Hawzah News Agency- in his Friday sermon on October 23, 2026, Sheikh Hamad Jalal addressed the importance of respecting parents, choosing a worthy spouse, and paying attention to child-rearing from the very first stages of family formation.
Sheikh Jalal began his sermon by reciting a verse from the Holy Quran on the necessity of respecting parents and seeking divine mercy for them:
"And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, 'My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up when I was small.'" (Surah Al-Isra, Verse 24)
Explaining the verse, he said that a child is duty-bound to be humble before his parents, to treat them with kindness and compassion, and to seek mercy from God for them, as the verse states: "And say, 'My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up when I was small.'"
Sheikh Jalal emphasized that a person must fully recognize the great role of parents in their life, as they have made tremendous efforts since childhood to raise, care for, and ensure the comfort and growth of their children. He noted that upbringing based on solid religious and moral foundations plays an important role in raising righteous children endowed with good morals.
The director of the Imam Sadiq (AS) Seminary continued, stating that a child's duty toward parents is not limited to their lifetime but continues after their death. Therefore, children must continue to show kindness to their parents even after their passing by praying for them and seeking divine mercy and forgiveness.
Proper Upbringing Begins Before Marriage
In another part of his sermon, Sheikh Jalal noted that the path to raising a righteous child begins even before birth, and choosing a spouse is one of the important stages that must be undertaken with great care and attention.
He added that a person intending to form a family must pay attention to the morals and behavior of the family they wish to join, because the family environment plays a significant role in the upbringing and development of children.
He also advised young people planning to marry to involve their parents in this important decision and, alongside that, to ask God to help them choose a worthy spouse.
Sheikh Jalal also emphasized the importance of choosing a God-fearing spouse, reminding that religiosity and good morals are among the criteria that must be seriously considered in marriage decisions, because the foundation of the family has a significant impact on raising the next generation.
Upbringing: A Fundamental Stage in Raising a Righteous Child
The leader of the Tanzania Shia Community continued, stating that after choosing a worthy spouse, the upbringing of children becomes a fundamental stage in the path to raising a moral child endowed with praiseworthy values.
He noted that the period of upbringing is one of the most sensitive stages of a child's life; therefore, parents must carry out this responsibility with care and seriousness, provide necessary guidance to their children, and create an environment that helps shape their personality and cultivate good morals.
Sheikh Jalal emphasized that raising children requires continuous supervision and conscious effort from parents, because raising a generation endowed with good morals requires that this process begin at an early age and continue through the various stages of the child's development.
At the end of his sermon, Sheikh Hamid Jalal Mookindenga asked God to grant goodness and blessings to the community, guide parents in fulfilling their educational responsibilities, and bestow upon society righteous, virtuous children who respect their parents and adhere to moral values.
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