A situation I heard from my father thirty-five years ago that is still engraved in memory: My father, may Allah have me…

A situation I heard from my father thirty-five years ago that is still engraved in memory:

My father, may Allah have mercy on him, was employed as assistant principal in a private school, and he heard many complaints from teachers about one of the boys' classes-rebellious troublemakers with little respect for teachers.

My father went to this class, entered upon them, and saw a number of them sitting disrespectfully, slouched in their chairs. My father did not ask anyone to correct his sitting, but rather said to them: "Peace be upon you young men, today I will talk to you about the topic of the value of the human being in Islam". My father was not a student of Islamic knowledge, nor did he memorize many verses and hadiths, but nevertheless he spoke to them with what he could recall on this subject.

Little by little, the slouching students began to correct their sitting and listen with interest... Time passed, and my father came to end his lesson and leave, but the students stopped him and begged him to continue with them...so he promised them he would return to them later.

"Your value as a Muslim" was the key by which my father entered the hearts of these youth and corrected some of their behavior...and it is one of the keys we need to address Muslim youth with today.

Many influences around us make our youth feel low in value, and this is a hidden cause behind many intellectual and behavioral deviations, even sins. For he who does not value himself and does not respect himself has nothing to lose, and there is no respectable self-image to maintain, and there is nothing to care about other than satisfying his desires...

Whereas when a young person looks at himself with respect, he rises above base words and deeds, and feels the greatness of his mission as a vicegerent on earth guided by the revelation of the Lord of the Worlds.

The "destroyers of upbringing" that educators talk about destroy our children's respect for themselves-shouting, threatening, cursing, mockery, neglect, not listening, interrupting...and some "religious people" who are keen on teaching their children worship and keeping them away from sins may practice them. Build in your child his self-esteem, and teach him that this is from Islam, as Allah the Most High said: (And We have certainly honored the children of Adam), for this is a foundation on which you build sound belief and virtuous morals.