By Dr Ramzi Al Saeed
The Islamic social system is based on the origin of the family. It is considered as a necessity for the survival of the human race and continuance of the social existence. Hence it is the nucleus and core of the society. God Almighty has entrusted this necessity naturally in human being.
The Holy Quran says:
“Of His signs is that He created mates for you of your own kind that you may find peace of mind through them, and He has put love and tenderness between you. In that are signs for a people who reflect” (30:21).
The Prophet of Islam (peace be upon him) said: The best among you are those who are best to their families and I am the best of you to my family. He once exclaimed: (it is only the evil one who abuses them (women) and the honoured one is he who honours them).
Marriage is the first step to starting a family and its significance has been repeatedly stressed by the Holy Quran and the example of the Prophet (PBUH). The Quran enjoins the best relationship between a husband and wife and requires each to have due consideration for the needs and desires of the other. It also directs that they should behave affectionately towards each other. The Quran says: “He it is Who created you from a single soul and made there from its mate, that he might find comfort in her” (7:90).
The family system and the relationship between the sexes determine the whole character of a society and whether it is backward or civilised, jahili or Islamic. Those societies which give ascendance to physical desires and animalistic morals cannot be considered civilised, no matter how much progress they may make in industry or science.
If the family is the basis of the society, and the basis of the family is the division of labour between husband and wife, and the upbringing of children is the most important function of the family, then such a society is indeed civilised.
In the Islamic system of life, this kind of a family provides the environment under which human values and morals develop and grow in the new generation; these values and morals cannot exist apart from the family unit.
If, on the other hand, free sexual relationship and illegitimate children become the basis of a society, and if the relationship between man and woman is based on lust, passion and impulse, and the division of work is not based on family responsibility and natural gifts; if the role of women is merely to be attractive, sexy and flirtatious, and if women are freed from their basic responsibility of bringing up children; and if, on her own or under social demand, she prefers to become a hostess or a stewardess, thus using her ability for material productivity rather than the training of human beings, because material production is considered to be more important, more valuable and more honourable than the development of human character, then such a civilisation is ‘backward’ from the human point of view, or jahili in Islamic terminology.
The Islamic family system is based on the principle of solidarity, mutual cooperation, compassion and affection under the shadows of the Book of Allah Almighty and the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH). The members are gathered and united by interdependence and coherence based on affection. Each member performs his role. It also gives children the utmost importance.
If we contemplate the Quran we find that it refers to parents children relationships in four main places. Before it asks children to be good and loyal to their parents it requires parents to be extremely careful in upbringing their children.
The Peninsula
