See how the pure disposition was a strong reason for the guidance of Abu Bakr As-Siddeeq, may Allah be pleased with him. Also, look at ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas‘ood, may Allah be pleased with him, whose pure disposition prevented him from giving the Prophet some of the milk entrusted to him. He told the Prophet "I am a trusted boy." Ibn Mas‘ood, may Allah be pleased with him, said,

　　I was herding sheep for ‘Uqbah ibn Abu Mu‘ayt, and one day the Prophet and Abu Bakr passed by me. The Prophet said: "O boy, do you have some milk for us to drink?" I said, "Yes, but I am entrusted to look after it." He said: "Do you have a ewe that has not been copulated by a ram (i.e. does not produce milk)?" I brought him a ewe and when he rubbed its udder, it produced milk. The Prophet milked it and let Abu Bakr drink, then he said to the udder: "Shrink (i.e. stop producing milk)” , and it stopped. I said, "O Messenger of Allah, teach me the like of what you said." He wiped my head and said: "May Allah have mercy upon you! You are a knowledgeable boy." [Ibn Hibbaan]

　　In another narration, Ibn Mas‘ood, may Allah be pleased with him, said,

　　I went to the Prophet and said, "Teach me these good words." He said: "You are a knowledgeable boy." Later on, I learned from the Prophet himself seventy Surahs that no body disputes with me on." [Ahmad] [Al-Albaani: Saheeh]

　　The Prophet took advantage of the pure innate belief of ‘Abdullaah ibn Mas‘ood, may Allah be pleased with him, who later became the best man from whom the Quran was learnt, and the man who brought the head of Abu Jahl the pharaoh of this Ummah (nation) to the Prophet .

　　Thus, a child is a very white blank paper that you draw on with your own hands. You can utilize and invest this pure disposition in raising your child as the Prophet did or do the opposite. For that reason, Imaam Al-Ghazaali said,

　　A child is a trust with his parents, and his pure heart is an intact jewel that has no inscriptions or drawings. The child's heart is susceptible to every inscription and is inclined to whatever is offered to it. If he gets used to and is taught goodness, he will grow on goodness and his parents, teachers and those who brought him up will be happy in this life and in the Hereafter. If he gets used to evil and is left like animals, he will be miserable and doomed, and the sin will be burdened on his guardian and those put in his charge.

　　Absence of sound upbringing affects the Fitrah

　　Man's pure disposition is badly affected when it lacks the appropriate atmosphere which helps it to develop and benefit from its power and impact on the child's upbringing. The pure disposition may be distorted as a result of the corrupt environment in which the child lives, the parents' negligence, and the children's integration with the other ways of upbringing in the society.

　　This happens when the role model does not play his role at home as an important means of upbringing, and thus, matters take the opposite direction; what is right becomes wrong and what is wrong becomes right. Nevertheless, man's pure disposition does not completely die and it is not meant to die; it searches for a role model in another place and a sincere source for upbringing. Once it finds that role model and source, it returns to the right path.

　　Raising a single child on Islam, like raising one thousand children or all children, requires the presence of the Muslim household, the Muslim street, the Muslim school and the Muslim society. All these factors together have a far-reaching impact on raising children and shaping them in their own fashion. They raise the children either upon constantly observing Islam or on deviation. We cannot overlook the impact of the child's temperament as well as the new and old habits inherited from the parents and family on forming his personality since he was born to them and influenced by them before the house, the street, the school or the society affected and molded him.

　　Once a sound upbringing is absent or the upbringing and guidance are corrupt, deviations resulting from hereditary factors take root instead of being corrected; and aggravate instead of being improved. Hence, people presume that heredity is dominant and critical in shaping the child's personality. However, it is not like that. This presumption may only be correct when inherited habits are left without guidance, exactly as everything aggravates and exacerbates when it is left free. It is not because it is strongly and violently incorporated in his nature; rather, it is because nothing hinders or trims it, and thus, it continues its way.

　　Ivy has the most delicate branches because it is a climbing plant and cannot support itself. This plant must depend on something to climb and grow on. How does this plant look when it is fully grown, and climbs on and intertwines with other things? It blocks the way and you can hardly pass through its branches.

　　Hidden Power in the Pure Disposition – I