Living Orphans While Parents Are Alive!
A bitter but less spoken truth in our society is that many children are practically living the life of orphans despite having living parents. These children are not victims of any accident or natural disaster, but rather they are victims of parental neglect, disinterest, and emotional distance. In the name of education, parents leave their children thousands of kilometers away in hostels and institutions and assume that their responsibility is over.
However, a child's need is not just books, fees, and accommodation. They need a mother's prayer, a father's supervision, a phone call asking about their well-being, and the feeling that "someone has my back." But alas, years pass by, with no meeting, no phone call, no question about how the child is doing, whether they are in any trouble, or lacking anything.
This is the silent injustice that is not visible by shouting, but it breaks the child's personality from within. From childhood, the child grows up in loneliness, a sense of deprivation, and internal conflict. People outside talk, taunt, and circumstances put pressure, but from within, they cannot say anything to anyone because there is no one to listen.
When such a child returns home sometime in the year, the scene becomes even more painful. In some homes, they find love, attention, and belonging, but in many homes, the child is considered a burden. Beatings, fights, humiliation—as if the child is not a guest but a problem. No peace at home, no peace outside. The question is, what should a sensitive person do in such circumstances?
It is easy to say that disobedience to parents is forbidden in Islam, and this is absolutely correct. The Quran and Hadith teach us to respect, be patient, and treat parents well. But it is also a fact that parents also have responsibilities. Neglecting the basic needs of children, not only physical but also emotional and psychological, is a form of injustice. This injustice does not happen by shouting, so it is generally not considered injustice, but the effects are very deep.
Now the question is, if something like this is happening to a child, the parents are not paying attention, not asking about their well-being, not taking care of their needs, then what should that child do?
The first thing is that they should not go down the path of hatred, rebellion, and sin. The rights of parents remain in their place, but at the same time, the child has the right to strengthen themselves. Make knowledge, skill, patience, and self-confidence their support. Work hard for their future, make themselves capable so that they do not need to depend on circumstances.
Secondly, they should understand that this world does not always run on justice, but Allah's court is never empty. A person is born alone and has to struggle through their life alone. If relationships do not support, then courage, character, and hard work become a person's real assets.
It cannot be ignored that in today's society, some parents have started weighing their children on the scales of money. The child who earns is dear; the one who cannot earn is a burden. This attitude harms both the personality and the future of the children. But even then, despair is not the solution.
The message for all such children is to not let themselves break. Create courage within yourself, strengthen your relationship with your Lord, and believe that time does not always remain the same. Circumstances change, days change, the only condition is that a person is ready to change themselves.
May Allah grant us the ability to understand the responsibilities of parents, and grant patience, courage, and success to those children who are victims of silent injustice. Amen.
✍️ Muhammad Fida Al-Mustafa Qadri
PG Scholar: Darul Huda Islamic University