By Karim Serageldin

There are those that use Islam as a power tool to get their cultural agenda's or personal wants applied by their children. Things are said like "If you do not do what I say, you will go to hell." OR "Allah will punish you, or I will disown you." This method is used by some parents to abuse children. One example I encountered lately is this reflection of a bright teen in search of truth.

"I feel like they (parents) only want me to follow their Islam, or they want me to study Islam to come to their beliefs, to be just like them, but I don't want to be like them. I am always associating God with fear and discomfort because of them, God is their "punisher."Even when I study Islam and bring my own views, they ridicule me if it is not in synch with their beliefs. On top of that, they seem miserable as people, always fighting and being aggressive. How am I supposed to have a connection to this religion that they claim is true, when they act so bad all the time."

{Allah does not impose upon any soul a duty but to the extent of its ability; for it is (the benefit of) what it has earned and upon it (the evil of) what it has wrought: Our Lord! do not punish us if we forget or make a mistake; Our Lord! do not lay on us a burden as Thou didst lay on those before us, Our Lord do not impose upon us that which we have not the strength to bear; and pardon us and grant us protection and have mercy on us, Thou art our Patron, so help us against the unbelieving people.} (Quran 2:286)