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An Abuja-based Islamic cleric, Imam Abdurahman Ribado, has cautioned parents and guardians against exposing their children to television, internet and social media at the early stage of life.
Ribado, who is the Deputy Chief Imam of Nurul Yaqeen Juma’at Mosque, Life Camp, Abuja, gave the advice while delivering his Juma’at sermon titled: “The Benefits of Good Parental Upbringing in Islam,” on Friday.
He also warned parents against leaving their children with nannies for a long time and sending their children to day-care centers at a very early age to be cared for.
He said that such children were often cared for in groups by different sets of people, with different religious beliefs, backgrounds and characters.
The cleric said that parents and children in Islam were bound together by mutual obligations and reciprocal arrangements.
Ribado said that parents were essentially responsible for the moral, physical, social, mental and religious upbringing of their children.
The Iman said, “parents would be held accountable for this trust on the day of judgement.”
Ribado also stated that parents were the first, most important and permanent teachers to a child, adding that parents play a very important role in the lives of their children.
He said: It is the responsibility of every parent to build a solid foundation for his kids in order to live behind them a successful life, here and hereafter.
” The foundation needs to be built at an early age, and needs to keep it up throughout the child’s age of adolescence and beyond.
“Individual’s life success and failure depend largely on good or poor parental upbringing.
” However, some parents nowadays have become so lackadaisical or preoccupied with their jobs or with making money or with their social lives that children are often neglected.”
Ribado, therefore, enjoined fathers to select a righteous mother for their children, and mothers to choose righteous fathers for their children.
He also advised parents to teach their children how to recite the Glorious Qur’an, with understanding and sound Islamic knowledge.
Ribado added:”Giving your child both islamic and formal education. Giving education means to look after him.
“It also means to nurture, to nourish, to support, to help grow and flourish throughout his academic career from childhood to adulthood.
” Inculcating in them physical mental, moral, spiritual, social, economic and financial training that will benefit them and the society.
” Effective monitoring and supervision in their rooms, on cellphones, at home, school, environment, peer groups, Mosques and work places.” (NAN)
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