Youth & Religion

Faith in Allah, the All-Knowing, the All-Powerful, is an intrinsic part of the innate human nature. Thus, man inevitably reaches out to Allah and has no other means to satiate the God-Seeking or Truth-Seeking urge of his nature. One of the most invaluable gifts of"Iman" or trust in Allah is that at the time of distress or great difficulties, it serves as the coolest touch of healing. A youth whose faith in Allah is strong knows that when all worldly powers are helpless, He is the only real Power who can support and save His servant.
Ironically, just as a youth is inclined towards rebellion and sins, and is caught up in lustful desires, at the same time he experiences a strong God-Seeking urge in himself. Although in youth, all emotions are new and active, as soon as he reaches adulthood, his sense of religiousness awakens, since every youth is bestowed with a divine innate nature.
When a teenager is nearing adolescence, and adulthood, along with the growth of his physical strength, the seeds of faith and conscience begin to sprout in him and his inborn urge of faith and morality are strongly awakened. Studies show that the urge for religiousness begins at the age of 12 and in normal healthy people, faith in eternal truth and the urge to worship are strengthened as they grow up.
The natural tendency of youth towards moral and religious virtues as well as piety is so strong that even in not so religious families, they protest against their parents" non-religious and improper conduct and behavior. The inclination towards religion is so powerful in youth that as rightfully stated by most psychologists, there is an undeniable correlation between adolescence related crises and religious inclinations. Thus we find that even in irreligious families, very often at the age of maturity, their children show a lot of interest in religious matters.
To follow moral and religious tendencies means to abide by the law of creation. Taking the spiritual tendencies of the youth for granted and suppressing their religious inclinations is an outright breach of human nature`fetrat" and the order of creation and is bound to have serious repercussions. The Glorious Qur"an says:
"And whosoever gives no heed to My warnings shall live in distress." (20:124)
More often than not, this question may come up in the mind of a youth: "Why do I need to worship Allah?" Superficial answers to such questions would only frustrate him and he would never be placated.
The explanation to this question is that man, by nature, is egoistic and ambitious. He longs for superiority over others. These same characteristics reveal that his inborn urge is to seek what he lacks. Since he is innately weak and his knowledge is limited, he therefore, longs and urges for what he does not possess. So, inevitably he turns to Allah for he intuitively knows that He is the Only One who can satiate his urge.
It should however be mentioned that Allah does not need our services and it does not in any way exalt His Exalted position. He was great ever before the creation of mankind. Our servitude to Allah on the other hand does not demean us in any way. So the question that arises here is what is the effect of this servitude in our lives. This very servitude gives us lessons of magnanimity, love, freedom, forgiveness and compassion - the fruits of worship and service to Allah.
Service to the One Supreme that frees us from the clutches of misery and bondage in the service of the lower self. Surely, pure worship of Allah reforms our intellect and minds and purifies our intentions. This purification puts us on the Path to Perfection. By nature, we are all seekers of Perfection and Truth.
Sources:
1- "Youth & Religion", Dr. Mazloomi, Rajabali.
2- "What Do the Youth Ask", A"lami, Muhammad Ali.
3- "Youth from Point of View of Logic & Feelings", Journal of Islamic Knowledge.

