Protecting Family Time

Miqdam bin Shurayh reported that his father said: “I asked Aisha about outings. I said, ‘Did the Prophet ﷺ go out (from Madina) for outing?’ She replied, ‘Yes, he ﷺ used to go out to these hillside streams.’” [Adhab Al-Mufrad]

Allah (swt) has filled this world with natural beauty and encouraged us to reflect upon it, a sign of his Greatness. So it’s also a blessing there’s scope for seeking respite and recreation there too when it becomes a means to spending family time.

The family is a cornerstone of society. So hours spent together are a much needed protected time for any family to have, strengthening bonds. The Prophet ﷺ encouraged this. We see it from his own life as he played with children and made them laugh. He ﷺ joked and raced his wives whilst they in turn would tell him stories.

Ibn Kathir said, “It was the character of the Prophet ﷺ to live in a beautiful manner with his wives, being cheerful and kind to them, generously spending on them, and laughing with them.”[Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr] 

Aisha(ra) reported: She was with the Prophet ﷺ, while on a journey. Aisha said, “I raced him on foot and I outran him, but when I gained some weight (another time), I raced him again and he outran me. The Prophet ﷺ said: This is for that race.” [Abu Dawud]

For busy parents, life’s often a whirlwind of pressures and responsibilities that keep us rushed off our feet. Whether it’s at work, rearing kids (not to be mistaken for quality time), or life’s duties; if left unchecked they can compromise on a healthy family life. So it’s important to set time aside and step away to nurture and develop those relationships. Ideally away from the surrounds of our daily routines, escaping to places that can awaken a spiritual connection to be appreciated by the family as a whole, a reminder that there’s a wider purpose to life beyond our immediate existence.

The Prophet ﷺ said; “Any act devoid of the remembrance of Allah is heedlessness except for four: archery, training a horse, playing with ones’s family and swimming.” [Tabarâni]🌙
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