Historically, fatherhood was born with our common ancestor, Adam [of Eden] who was the pre-Flood “father” of a great nation that endured for over 2,000 years. In the days of Moses, long after the Great Flood, when enumerating the households of the Hebrews (in the Book of Numbers) they [the people] were counted according to the 'house of their fathers'.
Numbers 33:54 -
“And ye shall divide the land by lot for an inheritance among your families: and to the more ye shall give the more inheritance, and to the fewer ye shall give the less inheritance: every man's inheritance shall be in the place where his lot falleth; according to the tribes of your fathers ye shall inherit.”
The 5th Commandment:
The Jewish custom of honoring the "father" is based on the fifth of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:12 & Deuteronomy 5:16). The ancient Rabbinic writings of the Talmud (a collection of Jewish laws and traditions) stresses the importance of honoring parents; the sages wrote that when mankind honors his father (and mother), it is considered as though he is honoring God, who was a partner with our parents in our creation.
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"My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction: For whom the Lord loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth." - Proverbs 3:11-12
"Everything that your father says to you, you are obliged to obey. But if he says to you: “Let us bow down to idols,” you must not obey him, lest you become an apostate." -Midrash, Yalkut Shimoni, Proverbs 960
"I am the Lord your God, and both you and your parents are equally bound to honor Me, therefore, you must not hearken to them to disregard My word." - Kitzur Shulchan Aruch 143:15
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In Christianity, one of the greatest "father" stories is about a priest [from the sons of Aaron] named Zecharias; husband of Elisabeth and the father of John the Baptist. Christians, as well as Muslims, believe him to be a prophet of great esteem. The story is as follows from the New Testament:
The Announcement of Receiving a Child: Luke 1:12-22 -
12) And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 13) But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. 14) And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. 15) For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. 16) And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 17) And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. 18) And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. 19) And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. 20) And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. 21) And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple. 22) And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.
The Birth of John the Baptist: Luke 1:57-66 -
57) When it was time for Elizabeth to have her baby, she gave birth to a son. 58) Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown her great mercy, and they shared her joy. 59) On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him after his father Zecharias, 60) but his mother spoke up and said, “No! He is to be called John.” 61) They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who has that name.” 62) Then they made signs to his father, to find out what he would like to name the child. 63) He asked for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s astonishment he wrote, “His name is John.” 64) Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue set free, and he began to speak, praising God. 65) All the neighbors were filled with awe, and throughout the hill country of Judea people were talking about all these things. 66) Everyone who heard this wondered about it, asking, “What then is this child going to be?” For the Lord’s hand was with him.
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Clearly outlined by Islam, “fatherhood” is one of various responsibilities, including being a guide in Life to lead and seek infinite happiness in the hereafter.
As the Head of the family, the father ensures the family members are eluded from the fires of Hell and strives to have peace and prosperity in Life; free from concerns and anxiety that can damage the heart and mind.
“And Allah has made for you wives of your own kind, and has made for you, from your wives, sons and grandsons, and has bestowed on you good provision". - Quran 16:72
The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said: “The man is a guardian of his family, the woman is a guardian and is responsible for her husband’s house and his offspring; and so all of you are guardians and are responsible for your subjects."
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While Buddhism teaches the importance of respecting one’s "father", the founder of this religion, Siddhārtha Gautama [Buddha], renounced his own father and family in search of enlightenment. What Buddha discovered on his journey of knowledge, besides the lesson of his ambivalent relationship with his own father and son, was the bonds between parents and children were fundamental to the social order of Life.
Buddha taught: “There are five ways in which a son should minister to his father and mother… he should think: having been supported by them, I will support them. I will perform their duties for them I will keep up the family tradition. I will be worthy of my heritage. After my parents deaths, I will distribute gifts on their behalf”
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Scriptural passages from Hindu texts, such as the Vedas (composed between 1400 to 400 BC), glorify responsible family life as the backbone of society; the basic building block of Hindu society is the extended family, which usually consists of three or more generations living together. The "fathers" provide a pooled income, as well as make the majority of important decisions based on their own Life experiences, which is used as a guidance tool for the younger members.
"God! Give us wisdom as a father gives to his sons. Guide us, O Much-invoked, in this path. May we live in light." - Veda 7.32.26
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The greatest "Father" of mankind is known by many names (such as: God, Allah & Yahweh) and is revered above all else. While the Muslims do not believe that Allah is the "Father", the other major religions do believe the Creator is "Father" to ALL.
Christianity: “Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.” – Matthew 6:9
Judaism: “Wherefore David blessed the Lord before all the congregation: and David said, Blessed be thou, Lord God of Israel our father, for ever and ever.” – 1 Chronicles 29:10
Buddhism: “I tell you, Shariputra, I, too, am like this, Being the Most Venerable among many saints, The Father of the World....I tell you, Shariputra, You men are all my children, and I am your Father. For age upon age, you have been scorched by multitudinous woes, and I have saved you all.” - Lotus Sutra 3
Hinduism: “The Great Principle, the Divine, is my womb; I cast the seed into it; there is the origin of all creatures.Whatever forms originate in any wombs the real womb is the Divine, the Great Principle. I am the Father that gives the seed.” - Bhagavad Gita 14.4
Depending on the historical and cultural experience, there have been many variations in the roles of being a "father" [from educator to guardian]. In analyzing the various customs of fatherhood, one might be led to believe that respect for the father is a function of religious traditionalism and a great respect for the greatest "Father" of All mankind.
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