Author: Mazloomi
Source: en.rafed.net

Islamic Upkeep of the Teenagers

What should I do if I have a teenager who neglects prayers and is not interested in hijab?
Question: My daughter is seventeen years old. She pays no attention to prayers. I hate forcing her to offer prayers against her will, but at the same time I cannot bear to have her give up prayers. Moreover, she does not care for her veil. With what would you advise me to make her abide by these religious obligations?
The answer: First, please, excuse me to say that you have come late!
Second, you should offer prayers in her presence without making her think that you do it intentionally, and after your prayers, supplicate to Allah for her. Mention her name and pray to Allah to make her successful in her life! This will gradually make her love prayers, and whenever she achieves success or gains some good, tell her that this is because of the blessing of supplication after prayers!
Third, you should buy her some Islamic books, especially those concerning the importance of prayers and veil and their meanings and constructive influences in life. Bring her audio and video cassettes and CDs to create a religious atmosphere in the house for her!
Fourth, ask her to remind you of the time of azan! By this you will make her, somehow, care for prayer and you will pave the way for her to accept this sacred obligation. On some occasions, you should mention to her the advantages of veiling and show her the opinions of the Qur\'an and the Prophetic traditions about it.
Fifth, if she is not affected after practicing these steps for sometime, you should discuss with her why she does not offer prayers and why she does not care for her veil. Try to answer her questions quietly, logically, kindly, and attractively!
Sixth, when, someday, she does offer the prayer, thank her and encourage her! Tell her: dear daughter, I see a light on your face. This light will illuminate your way towards the perfect happiness if you keep up your prayers thoughtfully and longingly!
Finally, you should know that this role is not limited to you alone. You have to encourage your wife and other religious women in the family to participate in it. If it is possible, you can bind her to friendship with some religious girls.
How should I deal with my children being constantly quarrelsome with each other?
Question: I have three quarrelsome children. They quarrel at everything with each other and with other children too. I do not know how to deal with this problem, which is about to destroy my nerves!
The answer: The most important causes of such a case, as I think, are:
1. The participation of the children in the same things, such as the same toy, the same meal, and the same clothes; this causes competition and quarreling amongst them
2. Showing love to a certain child and depriving the other
3. The smallness of the house or the room of the children
4. When children watch quarrels, whether in the house, the street, the school, or in films.
Treating this problem requires dealing with the causes besides continually advising in a quiet and lenient manner. In addition, you may embrace the children in the same way and kiss them from time to time because this will plant sympathy inside them and make the solution of the problem easier and faster inshallah.
I suggest that, on some occasions, you buy a box of chocolates, for example, and give it to your children to distribute it among other children so that they may learn the spirit of gift-giving and altruism and thus the case of quarreling to seize others’ possessions will decrease or disappear.
What should we do to make a child give up playing with others’ things?
Question: What should we do to make a child give up playing with others’ things?
The answer: The following steps are sufficient for this aim:
1. Let others not play with his things.
2. You should teach him about the rights of others and how to regard their possessions through stories and instructions in accordance with the level of his understanding.
3. When your child takes others’ things, you should immediately return those things to their owners and make the child participate in it himself in order for him to keep in mind how to respect others’ possessions.
4. When the child gives up playing with others’ things, you should reward him and declare to him that the reward is for his amiable situation of not playing with others’ things.
My wife and I differ in ideas of child rearing and she acts contrary to my wishes in child rearing; what can I do?
Question: I suffer, in educating my children, from a problem that may destroy all my efforts. The problem is that my wife does not coordinate her efforts with me. For example, I ask my daughter not to buy toys for boys, but after a few days, I find my wife buying those toys for her. I encourage my older son to choose the profession of medicine, while my wife encourages him to choose engineering because her father is an engineer. Do these contradictions not corrupt the education of our children? Does it not create a duality that wastes our efforts and makes the children complain to their parents?Your Eminence, would you please guide me how I can get rid of this suffering by giving a suitable solution to this problem?
The answer: A concordant family is the family whose members manage their affairs together with good faith, mutual trust, and hopefulness. The children of such a family will graduate with good mentality, high self-confidence, and hopefulness in life. They will have enough motives of progress to help them pass any difficulties in their ways.
Dear brother, if you ponder on this fact and sit with your wife to discuss all its dimensions, you will agree on coordination, cooperation, and interchanging opinions regarding the educational and future affairs of your children.
If you want your suffering to not cause you problems one after another, you should hasten to cure it. Your wife is the closest one to you and she has the right to participate with you in educating your children, for children are not the possessions of just one of the parents. It would be better for you both to sit together and agree on the same strategic aims in educating your children and then you can agree on suitable manners to carry out those aims. When there is any disagreement between you and your partner in life, you must avoid despotism and quarreling in the presence of the children. You can discuss your different affairs in a closed room and away from the children, even when you discuss nice matters quietly!
You should keep in mind that your children have the right to give their opinions on the matters that concern them, especially those concerning their future, when they are fit to choose. Their opinions and legal wishes must be requested so that they feel the freedom of choosing and discussing in a sphere of consultation full of love and sincerity. This is one of the necessities of good education, which has unfortunately disappeared from the conducts of most people.
I feel I treat my children unequally and love some more than others: What is the solution to this problem?
Question: My children are not the same in most of their qualities, and this makes me and those who are in contact with them love some of them more than the others. Sometimes, I feel remorse; what is the guilt of this child who receives less love and sympathy than the others just because of the difference in beauty and sweet-tonguedness? Would you please guide me to the right, because, as you know, this is a problem of many people?
The answer: There is no doubt that each child has a special position inside his parents’ hearts and also in the house, school, and society. It is because of the qualities each child has and his/her educational manners that parents and others differentiate. An only child has a different position from one who has siblings. Likewise does the only male child among some sisters. A clever child is often preferred to a dull one. But, when admiring a certain child, one should be fair in dealing with all. He should show love and kindness to all of his children equally; otherwise, unfairness causes envy of the pampered child. Hence, parents should be careful in dealing with their children to get balanced relations among all. And, in order to not wrong the clever child when he and the dull one are treated equally, you should make the dull one understand that your greater care for the clever one is just because of his qualifications and efforts and make him understand that when he himself makes an effort to improve himself, he will deserve more care too. The matter will be different if the difference between the children is natural. For example, if one of the children is handicapped from birth. In this case, the handicapped one should be treated with more care than the others due to the mercy that Islam has made incumbent upon us and in order to avoid the psychological effects that may affect the children.
