26. DUTY TOWARDS FAMILY

God says

…It is these (righteous) that shall find fulfillment in the hereafter; gardens of perpetual bliss, which they shall enter together with the righteous from among their parents, their spouses, and their offspring;* and the angels will come unto them from every gate [and will say]: “Peace be upon you, because you have persevered!” How excellent, then, this fulfillment in the hereafter?-- Q.13: 22-24
*Do please refer to verses 20 to 22 which describe the qualities of these righteous for which the excellent reward is being promised. It will be great for the entire family to adopt those qualities in order to be together in paradise.

And bid thy people to pray, and persevere therein…. Q.20: 132

(True servants of God) pray: “O our Sustainer! Grant that our spouses and our offspring be a joy to our eyes,* and cause us to be foremost among those who are conscious of Thee.” -- Q.25: 74
*I.e., by living a righteous life.

O you who have attained to faith! Let not your worldly goods and your children make you heedless of the remembrance of God: for if any behave thus – it is they, they who are the losers! -- Q.63: 9

O you who have attained to faith! Ward off from yourselves and those who are close to you that fire (of the hereafter) whose fuel are human beings and stones: -- Q.66: 6


Prophet said

1. “The best of you is he who is best to his family, and I am the best of you to my family.”– H: Tirmizi and Ibn Majah. N: Bibi Ayesha

2. “Whenever a Muslim spends* something for his family hoping for it (a reward from God or pleasure of God), it is an act of charity for him.” -- H: Bukhari and Muslim. N: Abu Masud.
*Spending for the family has to be purposeful and far from extravagance. Their material and also spiritual needs have to be met. Family members should be respected and consulted, their growth and development to be guided, and conduct to be guarded. ‘Rewards for everyone are high because the issues involved are most serious, and the consequences of the failure most terrible’.

3. “(As for) a dinar you have spent in the way of God, and one spent in emancipating a slave, and one given to poor in charity, and one spent for your family (needs), of those the highest in reward is the one you spent for your family.” – H: Muslim. N: Abu Hurairah.
Basically, family consists of parents, wife, husband, children and attendant (if any). If one is supporting a relative or an orphan those have to be treated same as other members.