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Rules of A Muslim Home-Fifth Rule-Mashura (Mutual Consultation)
Allah Ta‘ala instructed Nabi (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) in the Quraan Majeed as follows:
وَشَاوِرْهُمْ فِي الْأَمْرِ فَإِذَا عَزَمْتَ فَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى اللَّـهِ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ يُحِبُّ الْمُتَوَكِّلِينَ
Consult them in your affairs. Then when you have taken a decision, place your trust in Allah Ta‘ala, for verily Allah Ta‘ala loves those who place their trust in Him.
Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) was undoubtedly the most intelligent of all mankind. Yet, despite his intelligence, Allah Ta‘ala instructed him to make mashwarah (consult) with the Sahaabah (radhiyallahu ‘anhum).
This sunnah of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam) should be implemented in our homes as well. An easy method to enliven this sunnah in the home is for the household, after conducting the daily ta’leem, to have a short mashwarah in which all the affairs of the home can be discussed and decided. For example, the mother of the home is often at a loss regarding what to cook. Often she decides to prepare a certain dish, only to thereafter discover that her children were craving or anticipating a different dish. Through mashwarah, even these seemingly simple affairs are solved. An additional benefit of mashwarah is that it creates unity within the home. The head of the home hears the suggestions of each of the household members. Thereafter, when he takes a decision, he takes into consideration the individual needs of all involved. Furthermore, none of the individuals feel as if they were disregarded, as they also had an opportunity to express their needs.
In this day and age, when relationships between parents and children are becoming increasingly strained, introducing the sunnah of mashwarah will become a means of keeping the door of communication with the parents open. When the children are not in the habit of consulting their parents, they tend to consult their friends instead – a practice which is proven to have devastating results! Most importantly, the children, from a tender age, will be trained to always consult with their seniors. It is unlikely that a child who has the ingrained habit of constantly consulting his/her elders will later take affairs into his/her hands and commit an irrational act such as a secret marriage.
Finally, being a sunnah of Rasulullah (sallallahu ‘alaihi wasallam), it will be a source of noor and blessings showering into the home.
