Q: Someone told me that if parents don’t do proper upbringing of children they will be held accountable for it, but everyone is accountable for himself, how do I reconcile between that?
Also if parents are sinful if they don’t teach about a sin to a child and he does it, someone told me that parents won’t be sinful if they don’t directly guide the child to that particular sin, but they will be held accountable for not guiding them. Is it correct?
A: You are answerable for your minor children to ensure that you give them the right tarbiyat and taleem. This is you obligation.
The parents’ duty is to guide the children towards the right, as well as forbid from evil. Just guiding to the right only and not stopping the child from wrong is a major wrong.
And Allah Ta’ala (الله تعالى) knows best.
Answered by:
Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)