Here, I must mention two necessities: First, we must think of the punishment in the afterlife if we harm a child or deprive him of his rights that are obligatory on parents or those who are responsible for him to fulfill.
Second, we must think humanely towards a deprived child.
I hope that in the future we can learn how to keep ourselves safe from the remorse that stems from the bad education of our children and its negative effects.
How can I make my child more serious in his study?
Question: How can I make my child more serious in his study? Do you have any way with which I can help him out of his laziness in learning? I hope that you will guide me in this matter that decides the future of my only child.
The answer: There are two factors stimulating one towards what is required and taking laziness and languor away from him. The first one is the internal motive and the second is the external goal.
A motive is the mental and intellectual state from which one receives nourishment. A goal is the external attractiveness of the aim in one’s eye and mind.
In order to be successful in leading your son towards a good future that pleases Allah and that is respected among people, you should create for him a motive and assign to him an important goal. This requires concentrating on the following points:
1. You should take out of his mind the example he follows in his laziness and unwillingness to study, and explain to him the harms of imitating an ignorant example. At the same time, you should mention to him a good example and explain to him the advantages of following it.
2. Whenever he changes his conduct and tries to turn towards a good example, you should reward him and repeatedly encourage him. Some experts of modern education advise of limited and reasonable punishments if a child continues imitating an ignorant example. Islam also advises of this matter according to the requirements of the situation and the decision of a wise educational leader.
3. You should educate your son with any means he likes. For example, if he likes watching films, you can bring him good cultural films, and if he likes games, you can bring him mental games.
In general, you should create cultural spheres in your house by, for example, bringing books and attractive meaningful magazines, inviting scholars and learned people to your house to discuss cultural and intellectual questions, and talking about different educational issues.
Why do my children not respect me?
Question: My elder son does not respect me, and the younger one has begun imitating him in that for some time now, though I think that I have not failed in satisfying any of their rights. What do you think the reason is?
The answer: Whenever the father shows his love to his children in different ways and on different occasions, they respect and regard him more, except if there are special defects in the children’s mentalities the blame of which does not lie with the father.
The father is the first factor in forming the type of relationship between him and his children. The father who does not allow his son to talk freely and declare what is in his mind should not expect his son to respect him from the moment he begins opening his eyes to life.
The father who treats his child coercively, shouts at him, insults him, or maybe even slaps him if he is a little late in carrying out his orders will destroy every excuse for making his child respect him.
The father who treats his children unequally and does not show them the same love and respect should accept the fact that they will not respect him because he himself has not respected them.
The father who allows his children to revel in every bad culture and suspicious friendships and is indifferent to any bad habit they adopt will not find in them what will please him.
Dear brother, as long as you have not neglected your children’s rights, perhaps there are other reasons behind their not respecting you. From among these reasons is that your children may be teenagers. This is a temporary state that often disappears between the age of twenty-five and thirty. If your child is older than this age, his conduct towards you may be because he has thoughts opposite to yours.
Anyhow, I would advise every father to not make himself as a military officer, his house as a military barrack, and his children as his soldiers! Fathers should, from the very beginning, plant love into their children’s hearts and educate them in a way that makes them feel they have independent personalities in the house and in life.
The moral teachings and values Islam has issued are sufficient to make man perfect, but it is the duty of fathers, mothers, and children to adhere to these teachings in order to protect themselves from any educational disease that may trouble their family life. Surely, prevention is better than cure but most people are indifferent.
How can I make my son leave bad friends?
Question: My son has bad friends. Would you please guide me with how I can make him leave them? Should I do that with violence or is there another way?
The answer: You can offer him alternatives by acquainting him with good friends from among your friends’ sons. You may do that by suggesting and agreeing with those fathers on a group trip to a summer camp, for example, or a travel to the holy shrines or something like that to allow him to make friends with these good kids. It is better that you not tell him about the purpose of this step. Besides, you yourself should make him your friend. The transcendence we find in most fathers before their children is not acceptable. The father can be the best friend of his son. He can teach him his experiences, talk with him about his past, and direct him towards the future tactfully, kindly, and wisely.
It is necessary for the father who is concerned for his son’s future to appreciate his son, praise him, respect him, encourage him to always strengthen his self-confidence, and enable him to deal with those around him in an acceptable social manner.
How do I teach my child to keep in order his toys and stuff?
Question: How do we deal with the child who does not collect his toys and return them to their proper places after he is done playing with them? This tires me out in addition to my work in serving food, washing clothes, and sweeping the house.
The answer: You can follow these suggestions or some of them according to your need: First, before your child begins playing, you should remind him that one of the conditions for his playing is that he has to collect the toys after he has finished playing with them.
Second, if he does not abide by this condition and leaves his toys scattered everywhere, you can prevent him from something he likes as a kind of punishment until he carries out that condition. If he returns to his bad habit, you can return to punishment, and so on until he starts to follow what is required from him.
Third, in times other than his playtime, you can tell him some tales having concepts of discipline and orderliness. You can tell him that a lovely child and a successful man are the ones who undertake their responsibilities, care for their things, protect them, and put everything in its place.
Fourth, at the end of his playing, you may help him a little and then begin a competition with him of who can collect the most toys.
Fifth, you can assign to him an independent room where if he does not collect his toys there, it will not matter. However, from time to time, you should arrange his room so that he does not grow accustomed to disorderliness.
When my son became a teenager, he became disrespectful; why has this happened?
Question: My son is fifteen years old. Now, he is different from how he was before. He used to be quiet and well mannered, but now he is very mutinous. He refuses to be advised and turns his back on me whenever I ask him for something. I do not know why he has suddenly become like this.
The answer: Your son is now passing through the stage of moving from childhood to youth. Physically and mentally, he is undergoing changes of cells and reactions of hormones. He is at the threshold of a new stage, where he will like to know about what he has not known before. Things around him are new for him. He does not like to deal with them as before when he was a child. Now, he considers himself an adult. Socially, people, friends, the media, and all that he sees in the street affect him. Intellectually, he looks for the proofs of everything that has been said before about beliefs and ideas. Questioning in this transitional stage is natural for him. If parents scold or shout at him in their manners of guiding, he will slip into deviation and then into the major deviation, especially if he falls into the traps of bad friends.
It is necessary for parents to be accurate and careful in dealing with children in this new state, regardless of whether they are boys or girls. It is a temporary state that just needs wisdom and great care, and then both, you and your children, will be comfortable.
Author: Abdul Adheem al-Muhtadi al-Bahrani
Source: Imam reza network

