In Prayer & with Good Manners
Alhamdulillah, in continuation of the subject I addressed last Friday, every Muslim must keep in mind that his household is a treasure which Allah has entrusted to him as a sacred deposit (Amaanah). It is a place of happiness, piety, tranquillity and protection. When a couple is united through Nikah (marriage contract approved by Allah), that moment is not merely a social ceremony; it is a sacred covenant before Allah. A home founded upon Nikah, mutual respect, sacrifice and understanding becomes a source of light and blessing. Allah says in the Qur’an: “And among His signs is that He created for you, from yourselves, spouses so that you may find tranquillity with them, and He placed between you affection and mercy.” (Ar‑Rum 30: 22)
This verse clearly
shows that a Muslim household must be a place of Sakina
– inner peace, love and mercy. When husband and wife live together in respect
and piety, they receive blessings in their lives, they are granted pious
children, and they find tranquillity in their hearts.
Sometimes, as trials which test the endurance
of parents, there are children who, despite having pious parents and having
received good Tarbiyyat (Islamic ethical upbringing), unfortunately slip
and go astray from the straight path. An example of this is mentioned by Allah
Himself in the Qur’an, when He commanded His servant and prophet Khidr (as) to
take the life of a youth so that He might grant his pious parents another
child, more sincere and better in obedience. This is found in Surah Al‑Kahf:
“As
for the boy, his parents were believers,
and We feared that he would grieve them by his rebellion and disbelief. So We
intended that their Lord should replace him for them with one better in purity
and closer in affection.” (Al‑Kahf 18: 81‑82)
Thus, when a couple marries, their responsibility
is not limited merely to living together; it is a sacred trust. A household
that lives according to the teachings of Islam is like a fortress: the man is
the head of his family, responsible for his flock, and the woman is also a
leader within her home, responsible for directing the household which her
husband has established and entrusted to her, and for keeping it stable and
pure. As the Holy Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) said: “Each of you is a shepherd
and each of you is responsible for his flock. The man is a shepherd in his
house and responsible for his flock; the woman is a shepherdess in her
husband’s house and responsible for her flock.” (Bukhari)
This shows that responsibility is shared; each
must watch over the other, each must help the other in obedience to Allah. A
Muslim home is not merely a building; it is an institution which shapes a pious
generation, preparing children to become sincere servants of Allah.
When a couple begins life together, they must
fill their home with Zikrullah, with recitation of the Qur’an, with Salat and
with supplication. A house without Qur’an is empty; a house without Salat is
dark. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) taught his wives to live a simple life, far from
luxury, but filled with invocation and spiritual contentment. Allah revealed
verses (Al‑Ahzab 33: 28‑29) instructing the wives of the Prophet to
choose between worldly life and Allah, His Messenger and the Hereafter. They
chose Allah, His Prophet and the Hereafter. This shows that true happiness is
not in material wealth, but in closeness to Allah. A couple
who live in divine obedience, in piety and in fear of Allah, receive blessings
in their home, are granted pious children by Allah’s command, and find
tranquillity. A Muslim household is not a place of luxury; it is a place of
piety, satisfaction, and renunciation of worldly excess. This renunciation is
not poverty; it is a conscious choice made by the members of the household to
live in obedience to Allah.
A home worthy of Islam is also a place of
education. Every child is born upon the Fitrah, the natural state of
Islam. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) said: “Every child is born upon the Fitrah;
it is his parents who make him a Jew, a Christian or a Magian.” (Bukhari)
This shows the immense responsibility of
parents; if they neglect the Islamic education of their children and of the
household in general, if they do not set a good example, children may deviate.
Remember well that most children who become corrupt do so because of parental
negligence, because they were not taught the obligations of religion and the
Sunnah.
