My Newborn and Her Future
The recent birth of my daughter has given me joy within the current climate of doom and gloom. In order to better navigate through this atmosphere, I feel that I should put forth the principles that Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) has taught us that I am going to pass on to my daughter. It is in this spirit that I have encapsulated the sermon into these 5 main points:
- Worship Allah, say your five daily prayers, fast during the month of Ramadan, give Zakat (annual tax), and perform Hajj.
- A white person has no superiority over a black person nor black any superiority over white except by piety and good action.
- Neither inflict nor suffer inequity.
- Pass on the wisdom to others and those to others again.
- Men have rights over women and women have rights over men.
Worship Allah, say your five daily prayers, fast during the month of Ramadan, give Zakat (annual tax), and perform Hajj
During these times of great misinformation, it is important for her to know the basic tenets of Islam. Because of this misinformation, it is easy to be misled. For example, some of our youths are being seduced by self-righteous elements. What better way to lead them back to the proper path than a good understanding of these basic pillars?
These central tenets form the first line of defence from such deception. Supporting these tenets is a list of values that we could derive from the last sermon.
A white person has no superiority over a black person nor black has any superiority over white except by piety and good action
An important value she should learn is equality. The superiority of a person should not be measured by wealth or ancestry ‘except by piety and good action’. No one is better than another except for what is in his heart and his good deeds. It is difficult to know if a person is good or bad because we are not able to read what is in his mind and heart, so the safe thing to do is to assume the purity of a person. Even if it was proven that a person has done a bad deed, we should always believe that he is able to turn over a new leaf or that it was his circumstance that led him to such misfortune.
Hopefully, having such a perspective will enable her to develop empathy and kindness. It is important for her to understand her roots but she has to be kind to everyone regardless of ethnicity or class status first and foremost. From this experience it is my greatest wish that I will be able to impart one of the Prophet’s most important lessons, mutual respect and understanding.
Neither inflict nor suffer inequity
The rich part of the world have achieved progress at the expense of that mutual respect and understanding. That lack of mutual respect has given way to an unjust world that sets a path of inequity. I have observed this both in the east and west. Instead of sharing knowledge and resources, the wealthier regions continue to plunder the poor areas, all in the name of material wealth.
Aspiring for material wealth should not be her main life goal. It should be one of them because without wealth, the opportunity for a person to do good becomes less likely. The overarching mission should be giving everyone an opportunity and doing it without inflicting or suffering inequity.
Pass on the wisdom to others and Those to others again.
One of the ways that inequity could be minimised is through education. Unfortunately, despite the existence of many learning institutions, we appear not to have honoured the lessons learnt in the past. The current state of the world proves this notion. By right, learning previous wisdom and passing it on to others should have created an improving world. Obviously something is missing and that something got lost in the translation.
It is a daunting task but it is something that I would like her to embody besides being just. Undoubtedly, there are many ways that she could pass it on. However, I find that the most effective way is by embodying this quality so that she could be the example personified.
Men have rights over women and women have rights over men
The lack of education has been one of the injustices that women have suffered throughout the centuries. One of the sources of this suffering is the lack of knowledge about the rights of men and women. It is essential that she knows this. She has to know that as a woman, she has rights.
The Prophet brought this form of equality into his society. He did not negate men’s right to rule at that time but he emphasised the responsibility that came with the power. Armed with this knowledge of the Law, she will be able to navigate through the nooks and crevices of life expertly. From the cusps of that knowledge, I hope that it will give rise to a confident and headstrong personality.
However, this challenge that I am facing would not have come to fruition if not for my partner. Without her, Allah would not have blessed us with this beautiful child. What I have learnt during the few years that I have known her is that she has a pure heart and is full of kindness.
It is no coincidence that these were the qualities that our beloved Prophet embodied and acted on throughout his life. It is the very reason that just like him, I wish that she develops into a signpost of intelligence that is a beacon of guidance towards peace. It is my greatest hope that my child inherits those qualities that I have just mentioned to act as a companion to the principles that I have attempted to unravel above.