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Unlock This CourseFamily Life: Types of Family, Roles and Responsibilities explained why families matter and the different kinds of family. This lesson gives the Muslim teaching. Muslims believe that the family is where children first learn about Allah, right and wrong, and how to treat other people. The family is also seen as the heart of the ummah. If families are strong, the whole Muslim community is strong.
Key terms:
The Qur'an puts kindness to parents very high. Qur'an 17:23-24 says that Allah has commanded people to worship him alone and to be good to their parents. If one or both of them reach old age, a person must not say even a word of impatience to them, but must speak to them with respect and ask Allah to have mercy on them, as they cared for their child when small.
Qur'an 31:14 reminds people how hard a mother works for her child. A well-known hadith tells of a man who asked who deserved the best company from him. The Prophet answered "your mother" three times before saying "your father". Many Muslims use this to show the special honour given to mothers.
Parents must feed, clothe and protect their children and teach them the faith. Many Muslims read Qur'an 66:6, which tells believers to protect themselves and their families from the Fire, as a reason for this (see Muslim Nurture, the Qur'an and the Sunnah). A hadith compares each person to a shepherd who is responsible for those in their care.
Because of Qur'an 17:23-24, many Muslims believe that caring for elderly parents is a duty and a way to earn Allah's reward, not a burden. Many Muslim families care for grandparents at home. Some families do use a care home when an elderly person needs medical help that the family cannot give, but many Muslims would see this as a last choice and would still visit often.
Islam also values the extended family. Qur'an 4:36 tells Muslims to be good to parents, relatives, orphans and the needy, and a hadith says that anyone who believes in Allah and the Last Day should keep ties with their relatives. Grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins are all part of the support network.
In many places, Muslim families are changing. Some live in nuclear families, not extended ones, and some are single-parent or reconstituted families. Attitudes differ:
Muslim communities help to sustain family life mostly through the mosque. Each mosque is different, but many offer some of the following:
Madrasah classes (see Muslim Nurture, the Qur'an and the Sunnah) teach children the Qur'an and the faith, which helps parents with their duty to teach.
Youth clubs, women's groups, sports and family events let families meet. Festivals bring whole families together to pray and celebrate.
The imam (the person who leads prayers and advises the community) may give marriage advice, advise couples before their nikah (marriage contract) and offer counselling when a couple are struggling.
The mosque also gives practical help. Many collect zakah and sadaqah (charity, taught earlier) and use it to help families with food, bills or funerals. This keeps families together, because money worries are a common cause of stress. Because people of all ages meet at the mosque, children see grandparents and other adults as part of their extended family.
Paper 1 style. Choose one religion and answer for Islam.
(a) Identify three ways a mosque can help families. [3 marks, AO1]
1. Madrasah classes for children (1) 2. Marriage advice and counselling from the imam (1) 3. Practical help with money from zakah (1)
(b) Choose one religion. Outline two Muslim teachings about the importance of family life. [4 marks, AO1]
Muslims teach that children must show kindness and respect to their parents (1), as Qur'an 17:23-24 says, even when they are old and need care (1). Muslims also believe that parents must teach their children the faith (1), so that the whole family is protected and the ummah grows strong (1).
(c) Choose one religion. Explain why there are different attitudes to the roles of men and women in the family in this religion. [6 marks, AO1, AO2]
Some Muslims hold a traditional view. They use Qur'an 4:34 and 2:228 to say that the husband is the provider and the wife is the main carer for the home and children, so they believe that this keeps family life stable. Other Muslims have a modern view. They say that Islam gives women the right to work and keep their own money, and they point to Khadijah, a trader who became the Prophet's first wife. They believe that couples can share work and childcare, especially when both need to earn in the modern world. The differences also come from how people read the Qur'an and hadith, and from culture and family background, so Muslims can respect the same sources and still reach different conclusions.
(d) "Looking after elderly parents is always the duty of their children." Evaluate this statement, showing you have considered different points of view. In your answer you should refer to at least one religion. [12 marks, AO1, AO2]
For: Qur'an 17:23-24 tells Muslims to be kind to parents in old age, parents cared for their children when small, and caring for them earns Allah's reward. Many religious and non-religious people also feel a duty of gratitude. Against: some elderly people need medical care that a family cannot give, children may have jobs and young families, and many non-religious people say that the state or care homes should help. Even Muslims who use a care home still keep up respect and visits. Judge each point and cover the word "always". Possible conclusion: for Muslims, children always have a duty of care, but this duty may be met in different ways, so the statement is true only if "looking after" includes arranging proper care and showing love.
In "different attitudes" questions on Islam, give two contrasting Muslim views, such as traditional and modern, and say why they differ.