The Instinct of Wanting to Imitate One's Parents

Whenever someone loves, appreciates and adores someone else, it becomes natural for the person to imitate his' or her object of love. Hence, children imitate their parents in regards to culture, tradition, politics and religion:  wives do the same.  They imitate their husbands who are their objects of love. It’s because of this reality why Islam forbids marriages between Muslim women and non-Muslim men.  Thus Allah said,

“O you who believe! When there come to you believing women as emigrants examine them: Allah knows best as to their faith:       If you ascertain that they are believers, then send them not back to the unbelievers. They are not lawful wives for the unbelievers, nor are the unbelievers lawful husbands for them.” [Surah AI-Mumtahana, 60: 10]

Children because of their emotional, attachment to their parents often imitate them blindly. For example emulating them in good as well as bad things. At  times when  some  of these children realise that the culture or religion of  their parents is wrong they try to give it up in an effort to be on the straight path so  as  to  be  successful  in  this  life  and  in  the  Hereafter. But unfortunately when most of these parents realise that their children are about to break away from their religion and culture and embrace Islam, they resort to emotional blackmail, making statements like. "If you should become a Muslim you are no longer my son/daughter. I don't want to see you ever again".  

The Shaitaan knows that we all have an emotional attachment towards our parents, which is a natural instinct. So because of this whenever someone is contemplating embracing Islam he always whispers to their hearts saying:  “How can you hurt the feelings of your beloved parents. How can you break their hearts by renouncing the family's religion and culture?" The first time I heard about Islam I was of sixteen. I immediately recognised that it was the truth and therefore decided to become a Muslim.  Upon making my decision I could detect a discouraging voice saying how can you lose your family and break the hearts of your parents for the sake of a religion. There is no doubt that, that was the sneaking whispers of the Shaitaan playing with my natural instincts.

At  times  when  someone is  about  to  die  and  he  is contemplating embracing Islam the Shaitaan sends a person to his death bed in order to convince him or her to die in the religion of his  patents  which is  falsehood. One of the most excellent examples of this reality is the story about the demise of the prophet's uncle Abu Talib.                    .

Narrated Sa'eed Bin AI-Musaiyyab from his father: “When the time of death of Abu Talib approached Allah's apostle went to him and found Abu Jahl Bin Hisham and Abdullah Bin Abi Umayyia by his side.  Allah's apostle said to Abu Talib, 'O uncle! Say:  None has the right to be worshipped except Allah. (La ilaha illallah), a sentence with which I shall be a witness i.e. intercede for you before Allah'.   

Abu Jahl and Abdullah Ibn Umaiyya said, 'O Abu Talibl are you going to denounce the religion of your father Abdul Muitalib?', Allah's apostle (Peace be upon him) kept on inviting Abu Talib to say 'laa ilaha illallah' (i.e. none has the right to be worshipped except Allah) while they Abu Jahl and Abdullah kept on repeating  their statement till Abu Talib said as his last statement  that he was on the religion of his father Abdul Muttalib and thus he refused to say 'none has the right to be worshipped  except Allah'.[1]

So Abu Talib died a kafir and a mushrik.  Because of this the holy prophet (Peace be upon him) was deeply hurt to see his uncle destined to the hell-fire.  However on this occasion Allah Ta’ala comforted His apostle saying:

"Verily! You (Muhammad) guide not whom you like, but Allah guides whom he will.” [Surah AI-Qasas, 28:56]

The above mentioned story of the Holy Prophet's uncle Abu Talib is a splendid example of how the Shaitaan used emotional blackmail to cause someone to die on the religion of his parents and fore parents which was shirk.  There is no doubt that there are thousands and millions of people today who died as kafirs after hearing about Islam. This misfortune continues to occur because these people fall victim to a vicious web of the Shaitaan which is called emotional blackmail.