Indeed, no philosophical or social system was as well aware of the paramount importance of the status of children in societies as Islam which granted children their rights as early as when they were still in the world of souls; before being created in their mothers’ wombs and even before their parents got married.
Concerning the child’s life before birth and since his creation in his mother’s womb, there are deep and clear legal rules that accompany this fetus throughout pregnancy and put his rights in order. The right to care comes on top of these rights, then comes the right to life, child protection, inheritance, and other rights.
Furthermore, legal rules do not accompany a child after his birth only, but also encompass stages of lactation, weaning, teenage years, youth, and maturity. They also guarantee equality between boys and girls in terms of treatment, care, love, tenderness, and kindness. Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) said that one person was sitting in the company of the Prophet (PBUH) when his son arrived. The person kissed the boy and made him sit on his lap. After a while, the person’s daughter came there and the person made her sit in front of him. Then the Prophet (PBUH) told this person: “Why don’t you let her sit in your lap just like her brother to be equal? Then this person let both of them sit on his lap. In addition, The Prophet (peace be upon him) kissed his grandson Al-Hasan bin Ali (may Allah be pleased with them) in the presence of Al-Aqra bin Habis. Thereupon he remarked: “I have ten children, and I have never kissed any one of them.” Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) looked at him and said, “He who does not show mercy to others will not be shown mercy”.
Moreover, Al-Azhar Ash-Sharif, with its message of enlightenment to all people and its moderate approach that is keen on delivering it to its students for more than a thousand years, strongly advocates defending the rights of children as well as protecting them from various forms of violence including child marriage, forced marriage, female genital mutilation, child labor, sexual violence, absence of family, street children, violence inflicted on children by family members, violence in schools, educational institutions, and residential cares, exploiting children in armed conflicts, trafficking of children and online violence.
It is worth clarifying that the Western perspective of child rights granted children some rights that are not approved by the Islamic perspective. Thus, Al-Azhar believes that it is the essence of its duty to clearly define the concept of human rights in general and child and women rights in particular in the light of the constants of Islamic Shariah if Arab and Islamic countries were asked to sign international agreements on women and children. This matter is significant not only for the sake of respecting religious and cultural characteristics but also for the sake of preserving the unity of social systems and for the sake of achieving harmonious civilization exchange between the East and the West. It is also worth highlighting that the arrival of a child to a family is, with no doubt, a reason for great happiness for the whole family. However, this happiness should not turn into a financial burden to the parents because of the costs of some celebrations that Islam made permissible, especially for the wealthy. In this regard, people should not consider a permissible matter as an obligation in order not to burden themselves; the matter that Islamic Shariah forbids.
