This lecture is based upon a Khutbah of Shaykh Uthaymeen. “Save yourselves and your families from the Fire by opening the doors of good to your family”. Despite the pen being lifted upon the child, and them not being held accountable for missing obligatory actions, their good deeds are written down for them. So you should encourage them to perform good deeds, even have your children compete with another in righteous actions.
We should also warn and make clear to our children all aspects of falsehood. Due to the Hadeeth in which the Prophet Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam said:
“All of you are shepherds and each one of you is responsible for his flock”
The origin with the Salaf was that the Kataateeb (Schools) were at home. The adults taught at home what they had learnt in the lessons in the masaajid. Teaching them the pillars of Islam, Imaan and other foundations of the religion.
Sow the seed of love and magnification of Allaah in their hearts. Make clear to them the many blessings of Allaah upon them, the clear and hidden blessings. The specific and general blessings. Mention the signs of Allaah to them. Likewise sow the seed of love for the Messenger Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam in their hearts and explain to them the good that came for this Ummah at his hands. Teach your children to be truthful in their actions and speech. So do not lie to them when you speak to them. If you promise them, do not break these promises. If they see you lying to them then they will begin to lie. Or if they see you being lax in keeping promises then likewise they will become lax.
Sow the seed of love for the believers in their heart. Make it clear that the believers are like one body.
We can encourage or children upon learning and memorising by offering a reward. Encourage those children that are capable to read the books of tafsir like the Tafsir of Imam As Sa’di and the sound, correct books of History of Islam. Warn them from reading the harmful books that can harm the Aqeedah of an individual and his mannerisms.
It is important to teach your children about evil. As the one who does not know the evil, will fall into it. 9In the Hadeeth of Hudayfah Ibn Al Yamaan:
“The people used to ask the Prophet Sallallaahu Alayhi Wa Sallam about the good, but I used to ask him about the evil, fearing to fall into it. “
Indeed our responsibility in front of Allaah as it relates to our children and families is great so we ask Allaah – the One who burdened us with this responsibility – that he grants us success to rectify and correct ourselves and our families. As the Ummah is made up of its individuals.