Dignity of Youth in Ahadith

15.1 - The Youth
1) قال رسول اللّه صلّى اللّه عليه وآله و سلّم: ألشباب شعبة من الجنون.
1. The Messenger of Allāh (s.w.a.) has said: “The period of the youth is from the stages of obsession.”[30]
2) قال الإمام عليّ عليه السّلام: جهل الشاب معذور وعلمه محقور.
2. Imām ʿAlī ibne Abī Ṭālib (a.s.) has said: “The ignorance of the young person is excusable and his knowledge is limited.”[31]
3) قال الإمام عليّ عليه السّلام: شيئان لا يعرف فضلهما إلاّ من فقدهما: ألشّباب والعافية.
3. Imām ʿAlī ibne Abī Ṭālib (a.s.) has said: “There are two things which people do not recognize the greatness of until they lose them: their youth and good health.”[32]
4) قال رسول اللّه صلى اللّه عليه وآله و سلّم: خير شبابكم من تشبّه بكهولكم وشرّ كهولكم من تشّبه بشبابكم.
4. The Messenger of Allāh (s.w.a.) has said: “The best of your youth are those who resemble your old people[33] and the worst of your old people are those who resemble your young people.” [34]
5) قال الإمام الصادق عليه السّلام: وصيّة ورقة بن نوفل لخديجة بنت خوليد إذا دخل عليها يقول لـها: إعلمي أن الشّاب الحسن الخلق مفتاح للخير مغلاق للشرّ، وأن الشّاب الشحيح الخلق مغلاق للخير مفتاح للشرّ.
5. Imām Jaʿfar ibne Muḥammad as-Ṣādiq (a.s.) has said: “Any time Waraqah ibne Nawfil would go to see Khadījah binte Khuwaylīd, he would advise her as such, ‘You should know that surely the young person who has good behaviour is the key to all goodness and is kept away from all evil, while the young person who has bad behaviour is kept away from all goodness and is the key to all evil.”[35]
6) قال الإمام عليّ عليه السّلام: إعلموا رحمكم اللّه أنّكم في زمان القائل فيه الحق قليل....فتاهم عارم، وشائبهم آثم، وعالـمهم منافق.
6. Imām ʿAlī ibne Abī Ṭālib (a.s.) has said: “You should know that, may Allāh have mercy upon you, surely you are living in a time in which those who profess to be on the Truth are very few in number … their youth are obstinate, their young people are sinners, and their scholars are hypocrites.”[36]
15.2 - Training of the Youth
7) قال الإمام عليّ عليه السّلام: إنّما قلب الحدث كالأرض الخالية، ما القي فيها من شيء إلاّ قبلته.
7. Imām ʿAlī ibne Abī Ṭālib (a.s.) has said: “Surely the heart of the youth is like the uncultivated ground – it will accept whatever you throw upon it [and that is what will grow from it].”[37]
8) قال الإمام الصّادق عليه السّلام: - للأحول -: أتيت البصرة؟ قال: نعم. قال: كيف رأيت مسارعة النّاس في هذا الأمر ودخولـهم فيه؟ فقال: واللّه إنـهم لقليل، وقد فعلوا وإن ذالك لقليل. فقال (عليه السّلام): عليك بالأحداث؛ فإنـهم أسرع إلى كلّ خير.
8. Imām Jaʿfar ibne Muḥammad as-Ṣādiq (a.s.) said to a companion named Al-Aḥwal: “’Have you been to Baṣrah?’ The man replied, ‘Yes.’ The Imām (a.s.) then asked him, ‘How did you find the enthusiasm of the people in regards to this issue [of the Wilāyah and Imāmate of the Ahlul Baīt] and their acceptance of it?’ The man replied, ‘I swear by Allāh surely those people [who follow and accept this] are few in number. They work upon this [propagating this belief to others, even though they are small in number.’ The Imām replied to him, ‘I advise you to work on the youth [in educating them on these issues] since surely they are quicker to accept all good things.’”[38]
15.3 - Seeking knowledge while a Youth
9) قال رسول اللّه صلى اللّه عليه وآله و سلَم: من تعلّم في شبابه كان بـمنـزلة الرسم في الحجر، ومن تعلّم وهو كبير كان بـمنـزلة الكتاب على وجه الـماء.
ا. The Messenger of Allāh (s.w.a.) has said: “The person who seeks knowledge while in his youth is similar to the act of inscribing something upon a rock; while the person who seeks knowledge while he is old is similar to the act of writing something upon the water.”[39]
10) قال الإمام عليّ عليه السّلام: العلم من الصغر كالنقش في الحجر.
10. Imām ʿAlī ibne Abī Ṭālib (a.s.) has said: “Gaining knowledge in one’s youth is like imprinting something on a rock [it will always remain].”[40]
11) قال رسول اللّه صلى اللّه عليه وآله و سلّم: من لـم يطلب العلم صغيرا فطلبه كبيرا فمات، مات شهيدا.
11. The Messenger of Allāh (s.w.a.) has said: “If a person who does not seek knowledge while he is youth, but rather goes to seek it when he becomes old and dies in this state, he dies as a martyr [Shahīd].”[41]
12) قال النبي أيّوب عليه السّلام: إن اللّه يزرع الحكمة في قلب الصغير والكبير، فإذا جعل اللّه العبد حكيما في الصبى لـم يضع منـزلته عند الحكماء حداثة سنّه وهم يرون عليه من اللّه نور كرامته.
12. The Prophet Ayyūb (a.s.) has said: “Surely Allāh implants wisdom [Al-Ḥikmah] in the heart of the young person and the old person. So then if Allāh makes a servant a wise person in his youth then he would not lower his status in the eyes of the intellectuals simply because he is of a young age since they will see the nūr (divine light) of Allāh radiating from this person.”[42]
15.4 - The Young person & refraining from seeking knowledge
13) قال الإمام الكاظم عليه السّلام: لو وجدت شابّاً من شبّان الشيعة لا يتفقه لضربته ضربة بالسيف.
13. Imām Mūsā ibne Jaʿfar al-Kādhim (a.s.) has said: “If I was to find a youth from amongst the youth of the Shīʾa not gaining a deep knowledge and understanding, I would surely strike him with a sword.”[43]
14) قال الإمام الباقر عليه السّلام: لو أُتيت بشاب من شباب الشيعة لا يتفقه (في الدين) لأدبته.
14. Imām Muḥammad ibne ʿAlī al-Bāqir (a.s.) has said: “If I were to find a youth from amongst the youth of the Shīʾa that was not engaged in gaining a deep knowledge and understanding [of the religion] I would seriously reprimand him.”[44]
15) قال الإمام الصّادق عليه السّلام: لستُ أُحب أن أرى الشاب منكم إلاّ غاديا في حالين: إمّا عالـما أو متعلما. فإن لـم يفعل فرّط، فإنّ فرّط ضيّع, فإنّ ضيّع أثـم، وإنْ أثـم سكن النار والّذي بعث محمّدا بالحق.
15. Imām Jaʿfar ibne Muḥammad as-Ṣādiq (a.s.) has said: “I do not like to see the youth from amongst yourselves except that he/she is passing the life in one of two states: either as a scholar or as a student. So then if he is not in one of these two states then he is one who has wasted (something) and surely the one who wastes is one who has squandered something and surely the act of squandering is a sin and the person who commits a sin shall reside in the Hell Fire – I swear by the one who appointed Muḥammad with The Truth.”[45]
15.5 - The greatness of a Young person who worships 'Allah
16) قال رسول اللّه صلى اللّه عليه وآله و سلّم: إنّ اللّه تعالى يحب الشاب التائب.
16. The Messenger of Allāh (s.w.a.) has said: “Surely Allāh, the High, loves the young person who is repents [for his sins].”[46]
17) قال رسول اللّه صلى اللّه عليه وآله و سلّم: ما من شيء أحب إلى اللّه تعالى من شاب تائب، وما من شيء أبغض إلى اللّه تعالى من شيخ مقيم على معاصيه.
17. The Messenger of Allāh (s.w.a.) has said: “There is nothing more beloved to Allāh, the High, than a young person who repents (for his sins); and there is nothing more detested in the sight of Allāh, the High, than an old person who perpetuates in disobeying Him.”[47]
