Raising the child - Father should make his children memorize the Book of Allaah The Almighty

7-   father should make his children memorize the book of allaah the almighty:

the most beneficial thing to the father and his son in the worldly life and the hereafter is memorizing the noble quran. it will come to intercede for his companions with allaah the almighty on the day of resurrection. whoever has lost the chance of memorizing the noble quran when he was young, then he should make his male and female children memorize it. memorizing it in the young ages is easier than doing this in the old ages.

here is the story of ‘amr ibn abi salamah which is the best proof that explains that the child memorizes quickly and encourages one to hasten to make his children memorize it:

‘amr ibn abi salamah, may allaah be pleased with him, said: “we were at a place which was a thoroughfare for the people, and the caravans used to pass by us and we would ask them, "what is wrong with the people? they would say, "that man claims that allaah has sent him (as a messenger), and that allah has revealed to him such-and-such." i used to memorize that (divine) talk, and feel as if it was inculcated in my chest (i.e. mind). when his tribe embraced islam, the prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, ordered them to perform prayer. so they looked for such a person and found none who knew more quran than i because of the quranic material which i used to learn from the caravans. they, therefore, made me their imam (to lead the prayer) and at that time i was a boy of six or seven years.” [reported by al-bukhaari] 

·  amongst the other evidences that prove that this is the way adopted by the companions is the saying of ibn ‘abbaas, may allaah be pleased with them: “i have memorized al-muhkam during the lifetime of the messenger of allaah, peace and blessings be upon him.” it was said to him: ‘what is al-muhkam?’ he replied: “al-mufasal (from the chapter of al-hujaraat till the end of the quran).” he (i.e. ibn ‘abbaas) also said: “ask me about the interpretation of the quran for i have memorized it while i was young.”

·ibn ‘abbaas, may allaah be pleased with them, said: “whoever recites quran before reaching the age of puberty, then he is of those who are given wisdom while they are young.” [al-adaab ash-shar‘iyyah by ibn muflih]

·what also can be cited here is the story of al-farazdaq when he entered along with his father on ‘ali ibn abi taalib, may allaah be pleased with him, and said to him: “my son is about to be a poet.” then ‘ali said: make him recite (memorize) quran for it would be better for him! he said: “his words are engraved in me until i fastened myself with a bond and took upon myself not to unfasten it until i memorize the quran.” so he remained so until he memorize it. [khaazant al-adab]

also, father should teach his child the prophetic supplication, athkaar (invocations) of morning and evening, du‘aa’ (supplication) of istikhaarah (seeking guidance to the right decision), and the like of what can make him attached to the sunnah of the prophet, peace and blessings be upon him. 

the second stage: the beginning of maturity:

after maturity, you will reap the fruits that you have planted, cared and exhausted yourself for it. if you really educated him well in his young ages, surely your son will be a pleasure for your eye; otherwise, he will be sadness and grief for you.

after maturity, the father should stop hitting and rebuking because this may make the son assault his father, or make something that has bad repercussions. however, he should supplicate allaah the almighty for him and speak to him and use the proper methods to reform him.

the father should help his son financially to marry if he is financially able.

we ask allaah the almighty to grant us and you good and righteous offspring.