Fatwa #154925 April 2001Pakistan
Say the father himself is not practicing (praying), feeling obviously guilty at his own state: is it right for him then to tell his child or someone else to start praying?
Question
Or as he not practicing himself, he got no right to tell others! First he should mend himself? Please do comment and explain this dilemma, as I often come across these sitautions and dont know what to think of em? Jazak Allah Khairun...
Answer
Allah Ta?ala states in the noble Qur?aan, ?You are the best of nations who have been selected for the people. To enjoin the good and forbid the evil and to believe in Allah.? (Aali Imraan 110)
The above Aayat is general and is not limited to a person who only performs virtuous acts. Consider the following: If a father is an alcoholic or drug addict and he prevents his son from these vices. Will we say that he has no right to do so because he himself is involved in these evils or will we say that he is stopping him because he knows the evils and harms of such habits?
The father instructing his child to pray despite him not doing so is due to him knowing the virtues and merits of praying. Of course, we do agree that practising on what we preach is more effective.
and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai
The above Aayat is general and is not limited to a person who only performs virtuous acts. Consider the following: If a father is an alcoholic or drug addict and he prevents his son from these vices. Will we say that he has no right to do so because he himself is involved in these evils or will we say that he is stopping him because he knows the evils and harms of such habits?
The father instructing his child to pray despite him not doing so is due to him knowing the virtues and merits of praying. Of course, we do agree that practising on what we preach is more effective.
and Allah Ta'ala Knows Best
Mufti Ebrahim Desai