Parents will be answerable for their children

Question ID: 
2051
sha***@icloud.com asks:

Question

Assalamualaikum
Are we just responsible of our own actions on the day of judgement? Or we will be questioned concerning those who are under us? For instance, our children? If they are committing sin i.e watching T.V facebook, youtube or playing games or neglecting other deeni duties, will the parents be responsible?
If a child says Nuh Alaihissalam will not be questioned for the disobedient son ,so let them continue their lives as they will, their sins won’t affect parents in the least, on the day of judgement, what must the parent do?
Kindly assist us in solving this dilemma according to shariah law.

Answer

Walaikum salaam warahmatullahi wa barakatuh,

Respected brother,

With regards to your query regarding to one’s accountability, do note that a person will be accountable for his actions as well as the actions of those under his care. The Hadith of Rasulullah sallallahu alaihi wasallam states that:

عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ أَلاَ كُلُّكُمْ رَاعٍ وَكُلُّكُمْ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ فَالأَمِيرُ الَّذِي عَلَى النَّاسِ رَاعٍ عَلَيْهِمْ وَهُوَ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْهُمْ وَالرَّجُلُ رَاعٍ عَلَى أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَهُوَ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْهُمْ وَالْمَرْأَةُ رَاعِيَةٌ عَلَى بَيْتِ بَعْلِهَا وَوَلَدِهِ وَهِيَ مَسْئُولَةٌ عَنْهُمْ وَالَعَبْدُ رَاعٍ عَلَى مَالِ سَيِّدِهِ وَهُوَ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْهُ فَكُلُّكُمْ رَاعٍ وَكُلُّكُمْ مَسْئُولٌ عَنْ رَعِيَّتِهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

Translation: 'Abdullah bin 'Umar: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) as saying: Each of you is a shepherd and each of you is responsible for his flock. The amir (ruler) who is over the people is a shepherd and is responsible for hs flock ; a man is a shepherd in charge of the inhabitants of his household and he is responsible for his flock ; a woman is a shepherdess in charge of her husband's house and children and she is responsible for them; and a man's slave is a shepherd in charge of his master's property and he is responsible for it. So each of you is a shepherd and each of you is responsible for his flock'.

A person should therefore do his utmost effort to nurture his child in the best of manner and inculcate in him Islamic values in order to absolve himself from his responsibilities. However, if in spite of all his tiring efforts, the child still opts for the wrong path, then one should make Istighfaar for his shortcomings and also have hope in Allah that Allah will not take him to task for it because Allah Himself says in the Quraan:

لاَ يُكَلِّفُ اللّهُ نَفْساً إِلاَّ وُسْعَهَا
(2:286) Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity.

As for Nooh alaihis salaam, we cannot use his incident as a scapegoat. Quraan speaks of his exhausting dawah to his people and specifically to his son. His last word to his son was actually Dawat to Allah as recorded in Surah Hood. We can conclude that Nooh alaihis salaam did not leave any stone unturned in giving Dawah to his family. We should therefore exert ourselves fully in the upbringing of our children and abstain from giving them such gadgets and devices that will lead to their spiritual doom and destruction.

And Allah knows best

Answered by:
(Mf) Bilal
For the Jamiatul Ulama of Mauritius