By Shaykh Abdul Qayum
19 September 2025

﷽ 

Parenting has always been a challenge, but perhaps never as challenging as it is in our modern times. With the rapid spread of ideas, values, and influences that often run counter to our Islamic teachings, raising righteous children has become a test not just of love and patience, but of vigilance and deep commitment to the path of Allah.

Allah reminds us of the weight of this responsibility in the Qur’an:

This isn’t just a powerful verse – it’s a wake-up call. It means that parenting isn’t only about raising children for this world. It’s about preparing them for the next. Every choice we make, every habit we encourage, every conversation we have – it all matters. It all shapes their path in the hereafter.

The Prophet ﷺ echoed this in a powerful hadith:

Each of you is a shepherd, and each of you is responsible for his flock.

That means every father, every mother, every guardian will be questioned about how they guided their household. Did we teach them right from wrong? Did we instil the values of modesty, respect, shyness (hayaʾ), and iman? Or did we hand over that role to the internet, the media, and the school curriculum?

One of the major concerns facing us today is the rise of Relationship and Sex Education (RSE) in schools, including topics that touch on gender identity and sexuality, many of which directly contradict Islamic teachings. While parts of the curriculum, such as promoting kindness and safety, may seem harmless or even positive, others are introducing ideas that challenge the very foundations of our beliefs about family, gender, and morality.

Let me be clear – Islam is not anti-education. Our tradition values knowledge deeply. But knowledge must be grounded in truth. And when education begins to blur the lines between truth and falsehood, between what Allah has made lawful and what He has forbidden, then it becomes our duty to step in.

So what should we, as parents, do?

1. Get Informed

Know what your children are being taught. Don’t assume. Ask the school for lesson plans. Attend parent meetings. Review the curriculum. If you don’t ask, you won’t know – and if you don’t know, how can you protect?

2. Learn Your Rights

Legally, parents have the right to be consulted on RSE. In many cases, they also have the right to withdraw their children from specific lessons. Schools are not always forthcoming about this. So we must be assertive, but always respectful. Engage with teachers, headteachers, governors, and even local authorities with dignity and wisdom.

3. Unite as a Community

Individually, our concerns may be brushed aside. But together, we can make a difference. When parents speak with one voice, schools are more likely to listen. Find other like-minded parents, attend school board meetings together, and advocate for respectful accommodations of your faith.

4. Strengthen the Home

At the end of the day, the school is only one influence. The home must be the strongest one. Teach your children Qur’an and Sunnah. Build open, trusting relationships so that they come to you with their questions, not TikTok or YouTube.

Make Islam the foundation of your home. Speak about Allah. Mention the Prophet ﷺ. Let your children see Islam as something beautiful, not burdensome. Teach them that truth is not defined by popularity or social trends, it is defined by revelation.

As they grow older, they will be exposed to many ideas. But if their iman is strong, if they understand why we believe what we believe, they will be able to stand firm, even when it’s difficult.

Let us make duʿa for our children, just as Prophet Ibrahim (ʿalayhi al-salam) did:

We must never underestimate the power of duʿa. Alongside all our efforts – attending meetings, reading books, teaching at home – we must constantly turn to Allah and ask Him to protect, guide, and strengthen our children.

Yes, the challenges of today are many. But our deen is timeless. Islam equips us with the tools to face every test. We protect our children not only by shielding them, but by equipping them with knowledge, Iman, and a strong Muslim identity. So they know halal from haram. So they desire what is pure. So they stand firm even when the world wavers.

May Allah guide our children, strengthen their faith, protect their hearts, and make them leaders of righteousness in this world and the next.

Ameen.

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