Imam al-Baydawi states in his interpretation of the noble verse from Surat al-Fatiha, ﴿Praise be to God, Lord of the worlds﴾, that “the term ‘al-Rabb’ (the Lord) is originally a verbal noun meaning upbringing (tarbiyah), which is bringing something to its completion gradually. In the language of the Arabs, ‘al-Rabb’ bears several meanings, including the obeyed master, the reformer, and the owner. Thus, our Lord—exalted be His praise—is the Master who has no equal or counterpart in His sovereignty, the One who rectifies the affairs of His creation through the bounties He bestows upon them, and the Owner to whom belong all creation and command” (al-Tabari). The title is also used in construct form to refer to the administrator, the nurturer, the completer, and every custodian of things under their care; hence, it is said: “rabbu al-a'ilah” (head of the family), “rabbu al-bayt” (head of the household), and “rabbu al-'amal” (employer)... In linguistics: to “rabba” a child means to raise and nurture them. In the hadith: 'You have a blessing which you nurture (tarubbuha),' meaning you preserve, care for, and raise it just as a man raises his child. To raise someone (rabbahu tarbiyah) means to look after them well and care for them until they reach maturity, departing childhood.
It is not without profound significance that the act of upbringing possesses such deep linguistic roots. Upbringing is a momentous matter in which negligence is never permissible; rather, parents must undertake its burdens with full responsibility, as its fruit is bound to the purpose of human existence. Upbringing encompasses facets of management that carry noble meanings and requirements linked to moral conduct and practical duties placed upon the shoulders of the two wings of the family. Neglecting to reflect on its fundamental requirements and failing to take the initiative to fulfill them will inevitably lead to dire consequences, among which are:
Protection (Al-Wiqayah):
God Almighty says in His Holy Book: ﴿O you who have believed, protect yourselves and your families from a Fire﴾ (Al-Tahrim: 6), meaning discipline them and teach them (Ali ibn Abi Talib), and he said: “Teach yourselves and your families good.” The word ﴿quu﴾ (protect) is an imperative verb derived from protection (wiqayah), “meaning preservation, protection, and safekeeping, through counsel, discipline, and education” (Ruh al-Bayan). It is most fitting for the counselor and disciplinarian to be well-qualified for that, especially if they occupy the position of the “head of the family” and its guardian.
Care (Al-Ri'ayah):
This is to oversee something through preservation, monitoring, rectification, safeguarding, and maintaining it as it truly deserves. The Prophet ﷺ placed it as a trust upon the shoulders of the believers when addressing them all in the noble hadith: “All of you are shepherds (guardians), and each of you is responsible for his flock: the ruler is a guardian and responsible for his flock; a man is a guardian of his family and responsible for his flock; a woman is a guardian in her husband’s house and responsible for her flock...” That is, each of you is a protector of what is entrusted to your care, responsible for the welfare of those under your charge, dedicating due attention and devotion to them. In educational responsibilities, care specifically aims at “bringing something to its completion gradually,” as mentioned earlier; that is, preparing this tender being—who is a gift from God Almighty—to enable them to acquire noble human faculties, which are the firmly rooted virtues of the soul, so that they may steadily adhere to virtue through which they fulfill their true humanity and realize the meaning of genuine happiness.
Safeguarding the Trust (Hifz al-Amanah):
It was of the wisdom of God Almighty that He made the rational human being the ultimate purpose of all creation. Thus, He created man with an innate inner essence and complete purpose, in the best of forms, finest measure, and most perfect design, as the Almighty stated: ﴿We have certainly created man in the best stature﴾ (Al-Tin: 4). It is enough for the Unitarian (Muwahhid) to contemplate the portrayal outlined in the noble verses of how humankind was created to comprehend the greatness of the mystery of this magnificent gift, through which the cosmos endures and finds meaning. Among these is the verse from Surat al-Mu'minun: ﴿Then We placed him as a sperm-drop in a firm lodging. Then We made the sperm-drop into a clinging clot, and We made the clot into a lump [of flesh], and We made [from] the lump, bones, and We covered the bones with flesh; then We developed him into another creation. So blessed is Allah, the best of creators.﴾ Therefore, it is true to say that this newborn living being is a trust deposited in the hands of its parents and guardians. In fact, as Hujjat al-Islam al-Ghazali stated: “A child is a trust with their parents; their pure heart is a precious, naive gem, devoid of every inscription and image. If accustomed to good and taught it, they will grow up upon it and find happiness in this world and the hereafter, and their parents and every teacher and mentor will share in their reward.” Surely, this precious trust falls within the scope of the trusts referred to in the noble verse: ﴿And they who are to their trusts and their promises attentive﴾ (Al-Mu'minun: 8), meaning those who uphold them with sound care and preserve them through upright upbringing.
Custody (Al-Hadanah):
All these fundamental requirements of the educational duty initially come into play—that is, in the earliest stages of human life—within the concept of custody (hadanah), which has become a legal and jurisprudential term. Hadanah derives from the root 'hadana'; it is said that a bird broods (hadana) its eggs when it draws them to itself under its wings, and likewise a woman when she cradles and embraces her child. Custody is the upbringing of a child and the care of their affairs during a specific period granted by law.
The Personal Status Law for the Unitarian Druze Community dedicated a chapter comprising all legal provisions for the period of custody, beginning by granting the right to the mother, as stated in Article 54: “The mother has the primary right to the custody and upbringing of the child during the marriage and following separation, provided she meets the required eligibility.”
Article 55 specified the conditions required of the female custodian, stating: “It is required that the custodian be an adult of sound mind, trustworthy, physically sound, and capable of raising and safeguarding the child...” (Refer to the Personal Status Law, Articles 54 to 66). These texts must be understood within their legal context, which necessitates precision; for on a comprehensive human level, the father fundamentally shares in this right, as he is one of the two wings through which the educational environment completes its elements at the beginning of the journey.
Guardianship (Al-Wilayah):
The guardian (wali) is the custodian of affairs who conducts them in accordance with what is beneficial; he possesses the guardianship (wilayah), which “connotes management, authority, and action” (Ibn al-Athir). Within the scope of the family, it belongs primarily to the father, just as custody belongs to the mother. Chapter Twelve of the aforementioned Personal Status Law was dedicated to the issue of guardianship, defining the guardian in Article 81 with the following text: “The father, even if of modest means, holds guardianship over his minor and non-competent adult children, both male and female, in person and property, even if the minor children are in the custody of the mother or their relatives.” While custody in its inception is the guardianship of upbringing and protection undertaken primarily by the mother, guardianship over person and property is exercised by the father, as mentioned. In any case, this text must also be seen within its legal framework defining personal responsibility; for in an integrated educational sense, it rests jointly, through mutual solidarity and emotional partnership, upon the two wings of the family so that the “family fold” may yield its desired fruit.
