Family and family relations in Hinduism
Relationships between individuals in the Hindu family should be considered within the framework of the Hindu joint family; The joint family is an ancient institution that still exists in India and has been perpetuated in Hindu societies outside India as well. The traditional Hindu joint family model, which is based on relative kinship through the male line (for most Hindus), involves the sharing of all male members – four living generations and three generations of ancestors, who are related to the living through blood ties and sacrificial rituals. And- is in the ownership of ancestral family property. In this model, women have the right to use food and clothing and family funds. That the joint or extended family lives together reflects this shared ownership of assets as well as an economic way of using resources. But at the same time, it can cause many problems: It is possible that the stronger members exploit the weaker members of the family; In addition, continuous monitoring and crowded living conditions may prevent the establishment of the preferred lifestyle for individual family members. If this system works properly, it provides lifelong assistance and security for all members of the family; But there are also many families in which relationships are disturbed, and family members are fighting each other. The joint family is run by an administrator, who is a senior male member and has the ability to present the family as a legal entity to the outside world.
Structural levels of relations between people in the Hindu family
Relationships of people in the family have a hierarchical structure, which is first of all based on the criteria of age and gender. The Indian language has subtle means of expressing these relationships. For example, the word “you” can be expressed in different ways, depending on whether the speaker is superior, inferior, close or very close to the addressee. Therefore, family relationships are defined with its fine details. For example, there are many different words for different kinds of relatives. Family friends, and even strangers can be incorporated into this system, thus instantly defining everyone’s place: If a young man addresses a young woman as “sister”, it means that he is committed to avoid fornication ! The concern of separating men and women is noticeable everywhere. In many families, women are under a lot of pressure to be modest towards the male of the family, as well as strangers. The fear of adultery can be seen in ancient texts about dharma. Therefore, Manvasmriti , after declaring the danger, that women are bound by the seduction of men, advises that “men should not sit alone with their mother, sister or daughter, because emotions are strong and dominate even men of the world. find”.
Various forms of hijab in Hindu religion
Various forms of hijab (covering the face and body parts of women) are observed by Hindu and Muslim women. Talking about sexual topics is not acceptable in most families; This concealment causes problems in communication between generations. In addition, relationships between married couples within the family are subject to such restrictions, so that public expression of affection between husband and wife is not acceptable.
Relationships between husband and wife
If in a joint family the woman spends most of her time with other women, and the husband spends most of his time with his male relatives and friends, it is likely that a very close emotional relationship will not be established between husband and wife. On the other hand, in cases where a marriage is troubled, the extended family can moderate emotional crises, whereas in the nuclear family, husband and wife have more direct reliance on each other, and establishing more successful relationships requires a harder effort.
Tolerance in dealing with children
A lot of tolerance is applied in dealing with children, according to their age. A famous proverb says: Treat your child as a king in the first 5 years, as a slave in the next 10 years, and as a friend in the following years. In practice, this means that young children are treated gently, but the child also learns to share in the family’s concerns, especially when other children are present. It seems that the identification of a child as an adult is done at different ages in India and in Western countries. Most Hindus value education a lot. In traditional conditions, sons tend to follow their father’s profession, but now there is much more mobility. Many evidences indicate that Hindu mothers spoil their sons and prefer them to daughters. This is mostly due to the fact that the status of a woman depends to a large extent on her ability to produce the necessary male heirs. This attention to sons can have unpleasant effects later in life, when the mother-in-law resents her daughter-in-law for demanding more attention from her beloved son. The rights and duties of a Hindu person are largely determined based on the composition and socio-economic status of the family. It is impossible to provide general rules: In emergency cases, very young men and women have to assume the role of head of the family, while in other cases, they do not reach this position even at the age of grandparents.
