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Fatwa CenterChildren are a cause of cowardice and niggardliness
Question
Assalaamu Alaykum,
The Messenger of Allaah, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, said: “Children are a cause of sorrow, cowardice, ignorance and niggardliness.” [At-Tabaraani] Is this a Saheeh Hadeeth? What does it mean?
Answer
All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His Slave and Messenger.
This Hadeeth was narrated by Ahmed, Ibn Maajah, Abu Ya‘la, At-Tabaraani and other narrators 
. The wording of Ahmad 
is as follows: “Children are a cause of cowardice and niggardliness.”
The wording of Ibn Maajah, is: Al-Hasan and Al-Husayn 
came running to the Prophet, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, and he embraced them and said: “Children are a cause of niggardliness and cowardice.”
The same wording was also narrated by Al-Bayhaqi and Al-Haakim in Al-Mustadrak but with the addition of “A cause of sorrow” and in the narration of At-Tabaraani with the addition of “A cause of ignorance.”
Al-Haakim considered it a Saheeh Hadeeth according to the conditions of Imaam Muslim but they (i.e. Al-Bukhari and Muslim) did not narrate it. Moreover, Imaam Ath-Thahabi did not comment on it.
Also, Imaam Al-Haafith Al-Iraqi said: It has an authentic chain of transmission.
His saying “A cause of cowardice”, means that the children make their fathers a coward to participate in battles due to their love for them and also for they fear that they may die and leave them.
His saying “A cause of niggardliness”, means that the children make their fathers withhold money.
His saying “A cause of ignorance”, means that the children make their fathers give up journeys for seeking knowledge and the strong determination to attain it due to their concern with making a lot of money for them.
His saying “A cause for sorrow”, means that they make their parents feel great sadness when they fall ill or when the parents are not able to satisfy their needs. This was mentioned by Imaam Al-Munaawi .
Allaah Knows best.
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