Central Khutbah: “The Education of Children is the Noblest Task”
Raising and educating children is one of the noblest and most important tasks entrusted to us. Children are a blessing, but also a great responsibility. Guiding them on the right path, in the spirit of Islam and with knowledge of faith, forms the foundation for the future of our community. Islam teaches us that the education of children is the key to success, not only in this world but also in the Hereafter. Throughout history, we see many examples of great scholars whose parents, especially their mothers, played a key role in their education and moral guidance. These accounts of their efforts serve as inspiration for each of us.
The Mother of Imam Ahmed ibn Hanbal
When Imam Ahmed was young, his father passed away. He often spoke to his students about the efforts of his mother and her education, and he frequently prayed for her. During the cold nights in Baghdad, she would rise well before him to warm water for his ablutions. She would cover him with a cloak and lead him through the darkness, along the cold streets, to the grand mosque, long before the dawn prayer, so that her son could get closer to the teachings of his master. She would wait after the lessons to ensure he returned home safely.
At the age of 16, she prepared food and money for him and said, “This is for your journey in search of knowledge.” He traveled to Mecca, Medina, and many other places, where he met great scholars. She raised Imam Ahmed, who became one of the giants of Islam.
When Imam Malik was five years old, his mother called him, dressed him well, and sent him to learn from one of the scholars in Medina. Regarding this, Imam Malik said, “My mother would dress me in the clothing of scholars while I was still a child and would say to me, ’Go to the mosque and learn knowledge in front of Imam Rebi.’ Learn from him the ethics (morality, behavior) before learning from him the science.”
Imam Malik often repeated that he became “Imam Malik” thanks to his mother, meaning that without the mother of Imam Malik, we would not have Imam Malik.
The full name of Imam Malik’s mother is Alija bint Cherik ibn Abdurrahman El-Ezdija from the Banu Essed tribe. She was an educated woman who wished for her two sons, Malik and Nadr, to acquire knowledge. She took them to the mosque of the Prophet, peace be upon him, to learn. Her other son, Nadr, became a great scholar in Medina, so well-known that Imam Malik was once referred to as “the brother of Sheikh Nadr.”
At the age of twelve, Imam Malik began to intensively attend study circles and listen to lectures on hadith and fiqh. His ability to learn and his quick acquisition of knowledge are evidenced by the fact that he began issuing fatwas at less than eighteen years old and already had his own teaching position at twenty-one. Although he was in the prime of youth, many muhaddiths studied before him and transmitted from him, and toward the end of the caliphate of Abu Jafar Al-Mansour, the prophecy of the Prophet, peace be upon him, was fully realized, and people from all over the vast Islamic empire came to Medina to listen to the Imam of Darul-Hijra, i.e., the Imam of Medina.
Imam Shafii was born in the year 150 of the Hijra, the same year that the great figure of Islam Abu Hanifa passed away. His father died when he was very young, so he grew up under the care of his mother. At the age of two, his mother moved him to Mecca. She was the one who recognized his potential and invested significant effort in his education. From childhood, Shafii displayed exceptional intelligence and talent, and by the age of seven, he had become a hafiz of the Quran. In his youth, he memorized Malik’s work “Al-Muwatta” and dedicated himself to studying Islamic legal sciences. Thanks to his mother’s support, he became one of the greatest scholars in the history of Islam.
Examples of great scholars such as Imam Abu Hanifa and Imam Bukhari also confirm the importance of the mother’s role in education and upbringing. Imam Bukhari’s mother, an honorable and pious woman, wept and prayed fervently when her son became blind as a child. After many prayers, Allah restored his sight. His mother was always by his side, providing him support and guiding him toward the pursuit of knowledge.
The education and upbringing of children are not just an obligation but also an investment in our shared future. Mothers and fathers play a key role in this regard, and the efforts made in the education and moral guidance of children yield fruits that are not limited to this world alone. Every effort, every sacrifice, and every concern we show for our children leaves a profound impact on their lives. We are called to guide our children toward knowledge and morality, just as the parents of Imam Ahmed, Imam Malik, Imam Shafii, and other great scholars did. We pray to Allah to grant us strength, wisdom, and perseverance in this noble task, and that our children become beacons that will spread the light of Islam in the future. Ameen.
(Central khutbah by the religious leader Hafiz Hilmija Redžić on September 6, 2024, at the “Centre Islamique Gazi Isa-beg” in Esch-sur-Alzette)