18) قال رسول اللّه صلى اللّه عليه وآله و سلّم: إنّ اللّه تعالى يباهي بالشابّ العابد الـملائكة، يقول: أنظروا إلى عبدي! ترك شهوته من أجلي.
18. The Messenger of Allāh (s.w.a.) has said: “Surely Allāh, The High, boasts to the Angels in regards to the young person who is a servant (of His) and He says, ‘Look towards my servant! He has refrained from following his lowly desires for My sake alone.’”[48]
19) قال رسول اللّه صلى اللّه عليه وآله و سلّم: فضل الشاب العابد الذي تعبّد في صباه على الشيخ الذي تعبّد بعد ما كبرت سنّه كفضل الـمرسلين على سائر الناس.
19. The Messenger of Allāh (s.w.a.) has said: “The greatness of the worshipper of Allāh who is a youth and who worships Allāh while in the stage of his youth over the old person who worships [Allāh] after he has become of old age is like the greatness of the deputed ones [the Prophets and Messengers] over all other creations.”[49]
20) قال رسول اللّه صلى اللّه عليه وآله و سلّم: سبعة في ظلّ عرش اللّه عزّ وجلّ يوم لا ظلّ إلاّ ظلّه: إمام عادل، وشاب نشأ في عبادة اللّه عزّ وجلّ.
20. The Messenger of Allāh (s.w.a.) has said: “There are seven individuals who shall be protected under the shade of the Throne [Power] of Allāh, the Noble and Grand on the day when there shall be no shade except for His shade: the just leader … and the youth who spent his time in the worship of Allāh, the Noble and Grand.”[50]
15.6 - The greatness of the person who spends his Youth in the obidience to Allah
21) قال رسول اللّه صلى اللّه عليه وآله و سلّم: ما من شاب يدع للّه الدنيا ولـهوها وأهرم شبابه في طاعة الله إلاّ أعطاه اللّه أجر إثنين وسبعين صدّيقاً.
21. The Messenger of Allāh (s.w.a.) has said: “There is not a single young person who turns away from the transient world and its pleasures only for the [pleasure] of Allāh and spends his youth in the obedience of Allāh until he reaches to old age, except that Allāh would grant him the reward of seventy-two truthful [and righteous] people.”[51]
22) قال رسول اللّه صلى اللّه عليه وآله و سلّم: إنّ أحب الخلائق إلى اللّه عزّ وجلّ شاب حدث السن في صورة حسنة جعل شبابه وجماله للّه وفي طاعته، ذلك الذي يباهي به الرحمن ملائكته, يقول: هذا عبدي حقّا.
22. The Messenger of Allāh (s.w.a.) has said: “Surely the most beloved of the creations to Allāh, the Noble and Grand, is the youth who is young in age and who is a very handsome/beautiful individual however he places his youth and his beauty in Allāh and in His obedience alone. This is the thing for which the Most Merciful [Al-Raḥmān] boasts to His Angels about and says, ‘This is truly my servant.’”[52]
23) قال رسول اللّه صلى اللّه عليه وآله و سلّم: إنّ اللّه يحب الشاب الذي يفني شبابه في طاعة اللّه تعالى.
23. The Messenger of Allāh (s.w.a.) has said: “Surely Allāh loves that young person who spends his youth in the obedience of Allāh, the Most High.”[53]
24) قال النبي إبراهيم عليه السلام: لمـا أصبح فرأى في لحيته شيبا - شعرة بيضاء - : ألحمد للّه ربّ العالـمين الذي بلغني هذا المبلغ ولـم أعص اللّه طرفة عين.
24. It has been narrated about Prophet Ibrāhīm (a.s.) that one day he woke up and saw a white hair in his beard and said: “All praise belongs to Allāh, the Lord of the entire universe who has made me reach to this stage in my life in which I have not disobeyed Allāh for as much as the twinkling of the eye.”[54]
15.7 - The definition of a Youth
25) قال الإمام الصّادق عليه السّلام: لسليمان بن جعفر الـهذلي - : يا سليمان من الفتى؟ قال: قلت: جعلت فداك الفتى عندنا الشابّ, قال (عليه السّلام) لي: أما علمت أن أصحاب الكهف كانوا كلهم كهولا فسماهم اللّه فتية بإيـمانـهم؟! يا سليمان من آمن باللّه وأتّقى فهو الفتى.
25. Imām Jaʿfar ibne Muḥammad as-Ṣādiq (a.s.) said the following to Sulaymān ibne Jaʿfar Al-Hadhalī: “O’ Sulaymān, what is meant by a young person [Al-Fatā]?” He said, “May I be sacrificed for your sake. In our opinion, a young person [Al-Fatā] is a youth [Al-Shābb].” The Imām said to me, “However you should know that surely the Companions of the Cave [Aṣḥābul Kahf] were all old people, however Allāh refers to them as youth who have true faith?! O’ Sulaymān, the one who believes in Allāh and has consciousness of Him is a young person.”[55]
26) قال الإمام الصّادق عليه السّلام: - لرجل – ما الفتى عندكم؟ فقال له: الشابّ, فقال: لا. الفتى: المؤمن، إنّ أصحاب الكهف كانوا شيوخا فسماهم اللّه عزّ وجلّ فتية بإيـمانـهم.
26. Imām Jaʿfar ibne Muḥammad as-Ṣādiq (a.s.) said to a man: “What is meant by a young person [Al-Fatā] in your estimation?” The man replied, “A youth.” The Imām (a.s.) replied, “No, the young person [Al-Fatā] is the true believer. Surely the Companions of the Cave [Aṣḥābul Kahf] were all old people, however Allāh, Glory and Greatness be to Him, called them youth who believed in Him.”[56]
قال الإمام الحسن ابن علي المجتبـى عليه السلام:
إنكم صغار قوم و يوشك أن تكونوا كبار قوم آخرين فتعلموا العلم. فمن لم يستطع منكم أن يحفظه فليكتبه و
ليضعه في بيته
) بــحار الأنوار – ج 2 – ص 152 – ح 37 (
Imām Ḥasan ibne ʿAlī al-Mujtabā (peace be upon him) has said: “Surely today you are the youth of the nation, and tomorrow, you will be the leaders of the community, thus, it is incumbent upon you to seek knowledge. So then if you are not able to memorize all that you learn, then you must write it down and preserve it (for safe keeping) so that you can refer to it later on (when you need it).”
Biḥārul Anwār, Volume 2, Page 152, Ḥadīth 37
Notes:
[30] Al-Ikhtiṣāṣ, Page 343
[31] Ghururul Ḥikm, Ḥadīth 4768
[32] Ibid., Ḥadīth 5764
[33] You should know that people are of two categories of which the one category is the young person who has distanced himself from following the desires of his lower passions and is distanced from the ignorance which is accompanied by the period of the youth. He has a desire to gravitate towards goodness and to distance himself from bad traits and it is in regards to this type of youth that the Messenger of Allāh (blessings of Allāh be upon him and his family) has said:
يعجب ربك من شاب ليست له صبوة
“Your Lord is amazed to see a young person who has distanced himself from following the desires of his lower passions and is distanced from the ignorance which is accompanied by the period of the youth.”
[34] Kanzul `Ummāl, Ḥadīth 43058
[35] Amāli of al-Ṭūsī, Page 302 and 598
[36] Nahjul Balāgha, Sermon 233
[37] Tuḥaful `Uqūl, Page 70
[38] Qurbul Isnād, Page 128 and 450
[39] Biḥārul Anwār, Volume 1, Page 222, Ḥadīth 6 & Page 224, Ḥadīth 13
[40] Ibid.,
[41] Kanzul `Ummāl, Ḥadīth 28843
[42] Tanbīyatul Khawāṭir, Page 37
[43] Fiqhul Riẓā, Page 337
[44] Al-Maḥāsin, Volume 1, Pages 357 and 760
[45] Amālī of Al-Ṭūṣī, Pages 303 and 604
[46] Kanzul `Ummāl, Ḥadīth 10185
[47] Ibid., Ḥadīth 10233
[48] Ibid., Ḥadīth 43057
[49] Kanzul `Ummāl, Ḥadīth 43059
[50] Al-Khisāl, Page 343, Ḥadīth 8
[51] Makārimul Akhlāq, Volume 2, Page 373
[52] Kanzul `Ummāl, Ḥadīth 43103
[53] Kanzul `Ummāl, Ḥadīth 43060
[54] Illulush Sharā`iyah, Volume 2, Page 104, Ḥadīth 2
[55] Tafsīr al-`Ayāshi, Volume 2, Page 323, Ḥadīth 11
[56] Al-Kāfī, Volume 8, Page 395 and 595

