Re-Appraising the Roles of Parents in a Child’s Life for Parental Appreciation and Societal Stability from Islāmic Perspectives

Abstract

The significance of parents' roles in shaping their children's lives and fostering a stable society has led many modern societies to establish special days to honour and celebrate parents. Interestingly, the emphasis on parental appreciation has its roots in Islam, which institutionalised parental roles in equitable terms to achieve a balanced society. However, recent trends have significantly deviated from this balance. This paper re-examined the roles of parents in a child's life from Islamic perspective, employing a qualitative methodology. Through content analysis, the Qur'an, Ahaadith (sayings of Prophet Muhammad), extant relevant literature, and semi-structured interviews with some Muslim parents and some children were analysed, supplemented by data from media platforms. Drawing on attachment and Tarbiyyah (Islamic nurturing) theories, this paper revealed that the shared and complementary roles of parents, as prescribed by Islam for children's upbringing and societal stability, are increasingly compromised in contemporary times. This erosion often stems from issues such as broken homes, ultimately denying some parents, especially fathers, celebration or appreciation from their children due to their absence in from their lives. The paper recommended that, among other things, Islamic institutions, scholars, and clerics, should regularly counsel and sensitise Muslims on the importance of adhering to parental roles prescribed by Islam. The paper concluded that when parents fulfil their complementary roles, society becomes more stable, and parents are likely to receive balanced appreciation and celebration from their children and society for their contributions, unlike contemporary trends that often disproportionately celebrate mothers over fathers.