MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, YOGYAKARTA— A member of the Muhammadiyah Council for Islamic Thought and Judgement, Rof’ah, said two essential rights of children based on the Children Protection Jurisprudence (Fiqh). They are the right to express their opinions and play.
First, children possess the right to share their thoughts, as illustrated in the conversation between Prophet Ibrahim and Prophet Ismail, as mentioned in Surah As-Saffat verse 102. When Prophet Ibrahim dreamed about sacrificing his son, Prophet Ismail, he allowed his son to express his opinion on the dream. Prophet Ismail wisely advised his father to obey Allah’s command, and he calmly accepted the decision.
Then when the boy reached the age to work with him, Abraham said, “O my dear son! I have seen in a dream that I ˹must˺ sacrifice you. So tell me what you think.” He replied, “O my dear father! Do as you are commanded. Allah willing, you will find me steadfast.” (As-Saffat: 102).
The verse underscores the significance of allowing children to express their concerns, fostering a healthy parent-child relationship. Moreover, their opinions should be valued and respected in decision-making affecting their lives.
Second, children should have the right to play. A hadith tells Prophet Muhammad’s grandsons, al-Hasan and al-Husain, riding his back. He let them play and made his prostration lengthy. When asked why he prostrated during the prayer, he said he did not like to bother his grandsons playing.
It was narrated from ‘Abdullah bin Shaddad, his father said: “The Messenger of Allah (SAW) came out to us for one of the nighttime prayers, and he was carrying Hasan or Husain. The Messenger of Allah (SAW) came forward and put him down, then he said the Takbir and started to pray. He prostrated during his prayer and made the prostration lengthy.” My father said: “I raised my head and saw the child on the back of the Messenger of Allah (SAW) while he was prostrating, so I went back to my prostration. When the Messenger of Allah (SAW) finished praying, the people said: “O Messenger of Allah (SAW), you prostrated during the prayer for so long that we thought that something had happened or that you were receiving a revelation.’ He said: ‘No such thing happened. But my son was riding on my back, and I did not like to disturb him until he had enough.” [an-Nasa’i]
The hadith revealed the significance of providing children with ample time and space to play, as it is essential for their holistic development. Through play, children learn, engage in social interactions, and nurture creativity and various skills. As such, the right to play must be respected and regarded as a fundamental aspect of upholding children’s rights.
Sharing the Children Protection Jurisprudence (Fiqh) may raise parents’ awareness to understand and respect children’s rights, creating a safe environment to support Indonesian children’s growth.
