The Importance of the Good Child

The need for a good child is an instinctive need for every father and mother as he is a blessing from Allah (all praised) and many fathers and mothers are deprived from it. When Allah (all praised) bestows them a child, happiness fills every corner of their life. However, how could their life be if this child was a good Believer who carries his parents’ name and prays for them through his ethics and religion? The Most Honorable Messenger of Allah (Allah’s prayers and peace upon Him and His Household) said: “Part of man’s happiness is in his good child.”

A good child who represents his parents’ expectations is a true myrtle. On the contrary, a bad child is nothing but a big tragedy for his parents and he exposes them to humiliation in this life and to questioning in the hereafter, as The Prince of Believers (p.b.u.h) said:
“A bad child destroys the honor and brings shame to the ancestors.”

Many versions talk about the importance of a good child in both homes: this world and the hereafter.

The Impact of a Good Child in this Life

In addition to being the apple of his parents’ eye as the holy verse says:
{And who submit, “Our Lord, soothe our eyes with our wives and our children, and make us leaders of the pious.”} (Surat Al-Furqan; 74).

A good child shows other impacts in this life, as he would be the right arm for his parents in life’s troubles, miseries and especially when they are old and unable to work. Imam Zein Al-Abidin (p.b.u.h) says: “A Man’s happiness is having a shop in his country, having good friends and a good child to rely on.”

The Impact of a Good Child in the Hereafter:

A good child brought up on the Islamic lessons carries good deeds to his parents even after their death, through his good work and prayer for them. Imam Al-Sadek (p.b.u.h) said:

“Only three jobs carry reward for a person after his death: a charity he paid in his life that lasts after his death; a guiding Sunna (good law) he enacted and people continue to work with it; and a good child who prays for him.”

As a person who enacts a good Sunna is rewarded, also parents who teach their children Islamic lessons and bring them up on good morals and generous giving, are rewarded when their children apply these lessons. In a version for The Most Honorable Messenger (Allah’s prayers and peace upon Him and His Household):

“Issa son of Mariam (Mary) (p.b.u.h) passed by a grave and the man lying under it was being tortured. Then He passed by a year later and the man was not being tortured, so He said: ‘My God! I passed by this grave a year ago and the man was being tortured and I passed by him this year and he was not being tortured? So Allah told him that this man has a good child who fixed a road and took shelter an orphan so I forgave the man’s sins for what his son did.’ Then the Messenger of Allah (Allah’s prayers and peace upon Him and His Household): The heritage of Allah (all praised) from his slave is a son who worships Him after him.