Hatred for Wrong Deeds from Childhood

Dear children! There was once a child who, because of his parents’ excellent upbringing and a deeply religious atmosphere at home, had a strong understanding of Islam and was very wise even at a young age. Here is a beautiful incident from his childhood. He was so small that he was sitting on his father’s shoulders while they were going somewhere. On the way, the child saw a man walking with a dog and showing it a lot of love and affection. It looked as if the man and the dog were close friends. Sitting on his father’s shoulders, the little boy said: “Hey brother! If you love the dog so much, then the angels of mercy will never come to you. Our beloved Prophet ﷺ has told us: ‘The angels do not enter a house in which there is a dog or a picture.’” Hearing this, the man replied with a smile: “Son, that’s a good thing! If the angels don’t come, then the angel of death will also not come. That means we will be saved from death, because the angel of death also takes away the soul.” The child immediately replied: “Hey sir! You are mistaken. No one can escape death — it will surely come at its appointed time. The angels of mercy will not come to take your soul. Instead, the same angels who come to take the souls of dogs will come for you.” Dear children! Angels are the luminous creations of Allah Almighty. They come beautifully to places of good deeds and in a different way to places of bad deeds. Allah has appointed separate angels for good and bad actions. The angels of mercy visit good people and places where good deeds are done. Dear children! Just see how this little boy gave such a wise and powerful answer to a grown man. That same child grew up to become a great scholar and leader. The whole world knows him today as Maulana Ismail Shaheed. Dear children! Such wisdom and good understanding only come to those children who obey their elders, follow their good advice, and plant good things deep in their hearts and minds. Our beloved Prophet Muhammad ﷺ ﷺ has said that Allah Almighty will give the severest punishment to those who make pictures. (Mishkat) Yet today, people are going further and further in their love for keeping dogs. Some take their dogs on journeys, keep them in the house like family members, sleep with them, and even bathe them with their own hands. Children! Loving and keeping a dog is not the sign of good people, but of bad people. Keeping a dog without any real need is a sin in Islam. The only allowed reasons are: protecting crops, hunting, or guarding against thieves. Today, pictures of living beings are everywhere — in homes, shops, on clothes, shoes, and even in weddings, parties, and outings. Cameras and pictures have become a common curse. All these things go against the teachings of Islam, and we must protect ourselves from them. Dear children! Now that you know Allah Almighty becomes angry with pictures of humans or animals, you should never like or keep things that have pictures — whether clothes, shoes, toys, or anything else. Stay away from them completely