Parenting dominates women's session at Ahmadiyya convention in Hampshire

The urgent need for parents to assume full responsibility in the upbringing of their children to shape their future growing up dominated the women’s session at the 52nd annual convention of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community in Hampshire, United Kingdom.

Stressing proper parental guidance to protect children against negative societal tendencies, the worldwide spiritual leader of the Ahmadiyya Muslim community, His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad, implored parents to protect their children from the negative impacts of societal norms.

Parental justice

“Some parents believe that their children are safe from the negative impacts of society, but only accept the reality when it is too late. Parents must exercise justice in their dealings between all of their children both male and female,” he said.

The convention which is known as Jalsa Salana is the biggest Islamic gathering in Britain which annually brings together about 35,000 Ahmadis from all over the world with the purpose of experiencing religious benefits.

His Holiness Ahmad whose address to the women on Saturday, (August 4), dwelt on enhancing a better family relationship said some parents had the false notion that the proper training of children was the responsibility of the mosque or church.

“If children begin to become distant from the religious community due to an office bearer, parents must explain to them that this is a personal weakness,” he submitted.

He spoke against exposing the weakness of children to the public and also for their dignity to be respected noting that “it is wrong to ignore the weaknesses of children with the hope that they will reform themselves in the future”.

Technological destruction

Turning his focus on technological gadgets that have become instruments for family destruction, the worldwide Ahmadiyya spiritual leader alluded that those devices had made people cautious because of the disunity they posed to families.

“Parents who prevent their children from the uncontrolled exposure to electronic devices are not worthy of praise. Majority of mothers are very attentive towards the moral training of their children. The proper upbringing of children in the society was challenging for religious parents who cared about the future of their children,” he added.

Delving into the desire for families to have more children, His Holiness stated that the desire to have children should not merely be driven by natural instincts but should rather be to achieve the purpose of creation.

“Prayers, religious education and instilment of good morals are essential for the proper upbringing of children. In order to have a righteous progeny, parents are required to set high standards of righteousness,” he remarked.

He deplored abusive marriages in which men often subjected their spouses to all forms of abuses. He urged such men to control their anger and not abuse their wives in the presence of their children since it had a negative impact towards the upbringing of the children.

His Holiness presented awards to some Ahmadi Muslim women for their academic excellence in various universities across the world.