Family and family relations in Islam
Family plays a very important role in Islamic society. The family is a basic institution of the Ummah, and it is formed in such a way that it functions as a micro-society. The purpose of the network of rights and duties that form the foundation of family life is to create the virtues that Islam wishes to cultivate in the individual and in the nation. Friends and companionship make it possible to achieve mental, psychological and emotional stability. But the relationship between family members, and especially between husband and wife, is very important as a useful relationship, and in addition, as a spiritual relationship, love, kindness, mercy, compassion, mutual trust, forgiveness, peace and It creates and sustains cooperation. Muslims claim that only within the framework of the family, their moral and spiritual capacities become reality; Islam encourages the flourishing of goodness and virtues within the family and in the world beyond. Virtues such as empathy, love and mercy, forgiveness for others, tolerance, and kindness, when the child is raised in the family, take a role in his personality. The family provides the most suitable platform for developing the qualities that are necessary to fulfill the divine trust. Once Iqra ibn Habis came to the Prophet , who was playing with his grandson Hasan. Aqre asked with surprise: O Messenger of God, do you play with children? I have ten children and so far I have not shown any interest in any of them. The Prophet raised his eyes and looked at Iqra and said: “If God deprived your heart of kindness and compassion, what should I do!”
Important duties of the family in Islam
Among other important duties of the family is to implement values in the society and stabilize them. Bringing a child, without educating and nurturing the child – that is, monitoring the education and shaping of the children’s personality and their gradual entry into Islam and identifying the responsibilities and tasks of fulfilling the trust – is incomplete. The best thing a father can give his child is good education. Therefore, taking care of family members is a full-time job and a worship. Lord, grant us wives and children who will be the light of our eyes, and make us leaders of the pious people. The effort to raise children is a huge reward. And whoever takes care of his three daughters or three sisters, and educates them well, and treats them with kindness so that God enables them to rely on themselves, by the grace of God, he will earn a place in heaven for himself. has done. The family not only performs its duties as a spiritual and social entity, but is also included in economic fields. The Prophet said: When God creates an opening in your life, use it for yourself and your family first. According to Islam, it is the legal duty of the husband to take care of the family financially, even if the wife is rich. Financing the family strengthens and extends the connection and mutual respect, creates a system of material security.
The role of marriage in the development of Islam
As a result of marriage, the family becomes a means to expand the range of contacts and establish relationships between different groups. Marital bond (between two families) increases friendship more than any other act. Marriage is like a bridge between different families and societies, which has played a significant role in attracting different people to establish wider relationships. In practice, marriage has played an important role in the development of Islam.
The role of women in the Muslim family
What is important is that the family, by encouraging and increasing the sense of responsibility in its members, incites them to try harder to realize their abilities, talents and desires in relation to the divine will. Harmony within the family depends on the tasks and responsibilities of its members. In the Muslim family, women play the main role. In the Islamic society, women should be free from the hardships of trying to earn a living and pay attention to the requirements of employment, so that they can play their role in raising the family. In a Muslim home, the mother is responsible for the family affairs and the proper management of the husband’s property. But this does not mean that a woman does not have the right to have a job or profession. A woman is free to have a job, but the requirements of doing God’s will at home are the first priority.
The role of men in the Muslim family
Although the management of the family is entrusted to the couple, and decisions are made through the council, the husband is still the head and the ultimate authority in the family. Also, the husband is responsible for the financial support of the family. If a woman has a job or a profession, whatever income she earns is for her exclusive use and the husband has no right to it. According to the example of the Prophet, who used to wash his clothes and help in the housework, the husband has the duty to help his wife in the housework.
