Islam_in_Focus_text

But it hastens to stress the greater joys of the spirit and cau-
tion parents against overconfidence, false pride, or misdeeds
that might be caused by children. The religious moral princi-
ple of this position is that every individual, parent or child,
relates to God directly and is independently responsible for
his deeds. No child can absolve the parent on the Day of
Judgment. Nor can a parent intercede on behalf of his child.
Finally, Islam is strongly sensitive to the crucial dependence
of the child on the parents. Their decisive role in forming the
child's personality is clearly recognized in Islam, In a very
suggestive statement, the Prophet declared that every child is
born into the true malleable nature of Fitrah (i.e, the pure
natural state of Islam), its parents later on make it into a Jew,
Christian or pagan.
According to these guidelines, and more specifically,
one of the most inalienable rights of the child in Islam is the
right to life and equal life chances. Preservation of the
child's life is the third commandment in Islam. (6:151, cf.
17:23 ff).
Another equally inalienable right is the right of legitima-
cy which holds that every child shall have a father, and one
father only. A third set of rights comes under socialization,
upbringing, and general care. To take good care of children
is one of the most commendable deeds in Islam. The Prophet
was fond of children and he expressed his conviction that his
Muslim Community would be noted among other communi-