STATE OF MY HEART - FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK - WHAT I SAW, HEARD & THOUGHT
IMPACTS OF SINS ON GENERATIONS
Yesterday an aged woman visited me along with two young children. She was crying continuously. I kept on passing her tissue papers until her tears stopped. She said, “Actually, my son is 25-years old. He hasn’t moved a thing till now. I don’t know how he got into bad habits; he drinks, take drugs, stays out at night, fights and quarrels on conversing, all the time mobile and net…. What should I tell you about his condition? Due to the atmosphere of the house, my daughter got divorced. She has 1 child; I cannot bear her crying throughout the day. We have come to you; have you got a solution?” I asked her about the personality of her husband. She said, “It would have been better if you wouldn’t have asked this question. I have spent my life in tears due to similar condition of his father. I lived with this hope that my children shall become my support. I have 2 sons. He is the younger one. My elder son also has a similar routine”. I asked next about his grandfather. She said that she hasn’t seen him but have heard that he was also similar in behavior. I then asked about his great-grandfather. She said that she has no idea about him. Instantly, my mind moved towards another family; that boy is also 21-year old; his father, grandfather, great-grandfather – I personally know their four generations; I have no idea prior to that. They had similar situation; drugs, drinking, party, nights and vagabondism. In early days, rather at present too, before purchasing the cow, it is asked to see the mother. How is its behavior? How much milk does it give? How many offspring did it have? More intelligent people ask for its mother’s mother. Think about it….! The habits of cow’s mother transfer to its offspring; wouldn’t human behavior descend to humans? Yes one thing can prevent this retributory (makafaati) act and that is repentance and istaghfaar and regret. I do not find any other way out. These habits are actually maledictions which transfer from generation to generation; this malediction is a type of lash (phitkaar) and this can only end by the will of Allah; otherwise experiences prove that this is an ever-going unique sequence.