Assalamu Aleykum dear brothers and sisters,
Today I share with you a beautiful poem by a Muslim poet.
Many truths are hidden in the poem and once you understand them, you can't go wrong in raising your children.
Our children do not belong to us. They are merely 'amana (trusted property) from God. We may give them a home, security, and love, but we may not treat them as our own property.
Your children
Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of longing
of life after itself.
They come through you, but not from you,
And although they are with you, they do not belong to you.
You may give them your love,
but not your thoughts,
Because they have their own thoughts.
You may give their bodies a home,
but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
that you cannot visit,
not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them,
but don't try to make them like you.
Because life doesn't go backwards
it still lingers in yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children
sent out as living arrows.
The archer sees the target on the path of infinity,
and he harnesses you with his power,
so that his arrows fly fast and far.
Let your bows be directed by the archer's hand for joy;
For just as he loves the arrow that flies, so he loves the bow that is steady.
(* 06.01.1883, † 10.04.1931)