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Prophet of Allah,(PBUH)would assert the importance of being truthful with them and not lying to them
It was reported from ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Aamir that he said:
“My mother called me one day when the Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, was sitting in our house. She said: ‘Come here and I shall give you something.’ The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, asked her: ‘What did you intend to give him?’ She replied: ‘To give him some dates.’ Thereupon the Mes- senger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: ‘If you were not to give him anything, a lie would have been recorded against you.’”1
Al-’Atheem Abaadi (a scholar) said: “From this narration we learn that what some people say to children, for example when they are crying, by promis- ing them something or frightening them, is unlawful and enters the category of lying.”2
Lying to a child destroys his trust in his parents, so he will stop lis- tening to them and may imitate them in lying, because he observes the behavior of his elders and copies it.
One must be truthful when trying to pacify children, trying to make them laugh or telling them stories; lying is one of the ugliest of traits but one of the easiest to acquire and the hardest to get rid of.
One last word on the issue of children, dealing with them tenderly and leniently, in addition to respecting and appreciating them makes them stable adults accustomed to independence, and nurtures in them love of others, living in harmony and brotherhood with them, and treating others with the compassion and mercy that they have known in their childhood.
Conclusion:
These are just a few examples of the Prophet’s gentleness, mercy, and respect towards elderly and children. These examples, and many others, translate the sublime Islamic code of ethics for treating the most vulner- able sections of society and provide generation after generation with a practical model that they should follow. Such care is in line with the Is- lamic principle of the dignity of the human being and with the spirit of solidarity and mercy that ought to spread throughout society.
While reading these glimpses of the dealings of Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, we come to a better understanding of his ex- traordinary mission and personality. It is in understanding this reality that perhaps we can better appreciate his moral strength.
We see in Prophet Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, a merciful and compassionate person who, whether witnessing pain or hope in oth- ers, responded with love and tenderness. When we consider him in this context his extraordinary talents, wisdom and humble ways enable us to see the value in modelling ourselves after him as we go about our daily activities.
المراجع
- Reported by Abu Daawood (4991).
- ‘Awn Al-Ma’bood (229/13).
