“And enabled you to inhabit the Earth, invest in what is within it, and benefit from its bounty.” Therefore, the gift of offspring was a goal in nature through which the gradual context of life toward the genesis of meaning is realized, and the need for it was deeply rooted in the soul, as manifested in great prophets in clear verses. Prophet Zechariah (u) desired a child, so he stood and prayed, then called upon his Lord in secret, saying: “My Lord, grant me from Yourself a good offspring. Indeed, You are the Hearer of supplication. While he was standing in prayer in the sanctuary, the angels called to him: ‘Indeed, Allah gives you glad tidings of John, confirming a word from Allah’” (Al-Imran: 38-39). In this is a great indication of the momentous matter hidden within the secret of matrimony; thus, it is not fitting for a rational person to embark upon it unless they are aware, as much as possible, of the purposes of the wisdom of the Wise Creator and the Merciful Lord.
In his discussion of child-rearing, the Prince Sayyid Q. draws attention to the necessity of fulfilling “great conditions” and essential “preludes” that a mindful person must apply to enable themselves to establish their “home” on a firm foundation of sound management, based on awareness and the unity of heart and mind together. Upon the man lies, first and foremost, the responsibility of choosing a wife who stands with him in a position of equality in spirit and fairness in action. This holds true conversely in defining the responsibility of the “rational woman,” as her fundamental right to consent and acceptance grants her, in her volition, the decision to choose what is most suitable and appropriate.
Realizing the meaning of this fundamental event in one’s life, and grasping its true purposes with wisdom and guidance, serves to consolidate the foundations of the structure within a refined human context. Consequently, it enables the spouses to navigate the stages of the family's emergence and completion with confidence and rectitude, far as possible from the risks of pitfalls, difficulties, and the destabilization of the pillars of harmony and understanding.
There is a joint and persistent responsibility that falls upon the shoulders of those qualified for procreation during the stages of fertilization, pregnancy, and breastfeeding, and the necessity of allowing a sufficient period to pass before thinking of multiplying. All of this requires highly refined educational awareness and a sentimental commitment to the details of wise conduct regarding it, under penalty of bearing calculated consequences for the parents before reaching the stage of direct upbringing.
Fertilization is a goal linked to the benevolent intention of the institution of marriage, which imposes constraints on the relationship once it is confirmed, in order to preserve the health of the woman and the fetus. Likewise, it requires observing the state of pregnancy for health, psychological, and human necessities linked, on one hand, to the man refraining from behavior except in accordance with the duty of preserving “two lives” and ensuring their safety in several aspects; and on the other hand, the pregnant woman’s avoidance of everything that might harm the developing fetus in all respects. Then comes the breastfeeding period after childbirth, and this imposes the adoption of several requirements related to caring for a nutritional regimen, psychological stability, and contemplating the meaning of fatherhood and motherhood, along with the dignified behaviors and sound conduct that such lofty feelings require.
