Surely Allah is with those who observe Taqwa and are Mohsin ( an Nahl, 16:128)
Muttaqi and Mohsin: The two qualities that matters a lot before Allah
In the above mentioned verse, Allah has assured glad tidings to those people who have two characteristics and it means the Help and the guidance of Allah is with those who fear disobeying their Lord and His Messenger and they keep away from things disliked by Allah. That is Taqwa. The second characteristic is to be a Mohsin. Mohsin means one who does good to others in abundance. Sucb people achieve, the bounties and blessings from Allah.
A legacy to leave behind
As the Prophet (peace be upon him ) assured, “If you protect (the Deen of) Allah, then Allah will protect you,” one of the obligatory things to be done by us is to make arrangement for the prosperity of our coming generations by facilitating their religious training. This should be on our top priority that we need to leave behind a legacy of good citizens who would continue filling the masjid and get involved in good deeds. Whatever Allah has gifted us with guidance should be passed on to the next generation. We must leave behind a legacy of religious enthusiasm in our generation next.
The legacy of Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him)
The Qur’an recalls a scene from the life of Prophet Ibrahim with a lesson, when he along with his son Ismail (Allah be pleased with both of them) was raising the structure of Ka’bah. He was supplicating to Allah while building the Ka’bah and one of the supplication was, “And (remember) when Ibrahim (Abraham) said: "O my Lord! Make this city (Makkah) one of peace and security, and keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols.” He further pleaded, “and (O Allah) provide them with fruits so that they may give thanks.” His supplications teaches us how genuinely he was concerned about his progyny.
When a person has a good intention, a purposeful mission, a useful enthusiasm then Allah values his supplications
Prophet Zakariya (peace be upon him) was honoured with serving the Masjid e Aqsa through the Imamate of Masjid e Aqsa, giving sermons and other duties. His lineage was appointed by Allah to serve the Masjid e Aqsa since generations. This noble Prophet did not have a child and he started growing old. He pleaded to Allah to give him a child so that he can carry on the legacy of serving the Masjid e Aqsa. He wanted the bestowed privilege to be continued in his lineage. The Qur’an recalls his pleads in several places. Surah Maryam presents a detailed version of this story.
He supplicated secretly ( so that people may not get astonished) in his old age pleading for a child. Note the below verses 2- 6, from Surah Maryam:
(This is) a mention of the Mercy of your Lord to His slave Zakariya (Zachariah).
When he called out his Lord (Allah) a call in secret,
Saying: "My Lord! Indeed my bones have grown feeble, and grey hair has spread on my head, And I have never been unblest in my invocation to You, O my Lord!
"And Verily! I fear my relatives after me, since my wife is barren. So give me from Yourself an heir,
"Who shall inherit me, and inherit (also) the posterity of Ya'qub (Jacob) (inheritance of the religious knowledge and Prophethood, not the wealth, etc.). And make him, my Lord, one with whom You are Well-pleased!.
The purpose of Zakariya’s supplication for a child was because he wanted to leave behind a legacy of knowledge that he learnt as a Prophet because Prophets do not leave behind wealth for their children but their entire wealth is given away in charity. The wealth of Prophets is the knowledge they teach. The above verses reflects the hope in Allah’s mercy that Zakariya (peace be upon him) clinged to. He did not give up the hope in spite that he and his wife had grown old. He knew, he believed and he trusted that, “Allah is powerful over all things.”
It was the noble intention of serving the Deen of Allah that made Zakariya (peace be upon him) supplicate to Allah for a child. The seventh verse of Surah Maryam says, Allah responded his worthy intentions and one day when he was praying in his room, Zakariya (peace be upon him) heard, “O Zakariya ! Verily, We give you the glad tidings of a son, His name will be Yahya. We have given that name to none before (him).”
The response of Allah did not end here but it extended with the goodness attached to his yet to be born son. Just go through the following verses of Surah Maryam and check how many blessings were announced in advance about the child to be born!
It was said to his son): "O Yahya ! Hold fast the Scripture [the Torah)]." And We gave him wisdom while yet a child.
And (made him) sympathetic to men as a mercy from Us, and pure from sins [i.e. Yahya and he was righteous,
And dutiful towards his parents, and he was neither an arrogant nor disobedient And Salamun (peace) be on him the day he was born, the day he dies, and the day he will be raised up to life (again)!
Concerns about the future of your children and their Deen should be a priority
If you are involved in a good deed then it is a blessing of Allah to be guided to be a Mohsin, do not let it end when you die. Do not carry it along with you in grave but leave behind a legacy for your children to continue it and thus earn the Sawab e Jaariya. Each one of us must supplicate about it. Let your family not be void of worshippers in future generations. Don't make you future empty of Deen.
During the Conquest of Makkah, a striking incident will help us understand the value of concerns about children. Sa’d bin abi Waqqas (Allah be pleased with him) had a daughter and she was the only daughter. She felt seriously sick and could not intake even her meals after they shifted from Madina to Makkah. The Prophet (peace be upon him) was informed about her sickness and he went to visit Sa’d whom he found sitting very sadly. He said, “I have only one child, and what will I do with all the property if she marries and goes away? So I am thinking of donating away my entire property.”
The Prophet (peace be upon him) prevented him from doing so and said that he can donate only one third of his property. Then he assured him that he still had a life ahead and Allah will bestow him with more children and wealth. He said to Sa’d, “ It is better that you leave behind enough of wealth for your children instead of donating all your wealth and leaving your children at the mercy of spreading hands before others.”