Page 79 - The Truth of the Life of This World
P. 79

forsake beloved ones. Yet on the day of judgement there will be no hope
          of escaping eternal punishment by such an act.
             For the people of an ignorant society, children become the source of
          many problems not only in the hereafter but also in this world. From birth
          onwards, rearing a child entails burdensome responsibilities for parents. It
          is an especially difficult experience for the pregnant mother. First, the day
          she receives the news of a baby, she has to change her life-style entirely.
          She has to reorder her priorities. In this respect the needs of the baby in

          her womb always come first; her eating habits, the way she sleeps, in brief,
          her whole personal life changes entirely. Towards the end of the period of
          pregnancy, doing daily work and most simple bodily movements become
          impossible for the mother. Yet, the major difficulties start after birth. The
          mother spends all her time taking care of the baby. The baby usually
          leaves its mother very little time for her personal needs and tasks.
          Therefore, the mother looks forward to the time when her baby grows old
          enough to take care of its own needs. In the meantime, the mother does
          not recognise how quickly the years pass. If done for the good pleasure of
          Allah, such a long time can be considered as a way of worship. Yet for the
          members of an ignorant society, these years are nothing more than point-
          less trouble.
             Parents in an ignorant society usually feel disappointment when they
          raise their family. Raised as a member of an ignorant society, the child gen-
          erally develops a self-centred personality. Under the misguidance of self-
          ish drives and motives, he shows interest in the needs of his parents only
          if it serves him to do so. His parents, now old and experiencing age-relat-
          ed problems, only understand this fact late in life. However in the early
          years of parenthood, they imagine that when their children grow up they
          would be major supports in times of unexpected trouble, but contrary to
          this expectation, they may even find themselves in rest-homes.
             Allah in the Qur'an presents man with a framework, according to which
          believers must conduct themselves responsibly towards their parents. Allah
          requires respect and mercy towards parents, especially those in old age:
              Your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him, and that you be kind




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