Islam and Women

Children and perpetual charity

Umm-e-Milad Attariyyah

A man dreamt that while the dead were coming out of the graves, collecting something from the ground, one man remained seated contentedly. He asked him: ‘What are these people gathering?’ He replied that ‘They are gathering blessings from the charity, supplications, prayers upon the Prophet صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, and other acts of worship that have been performed by the living.’ He then asked: ‘Why are you not gathering anything?’ to which he answered, ‘One of my sons is a hafiz of the Qur'an. He completes a reading of the Quran daily and conveys its reward to me.’ A short while later, he saw the deceased of the same cemetery in a dream. This time, that man whose son used to recite the Holy Qur'an and convey the reward to him was also busy gathering from the ground. Upon enquiring in the morning, it was discovered that the son had died, (Raud-ul-Riyaheen, p. 177, summarised)

Death is an inescapable truth. Its arrival marks the closure of the doors of performing good deeds and attaining reward. However, three things that benefit us even after death, were taught to us by the Beloved Prophet of Allah صَلَّى الـلّٰـهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم: When a person dies, his actions terminate except for three:

1. Ongoing charity

2. Knowledge that benefits

3. Pious offspring that prays for him. (Muslim, p. 684, Hadith 4223)

After death, we will remain in the grave till the Day of Judgment. Who knows what will happen to a person in the grave? However, the fortunate ones who performed good deeds themselves in this world and left behind people who convey reward to them after their death will enjoy comfort in the grave by the mercy of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ.

Unfortunately, the fast pace of life today means that people seldom help the living, let alone think of the dead! Those people who are continuously sent reward after death are truly fortunate. We should try to leave the having led our children on the right path so that their deeds are a source of comfort and ongoing charity for us after we die.

Ameer-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat ‘Allamah Maulana Abu Bilal Muhammad Ilyas Attar Qadiri دَامَـتْ بَـرَكَـاتُـهُـمُ الْـعَـالِـيَـهْ says that ‘Pious children are a means of ongoing charity and by through their supplications, deceased parents are granted ease. The Madani environment of Dawat-e-Islami is one great means of making children pious.’

Our children are our most valuable assets but we often fall short in teaching them morals. Our children are constantly exposed to evils that society has normalized. If we want to protect them against disobeying Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and the hellfire, then first of all, we must teach them the noble Quran and the essentials of Islam. Those parents who do not teach their children the basics of Islam need to reflect. Parents who worry about their child’s transient worldly success should worry, foremost, about their perpetual hereafter. Right now, you are able to carry out your own work, but you need to prepare your child for that time when you will be in need of good deeds in the grave.

Pious children benefit us in this world and in the Hereafter. Righteous children provide comfort in the grave, while disobedient children become a test in this world and a cause of grief in the Hereafter. So, try to make your children pious before you die so that they pray for you and become a means of perpetual charity.

O Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ! Allow us to succeed in making our children Your sincere servants before we leave this world.

اٰمِیْن بِجَاہِ النَّبِیِّ الْاَمِیْن صَلَّی اللہ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلہٖ وَسَلَّم