Honorable Muslims!
In the verse I have recited, our Lord Almighty (swt) states as follows, "And of His signs is that He created for you from yourselves mates that you may find tranquility in them; and He placed between you affection and mercy. Indeed in that are signs for a people who give thought."[1]
In the hadith I have recited, our beloved Prophet (saw) says, "The best among you is he who is best to his family. And I am the best among you to my family."[2]
Dear Believers!
A man and a woman, as the two halves of a whole that complement each other, share the same home after marriage. Two separate routes, two separate lives merge into one. With the marriage act, a peaceful family is founded, which serves as a robust shelter for both the body and the soul. Additionally, it places new responsibilities on the two. The family established with Allah's name as witness thrives and flourishes with the kids He (swt) bestows to them. The woman enjoys the honor and excitement of motherhood with her children, who are the apple of her eye and the pleasure of her heart. She then becomes a mother, under whose feet is heaven laid down. On the other side, the man becomes a father, charged with the responsibility of raising morally upright generations. Motherhood and fatherhood are such a lofty statuses that Allah the Almighty commands each of us to obey our parents, immediately after servitude to Him (swt).
Dear Muslims!
Family is a rare gift bestowed upon us by our Lord (swt) as a result of His unmatched might. It is a society's central nucleus and dynamism. It is the greatest value as a means to be proud, and the most precious treasure. It is the first school where we learn about good and evil, right and wrong, benign and malignant. It is a school where virtues are acquired and the ideals that define being human are inherited. Family serves as a fortress against physical and spiritual perils. It is an environment of love, compassion, and trust, as well as the peace of heaven on earth.
Dear Believers!
What defines a family as a family is the connection between souls and the love shared between hearts. Being a family entails creating emotional and intellectual connections and unifying hearts. It means to embrace our spouse and children with the understanding that they have been entrusted to us. It is about making sacrifices and putting in the effort to have a peaceful family life.
Being a family entails building the family life on solid foundations and firmly adhering to the values that keep a family together. It means making no concessions in terms of loyalty and honesty, respect and kindness, and becoming "the best among Muslims". It entails being just, forgiving, patient, and loyal.
Being a family means sharing the joy and sorrow. It entails keeping together for richer or for poorer wealth and dearth together, and breast all kinds of problems in life. It is about having hearts beating to the same rhythm, and realizing that happiness lies in living in line with the pleasure of Allah (swt).
Dear Muslims!
Today, when family values are abused and the institution of family is exposed to countless hazards and degraded, we must be conscious of the importance of our family. Let us not stray even for a second from the life-giving principles of our sublime religion Islam in our family life and throughout our lives. Let us build a peaceful and calm family atmosphere for our children, who are the light of our eyes, our spouses, who are our other half, and our parents, who are the reason for our existence.
Let us not forget that a peaceful family is possible through "a door open to mercy and closed to violence". Let us not forget, once again, that no one cares about us and makes every effort for us in our short life more than our family. Our family is the most deserving of our consideration, care, and compassion.
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[1] Rum, 30/21.
[2] Tirmidhi, Manaqib, 63.
General Directorate of Religious Services