The Family's Duty toward Children's Religious Education according to Normative Conduct of Infallibles (a)

Undoubtedly, a decent religious education that underlies the realization of Islamic ideals forms the basis of the Islamic society. In the noble religion of Islam, two elements of family and divine education have been highly emphasized. The question now is what are the parents' responsibilities in raising children in the family? The Islamic jurisprudence, which is responsible to assign duties in different areas, is a valid source that can state the terms and conditions of parental responsibility in educating and upbringing children. Those conditions can be inferred by delving into the jurisprudential sources. Seerah or the normative conduct is one of the valid religious sources that can be cited and relied upon. This study examines the implications of different kinds of seerahs and conducts including those of the prophets in the Qur'an and the infallibles with respect to the parental duties in the education of children. The aforementioned normative conducts mainly indicate a focus on education and upbringing to the extent of general permissibility, and some of the evidences surrounding it suggest a preference, which is more farreaching and wide-ranging than just obligation [wujub] and desirability [istihbab].