Teach your Sons about Deen

Part of Muslim parents' nurturing is to provide their children religious knowledge. This is an obligation on Muslim parents.

However, when it comes to teaching Deen to our 'children', many of us have a very ignorant concept of giving Relgious knowledge only to the daughters of our family while easily neglecting it when it comes to the sons or boys.

My first question to the parents: Are men (yes, your boys are going to be men and fathers of this Ummah) are exempted from the religious obligations and the consequence of neglecting it on the Day of Judgement?

Allah while commanding us with obligations in the Quraan addresses both men and women.

Men and women have the same religious and moral duties and responsibilities. They both face the consequences of their deeds: 

"And the believing men and the believing women, they are the friends of each other, they enjoin good and forbid evil, and establish prayers, and pay the alms, and obey God and His Messenger, these, upon them God will have mercy, indeed, God is almighty, All-wise." (9:71)

"And their Lord has accepted of them and answered them: "Never will I suffer to be lost the work of any of you be it male or female: you are members of one another ..." (3:195)

"If any do deeds of righteousness be they male or female and have faith they will enter paradise and not the least injustice will be done to them."  (4:124)

"For Muslim men and women and for believing men and women, for devout men and women, for true men and women, for men and women who are patient and constant, for men and women who humble themselves, for men and women who give in charity, for men and women who fast (and deny themselves), for men and women who guard their chastity, and for men and women who engage much in Allah's praise, for them has Allah prepared forgiveness and great reward." (33:35)

"One Day shall you see the believing men and the believing women how their Light runs forward before them and by their right hands: (their greeting will be): "Good news for you this Day! Gardens beneath which flow rivers! To dwell therein for ever! This is indeed the highest Achievement!" (57:12)

SubhanAllah, when it is so obvious from the above verses of Quraan (and also a little common sense) that religious commitment is an obligation on BOTH men and women, no parent in his sane state would ignore his/ her son in this regard knowing that their sons will have to face terrible consequences in the Akhirah. May Allah grant us understanding. I'm sure that the parents love both their sons and daughters equally or in same case they love their sons more than their daughters. Then how is that the sons are deprived of religious knowledge while a great emphasis is put on daughter's religious studies?

That is because, these parents give their daughters religious knowledge not fearing the question of Allah on the Day of Judgement but rather fearing the questions of the family who would propose their daughter when she attains the age of marriage. Is this not a common practise in many countries where the parents of the daughters are asked by the would-be-groom's family..." How much of Quraan has your daughter read? Does she offer her five times prayers?" But, SubhanAllah there is hardly any family who counter-questions the groom's family about their son.

It is the daughters who is taught moral ethics to great extent and learning Quraan/ religious knowledge comes simply as an element in the 'package' which includes cooking, cleaning, pious character, good behaviour, etc. These are nothing but preparation for her marriage. And parents somehow think that this is  what sums up as a "good daughter' and that they have been good "dutiful parents"'. But how possibly can you claim that when your 'Aqeedah (belief) and Niyyah (intention) is not correct. It is only natural that your daughter will not benefit from whatever religious knowledge she gained. To sum it up, we see our daughters as women who will be wives tomorrow and so accordingly we teach things "beneficial" to her. On the other hand, sons are looked upon as successful men of tomorrow and hence they are provided with amenities that parents think are "beneficial" such as giving importance only to the academic studies. The religious knowledge have little to no place for the boys. Because parents think that boys need to have determination only for the "serious" things in life. SubhanAllah, this is such a profound reality Allah has depicted in Surah at-Takathur: 
"The mutual rivalry for piling up (the good things of this world) diverts you (from the more serious things),"

SubhanAllah, what we "assume" as serious is actually of no value at all. The true serious matter is not that how much your son will earn per month but rather whether your son will make it to Jannah and be protected from Hellfire. May Allah grant us understanding.

And how can someone who has NO knowledge of His Creator, His Prophet Muhammed (saws), His Religion can ever make it to Jannah?

Allah says:

"Verily the most honoured of you in the sight of Allah is he who has most taqwah (God consciousness/ fear of God)." (Al-Hujurat 49:13)

And then in another place in Quran Allah says:

"It is only those who have knowledge among His servants that fear Allah." (Fatir 35:28) 

And then, Allah says in Surah al Hijr:

"Surely those of taqwa shall be in the midst of Gardens and fountains." [v.45]

To sum up the above three verses for our easy understanding,  in order for your son or children to be among the people of Paradise, it is important that they have Taqwa and the way to achieve Taqwa is by giving them 'ilm (knowledge).

Taqwa is the fear of the Most Merciful, and acting in accordance with the Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws). That is, hoping for the reward of Allah and avoiding disobedience of His Guidance and fearing His Punishment.

May our children be among the Best of the Ummah and be among the Ahl al Jannah-Allah huma Ameen.