How to raise children - as per Islamic principles

Introduction

It is the nature of a decent person that he/she is anxious to make progress in life.  He tries to perform good deeds and to stay away from sin.  He strives to keep himself steadfast on the right path.  For a believer, only this much is not enough.  A believer should also worry about keeping his/her relatives and children on the right path.  He should exhort them to perform good deeds and strive to ensure that they stay away from evil.  For this, proper upbringing of children is necessary.  For this reason, Islam gives great importance to proper upbringing of children.  Allah Most High says in the Holy Quran:

O believers! Safeguard yourselves and your families against a Fire whose fuel is men and stones. Appointed over it are strong and stern angels who do not disobey Allah in what He commands them. And they accomplish what they are ordered.  Surah Tahreem (66:6)

In this verse, the believers have been ordered to save themselves and their relatives from the fire of hell.  The word “Ahleekum” includes relatives, wife and children.  Children are the primary intent here.  The first phase of a human’s life is childhood.  Childhood is like tender green shoots.  However they are taken care of, in whatever way they are molded, the tree will grow in that very manner.  For this reason, Islam gives primary importance to proper upbringing of children and has given special guidelines for this.