Source: Imam Reza Network

The Abandonment of the Qur'ān

Today, we have a complaint that we must address to this new generation which is: Why are they not acquainted with the Qurʾān? Why are they not being taught the Qurʾān in their schools? Even if we go to the Universities, we see that the (Muslim) university students cannot even recite the Qurʾān! Of course it is unfortunate that this has occurred however we must ask ourselves, “What steps have we taken to help them in this path?”

Do we assume that with the lessons of Fiqh, Sharīʿah and Qurʾān which are being taught in the Islāmic schools (Madāris) that this is enough for the new generation to become completely acquainted with the Qurʾān?

What is more amazing is that the previous generations were also distanced from and had abandoned the Qurʾān – and then we wish to complain to the new generation why they have not developed a relationship with the Qurʾān!? Without doubt, the Qurʾān has truly been alienated from ourselves and then we still expect the new generation to hold onto the Qurʾān!?

At this point, we will prove to the readers how we have alienated ourselves from this Sacred Book.

If a person’s knowledge is that of the science of the Qurʾān - meaning that he does a lot of contemplation upon the contents of the Qurʾān and if he knows the complete interpretation of the Qurʾān, how much respect would such a person have amongst us? None. However, if a person was to know “Kifāyah”[25] of Akhūnd Mullāh Kādhim Khurāsānī, then he

would be respected and would be considered as one with integrity.

Thus, the Qurʾān is truly unknown and has become distanced from us and this is the same complaint that the Qurʾān itself will proclaim!

We are all included in the protests and objections of the Messenger of Allāh (s.w.a.) when he complains to Allāh (s.w.t.):

) يٌا رَبِّ إِنَّ قَوْمِي اتَّخَذُوا هٌذَا الْقُرٌآنَ مَهْجُوراً (

“O’ my Lord! Surely MY nation took this Qurʾān as something trivial.”[26]

Approximately one month ago[27], one of our own great scholars had

gone to the holy cities (in ʿIrāq) and narrates that he visited Ayatullāh Khūʾī (q.d.s.). He said to the Ayatullāh, “Why have you stopped the lessons in Tafsīr which you were previously giving?”[28] The Ayatullāh

replied to him that there were many obstacles and difficulties in offering classes on Tafsīr of the Qurʾān. This scholar then told Ayatullāh Khūʿī (q.d.s.), “ʿAllāmah Tabā’tabā’ī (q.d.s.) has continued his classes on Tafsīr of the Qurʾān in Qum and thus, most of his time is spent in this area of study and research.” Ayatullāh Khūʿī replied, “Ayatullāh Tabā’tabā’ī has sacrificed himself – he has withdrawn himself from the society” - and he is right.

It is amazing that in the most sensitive issues of the religion, if we see a person who sacrifices his entire life to study the Qurʾān, then he will fall into thousands of difficulties and problems from the point of view of his food, overall life, his character (within the society), his respect and he will be removed from and deprived of many things. However, if he was to spend his entire life in the study of books such as “Kifāyah”, then he would be worthy of receiving everything!

Thus, in summary, we can find thousands of people who know “Kifāyah” very well. They also know the replies to the points brought up in “Kifāyah” and they even know the replies to the replies that have been given - and they even know the replies to the replies of the replies of “Kifāyah” however we cannot find even two people who know the Qurʾān properly! If you ask any scholar about a verse of the Qurʾān, they will say that they must go back and refer to the Tafsīr of the Qurʾān.

What is even more amazing than this is that the older generation has acted in this regards to the Qurʾān, however we had higher hopes that the new generation of the youth would be able to read the Qurʾān, understand it and act upon it!