Raising children in a Muslim family
Although the mother is usually primarily responsible for raising children, Islam does not expect women to do this extremely important task alone. Raising a friend is the joint responsibility of husband and wife. Husband and wife should jointly provide an Islamic atmosphere in their home and adopt a consistent approach that includes mutual support and strengthening. According to Muslims, a child is very dear and desirable, and they call a child a blessing and a precious trust. Although contraception is not sanctioned, Muslim families are large by choice. Abbott is desirable and persuasive. Parents and children are encouraged to be very close emotionally and physically. The birth of a child is an event worthy of great joy and thanksgiving, in which relatives and friends also share. Within 7 days after birth, the father whispers the call to prayer in the child’s ear; After that, they give him a name, comb his hair, and as a sign of gratitude to God for the birth of a new member of the family, they slaughter an aqeeqah (sacrificial sheep). The meat of the sacrificed animal is distributed among friends, relatives and the poor. If the baby is a boy, he must be circumcised. The education and guidance of the child starts from the very beginning. Its purpose is to create a character in the child who can fulfill the duties and responsibilities of the moral and religious system to God. Therefore, in this direction, it is emphasized to strengthen the principles of Islam, and correct understanding of Islam, character and good morals. And correct understanding of Islam, character and good morals are emphasized. Such training is not limited to goal setting, but more importantly, to provide a living example of absolute submission to God. The basic part of this education, which starts at a very young age, includes obedience, respect and attention towards parents, which is considered as the embodiment of this famous Islamic example of God’s satisfaction in the parents’ satisfaction. Say, come, so that I may tell you what God has forbidden you: Do not associate anything with God, and be kind to your parents…
The role of Muslim women in raising and educating children
Although raising and educating children is a common duty of parents, the role of a Muslim woman as a mother is considered the most important, serious and challenging responsibility. The role of mother for women is not only sufficiently stimulating and persuasive, but it also creates a special status and dignity for her in the nation. Muslim women are deeply convinced that it is because of their inherent competence and ability that they have been entrusted with the most important tasks of shaping the future generation of mankind. Islam acknowledges the great importance of this role. A man came to the Prophet and said: O Messenger of God, I want to go to war and I have come to consult you. The Prophet asked him if he had a mother, and when he heard her answer in the affirmative, he said: Stay with him, because heaven is under his feet. The Prophet insists that due attention be paid to the mother. Someone asked the Prophet whom I should love. The Prophet replied: to your mother He asked again who should I love next, the Prophet replied: to your mother He asked again who is next and the Prophet said: Your father, and then your relatives in order of kinship.
Respect and love for parents in the Islamic family
Respect and love for parents, which is developed in Muslim children, should remain throughout their lives. Although when young people leave home for marriage, education or work, there is a natural separation, but new relationships will not replace the love of parents. Although parents and children may live in different houses or places, or even on two sides of the globe, but in any case, they are part of a family unit, which is bound together by the strongest strings of duty and love. . When the parents reach an older age and their vital powers decline, the family takes care of them. In traditional Islamic societies, children and – if there are no children – relatives naturally take care of the elderly. Muslims do not consider this act as a burden, no matter how hard it is, they consider it a part of God’s trust. Because Muslims live in different cultural contexts, they try to determine the best way to care for each family member, including children, parents, and the elderly.
God says in the Qur’an in Surah Isra: “And the ruling of the Lord is that there is no worship except for God, and for the good parents, either they reach the greatness of one of them, or we do not quarrel with them, and they do not oppose them, and the words of the Lord are the noble words, and the words of the Lord are the honorable, and the words of the Lord are the most merciful.” Translation: And your God commanded that you do not worship anyone but Him, and do good to your parents, and if one or both of them become old, do not curse them and do not harm them, and speak to them with respect. Show humility to them with kindness and say, Lord, have mercy on them as they raised me with love as a child” (Isra’, 23-24). In this way, love, mercy and mutual compassion between parents and children continue throughout life; After the death of their parents, children continue to mention their parents in their prayers and ask God to have mercy on them.
Peace of mind in the Islamic family
Family relationships are not limited to parents and children, but include the family in a broader sense. God loves the one who shows mercy, and God hates the one who cuts off mercy. Regular visits with relatives and attention to them help to maintain these bonds. A non-Muslim relative should be treated the same as a Muslim relative, because blood relations always remain the same.
Family ties among Muslims
According to Muslims, grandparents are like parents and they should be treated the same way. Uncles and aunts are also viewed in the same way. Siblings are usually very close, and their children are treated as their own. Family ties are so close that it is not unusual for Muslims to accept the responsibility of younger brothers, and sisters, or nephews and nieces, or grandchildren, or cousins, if necessary. If any of these relatives – including elderly aunts or uncles, widowed, divorced or unmarried sisters, or orphans – are poor, infirm, or alone, family members must provide for them. The true meaning of family is to participate in each other’s sorrows and joys and fears
Mostajar
