Rights of children in islam
How beautiful is our religion?
Islam has ordained rights and obligations upon everyone.
Allah has given children rights over their parents just as the parents have rights over their children.
Ibn ‘Umar said: “Allah has called them abrar (righteous) because they honoured (barru) their fathers and children. Just as your father has rights over you, so too your child has rights over you.” (Al-Adab al-Mufrad, 94)
The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said, according to a hadith (prophetic narration) narrated by ‘Abd-Allah ibn ‘Umar, “… and your child has rights over you.” (Muslim, 1159).
Rights of children before birth!
The child’s rights over their parents include some that come even before the child is born, for example:
Choosing a righteous wife to be a righteous mother
Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “A woman may be married for four reasons: her wealth, her lineage, her beauty and her religious commitment. Marry the one who is religiously committed, may your hands be rubbed with dust (i.e., may you prosper).” (Narrated by al-Bukhari, 4802; Muslim, 1466)
Shaykh ‘Abd al-Ghani al-Dahlawi said: “Choose from among women those who are religiously committed and righteous, and who are of good descent, for if a woman is of illegitimate descent, this bad characteristic may be passed to her children. Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):
“The adulterer — fornicator marries not but an adulteress — fornicatress or a Mushrikah; and the adulteress –fornicatress, none marries her except an adulterer — fornicator or a Mushrik.” [al-Nur 24:3]
Rather Islam recommends compatibility for the purpose of harmony and to avoid a person being shamed if he marries into a family that is not compatible.” (Sharh Sunan Ibn Majah, 1/141)
It is Sunnah (recommended) to do tahnik for the child when he is born:
Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The son of Abu Talhah was sick. Abu Talhah went out and the child died, and when Abu Talhah returned he said, “What happened to my son?” Umm Sulaym (his wife) said, ‘He is quieter than he was.” Then she brought him his dinner and he ate, then he had marital relations with her, and when he finished she said, “They buried the child.” The following morning, Abu Talhah went to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and told him what had happened. He said, “Did you have marital relations last night?” He said, “Yes.” He said, “O Allah, bless them.” She later gave birth to a boy. Abu Talhah said to me, “Keep him until I bring him to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).” He brought him to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) and I sent some dates with him. The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) took him and said, “Is there anything with him?” They said, “Yes, some dates.” The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) took some and chewed it, then he took some from his mouth and put it in the child’s mouth (tahnik), and named him ‘Abd-Allah.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari, 5153; Muslim, 2144)
Al-Nawawi said:
“The scholars are agreed that it is mustahabb (preferred) to do tahnik with dates for the child when he is born; if that is not possible then to use some similar kind of sweet. The dates should be chewed until they become soft enough to be swallowed, then the child’s mouth should be opened and a little of the dates put in his mouth.” (Sharh al-Nawawi ‘ala Muslim, 14/122-123).
May ALLĀH purify our intentions.
أمين يارب العالمين