When I saw these children arrived and going here and there, I could not remain patient, therefore I stopped Khutbah and picked them up.

(Sunan-ut-Tirmizi, vol. 5, pp. 429, Hadees 3799)

Elaborating on this blessed Hadees, a renowned commentator, a great thinker of the Ummah, Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has said: On this occasion, the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم did not ask any one amongst the attendees to bring both the princes to him, nor did he صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم make them sit by any other person, but he صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم himself stepped down from his blessed pulpit, leaving the Khutbah he went to the children, picked them up and made them sit next to him. This is the extreme love of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم for both of them.

(Furthermore), this blessed Ayah contains a word ‘فِتۡنَۃٌ’, please understand that this does not mean disaster or trouble over here, rather, it means hard work or trial Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ rewards a true believer through them.

(Mirat ul Manajih, vol. 8, pp. 478)

Importance of children’s upbringing

Dear Islamic brothers! Surely, the upbringing of children is not less than a trial. If a person brings his children up properly according to the Shari’ah, then the same children will become a permanent source of rewards for him. On the other hand, if children, who are not brought up properly, start committing sins, then such children not only become a cause of disgrace for their parents in this world, but they can also become a cause of punishment for them in the Hereafter. Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Bin ‘Umar رَضِىَ الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰی عَـنْـهُمَا said to a person: Give a good upbringing to your child because you will be asked about your children as to how you brought them up and what you have taught them. (Shu’ab-ul-Iman, vol. 2, pp. 400)

The best time to give proper upbringing to children is during their childhood. If wax is poured in a mould, it is moulded easily. Likewise, whatever upbringing we give our children in their early ages, they will adopt this, because their memory is like a blank small wooden board [for children to write on], so