If the previous generations had not strayed away from the Qurʾān, then without doubt, this new generation too would not have been led astray from the path of the Qurʾān. Thus, it is ourselves who have acted in this way to earn the wrath and curse of the Prophet (s.w.a.) and the Qurʾān.

In relation to the Qurʾān, the Noble Messenger (s.w.a.) has stated:

إِنَّهُ شٌافِعٌ مُشَفَّعٌ وَ مٌاحِلُ مُصَدَّقٌ

By this we mean that in the presence of Allāh (s.w.t.), the Qurʾān is an intercessor and its intercession will be accepted and in relation to those people who ignore the Qurʾān, it will complain (to Allāh (s.w.t.)) and its complaints will be accepted as well.[29]

It is both the older generation and even the newer generation who have done an injustice to the Qurʾān and continue to do so. It is the previous generation who had initiated this act of ignoring the Qurʾān, and it is the newer generation who are continuing in their footsteps.

This in conclusion, in the issue of the leadership of the youth, more than anything else, there are two things which we must do:

1) We must first recognize that which is troubling this generation. Once we have done this, then we can sit and think of the cure and remedy for their problems, since without knowing what is troubling them, it is not possible to go forth and cure the illness.

2) The second thing is that the older generation must first correct themselves. The older generation must ask forgiveness for the greatest sin which they have committed and that is that they have left and ignored the Qurʾān. We must all return back to this Qurʾān and place the Qurʾān in front of us and then march forward under the shadow of the guidance of the Qurʾān so that we will be able to reach to happiness and perfection. !

Notes:

[25] This is one of the major books in the field of Usūlul Fiqh that students of the Theological Seminary need to study as they progress in their studies to reach the highest level of learning – Ba`thul Khārij. (Tr.)

[26] Sūrah al-Furqān (25), Verse 30

[27] From when this lecture was originally given in 1963. (Tr.)

[28] It has been narrated that Āyatullāh Khū`ī was offering classes in Tafsīr of the Qurʾān some 8 or 9 years ago in Najaf, some of which were also printed in book form.

[29] al-Kāfī, Volume 2, Page 599

........................................................

Ref: Ayatullah Murtada Mutahhari
www.ahlulbaytportal.com

The Difficulties of This Generation Must be Understood

Our main focus and concentration is that we must first identify where the pains of this generation lie. We must identify the intellectual pains, the academic pains – those pains that would point us to them being aware (of their responsibilities) – meaning those things which trouble the youth of today which did not trouble the youth of the past.

In these regards, the poet Mawlawī, has stated:

حسرت وزارى كه در بيمارى است

وقت بيمارى هم از بيدارى است

هر كه او بيدارتر پردردتر

هر که او هشيارتر رخ زردتر

“Remorse and humility occur at the time of illness: the time of illness is wholly wakefulness (of conscience). The more wakeful any one is, the more full of suffering he is; the more aware (of God) he is, the paler he is in countenance.”

In the past, the doors to the events (happening around the world) were closed to people – when the doors are closed to the people, then life is easy – the windows too were closed. Thus, no one knew what was happening outside (of their own home). No one knew what was happening outside of their own city. They did not even know what was happening in other countries. Today, these doors and windows (to other cities and countries) are wide open.

Today, the people are able to see the entire world and the advancements that the world has made. They see the knowledge of the world; they see the economic powers around the world; they see the political and military powers of the world; they can see the Democracies of the world; they see the equality that is taking shape around the world; they see the various movements, uprisings and revolutions taking place in the world.

The youth are seeing these things, thus, their emotions run high, and they have a right to see these things and to think for themselves and then say: “Why have we been left behind (in the face of all of these advancements)?”

In the words of a poet:

سخن درست بگويم نمی توانم ديد

كه می خورند حريفان و من نظاره كنم

“I must speak the truth that I cannot stand to see,

My opponents living well while I simply watch on.”

In this way, the world is moving forward towards political, economic and social freedom and is moving towards greatness, splendor, honour and freedom however we are still asleep or are witnessing this movement from far and are yawning away.

The previous generations did not understand all of these things and could not discern them, however the new generation has a right to say: “Why is it that Japan, which is a country of idol worshippers, and Iran which is an Islāmic country within the same year and same time period of existence, realize the need and have developed a new civilization and industry.

However we see that Japan was able to reach to a level where they are very easily able to compete with the Western nations, whereas we see the condition that Iran is in?!”

ما و ليلى همسفر بوديم اندر راه عشق

او به مطلبها رسيد و ما هنوز آواره ايم

“Laylā and I were traveling together on the path of love, She reached to that what she was searching for, while I still have yet to get there.”

Does this new generation not have the right to ask such questions?

The previous generations did not have the heavy weight of foreign interference bearing down upon their shoulders that this current generation is experiencing.

Is this a sin? Of course not! This is not a sin! Rather, experiencing this is actually a heavenly message from Allāh (s.w.t.). If this feeling and experience was not there, then this would have been a sign that we are the target of the punishment and chastisement (of Allāh (s.w.t.)).

So then, now that this feeling is present, this means that Allāh (s.w.t.) wants to grant us salvation from this chastisement.

In the past, the level of intelligence of the people was low and very few people entertained doubts, confusion and questions (about the religion), however this mode of thinking has now changed and people are asking more and more questions. It is natural that when intelligence increases, then questions would also be raised in the minds of the people that were not thought of previously, and these doubts and confusions must be removed from the minds of the people and the questions that they pose and the needs of their intelligence must be answered.

It is not possible that you can say to such a person that he should forget his questions and just return to how the previous generations were – rather, this is a very good opportunity to acquaint the people with the truth and teachings of Islām. It is not possible to explain the truth to an ignorant, illiterate person and thus, in regards to the guidance and leadership of the previous generation whose level of thought was low, it was necessary for us to express the religion and convey it to them in a particular way through a particular form of writing. However today, that old form of propagation and that old form of writing has absolutely no worth or value.

We must, and this is absolutely necessary, reform ourselves and have a deep restructuring in this part of our actions. We must be well acquainted with the logic, thinking and language of the day and must work for the guidance and leadership of the people in this manner.

