CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME; A CALL TOWARDS STRENGTHENING THE STRONGHOLD (HOUSEHOLDS) OF THE UMMAH.
Trailing on the ground of acceptable character standards in the society, it is vivid that the family is the best place to nurture good character standards. This write up serves as a review on the previous article; ‘A GOOD FAMILY; THE FOUNDATION OF A GOOD NATION‘.
A Nation is given to destruction if the citizens or inhabitants doesn’t make proper plan on how to instill proper ethical and religious standards in their offsprings, to guide their ways and their affairs in life. The parents and guardian serves as the first source of knowledge, as the offsprings try to model their actions and attitude to what happens around the home (what they see their parents do). The parents or guardian may either be a good model or otherwise, as the infant takes on their attitude.
The household is the first center of learning, that formed the basic system for children upbringing. A well structured household will no doubt have good managers (in marriage) that set up the good model for educating the members of the household. These infant and children are new to the environment, and they require guidance and instructions from their parents and guardians, on how to live a contented life; that is pleasing and acceptable to the Creator. The parents and guardians are tasked with this responsibility because they are exposed in knowledge, understanding, and the wisdom in life matters; through their learning in life and from experience.
Nowadays, we live in a world where most Muslims do not consider Islamic education as a valuable assets to instil in their offsprings. This they do either because most of them do not understand the need or because they are busy in the acquisition of material wealth, and this made them neglect their prior duty and obligation of guiding their offsprings.
Charity begins at home, as the saying goes… This reflect that the household is the bedrock of applying morality and leniency towards people. Charity alone does not begin at home, but also ethical and religious standards. The households serves has the stronghold of the Muslim Ummah, in nurturing ethical standards and religious knowledge to the members. We relate this saying with a reminder from the word of Allah, in Surah At-Tahrim, 66: Verse 6:
يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا قُوا أَنفُسَكُمْ وَأَهْلِيكُمْ نَارًا وَقُودُهَا النَّاسُ وَالْحِجَارَةُ عَلَيْهَا مَلَائِكَةٌ غِلَاظٌ شِدَادٌ لَّا يَعْصُونَ اللَّهَ مَا أَمَرَهُمْ وَيَفْعَلُونَ مَا يُؤْمَرُونَ
“O you who believe! save yourselves and your families from a Fire (Hell) whose fuel is Men and Stones, over which are (appointed) angels stern (and) severe, who flinch not (from executing) the Commands they receive from Allah, but do (precisely) what they are commanded.”
The world has been changing, whereby mankind orientation move from one conception to another. Most people have made materialism their new form of worship, that they now think money is the best reward in life. Thus, these people change their songs to ‘Money can do anything‘, and they neglect and forget the reason for their creation on earth. Alas, in their pursuit of wealth, they become busy in business, and at the expense of the time they are supposed to dedicate in guiding those under their control (households).
Hence, a reminder for me and everyone of the Ummah, to actively engage in positive contribution to the progress of the Ummah, and take up the responsibilities charged on us by the Creator. Taking some time to share and teach our knowledge, understanding and wisdom of the deen and our experience in life with our households and others, for people to learn and be a good model in the society. This will go a long way in reducing and curbing the indecency that is common in the society.
We seek Allah to ease our task for us, and make us among those recommended for Paradise: “Gardens (Paradise) of perpetual bliss, which they shall enter together with the righteous from among their parents, their spouses, and their offsprings; and the angels will come unto them from every gate [and will say]: “Salamun ‘Alaikum (peace be upon you), because you have persevered!” How excellent, then, this fulfilment in the hereafter!‘” [Surah Ar-Rad,13:23-24]
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