Min al-Hady al-Nabawi fi Tarbiyat al-Banat
- Author died
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- Editions
- Islamic University of Madinah
Min al-Hady al-Nabawi fi Tarbiyat al-Banat (From the Prophetic Guidance in Raising Daughters) is an academic pedagogical treatise written by Muhammad ibn Yusuf Afifi, an assistant professor at the College of Da'wah . The study examines the educational and parental methods of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in raising, supporting, and guiding his daughters across different stages of life . It was published in the Journal of the Islamic University of Madinah (Issue 117) .
Purpose and Scope
The author identifies the purpose of the work as presenting practical aspects of prophetic guidance in female upbringing through a close examination of the Prophet's ﷺ life with his daughters—Zaynab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum, and Fatimah . The book aims to provide Muslim parents with an authentic educational framework grounded in the Prophet's biography to help resolve contemporary parenting dilemmas . The scope spans the life cycle of daughters, beginning from birth and early childhood, moving through adolescence and marriage, and extending to ongoing parental support and bereavement .
Methodology and Structure
The work employs a historical-analytical method, deducing pedagogical principles from historical and biographical reports about the Prophet's daughters and commenting on their practical applications . It is structured into an introduction, seven main sections, and a conclusion:
- Introduction and Study Overview (al-Ta'rif bi-al-Bahth): Outlines the objectives, significance, rationale, scope, methodology, and definitions of central terms, including childhood (tufulah) and adolescence (siba) .
- Literature Review (al-Dirasat al-Sabiqah): Discusses relevant prior literature on Islamic parenting and female status, including studies by Muhammad al-Mukhtar al-Salami and Khayriyyah Husayn Taha Sabir .
- Theoretical Framework (al-Itar al-Nazari): Analyzes the status of daughters before Islam compared to their elevated position in Islamic law, noting the historical circumstances surrounding the Prophet's daughters .
- Childhood Upbringing (Tarbiyat al-Nabi li-Banatihi fi Marhalat al-Tufulah): Explores early childhood nurturing, parental affection, and the primary role of mothers during formative years .
- Adolescent Guidance (Ri'ayat al-Nabi li-Banatihi fi Marhalat al-Siba): Covers moral development, instruction in religious obligations, modest dress, and training for future roles in family life .
- Marriage of Daughters (Tazwij al-Nabi li-Banatihi): Focuses on parental consultation, securing the daughter's consent, selecting righteous suitors, and moderation in dowries and wedding feasts .
- Care After Marriage (Ri'ayat al-Nabi li-Banatihi ba'd al-Zawaj): Addresses maintaining close parental ties without harmful interference, offering emotional support, reconciling marital disputes—such as mediating between Ali ibn Abi Talib and Fatimah—and caring for sick daughters .
Key Conclusions
The study concludes that Islam treats daughters as a divine blessing and a means to attain Paradise for parents who care for them properly . It highlights that the mother bears the primary responsibility during early childhood, while both parents must collaborate in religious and moral education . In marriage, the author emphasizes the legal necessity of obtaining the daughter's consent and highlights the harms of excessive dowries, concluding with the necessity of ongoing parental visitation and benevolent mediation to ensure the stability of a daughter's household .
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