Muhammad (PBUH) and children

Muhammad (PBUH) and children

Muhammad established laws and examples (sunnah) in respect of which is obligatory for the Muslim community to follow. His behavior towards children was demonstrably kind. Instances of Muhammad professing affection for children are recorded in hadith:

I went along with Allah's Messenger at a time during the day but he did not talk to me and I did not talk to him until he reached the market of Banu Qaynuqa. He came back to the tent of Fatimah and said, "Is the little chap (meaning Al-Hasan) there?" We were under the impression that his mother had detained him in order to bathe him and dress him and garland him with sweet garland. Not much time had passed that he (Al-Hasan) came running until both of them embraced each other, thereupon Allah's Messenger said, "O Allah, I love him; love him and love one who loves him."

—Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj Nishapuri, Sahih Muslim

Abu Hurairah reported:

The Prophet (Muhammad) kissed his grandson Al-Hasan bin `Ali in the presence of Al-Aqra` bin Habis. Thereupon he remarked: "I have ten children and I have never kissed any one of them." Messenger of Allah (Muhammad) looked at him and said, "He who does not show mercy to others will not be shown mercy".

—Muhammad al-Bukhari and Muslim ibn al-Hajjaj Nishapuri, Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim

Another tradition relates his emphasis on treating children with respect and understanding:

Narrated `A’ishah: The Prophet took a child in his lap ... and then the child urinated on him, so he asked for water and poured it over the place of the urine. (Bukhari)

... Embarrassed, the father sprang forward. "What have you done, you silly boy?" he shouted. He shoved his arm forward to grab the child away from Muhammad, his red face showing his anger. Fear and confusion showed in the face of the child. Muhammad(SAW) restrained the man, and gently hugged the child to him. "Don’t worry," he told the over-zealous father. "This is not a big issue. My clothes can be washed. But be careful with how you treat the child," he continued. "What can restore his self-esteem after you have dealt with him in public like this?".

—Tahera Kassamali, Raising Children