Flowers for the Women Wearing Veils - Volume I — Page 194
! ! 194 lingering there. In these circumstances , even gazing upon another person is a weakness as it creates temptation and greed , leading a child towards immorality. Hence, if for the sake of their children’s upbringing parents watch over these issues , they can strengthen their children’s morals quite effectively. Now, I wish to say that in my opinion, the most principal factor in correcting children’s m orals and conduct is developing the habit of performing Salāt in congregation. In my experience , I have never seen anything more effective in creating righteousness , than congregational prayer. Congregational prayer is the best way to influence righteousness. If I cannot fully elucidate upon the following verse , t hen I consider that to be a fault of my speech: n ا ۡﻟ ُﻤ ۡﻨ َﻜ ِﺮ َو ا ۡﻟ َﻔ ۡﺤ َﺸ ﺂ ِء َﻋ ِﻦ َﺗ ۡﻨ ٰﻬ ﻲ ا ﻟ َّﺼ ٰﻠ ﻮ َۃ ِا َّن “ Surely, Prayer restrains one from indecency and manifest evil. ” (Holy Qur’ān , Ch. 29: V. 46) O therwise, in my opinion even if a person gradually surpasses Satan in transgression, still that individual has a chance to reform himself if he is regular in offering congregational prayer. T he thought never crossed my mind, slight as it may be, to forego the hope of reforming a person who is regular in congregational prayer but is entangled in his own weaknesses. I have such strong faith in the power of Salāt influencing virtue that I swear on Allah , that no matter how sinful a person is, if he regularly performs congregational prayer he can be reformed , and he will not be wasted. I can s ay with complete assurance that if he finds pleasure and joy in regularly performing congregational prayer, then the period for reformation will continue unti l his very last moment. In my view , there is no greater enemy of their children than such parents who do not inculcate the habit of congreg ational prayer with in them. I reme mber my own experience. Hazrat Sahib [th e Promised Messiah as ] was once so ill, that he could not go to the m osque for Friday prayers. At the time I was not an adult , so the directives