Prayers for Our Children: How They Guide Their Worldly and Afterlife
Actions and behaviors without prayer are incomplete. For prayer is a connection with Allah. A person who knows the existence, oneness, creativity, and power of Allah, and accepts their own helplessness, can pray… Therefore, prayer is both worship and a bond with Allah. Servitude to Allah is His mercy.
We submit our desired wishes, both our worldly aspirations and our afterlife desires, to our Lord. We speak to Him, we supplicate Him. When done sincerely and with belief, prayer is like therapy. What could be more reassuring than seeking refuge in the most merciful of Lords, a power that is limitless and boundless?
THE EFFECT OF PARENTS’ PRAYERS ON CHILDREN
One of the most important things we should pay attention to and strive for when raising our children is the verses and prayers we recite for them… Are we turning into mothers who constantly pray, performing every task with effort, or are we becoming mothers who try to control everything? Of course, we want the best for our children, so we try to research and learn. But how can we add a little bit of patience (tawakkul) and submission (taslimiyet) to these efforts, and how can we turn to Allah with prayers? Let’s take a look.
A hadith states: “There are three supplications that are surely accepted: the prayer of an oppressed person, the prayer of a guest, and the prayer of parents for their children.” (Abu Dawud, Witir, 29/1536; Tirmidhi, Birr, 7/1905, Duawāt, 47)
This means that prayers have a great effect on the upbringing of our children… Every parent, especially an in-faith parent, surely prays for their children. But when we think and examine them a little, we unfortunately see that most of these prayers are for worldly desires on behalf of our children. However, we know that;
“When a person dies, all his deeds are cut off except for three: continuous charity (sadaqah jariyah), knowledge from which people benefit, and a righteous child who prays for him. (Muslim, Wasiyyah, 14; Tirmidhi, Ahkam, 36)
Therefore, our children are our record book that does not close after we die.
The great Islamic scholar Ibn al-Qayyim says:
“If a person knew that death would cut him off from his deeds, he would perform righteous deeds whose reward continues after his death. If he has even a little worldly means, he would donate it, plant trees, divert water, and strive to raise generations who will remember Allah so that reward may come to him! Or he would compose a book teaching beneficial knowledge. For a scholar’s book of this kind is his righteous child who continues forever. The scholar acts with his knowledge and serves as an example to those who follow him. Such a person does not die!” (Ibn al-Qayyim, Sayd al-Hatir, p. 12)
PRAYERS FOR A RIGHTEOUS CHILD
It is of course very acceptable to pray as it comes from our hearts. But the essence is to frequently recite prayer examples that exist in the Quran and Sunnah after prayers, while cooking, in short, at every opportunity.
Prophet Zechariah -peace be upon him- supplicated to Allah Most High:
“…“My Lord, grant me from Your presence a pure offspring, surely You are the Best to hear supplication.” (Al-Imran, 38)
The prayers of parents have an effect on generations. Prophet Ibrahim -peace be upon him-, while building the Kaaba with his son Prophet Ismail, implored Allah as follows:
“Our Lord! Make us submissive to You and of our offspring a nation (that is) Muslim. Our Lord! And make us the leaders of righteous people.” (Al-Baqarah, 128)
As a sign of acceptance of this prayer, the Prophet -peace and blessings be upon him- said:
“I am the supplication of my grandfather Ibrahim.” (Hakim, II, 453; Ahmed, IV, 127-128)
Of course, we are naturally concerned that our children may fall into Satan’s traps and ruin their worldly and afterlife… Here is what the mother of Prophet Mary felt and supplicated for her infant daughter just opening her eyes to the world:
“And when she brought him forth to her people, they said, ‘A female! Has Allah given me a male child? Verily, whatever you say is nothing but a lie. They named her Maryam.’ And they denied the truth. ‘It is not right for a woman to name her child after a prophet!’ They said, ‘Allah forbid! It is He who has no partner and no son.’” (Al-Imran, 36)
Here are some other prayers that we will not fail to mention from our tongues and hearts for our children:
“My Lord, grant me a righteous (son).” (As-Saffat, 100)
“My Lord! Make me and my offspring upholders of prayer.” (Ibrahim, 40)
“And those who say: ‘Our Lord, grant us mercy from You and a way that leads to righteousness.’” (Al-Furqan, 74)
“Hani, Imran’s wife said, “My Lord! I dedicate her to Your service.” And Allah accepted it. Surely, He is the Best of those who hear.” (Al-Imran, 35)
“…My Lord! Grant me ability to be grateful for the favor You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents, and to do righteous deeds that You approve of; and make my offspring follow in my footsteps. Verily, You are the Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful.” (Al-Ahkaf, 15)
There are other prayers that we will not fail to mention from our tongues and hearts for our children. In the Quran:
“Those who disbelieve say, ‘Had we known it, surely we would not have followed them.’ They certainly lie.” (Al-Kalam, 51)
The Prophet -peace and blessings be upon him- said:
“Evil eye is a reality.” (Bukhari, Tibb, 36) and for someone with jaundice: “Pray for him, for he has an evil eye.” (Bukhari, Tibb, 35)
In another hadith, the following supplication is taught:
“I seek refuge in the perfect words of Allah from all kinds of Satan and poisonous creatures and all envious eyes.” (Bukhari, Ahadis al-Anbiya, 10; Ibn Majah, Tibb, 36)
The Prophet -peace and blessings be upon him- recited Muawwizatayn (Surahs Al-Falaq and An-Nas) when he was sick or had an evil eye[1], and blew on his hands and wiped his entire body with them.[2]
Just as generations have been affected by the prayers of prophets, we too should share in their supplications and make these verses a regular practice for our tongues and hearts. Let us not keep these verses in a corner of our minds, knowing their meanings. Let us intend to put them into action and recite them frequently. Let us recite them so that we can feel their effect. Let us increase the light of our children so that darkness decreases.
We can also add seeking prayers from righteous people, and obtaining the prayers of those who are oppressed and wronged by doing good deeds and acts of kindness. For these are both a guarantee for us and for our children, materially and spiritually.
Allah Most High says: “…O My servants! All of you go astray except those whom I have guided, so ask Me for guidance that I may guide you.”[4] Therefore, seeking refuge in Him who gives guidance and asking Him is at the top of the list of things to do for our children.
Notes:
- [1] Bukhari, Fadail al-Quran, 14; Muslim, Salam, 50-51.
- [2] Nasa’i, Istiaza, 37; Tirmidhi, Tibb, 17.
- [3] Bukhari, Fadail al-Quran, 14.
- [4] Muslim, Birr, 55/2577.