Grasp your youth before you become old

Youth

The Holy Qur’ân states:

“O Allâh! Grant that our spouses and offspring be the coolness of our eyes and cause us to be a model for the righteous.”

"Say (O Prophet) "Come so that I may cite to you what Allah has forbidden for you: that you do not associate partners unto Him, that you be kind to your parents, …., and approach not any indecency…"

The Holy Qur’ân speaks of the youth who opposed a value system based on kufr and vanity, in the following words: "Behold, the youth betook themselves to the Cave, they said: "Our Lord, bestow on us mercy from Thyself and dispose for us our affair in the right manner … Indeed they were a group of youth who believed in their Lord, and We increased them in guidance".

The Prophet Sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam said:

- “Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) said, "Grasp five things before five others: your youth before you become old , your health before your illness, your riches before your poverty, your leisure before your work, and your life before your death."

“There are seven whom Allah will shade in His shade on the day on which there is no shade except His shade: a just imam, a youth who grows up worshipping Allah, a man whose heart is attached to the mosque when he leaves it until he returns to it, two men who love each other in Allah and meet for that and part for that, a man who remembers Allah when he is alone and his eyes overflow with tears, a man who refuses the approaches of a noble, beautiful woman, saying "I fear Allah," and a man who gives sadaqa and conceals it so that his left hand does not know what his right hand gives.' "

Nabî Sallallâhu 'alayhi wasallam ‘Every child is born on Fitrah (a natural inclination towards Islam). It is his parents who turn him towards Judaism, Christianity or fire-worship’. (Mishkât). Every child is born in a state of pure innocence. It is his social upbringing, the values that his/her parents display that impact and influence his identity.

Parents thus have an enormous responsibility in moulding the character of their children. If they build a strong, trusting, and loving relationship with their children before the teenage years, their children will be less likely to go astray.

As with all blessings of Allah, children can be either a joy or a source of grave concern, a blessing or a curse – depending on how we mould and guide them. Children can be a source of enormous tranquility and self -fulfillment yet they can become the root of the greatest heartbreak, pain and sorrow. The very child that provides joy and happiness can also produce the greatest hurt and sorrow. Our great dreams for our children could suddenly turn into unimaginable nightmares. One of the most challenging and daunting tasks parents face today is that of developing a meaningful relationship with their children, especially teenagers who often rebel against their society and parents. According to a recent survey, 20% of children living in western society have not had a 10-minute conversation with a parent in a month. Their conversation is with TV, which acts as their mother, father, baby-sitter, and teacher. By the time they are teens, they have seen an estimated 18 000 violent murders on TV.

Alcohol, drugs, frequenting of movie houses and rave clubs and illicit sexual activity are but some of the hazards youth encounter in their quest for independence, joy, and adventure.

Teenagers are idealists, they want to change the world, and make it a better place. These are not bad ideals, and it is a great pity that adults have forgotten their own ideals in the rat race of daily life. It is up to the parents to point them in the right direction.

If we get teenagers involved in helping those in need, community projects, participating in Islamic programmes and camps and in working for important causes, their zeal could make a tremendous impact on their future and the shape of the world to come.

Youth have great potential. Remember:

• That the resistance of the youth served as a catalyst for the eventual demise of the oppressive regime in South Africa,

• That the youth of Afghanistan liberated their country from the Soviet Union and the Taliban have yet again revolted against corruption and civil strife,

• That the lonely defendants of Masjidul Aqsa are no more than the youth of Palestine,

• That the archenemy of Islam, Abu Jahl was killed by two youths barely in their teens.

• That the first male to believe in Nabi sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam was a ten old boy named Ali bin Talib Radiyallahu ‘anhu

• That Nabi sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam assigned a number of positions and responsibilities to the youth. He appointed a young man of twenty-one, Itab Ibn Usayd as the first governor of Makkah.

• That Muhammad ibn Qasim conquered Sind in India when he was only seventeen.

• The Prophet sallallahu `alayhi wa sallam appointed Zaid ibn Harithah as the Amir of a Jamaat that included Abu Bakr and Umar Radiyallahu ‘anhu.

-Taken from Jamiatul Ulama Online Newsletter Vol: 3 No.: 08 - http://www.jamiat.co.za/newsletter/online_newsletter_0308.htm