Muhammad The Great Exemplar — Page 15
15 the godly. Such people fail to comprehend that if the righteous do not give birth to any progeny of their own, who is to set an example regarding the essential human obligation of raising children. The Holy Prophet sa took great pride in his children. He did not seek to hide his affections for them and said that they were a great blessing from God. He never showed neglect or indifference and gave his children his undivided attention and cared for their upbringing. He did not distance himself from them, but said that love for one’s children was one of the most sacred divine obligations. In their tender years, when they lacked understanding and awareness, he nurtured them; as they grew older he looked after their upbringing and when they matured he focused on their education; as adults, when they took charge of their own households, he treated them with respect and they remained the focus of his love. Once his daughter called him to attend to one of his grandsons who had been taken ill. The child writhed in pain as he lived through the final moments of his life in great agony. The Holy Prophet sa took him in his arms, and at seeing his pain, the depth of his love and mercy brought tears to his eyes. A companion, who was present there and who did not realise the task of a prophet is not just to relay the commandments of God to people, but to also provide a perfect human example,