Are children a blessing or a curse?

Visit our YouTube channel for more

Question: May Allaah protect and preserve you. When children are upon goodness, is this a blessing [from Allaah]; and when they are corrupt, are they a curse?

Response: [There is] no doubt, that children are indeed a blessing from Allaah if they are upon goodness; however, there is a reason for their being upon goodness, and that is good nurturing – the nurturing of the father towards them, as he ﷺ said:

«Teach your children to pray when they are seven [years old], and smack them if they do not when they are ten [years old], and separate them in their beds.» Transmitted by Abu Daawood, and declared authentic by al-Albaanee.

[So] goodness does not come by accident, there has to be a reason – and that [reason] is good nurturing; because bad nurturing causes the children to deviate away from the sound natural disposition [towards worshiping Allaah alone – as they were created], [as he ﷺ said:]

«Every child is born upon a sound natural disposition [towards worshiping Allaah alone], [and it is] then [that] his parents bring him up as a Jew, or a Christian, or a Magian.» Transmitted by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim.

And the nurturing of the father towards the children plays a big role – both in them being upon goodness, as well as their corruption; and he is responsible for them in front of Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala.


Translation originally published on 25 April, 2015

He is a graduate of the Islaamic University of Madeenah, having graduated from the Institute of Arabic Language, and later the Faculty of Sharee'ah in 2004. He currently resides in Birmingham, UK.

Related posts