Religious Upbringing and Family

To remain steadfast and preserve one’s faith until the end of life, one should sincerely hold fast to the Qur’an and the Prophet’s Household, entrust oneself to God, and persevere in self-examination. Staying close to the righteous and keeping away from the corrupt, avoiding settings where sin is rife, regularly reciting the Qur’an and Sūrat al-Kahf, and cultivating a close relationship with al-Ṣaḥīfa al-Sajjādiyya are among the important ways to do so.

A number of factors have contributed to young people’s declining interest in marriage, including the weakening of religious faith and belief, making marriage difficult, unemployment, poverty, the spread of sexual immorality and permissiveness, lack of hijab, easier divorce, inadequate education, mistrust, and satanic schemes.

Religious obligations are a means of drawing closer to God, and God does not impose on His servants anything beyond their capacity. The apparent difficulty of fulfilling these obligations is a test, one that reveals who truly loves God; if outward acts of worship were pleasant and easy, there would be no test. Satan and the lower self make even the lighter religious duties seem difficult and distasteful.

Ghusl is different from bathing: it is performed to attain ritual purity before God and requires an intention and a specific order prescribed by Him. Just as provision and healing come by God’s permission, purity too is attained only by following His laws and with His permission. The intention and order in ghusl are essential elements; without them, ritual purity is not achieved.

To help your three-year-old’s love for the Prophets and the Ahl al-Bayt endure, entrust your child to God and seek His protection for them from the evil of devils. Nourish their spiritual life with the Qur’an and the teachings of the Prophet’s Household, and learn religious knowledge from authoritative sources. It is recommended that you recite the twenty-fifth supplication of al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya, as well as supplications for the end times, with yourself and your child in mind.

The familiar opening “Once upon a time” may be understood, despite its ambiguity, as an affirmation of God’s absolute oneness: He alone existed, and there was no other God. This interpretation is also consistent with the hadith “Allah was, and there was nothing alongside Him,” and points to the oneness of God’s very essence.

A child’s duty when faced with unreasonable demands from parents is not to obey them in disobedience to the Creator. While maintaining courtesy and respect, a child should refrain from joining their parents in sin and should encourage them to do what is right and discourage what is wrong.

To resolve difficulties with a temporary marriage and gain the bride’s brother’s consent, it is recommended to recite Prayers 1, 2, 3, 8 and 17 of al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya with sincere devotion. It is also recommended to recite the seventy-part prayer of repentance attributed to Imam Ali (AS), and to recite Surat al-Fil and Surat al-Kawthar one hundred times, dedicating the reward to Lady Fatima al-Zahra (SA).