بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih Al-Uthaymeen (rahimahullah) was asked a question regarding the fathers (or parents) who are preoccupied and busy with their work, that they are not able to ask their children about their daily affairs; their academic studies; who their friends are etc, the Shaykh (rahimahullah) replied,

We say regarding those who are too busy (to enquire after or look after their children). From the greatest of your actions and deeds are your sons and daughters, their responsibility upon you is greater than your trade or business. We ask, what do you want and desire by way of your work and business? Surely, you only desire by way of it, the ability to spend upon yourself and your family; this is nourishment for the body. More important than this is nourishing the heart, nourishing the soul, cultivating eemaan and righteous actions in the souls of the sons and daughters. The fathers shoulkd then know that the Messenger of Allah (sallallaahu alaihi wa salam) said,

“When a person dies, his actions are cut off, except for three, ongoing charity, knowledge which is benefited by or a righteous child who supplicates for him.”

Therefore, a righteous child benefits his father in life and death, hence it is more befitting and preponderant that he is cared for more than wealth, because if a person is rich it is possible for him to assign employees to carry out his business and if he is not, then indeed Allah The Most High said,

And whosoever fears Allâh and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out (from every difficulty). (2) And He will provide him from (sources) he never could imagine. (At-Talaaq: 2-3)

Paraphrased from a Fatwa of Shaykh al-Uthaymeen