What Are the Virtues of Raising Daughters in Islam?
Answered by Shaykh Abdul Sami‘ al-Yaqti
Question
Are there prophetic hadiths regarding the upbringing of daughters and the virtue of raising them?
Answer
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds. Blessings and peace be upon the Master of the Messengers, his Family, and all his Companions.
Hadith
Many hadith have been narrated on this topic, including:
Respect for Mothers and Women’s Dignity
On the authority of Mughira Ibn Shu‘ba (Allah be pleased with him), the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“Indeed, Allah (Most High) has forbidden you: disobedience to mothers, burying daughters alive, and withholding and demanding (without right), and He dislikes for you: gossiping, excessive questioning, and wasting wealth.” [Bukhari; Muslim]
The Generosity of a Mother
‘Aisha (Allah be pleased with her) narrated:
“A woman came to me with her two daughters, asking for charity. I found nothing with me except one date, which I gave to her. She divided it between her two daughters and did not eat any of it herself. Then she got up and left. When the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) came in, I informed him, and he said:
‘Whoever is tested with daughters and treats them well, they will be a shield for him from the Fire.’” [Ibid.]
In another narration, the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) added:
“Do not be surprised; she has entered Paradise because of that.” [Ibn Maja]
The Protection in Raising Daughters
‘Uqba Ibn ‘Amir (Allah be pleased with him) said:
“I heard the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) say: ‘Whoever has three daughters, is patient with them, feeds them, gives them drink, and clothes them from his wealth, they will be a shield for him from the Fire on the Day of Judgment.’” [Ahmad]
Supporting a Dependent Daughter
Suraqa Ibn Malik (Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“Shall I not tell you of the best charity? Your daughter who has been returned to you, and she has no one to provide for her except you.” [Ibn Maja]
This refers to a daughter who returns to her father after being divorced, for instance.
Paradise Through Caring for Daughters
Ibn ‘Abbas (Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“There is no Muslim who has two daughters and treats them well for as long as they remain with him, except that they will cause him to enter Paradise.” [Ibid.]
Summary
The rights of daughters in Islam are safeguarded and preserved, starting with the right to life, followed by the right to good upbringing, care, companionship, and honor as long as they are in their parents’ home until they marry. This right extends even after marriage, encompassing situations where the daughter loses her provider or breadwinner.
All praise is due to Allah for the blessing of Islam, which honored and protected women both in childhood and adulthood, making this care a path to Paradise and salvation from the Fire on the Day of Judgment.
[Shaykh] Abdul Sami‘ al-Yaqti
Shaykh Abdul Sami‘ al-Yaqti is a Syrian scholar born in Aleppo in 1977. He obtained his degree in Shari‘a from the Shari‘a Faculty of Damascus University, a Diploma in Educational Qualification from the Faculty of Education at Aleppo University, and a Diploma in Shari‘a and a Master’s in Shari‘a from the Faculty of Sharia, and Law at Omdurman University in Sudan. He is currently writing his doctoral thesis.
He studied under esteemed scholars such as Shaykh Abdul Rahman al-Shaghouri, Shaykh Mustafa al-Turkmani, and Shaykh Dr. Nur al-Din Itr, among others. Shaykh al-Yakti has worked in teaching and cultural guidance in orphanages and high schools in Aleppo. He served as an Imam, Khatib, and reciter at Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi and as a certified trainer for Khatibs in Abu Dhabi’s Khatib Qualification Program.
He is involved in developing and teaching a youth education program at Seekers Arabic for Islamic Sciences.
Among Shaykh al-Yaqti’s significant works are “Imam al-Haramayn al-Juwayni: Bayna Ilm al-Kalam Wa Usul al-Fiqh” and the program “The Messenger of Allah Among Us (Allah bless him and give him peace).”
