What things enhance the spirituality in the family? (Part 4)
Prayers
It is not obligatory for the head of the household to only say his prayers. He is also responsible to gently direct the members of his family by advising and encouraging them.
Enjoin prayer on the people, and be constant therein. We ask thee not to provide sustenance: We provide it for thee. But the (fruit of) the Hereafter is for Righteousness. [Holy Qur’an: Ta-Ha: 20:132]
We read in the Qur’an that one of the attributes of Abraham was that he invited his wife and children to prayer.
It is We Who will inherit the earth, and all beings thereon: to Us will they all be returned. [Holy Qur’an: Maryam 19:40]
And we also read in the Qur’an that Abraham requested God that he himself and his progeny establish prayer till the Day of Judgment.
O my Lord! Make me one who establishes regular prayer and also (raise such) among my offspring [Holy Qur’an: Abraham 14:40]
In many traditions the Prophet (PBUH) has called prayer the apple of his eye. [Bihar al-Anwar, v.77, p.77]
The Sixth Imam stated: There is nothing other than prayer which can be compared to knowledge. [Bihar al-Anwar, v.69, p.206]
Imam Ali (A.S) said: I instruct you to say your prayer which is the best act and the pillar of religion. [Bihar al-Anwar, v.72, p.209]
The Glorious Qur’an recognizes the prayer to be what keeps man from evil inwardly and outwardly.
For prayer restrains from shameful and unjust deeds; [Holy Qur’an: Ankabut: 29:45]
Imam Baqir (A.S) said: The first affair of a human which will be judged on the Day of Judgment is prayer. If his prayers are accepted, the rest of his actions will be accepted.
Negligence of prayers, or quitting to perform this great worship will cause us to lose the possibility of the mediation of the Prophet (PBUH) on our behalf; It will also be a cause of bankruptcy in the Hereafter; losing the possibility of benefiting from God's Mercy. and never being allowed to enter Heaven.[Bihar al-Anwar, v.83, pp.9-19]
They will say:
We were not of those who prayed. [Holy Qur’an, Muddaththir 74:43]
Do not forget about your prayers and that of your family members, so that on the Day of Judgment you do not have to answer to the complaints against you made by your family members. They may tell God that if we were called to say our prayers, we would have accepted. The fact that our file is void of prayers is at first the fault of our husband and father, and then it is our own fault. Since he was indifferent to us, we neglected our prayers. O' God, please take our revenge, damn him and let him suffer double our torture. Children are wonderful imitators. They mimic the states, actions and behavior of adults. If we pray, they pray. If we fast, they fast. If we recite the Qur’an, and are pleasant, kind and polite, then they follow us in all these respects, and after a while get used to doing so.
It has been stated in a very important tradition that Jesus passed by a grave in which the person who buried there was being tortured. The next year he passed by the same grave. He noticed that the person was no longer being tortured, so he asked God the reason for this. Then a revelation came down to Jesus that the man had a good child who had reconstructed a road and had provided shelter for an orphan. For the good deeds of his offspring, We forgave him. [Vasa'il, Al-i-Bayt Press, v.16. p.338]
Raising good children who are religious and do good deeds is good for this world and beneficial for the Hereafter. Try to benefit from this fact.
Source: erfan.ir
Other links:
The Exalted position of Parents in Islam (Part 1)
The Exalted position of Parents in Islam (Part 2)
The True Identity of Women (Part 7)
