The Essence of Waqf-e-Nau — Page 4
4 this scheme, it was initially not meant to be permanent, but he later made it so; and Jam a ‘at members, especially mothers, from every country said labaik. When the Jam a ‘at’s atten- tion was drawn towards this scheme 12-13 years ago, Waqf-e- Nau membership was more than 18,000. Today, with Allah’s Grace, it is nearly 61,000—of which males comprise more than 36,000 and the rest [of the membership] are girls. It seems that as time passes, [parents] are increasingly of the mindset that we must waqf our children before their birth. But parent’s responsibilities do not end merely by pre- senting their children; rather, they increase more than before. Obviously, a parent is responsible for their child’s moral training and parents want the best for their child. They want the best of the worldly things for their child. They also want tarbiyyat [moral upbringing]; they also want their child to acquire religious knowledge—if they are parents inclined towards religion. But it must also be remembered that from the beginning, every child—and especially a Waqf- e-Nau [child]—is a trust of the Jam a ‘at. Parents, therefore, are responsible for their moral training and must ensure that they are an exemplary section of the Jam a ‘at and soci- ety at large. Moreover, [this attitude of ] being responsible for the moral training of Waqf-e-Nau children—and pro- viding particular attention towards the secular and religious education—so that they are presented to the Jam a ‘at in the best possible manner also requires parents to pledge, before the birth of their child, that the child that is to be born, boy or girl, is being presented for God, for Allah Almighty’s