The level of intelligence of the past generation was so low that if in a gathering, a person was to speak things that went against other things that he said (in the same gathering), then no one would have noticed or complained about this. However today, if a young adult who is in the 10th or 12th grade were to go and sit at the feet of the mimbar of a lecturer, he would be able to pick up five or six, maybe even more problems with the lecture. We must pay attention to their thoughts and intelligence and thus, we can no longer tell them to be quiet and stop wasting time.

As you know, it was not this way in the past. In the past, a person could recite a thousand lines of poetry in one sitting or other words of praise that were completely opposite of one another and not a single person would have understood that what the person was saying was going against his own words! For example, a person would first say that no action can take place without a cause:

أَبـى اللٌّهُ أَنْ يَجْرِى الأُمُورَ إِلاٌّ بَأَسْبٌابِهٌا

“Allāh is much greater than that He would perform actions except for a cause.”

The person would state this fact and everyone would agree with him and if right after saying this, he were to say:

إِذٌاجـٌاءَ الْقَدَرُ عَمِيَ الْبَصَرُ

“When fate comes the eyes are blinded.”

Once again, everybody supported this claim and confirmed its reality!

There is a story that when the King of Nishābūr [22] had come to

Tehrān, a great number of people gathered around him at the base of the mimbar due to the beautiful voice that he had. A prominent leader of the community said to him, “Seeing as how such a great number of people have gathered at the feet of the mimbar when you speak, why don’t articulate a few rational words to them and stop wasting their time?”

The King replied, “These people do not have the ability to understand rational speech. Rational words can only be spoken to people who have intelligence and these people do not posses any intelligence!” The leader replied that the King was wrong in his synopsis and it was not as he said. The King retorted that it was exactly how he said and that he would prove it to the leader.

One day when the leader was in the audience, the King started to speak on the mimbar about the tragedies that befell the Ahlul Baīt E in the city of Kufah, Iraq. He recited some poetry in a beautiful, sorrowful voice which made the people break into tears. He then said, “Be calm, be calm, be calm.” After everyone calmed and quieted down he said, “I would like to describe to you the scene of the children of Abī ʿAbdillāh (a.s.) while in the city of Kufah. When the Ahlul Baīt (a.s.) entered into the city of Kufah, the weather was so hot. The sun was beating down upon them so much that it felt like fire was being placed above their heads. The young children of the family were all thirsty and because of the intense heat, they were very hot. They were then put onto saddle-less camels and since the ground was full of ice the camels kept slipping on the ice and thus, the young children fell off of the camel onto

the ground and started crying:واعطشاه (O’ we are thirsty!)”

Notes:

[22] A city just outside of present day Mashhad, Iran. (tr.)


........................................................
Ref: Ayatullah Murtada Mutahhari
www.ahlulbaytportal.com

The Youth of Today

Our young generation of today has both good qualities and some deficiencies in them. This generation has a series of understandings and emotions that the previous generations did not possess and therefore, we must always give them the benefit of the doubt.

At the same time, they also have some corrupt thoughts and negative ethical traits which must be removed from their character. It is not possible to remove these traits from them without keeping in mind and respecting the good qualities that the youth possess – meaning their understandings, emotions and their other noble traits and qualities – thus, we must show respect to them in these regards.

There is no dead end in life. In the previous generations, the thoughts and minds of the people were not as open as the generation of today. These emotions and good qualities were not present in the people of the past, and thus we must show respect to the youth for their noble qualities – and it is Islām itself which has shown respect to these traits.

If we do not wish to pay attention to these issues, then it is impossible to think that we will be able to take charge and remove the intellectual perversions and the negative ethical traits from the future generations.

The method that we have presently taken in the face of this generation is that of making faces at them, criticizing them, and slandering them.

We are continuously crying out to them that the movie cinemas are like this, the theatres are such, the guest houses that exist between Shamirān and Tehran (two cities in Iran) are such and such; the dance halls are like this, the swimming pools are such and thus we continuously cry out (about the corruption in all of these places) and we must know that this is not the correct method to follow. We must return back to the original reason for the corruption found in these places (and why this new generation should not go to these places).
........................................................

Ref: Ayatullah Murtada Mutahhari
www.ahlulbaytportal.com

The Generation of the Youth or the Mind Set of the Youth?

I should state this point here that when we use the phrase the “generation of the youth,” our aim is not to specify the level or age of the youth. Rather, our aim is to speak to that level or group of people who, due to the effects of their own studies and acquaintance with the new civilizations, have developed a specific way of thought and intellect – whether these people happen to be old or young.

However most of these people are from the younger generation and it is because of this that we refer to it as the “generation of the youth,” whereas we see that there are also a great number of “older people” who possess this new way of thinking and there are also many “youth” whose thought pattern and beliefs resemble the older, past generations.

In any case, our intention is to speak in regards to that category of people who possess this specific mode of thinking – something which is increasing day by day. This is a mode of thinking which both the older and younger individuals are beginning to possess and in the future, if God forbid, the correct ways and methods to guide and lead this generation are not put into practice, then we will lose complete control of the future generations.

This issue is a very important issue in our country (Iran) – and even in other Islāmic countries where it is still an important issue – however these countries realized this issue earlier than we did and thus, they put forth this issue with great seriousness, while we still have not taken this matter to be very important.

Generally speaking - in our eyes – the younger generation is simply a generation of people who are infatuated with themselves and who merely worship their lower desires.

We think that when they speak to us, we can simply make faces at them, pass a few sarcastic jokes off of the Mimbar or that we can resort to cursing them (for their errors) and speak bad things to them. We think that we can talk to them and make them listen to that which we are saying, make them laugh at what we tell them and then everything will be alright.

We think that we can exclaim and cry out to them: “O’ you from such-and-such a (bad) school” and we think that this will solve all of our problems. These are all simply lullabies that we are saying and are only there to keep us in our sleep and prevent us from actually thinking about a way out and a better route to take. In an instant, we will wake up and realize that it is now too late to go back.

........................................................

Ref: Ayatullah Murtada Mutahhari

www.ahlulbaytportal.com