Making children used to shouldering responsibilities

Under category: How He treated them?

He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, would make them used to shouldering responsibilities from a young age, because they are the men of tomorrow.

Anas says:

“The Messenger of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, came to me as I was playing with some young boys. He, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, greeted us and sent me on a task, and I was slow in returning to my mother. When I came to her she asked: ‘What kept you?’ I said: ‘The Messenger of Allah sent me on an errand.’ She said: ‘What was the purpose [of the errand]?’ I said: ‘It is secret.’ She said: ‘Do not [then] divulge the secret of the Messenger of Allah to anyone.”’ After a period, when one of his companions asked him what the secret was, Anas said: “By Allah, if I were to divulge it to anyone, then, O Thaabit, I would have divulged it to you.”1

And in another narration, Anas said:

“The Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, confided a secret to me, so I did not inform anyone about it, and Umm Sulaym [Anas’ mother] asked me [about it], but I did not tell her.”2

Al-’Uthaymeen (a scholar) said commenting on these narrations: “The good manners and character of the Prophet of Allah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sal- lam, and his great humbleness; despite his status and the honorable position he occupied, he greeted the boys with Salaam as they were playing in the streets.”3


المراجع

  1. Reported by Muslim (2482). 
  2. Reported by Al-Bukhaari (6289).
  3. Sharh Riyaadh As-Saaliheen (41-44/4).