inshA we all should pray that we don't repeat the same mistake again as our parents did. and may Allah (swt) forgive them.

Concentrating to put food on the table isn't the reason why parents failed to give their children good Islamic education. If that was the case then working people today would be in the same position. But I can understand why you're thinking that way.

The reason is that, they lacked education themselves. I know many elders who have no academic education let alone an Islamic one. They relied on molvis/mullahs and heresay, which rarely, if ever, included any say on how to raise children according to Islam. Many of their beliefs consist of bidah & cultural traditions, which they passed on to their children.

Still, even for todays wayward youngsters, it's never too late to undo the damage, for which of course the older generation cannot be directly blamed for.

Every muslim should make the effort to spread what knowledge they have to assist in bringing the 'lost' ones to Islam.

We all have computers, so why not print some beneficial ayah's, hadiths, and the relevant Islamic infomation to begin with and distribute flyers around your area. This can be kept up on a weekly/monthly basis.

If our efforts, change even one person, the next generation will benefit from it too inshaAllah.

i did mention that they (elders) lacked islamic knowledge themself due to their background etc etc.

im 100% wid u, bout the idea of distributing islamic flyers on basic islamic issues.

if any1 is interested in doing this there are lot of web sites where u can download the flyers for free, so u won't even need to sit there and type it yourself.

answer: it's not harsh. It's the truth. Other people can sugar coat, glaze and sprinkle it if they want. I prefer, straight to the point.

Yes, let's concentrate on US. The generation who realizes that we gotta choose Islam. Islam is not a birth right. You were born muslim until you realize that you want to make Islam your way of life. If you don't choose Islam, than Islam doesn't need you. Let people who actually like Islam for what it is, not for what they have been born with.

Some tips before you get married. [if you are, you may change this topic to, tips before having *cough*] {I like to please other people, too , sometimes}

(1) Visit local welfare offices. See abused kids and volunteer to help.
(2) Before reading about marriage and love, read about how NOT to treat a child.
(3) Interview your future partner and ask about how he/she feels about having children. What kind of disciplinary actions would he/she take on the child. Trial and error is not good enough. Children are most of the time DEFENSELESS. They cry because they don't know how to show their emotions otherwise, while adults can write and do more stuff
(4)If you can't handle your urges, go out, play sports, or walk. don't get married just to fulfll your sexual desires alone. And also, LOVE is not good enough.
(5) If you can't follow any of the above, trust me, stay single. Let people who can follow, reproduce. They'll do a better job than you. You can't be good at everything. Accept your weakness and move on.

jus gotta say..i'm wid ya on wat u said..but wat bout those peepz who were forced into marriage...didnt want children..etc etc...and then again there'z the opposite where people wait MANY years to have children...and wen they finally do...they go and OVERSPOIL them..watz the world coming to? ..
But then again..the MAIN problem at the end of the day...is lack of education..as u and Nadia have pointed out...also...its so annoying wen people are not WILLING to learn.. ..i can go on bout the ignorance of sum peepz...but shan't do so..honestly its jus so..
and again there'z sum peepz..who jus dont bother teachin their kids the basicz..and wen the kid turns 16 or 18..."hey kid..its ur life now....not my prob"

how trure is that, your last paraghraph

I really dont get the whole love thing, I get the desire, but I dont get this concept of 'love' I mean I love my brothers and I love my sisters, but I dont know about love of my wife, i think that would just be the same as my love for my brothers and sisters, I dont get the difference. I really am confused.

You'll understand when your married

Lol im guessing you dont know either!

I mean argh its difficult to explain my position.

but i dont know, not being married would be easier in some aspects

lol cuz like aamirsaab said u'll find out when u get married inshA.
to find a true loving partner at times like this is very hard, so be wise with whome you choose inshA

With all these comments aside, have you done my first suggestion? Visit the local DHS or Welfare offices and look at abuse children?

Do that first and then come back and tell us your experience.

You're not confused. You're being human.

Islam came to guide you, to channel this innate quality so that even while in love you worship Allah.

Heed my advice, if you're old enough, volunteer to mentor a child now. Those are the finesse that are hard to find.

Everyone can have sex, but not everyone can be compassionate enough to take care of their "doings". Go and do the right thing. Don't leave it to your wife's so called "natural instinct" to take care of your kids. They don't have natural instinct. If they do, then Dave Pezler's mom wouldn't have abused him and then on her death bed, when asked, why did she just not kill him, after all that abuse? She nonchalantly said:

"I didn't know where to hide the body".

[for those who crave daleel and proof, please do yourself a favor and read, A Child Called "It", truly, leave your Quran and Sahih Bukhari for a while]

All of us must go out and see the effects of sexual relations. These things happen to all families, muslims or non muslims alike. Muslim families are the worse, in my observation. Owing to the culturally embedded patriachal dominance, some fathers slap, kick, bruise wives and kids. Wives who have been brought up to "obey their husbands" would keep quiet and be patient, hoping for ajr from Allah. Allah wants easiness for you, and he doesn't want for you hardships. [2:185]

No wonder Women's Lib orgnization are hard on Islam, due to these unscrupulous males who reproduce but have no idea how to deal with their product of reproduction. And we have all the male scholars who would not admit that muslim males need to be educated about their responsibilities. Go figure.

Propagate ahadeeth about how the prophet [he's a male] dealt with children as much as you propagate hadeeth about how you make solah or whether your must have a beard or not and we will see the difference. Also cut down on the how long your pants should be. Get your Bukhari Muslim hadeeth software and rather than searching for what qualities a wife should have, look for how the prophet treated children and their wives.

Muslim women must also concentrate on Quranic verses and ahadeeth that tell them more about THEIR rights rather than the ones telling them they will outnumber men in the hellfire. They should know that a woman stood up in front of the caliph to correct him regarding mahr. They should also know about the ones who taught the companions after the demise of the prophet was a woman. Maybe then they won't have time to wait and sit down and be content at the lower end of the food chain or waste time having emotional diarrhea in forums. [some of them]

Do you see how wonderful Islam is? It releases you from all subordinations except to the One who holds your soul! It widens your scope on how life should be. It frees you from racial arrogance and gender conceitment other than what Allah has prescribed.

There's no jannah for men and women. There's only jannah.

Lol in total honesty that does nothing but worry me more about getting married.

I guess I might find out, man I dont know how Isa peace be upon him didnt get married, and I dont know how Muhammed peace be upon him could wait till 25, man I wish I had such patience.

Imam an Nawawi didn't get married. He died single. I guess he was too busy with his ahadeeth collecting work. That's a tip: Keep yourself busy.