Islam's Response to Contemporary Issues — Page 107
Social Peace 107 The Holy Quran declares that you must be mindful of kindness to your parents. If contemporary society learns the lesson from these injunctions, many problems which it faces today and which represent a blemish on an advanced society, would cease to exist. No homes for the aged would be needed, except for some aged people who, unfortunately, have no close relative to look after them. But in an Islamic society, the love between parents and children is so repeatedly emphasised that it is impossible for a child to abandon his parents when they grow old for the sake of his or her own pleasure. The Future Generation As for the future generation, the Holy Quran educates society in a unique way. It teaches that to achieve the best of relationships between you and your children, it is highly essential that the relationships between you and your wife should also be excellent. In this regard, the verse cited earlier 31 , which refers to guardians ( Qaww a m u n ), lays a very heavy responsibility on the shoulders of a husband. If his conduct is not conducive to the creation of an ideal atmosphere for a healthy family life, he would have failed in his responsibility to act as a guardian ( Qaww a m ). It should be remembered that the best example of Qaww a m was the Holy Founder sa of Islam himself. He was neither harsh nor dictatorial nor in any way offensive or over-assertive in relation to his family. To keep them on the right path was a grave responsibility, but the way that he discharged this responsibility serves as an excellent living example for