Therefore, a Muslim home must begin with moral
etiquettes, good manners and Islamic education in the broadest sense for
children from an early age. The mother is the first educator; the father is the
overseer and guide of his household and family. When children attend Madrassa
or Maqtab, they receive Islamic training; but if the home does not support
this, if parents do not provide a good model, do not reflect an Islamic example
before their children, that education loses its value. A married couple firmly
rooted in Islam must also make Duah to be granted pious children. Allah
shows in the Qur’an the supplication of His servants:
“Our Lord, grant us from our
spouses and our offspring the comfort of our eyes, and make us leaders for the
righteous.” (Al‑Furqan 25: 75)
This supplication is essential; every couple
must ask Allah to grant them children who are pious, obedient, a source of joy
for them and a source of tranquillity for society at large. A couple must ask
Allah for a child who is pious and always grateful – to Allah, to his parents,
and who does good everywhere, not falling into rebellion and disbelief. But
supplication must be accompanied by action: parents must set the example,
perform Salat together, read the Qur’an in the home, teach Hadith at the table
with their children and generally within the household. In short, they must
instil Islamic discipline in their home. When the Azaan is heard, the
television (and other distractions) must be turned off, and believers must make
it their duty to go to the mosque for Salat. This discipline is established to
form a pious generation.
If a Muslim household neglects its
responsibilities, the consequences are very serious. When faith is not
implanted in the heart, when the Qur’an is not recited, when Salat is not
practised, children grow up with psychological problems, bad behaviour and disobedience.
This leads to drugs, criminality and, sadly, even suicide. A home that imitates
Western lifestyles without discernment, abandoning the teachings of Islam,
produces weak men who are incapable of guiding the community. But a home
that refers every matter to the judgement of Allah and His Messenger, and
accepts the divine verdict, gains stability. Allah says:
“Those who obey Allah and His
Messenger, and fear Allah and act according to His command – it is they who
will be victorious.” (An‑Nur 24: 53)
An Islamic household must be founded upon this
principle. Among the characteristics of a Muslim home is that it refers its
affairs to the judgement of Allah and His Messenger whenever disagreement
arises, whether the matter is great or small; and all members of the family
accept Allah’s judgement and submit to His will. Such households prosper.
Another characteristic is that its members help one another in obedience to
Allah and in worship. The wife strengthens her husband’s faith, and the husband
corrects his wife’s faults; they complete one another, advise one another, and
support each other mutually.
An Islamic household is a protection against
corruption; it is a source of light for society. When husband and wife help
each other in obedience to Allah, when they complete one another, when they
correct faults with gentleness, the home becomes a place of happiness. A Muslim
home is not only a dwelling for a couple; it is the foundation of a noble
civilisation, a generous society, a strong community. A home filled with faith,
Qur’an and Salat produces heroes, scholars, sincere worshippers, pious children
and devoted women. This is the model of the household of the Holy Prophet
(pbuh) and of the Mothers of the Believers (Ummahaatul‑Mumineen). A Muslim home is a fortress; each member is
responsible for his flock; each must watch over the other. A Muslim home is a
sacred trust; it must be preserved with love, respect,
sacrifice and piety. It is a source of happiness in this world and a path to
Paradise in the Hereafter.
Therefore, remember well that a Muslim
household which preserves its Islam is a sacred treasure entrusted by Allah.
Husband and wife must live together in respect, sacrifice and piety. They must
fill the home with Qur’an, Salat and supplication. They must educate their
children in Islam, set a good example, and pray for a pious generation. If such
a home neglects its responsibilities, the consequences will be grievous. But if
it follows the teachings of Allah and the Holy Prophet (pbuh), it becomes a
fortress, a source of light, a solid foundation for a noble civilisation.
Thus, I pray that my family, disciples and the
rest of the Ummah of Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh) establish themselves firmly upon
true guidance and divine light, and that all our households become homes where
divine light descends, where tranquillity descends, and that our efforts to
please Allah result in Him keeping our children and family members pious,
guiding our homes upon the straight path, and granting us His pleasure in this
world and in the Hereafter. Insha‑Allah, Ameen.
---Friday Sermon of 05 December 2025~14 Jamadi’ul Aakhir 1447 AH delivered by Imam-Jamaat Ul Sahih Al Islam International Hazrat Muhyiuddin Al Khalifatullah Munir A. Azim (aba) of Mauritius.