Explore the rights of children in Islam, from love and protection to education and justice, with guidance from Quran and Sunnah.
In Islam, children are a blessing and a trust from Allah. They bring joy to families and hope for the future. Islam gives them great importance and protects their rights at every stage of life.
Islam safeguards children’s rights before birth by encouraging lawful marriage, praying for righteous offspring, and ensuring a safe and healthy environment for their arrival. After birth, Islam commands parents and society to care for them, provide love, education, and justice, and protect them from harm.
The guidance on the rights of children in Islam comes directly from Quran and the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. These teachings ensure that every child grows in a loving, respectful, and nurturing environment, preparing them to become righteous members of the community.
Importance of Protecting Children’s Rights in Islam
In Islam, children are considered a trust from Allah. Parents and society must protect this trust by fulfilling all the rights Allah has given them. When children receive proper care, love, and education, they grow into responsible and righteous adults who benefit the entire community.
Protecting the rights of children in Islam is not only an act of kindness but also an act of worship. By following the teachings of Quran and Sunnah, Muslims ensure that every child lives with dignity and security. Neglecting these rights harms both the child and the society, while fulfilling them brings blessings and harmony.
Islam emphasizes that raising children with justice, compassion, and Islamic values strengthens the family unit and safeguards the moral fabric of the Ummah.
Rights of Children Before Birth
Islam protects children’s rights even before they come into the world. Parents play an active role in safeguarding these rights from the very start.
1. Give the Right to Be Born from Lawful Marriage
Islam commands parents to conceive children within a lawful marriage. This ensures the child’s lineage remains pure and their dignity protected.
2. Choose Righteous Parents
A Muslim should choose a pious spouse so the future child grows in a home filled with faith, love, and good character.
3. Pray for Righteous Offspring
Parents should actively pray for righteous and healthy children, just as Prophet Zakariya عليه السلام prayed to Allah for a pure and blessed child.
By fulfilling these rights before birth, parents build the foundation for honoring the rights of children in Islam throughout their lives.
Rights of Children After Birth
In Islam, children receive clear rights from the moment they are born. Parents must fulfill these rights with care and sincerity. This ensures the child’s well-being in this life and the Hereafter.
1. Right to Life and Protection
Islam strictly forbids harming a child. Parents must protect them from physical harm, emotional abuse, and unsafe surroundings. In addition, they should create a loving and secure environment.
2. Right to a Good Name
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ encouraged giving children meaningful names. Therefore, parents should choose an Islamic name with a positive meaning.
3. Right to Breastfeeding and Care
A mother should breastfeed her child for up to two years if possible. At the same time, both parents must ensure love, proper nourishment, and safety.
4. Right to Education
Islam commands parents to teach their children both religious and worldly knowledge. This includes Quran, Islamic manners, and skills for daily life. Moreover, education should help the child grow in faith and character.
5. Right to Fair Treatment
Parents must treat all children equally. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ warned against favoritism, as it harms trust and family unity.
By fulfilling these rights, parents uphold the rights of children in Islam and prepare them to become righteous, confident members of society.
Islamic Teachings from Quran and Hadith
Quran and Hadith give clear guidance about the rights of children in Islam. These sources show how highly Islam values children and their upbringing.
Quran commands parents to protect their children from harm. For example, Allah says in Surah At-Tahrim (66:6): “O you who believe, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire whose fuel is people and stones.” This verse reminds parents to guide their children toward righteousness.
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ also showed great love and care for children. He would greet them, play with them, and pray for them. In one Hadith, he said: “He is not one of us who does not show mercy to our young ones.” This teaches Muslims to treat children with kindness and respect.
In addition, Islam emphasizes justice between children. Prophet ﷺ instructed parents not to favor one child over another in gifts or affection. This ensures fairness and harmony in the family.
By following the Quran and Sunnah, Muslims can fulfill the rights of children in Islam and raise a generation that is faithful, respectful, and strong in character.
Responsibilities of Parents and Guardians
In Islam, parents and guardians carry a serious trust. They are responsible for meeting the needs of their children in every stage of life.
1. Provide Basic Needs
Parents must give children food, shelter, clothing, and health care. These are not optional. They are essential rights in Islam.
2. Offer Love and Emotional Support
Children need affection as much as they need food. Therefore, parents should spend time with them, listen to them, and make them feel valued.
3. Teach Islamic Values
Islam commands parents to teach faith, prayer, and good manners. This guidance protects children from sin and leads them toward righteousness.
4. Ensure Worldly Education
Along with religious teaching, parents must prepare their children for life. This includes reading, writing, and practical skills for earning a lawful income.
5. Protect from Harm
Parents must shield their children from bad company, harmful habits, and unsafe environments. This protection covers both physical and spiritual dangers.
When parents and guardians fulfill these duties, they honor the rights of children in Islam and help shape a healthy and faithful generation.
Role of Society in Upholding Children’s Rights
In Islam, protecting children is not only the duty of parents. Society also plays an important role in safeguarding their rights.
A strong community ensures children grow in safe and supportive surroundings. Neighbors, relatives, and community members should watch out for any harm or neglect. In addition, they should offer help when families face difficulties.
Islam commands Muslims to care for orphans and vulnerable children. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ promised great reward for those who support an orphan. This includes providing food, shelter, education, and emotional care.
Schools, mosques, and local organizations can also protect the rights of children in Islam. They do this by offering quality education, moral guidance, and safe spaces for learning and play.
When society works together with parents, children receive the love, safety, and guidance they need. This cooperation builds a stronger and more faithful community.
Common Mistakes in Fulfilling Children’s Rights
Even with good intentions, some parents make mistakes in raising their children. However, by knowing these errors, they can work to avoid them.
1. Showing Favoritism
Some parents treat one child better than another. As a result, jealousy and resentment grow between siblings. In Islam, fairness is essential, so parents must treat all children equally.
2. Neglecting Islamic Education
Parents sometimes focus only on school grades and forget religious learning. However, without Islamic knowledge, children may struggle to stay on the right path. Therefore, both types of education are necessary.
3. Using Excessive Harshness
Strict discipline without compassion can harm a child’s self-esteem. On the other hand, balanced discipline with kindness builds respect and trust.
4. Ignoring Emotional Needs
A child who receives food and clothing but no love still feels neglected. For this reason, emotional care is just as important as physical care.
5. Failing to Protect from Harm
Some parents allow harmful media, bad company, or unsafe places. Instead, they should actively monitor and guide their children toward healthy choices.
By avoiding these mistakes, parents fulfill the rights of children in Islam more completely and raise children who are balanced, confident, and faithful.
Conclusion
In Islam, children hold a special place as a blessing and trust from Allah. Therefore, parents and society must work together to protect their rights. These rights begin before birth and continue throughout their lives.
By providing love, education, protection, and fair treatment, we follow the teachings of Quran and Sunnah. As a result, children grow into righteous and responsible members of the Ummah.
Fulfilling the rights of children in Islam is not only an act of mercy but also an act of worship. Moreover, it strengthens families and builds a healthier society.
Every effort to honor these rights brings reward from Allah. For this reason, Muslims should commit to giving every child the care, respect, and guidance they deserve.
Read also: Motherhood in Islam: Status, Duties, and Rewards