In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
Every parent wishes for their child to grow up to be a great person. Every parent has their own vision of what makes someone ‘great’, and they raise their child accordingly. In this book, we will talk about a truly great person, one whose upbringing and language was guided by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH); this person is Imam Ali (A.S.). Over a thousand years ago, a scholar from Baghdad, Iraq, Seyyed Razi, collected the sayings, sermons, and letters of this great person into a book, and named it Nahjul Balagha.
Parental love is an integral part of upbringing, which requires parents to offer their children guidance that leads to happiness and well-being in their lives. Nahjul Balagha for Children is a gift from Islamic Thought to parents, and it is highly encouraged for parents to present it as a gift to their children. There is no gift more precious than the wise and valuable advice that comes from the pen and tongue of Imam Ali (A.S). Imam Ali (A.S) is the gateway to the knowledge of the Prophet (PBUH), and through this gateway, one finds the path to reach Allah.
Imam Ali (A.S) always wished that someone would come to him to seek knowledge. In the last two days of his life, while injured, he gave his final will to his sons and family, saying, “This is my will to Hasan and Husayn (PBUT), to all the children, and to the entire family, and to whoever this writing reaches, it is a will to them” (Nahjul Balagha, Will 47). Therefore, the words of Imam Ali (A.S) are for each and every one of us. For parents, he left behind one of the best principles for the upbringing of children, writing, “The heart of a young child is like a blank piece of land, which accepts whatever seed is planted in it” (Nahjul Balagha, Will 31).
Parents should plant the seeds of love for God, the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and the Ahl al-Bayt (PBUT) in the hearts of their young children. To plant the seed of love in the hearts of children, there is no better seed than the Qur’an, the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), and the words of Imam Ali (A.S). From the planting of this seed, a pure tree will grow, and both parents and society will benefit from its fruits, shade, fragrance, and flowers.
Great effort has been made to make the topics in Nahjul Balagha for Children interesting, and the images appealing, for children. At the end, references to the Nahjul Balagha are provided. Parents should read the relevant section of the Nahjul Balagha before teaching the child so that they can benefit from the words of Imam Ali (A.S) themselves and can explain the topic in a meaningful way. Parents, teachers, and children should keep in mind the longing of Imam Ali (A.S), who, pointing to his chest, said: “Here lies the source of knowledge. I wish for someone to come and learn from it” (Nahjul Balagha, Saying 147)
May Allah grant long life to the parents and bestow upon the children the grace and blessings to serve them with love and devotion.
