A Letter to a Dear One — Page 93
Muhammad Zafrulla Khan 93 always maintain a sense of respect for each other’s feelings and that they always hold each other in esteem. The Islamic viewpoint about marital relationship is evident from a saying of the Holy Prophet ( ” allall ā hu ‘alaihi wa sallam), directing to offer this prayer when meeting wives, “Shield us, O Allah, from all the evil, and keep all evil away from the issue which Thou has provided. ” Many lessons can be learnt from this directive. First of all we realize the standard of marital relationship and we are guided towards the requisite mindset at these times. We also realize that the mindset and emotions of the time affect the offspring. This fact has also been scientifically proven. Our attention is also drawn to the fact that the training and protection of the offspring starts at conception. When, with the blessings of Allah the Almighty, the parents are expecting a baby, the husband needs to increase his kindness and affection, because the wife goes through a sense of great obligation and trepidation. During pregnancy, a woman is responsible for two lives and her own health is affected. She needs much kindness in these days and should be relieved of housework as much as possible. Attention should be given to her diet, light exercise and fresh air, and she should be spared mental and physical suffering. In short, the husband’s love and affection should increase manifold during these days. The Holy Qur’ ā n has also drawn attention to this condition of women, “his mother bears him in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning takes two years. ” Besides showing affection and kindness to the wife, the husband should try and spend time in prayers, and this indeed is the best way to express kindness. The un-born baby should be included in these prayers, along with the wife. Islam has drawn attention to the event of the birth of a baby and it’s training. Just as a baby is born, the Adh ā n is said in his right ear and the Takb ī r in the left ear. There is wisdom in this for the parents to carry out the training of the baby according to the principles and objectives that are set out in the Adh ā n. These days much is made of women’s emancipation. Just as there is intemperance in all the other matters of the world, some people have exceeded limits in this affair whereas some have gone the other way. The Holy Qur’ ā n has established these rights by saying that women