The Upbringing of Three Daughters

The Question:

The Messenger of Allaah (Sallallahu alayhi wassallam) said: “Whoever had three daughters and was patient with them, gave them drink and clothed them then they will be a screen for him from the Fire.”

Will this screen from the Fire be just for their father alone or does the mother have a share in this? I have -all praise be to Allaah – three daughters.

The Answer:

The hadeeth is general for the father and the mother due to the Messenger’s saying: “Whoever has two daughters and is good to them then they will be a covering for him from the Fire.”

Likewise if he had sisters, aunts or similar to them and he is good to them then indeed we hope for Paradise for him due to that.

So when he is good to them he is deserving of a great reward, it will screen him from the Fire and it will come between him and the Fire due to his good deed. This is specific to the Muslims. If a Muslim performs these good actions desiring the Face of Allaah, then he has attained a means for his salvation from the Fire.

Being saved from the Fire and entering into Paradise has many routes, so it is necessary for a believer to increase in them. Islaam itself is a single foundation and it is the fundamental reason for entering Paradise and being rescued from the Fire.

There are deeds which, if a Muslim performs them, he enters Paradise due to them and is saved from the Fire, such as the one who has been given daughters or sisters and is good to them, then they will be a screen for him from the Fire. Similarly, whoever had three of his offspring, who had not reached the age of accountability, die then they will be a screen for him from the Fire.

The Companions asked: “O Messenger of Allaah what about two daughters?”

He answered: “Even two,” and they did not ask him about one daughter.

It is authentically reported on the authority of the Messenger (Sallallahu alayhi wassallam) that he said: “Allaah – Azza wa Jal- said, “For My believing slave who, if I take his close friend from the people of the Duniya and then he performs righteous actions, there is no reward except Paradise.””

So Allaah – Subhanahu wa Ta’ala – explained that for His believing slave whose close friend He takes – i.e. His beloved – from the people of the Duniya, who is then patient and performs good deeds, He has no reward other than Paradise.

So even if one of our offspring enters this hadeeth and Allaah takes possession of him and takes him to Himself, then if that person’s father, mother or both of them are patient and they perform good deeds then they will have Paradise, and that is great excellence from Allaah.

Similarly, a husband, wife, the rest of the relatives and friends, if they are patient and perform good deeds then they enter this hadeeth provided that they are safe from that which could, perhaps, cause them to die on any of the major sins. We ask Allaah for safety.

– Majmoo’ Fatawa – Ibn Baaz vol. 4 p. 375-376

[Taken From: The Fatawaa of our Shaykh, Allaama, Mufti of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Abdul Azeez bin Abdullaah Bin Baaz | Translated by: Abbas Abu Yahya]