing, parents should demonstrate how to behave in society and what ethical expectations exist. Additionally, they should teach their children how to face life’s challenges and resolve them.

Given the vital role of parents in the development of their children, the Holy Quran stresses that as educators, they must act thoughtfully and diligently to provide the best living conditions for their offspring.

By playing a role in their children’s upbringing, parents can contribute to their spiritual and physical excellence.

According to Shia interpretations, parents set a good example for their children by performing their religious duties, such as prayer, fasting, and pilgrimage, encouraging them to fulfill their religious obligations. Furthermore, by adhering to Islamic morals and serving as righteous examples, parents encourage their children to follow Islamic ethics.

Additionally, by providing accurate analyses of religious and social issues, parents can strengthen the religious culture within the family and encourage their children to embrace religious and ethical values. Sharing their experiences with their children also motivates them to achieve great success.

Verse 6 of Surah At-Tahrim states: ‘O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your families from a fire whose fuel is people and stones, over which are [appointed] angels, harsh and severe; they do not disobey Allah in what He commands them but do what they are commanded.’ This verse indicates that parents must protect themselves and their families from the fires of hell. This means guiding their children on the right path towards progress and excellence and preventing them from falling into sin and misconduct. To this end, parents must educate their children according to religious, ethical, and social principles and pay sufficient attention to their education and upbringing.

Incorrect education refers to inappropriate and wrong methods of raising children and youth, leading to problems for them and society. The Holy Quran, as the primary source of Islam, places great importance on the proper upbringing of children and youth and warns against incorrect education. Some of the incorrect educational methods mentioned in the Quran include:

1. Speaking with curses and insults: Many parents resort to cursing and insulting their children due to a lack of self-control. This method is prevalent today. However, the Holy Quran strongly opposes the use of curses and insults in speech and emphasizes that parents should speak to their children with respect and politeness.

2. Ignoring the spiritual and physical needs of the child: Many parents, for various reasons, neglect the spiritual and physical needs of their children. They may transfer their concerns to their children and expect them to always serve them. However, the Holy Quran strongly emphasizes that parents should pay attention to the spiritual and physical needs of their children and support them in achieving their goals.

3. Promoting rivalry and favoring one child over another: Many parents, for various reasons, promote rivalry among their children and sometimes favor one child over another. However, the Holy Quran strongly opposes the use of rivalry in the family and favoring one child over another.

4. Using violence and abusing power: Many parents use violence and abuse of power in raising their children. They may force their children to accept their views through force and violence. However, the Holy Quran strongly opposes the use of violence and abuse of power in child-rearing and emphasizes that parents should treat their children with politeness and patience.

5. Neglecting religious education: Many parents, for various reasons, neglect to teach religious laws to their children, leaving them ignorant of religious and ethical knowledge. However, the Holy Quran strongly emphasizes that parents should guide their children to religious and ethical knowledge through religious education.

6. Ignoring the spiritual and physical needs of the child

7. Neglecting to teach religion and ethics to the child

8. Not tolerating the child’s mistakes and errors

9. Being too strict with the child

10. Provoking the child to violence and hostility

11. Being indifferent to the child’s actions

12. Inappropriate and harsh punishments”

**Summary:**

The article discusses the pivotal role of parents in their children’s development as outlined in the Quran. It highlights the importance of fulfilling children’s basic needs, providing moral guidance, and setting a good example through religious practices. The Quran emphasizes the need for parents to protect their families from wrongdoing and to foster a nurturing environment that promotes religious and ethical values. The article also addresses common mistakes in parenting, such as using harsh language, neglecting children’s needs, promoting rivalry, and using violence, which are contrary to Quranic teachings. Parents are encouraged to educate their children with patience, respect, and adherence to religious and ethical principles to ensure their well-being and success.