The Generation Gap

Introduction

The younger generations possess pure hearts and spirits which are full of sensations, emotions and enthusiasms. They are passing through the most sensitive and critical period of their lives and require guidances, supports and sympathies. A young person is like a nascent sapling requiring the loving protection of sincere, experienced and wise gardner, against the diseases and accidents. The famous persian poet Sheikh Sa'di said:

A young man is like an arrow; rigid, hard and straight.

But it requires a flexible and bending bow (which is like a wise oldman) for the arrow to bit the target.

The cultural maturity of a society, especially the Isalmic one, is proportional to the importance to attaches towards the guidance, training, and continuous endeavours towards its younger generations. Notwithstanding, with the opinion of some people, in general training is a very difficult task, especially the training of younger generations, which is complicated and contains various delicate points. The famous German philosopher Kant has defined the training of younger generation and the government of a country as the most difficult tasks in the world.

Unfortunately, in todays industrial societies parents, because of being surrounded by numerous mental involvements do not have the opportunity to think or ponder about the aim and days pass by speedily. Very often the days pass into nights; new day begin; and weeks and months pass by without parents finding suitable occasion to indulge into serious communications with their off springs. Although, the problem of raising resonsible, nature, conscientious, and righteous children is a serious matter that all parents are worried about; but how to deal with the younger generations and to establish a friendly, rational, and logical communications with them is an art, and naturally all of us are not skilled artists. So, the things remains within the chests of parents awaiting for an appropriate opportunity, which very often never arises or at least when it is already too late.

The author of the book: How to bridge? The Generations Gap, has provided you this God-given opportunity, so keenly desired by all the parents. The present book was first published in Persian in the year 1963, and deals with such important topics such as The Rights of Rarents. The Child's Rights, The Responsbilities of Parents, The Teacher Rights, The Role and Neccessity of Religious, Faith, and The Hidden Treasures of the East etc. in a simple logical manner. there now, instead of wishing for the right opportunity and the right time, the parents may simply present book as a birth day gift to their children.

At this critical and sensitive juncture, when the enemies are determined to destroy all spiritual values of dear Islam with the empty materialistic ones; more then any other time in the past, there is a need to build the ideal monotheistic younger generations who could culturally and ideologically defend the fortress of Islam.

We, the Muslim parents have a duty to produce a generation who mus believe that Allah is Great: Greater then all the power of which men might be afraid of; Greater then any body who could dare to challenge His created laws. They must appreciate that Allah is not only the God of his race, his country and mankind; but also belongs to tiny creatures such as bees and ants. He is the Creator of stars, sun, moon, heaven, milky ways and other galaxies. This future generation should be free from all sorts of prejudices, narrowmindedness. nationalism, sectarianism, shortsightedness and should think about the domain of Islam for beyond the narrow limited national boundaries. They must consider themselves like a fish in the ocean of Towheed (Monotheism) as pro-claimed by Allamah Iqbal Lahori, fifty years ago.

The success of the Islamic movement in the near future will depend if we could bestow upon the young generations the enlightement regarding the Principles, Beliefs, Monotheism, Day of judgement, prophethood, Imamat, Will of Allah, Ethics, Purification of Self, Desirable Characteristics. Forbidden Characteristics, and Social obligation etc. They should be thoroughly familiar with the discouses of the Holy Qur'an and narrations about Patience, Jihad, World and Hereafter.

They must be knowledgeable about the international political issues; identify the friends and foes; be aware about the enemy onslaughts and tactics and should know how to counteract them. We, the Muslim parents are duty bound to make the younger generation familiar with all the key issues facing the Islamic Ummah.

Simultenously, we must do our utmost to produce, the younger generation who could orint their lives with the Holy Qur'an. They must feel the sweetness of the following verses in their own lives.

"And put thy trust in Allah for, Allah is sufficient as trustee."(33;3)

But Allah is your protection, and He is the best of Helpers."(3-150) If Allah is your helper, none can overcome you, and if He withdraw His help from you, who is there who can help you? In Allah let believers put their trust (3:160) "Whosoever surrender his purpose to Allah,  while doing good, he verly has grasped the firm hand, unto Allah belongs the sequel of All things."(31:22)

May Allah bless all the present, a nd coming future Muslim generations to pay heed to the wisdom of the following verses of The Holy Qur'an given by Loqman - the wise to his son; "O my son!" (said luqman), If there be (but) the weight of a mustard-seed and it were (biddnin a rock, or (anywhere) in the heavens or on earth, God will bring is forth: for God understands the finest mysteries, (and) is well-acquaited (with them)." (31;16)

"O my son! establish regular prayer, enjoin what is just, and forbid what is wrong; and bear with patient constancy whate'er betide thee; for this is firmness (of purpose) in (the conduct of) affairs." (31;17) "And swell not they cheek (for pride) at men, nor walk in insolence through the earth; for Allah loveth not any arrogant boaster." (31:17) In this modern glittering age of science anf technology in the present 20th century, together with the wordly education, if we could produce a generation, who could feel the presence of Allah in their daily lives then we as parents must thank Him for giving us the blessing of discharging our obligations successfully.

Since completion of this translation coincides with the "Week of Eight Years of Sacred Defence" in the Islamic Republic of Iran, it will be be-fitting to dedicate theis translation to the martyrs of the imposed war, who sacrified themselves so that the divine light of Allah's revelations remain ignited forever. The history will bear withness the heroic defence of the Islamic combatants who, with faith in Allah resisted the deadly pressures of all the arrogant powers for eitght long years.

To the extent it was possible, I have tried to remain faithful to the original text but, at some places where word by word translation in English was not possible, efforts have been made to reflect the theme of main text by omitting some phrases and sentences. I wish to thank all those who have contributed to the realization of this translation, especially, Mr. Sayyid Mohammad Taqi Hakim for proof reading the Arabic text. Sincere thanks are due to Mr. Soulat Parviz for his diligence and quality work in type-setting. I convoy sinere gratitude to Ayatullah Ibrahim Amini, the learned scholar jurisprudent from the Religious Learning Center of Qom, and Mr, Ansaryan for their valuable suggestions, guidance, and encouragement. Finally, from the bottom of my heart, I would like to thank my friends for edithing, proof reading, and making helpful suggestions; and who out of modesty prefer to remain discreetly in the background.

Elucidatory footnotes added by the translator are indentified with (Tr.): all other footnotes are by Mr. Hakim himself: For any errors of commission, I take responsibility.

Sayyid Hussein Alande r September 27, 1994 Rabi-attani 20, 1415 Tehran