Our Real Family

This article is about our real family. This topic came to me as we recently celebrated Family Day in Canada. The holiday was initially instituted so that people would take time to spend with their families. This got me thinking about the meaning of family, who is our real family and the importance of it.

We are not given a chance to choose our family. Maybe that’s why knowing, understanding and learning the meaning of family becomes so essential for us. We are all, including the orphans, born with a family. Family is essentially made up of those people who look after us, who play a crucial role in our upbringing and who teach us many lessons in life, which can never be learned through any school or text book. We assimilate the basics of discipline and responsibilities from our family relationships. The various members in our family instill in us the true meaning of family.

Let’s see who these people are and how they reveal to us the real meaning of family. God blesses us with mothers, fathers, siblings and relatives

on this journey of life. The Quran also talks about the importance of family and the role it plays in our lives:

Our genetic family and the placement of souls: We know that God chooses our genetic family. Every time a human being is born, a human person is assigned to the new baby from the depository of souls. God assigns the souls in accordance with His knowledge (28:68). Every soul deserves to be assigned to a certain body, and live under certain circumstances. God alone knows which souls are good and which souls are evil. Our children are assigned to our homes in accordance with God’s plan. So, from this we know that God has specially chosen for us our parents, siblings and relatives according to his perfect plan and according to our soul. (From Appendix 7 - Why Were We Created?)

Not very common for all genetic family members to be submitters: I remember when I first came to Submission; I automatically assumed that all my siblings and family members would accept submission. I mean, why would they not?

The proof was so evident and simple to understand. However, we know from Quran that it is very difficult for all family members to believe. We also have examples in the Quran where there are disbelieving family members, such as Noah’s son and Lot’s wife.

[11:45] Noah implored his Lord: “My Lord, my son is a member of my family, and Your promise is the truth. You are the wisest of the wise.”

[11:46] He said, “O Noah, he is not of your family. It is unrighteous to ask Me for something you do not know.* I enlighten you, lest you be like the ignorant.”

However God says not to be saddened if they do not believe as He is the only one that guides. All we can do is share the message and set the right example.

Our Real Family:

In the Quran, God talks about Submitters being our ‘Real Family’. The moment a person accepts submission, he/she becomes a member of our family simply because we value and devote our lives to worshipping God alone.

 

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