Children are priceless treasures from Allah. As Muslims, we consider human life sacred, and that every child is a unique being, worthy of respect and dignity. Children are made to be loved, cherished, and provided with the opportunity to grow up in a healthy, happy environment.

Every child is precious in front of Allah and deserves to be loved, nurtured, and honoured with quality care, to enable them to develop their full potential.

It is indeed an Allah-given responsibility of every Muslim parent to impart to their children a deep sense of appreciation, respect, and love for Allah, His Messenger ﷺ, His Religion and the sacred principles contained therein.

We must, therefore, give utmost importance in the upbringing of our successors, by drawing upon lessons from the beloved Prophet ﷺ who has been the greatest role model for humanity throughout history, not just through his words which serves as a guidance for mankind, but also through his actions, which is a source of inspiration for many.

The Prophet ﷺ’s personality was not merely exemplified for a specific period, generation, nation, religion or place. Rather, he is a lasting global symbol for all people, transcendent through time. The Prophet ﷺ said,

إِنَّ مِنْ أَكْمَلِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِيمَانًا أَحْسَنُهُمْ خُلُقًا وَأَلْطَفُهُمْ بِأَهْلِهِ

“Indeed among the believers with the most complete faith is the one who is the best in conduct and the most kind to his family.” [At-Tirmidhi]

Children were indeed beloved to the Prophet ﷺ, and he didn’t only show love and kindness to his own children, but he displayed affection for all the children. Therefore today we will focus on the Prophet ﷺ`s love for his own children (and grandchildren).

Whenever the Prophet ﷺ was visited by his youngest daughter, Fatimah RA he would stand to welcome her when she entered the room, take her by the hand, kiss her and make her sit where he was sitting. Conversely, she would do the same when he visited her. These beautiful acts, though simple, show the profound love and respect they held for each other. Aishah, the Mother of the Believers RA said,

ما رأيتُ أحدًا كانَ أشبَه سمتًا وَهديًا ودلًّا برسولِ اللَّهِ صلَّى اللَّهُ عليهِ وسلَّمَ من فاطمةَ كانت إذا دخلت عليهِ قامَ إليها فأخذَ بيدِها وقبَّلَها وأجلسَها في مجلسِه وَكانَ إذا دخلَ عليها قامت فأخذت بيدِه فقبَّلتهُ وأجلستهُ في مجلسِها

“I have not seen anyone who resembled the Prophet ﷺ in terms of conduct, way, and manners, more than Fatimah”. (Aishah RA continued,) “When the Prophet saw her coming, he would stand up for her, took her hand, kissed her, and brought her to sit in his place. When the Prophet visited her, she would stand up for him, take his hand, kiss him and brought him to sit in her place.” [Tirmidhi]

عَنْ يَعْلَى بْنِ مُرَّةَ أَنَّهُ قَالَ‏:‏ خَرَجْنَا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم، وَدُعِينَا إِلَى طَعَامٍ فَإِذَا حُسَيْنٌ يَلْعَبُ فِي الطَّرِيقِ، فَأَسْرَعَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَمَامَ الْقَوْمِ، ثُمَّ بَسَطَ يَدَيْهِ، فَجَعَلَ يَمُرُّ مَرَّةً هَا هُنَا وَمَرَّةً هَا هُنَا، يُضَاحِكُهُ حَتَّى أَخَذَهُ، فَجَعَلَ إِحْدَى يَدَيْهِ فِي ذَقْنِهِ وَالأُخْرَى فِي رَأْسِهِ، ثُمَّ اعْتَنَقَهُ فَقَبَّلَهُ، ثُمَّ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏:‏ حُسَيْنٌ مِنِّي وَأَنَا مِنْهُ، أَحَبَّ اللَّهُ مَنْ أَحَبَّ الْحَسَنَ وَالْحُسَيْنَ، سَبِطَانِ مِنَ الأَسْبَاطِ‏.

Ya’la ibn Murra said, “We went out with the Prophet ﷺ and we were invited to eat. Husayn was playing in the road and the Prophet ﷺ raced the people and then spread out his arms. The boy began to run this way and that and the Prophet ﷺ made him laugh until he caught hold of him. He put one of his hands under his chin and the other on his head and then embraced him. Then the Prophet ﷺ said, ‘Husayn is from me and I am from Husayn. Allah loves anyone who loves al-Hasan and al-Husayn. They are two of my distinguished descendants.'”

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، خَرَجَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فِي طَائِفَةِ النَّهَارِ لاَ يُكَلِّمُنِي وَلاَ أُكَلِّمُهُ، حَتَّى أَتَى سُوقَ بَنِي قَيْنُقَاعٍ، فَجَلَسَ بِفِنَاءِ بَيْتِ فَاطِمَةَ، فَقَالَ‏:‏ أَثَمَّ لُكَعٌ‏؟‏ أَثَمَّ لُكَعٌ‏؟‏ فَحَبَستْهُ شَيْئًا، فَظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهَا تُلْبِسُهُ سِخَابًا أَوْ تُغَسِّلُهُ، فَجَاءَ يَشْتَدُّ حَتَّى عَانَقَهُ وَقَبَّلَهُ، وَقَالَ‏:‏ اللَّهُمَّ أَحْبِبْهُ، وَأَحْبِبْ مَنْ يُحِبُّهُ‏.‏

Hadhrat Abu Hurayra RA said, “The Prophet ﷺ went out in the heat of the day. He did not speak to me nor did I speak to him until he came to the market of Qaynuqa’. He sat in the courtyard of Fatima’s house and asked, ‘Is the little one here? Is the little one here?’ Fatima held her son back for a short time. I think that she was putting a necklace on him or washing him. Then he came running and he hugged him and kissed him. He said, ‘O Allah, love him and love those who love him.'”

خَطَبَنَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَأَقْبَلَ الْحَسَنُ وَالْحُسَيْنُ – رضى الله عنهما – عَلَيْهِمَا قَمِيصَانِ أَحْمَرَانِ يَعْثُرَانِ وَيَقُومَانِ فَنَزَلَ فَأَخَذَهُمَا فَصَعِدَ بِهِمَا الْمِنْبَرَ ثُمَّ قَالَ ‏”‏ صَدَقَ اللَّهُ ‏{‏ إِنَّمَا أَمْوَالُكُمْ وَأَوْلاَدُكُمْ فِتْنَةٌ ‏}‏ رَأَيْتُ هَذَيْنِ فَلَمْ أَصْبِرْ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ ثُمَّ أَخَذَ فِي الْخُطْبَةِ ‏

Narrated Buraydah ibn al-Hasib RA: The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) delivered a speech to us; meanwhile al-Hasan and al-Husayn came upon there stumbling, wearing red shirts. He came down from the pulpit, took them and ascended it with them. He then said: Allah truly said: “Your property and your children are a trial”. I saw both of them, and I could not wait. Afterwards he resumed the speech. [Abu Dawud]

Hadhrat Anas ibn Malik RA says: I never saw anyone who was more compassionate towards children than Allah’s Messenger ﷺ. His son Ibrahim was in the care of a wet nurse in the hills around Madinah. He would go there, and we would go with him, and he would enter the house, pick up his son and kiss him, then come back.

There are certainly many more narrations in this regard, but they all prove the Prophet ﷺ`s deep affection and love for his children and grandchildren.