Al-Qattan: The mother is a "school"... and raising an adolescent requires patience, prayer, and containment

Dr. Hanaa Al-Qattan affirmed that social relationships constitute a fundamental aspect of human life, given their direct impact on personality formation and an individual’s interaction with their surroundings. She noted that dealing with others requires patience, wisdom, and the ability to engage with various situations.

This was stated during a lecture organized by the Ministry of Islamic Affairs on the ministry’s stage, titled “Social Interaction: A Blessing or a Trap?,” attended by more than 120 female participants. Al-Qattan discussed the nature of social relationships and their impact on individual life, whether within the family among spouses, children, and siblings, or in the workplace and among employees.

Al-Qattan cited the Prophet’s Hadith: “The believer who interacts with people and endures their harm is better than the believer who does not interact with people and does not endure their harm.” She emphasized the importance of positive interaction with others and exercising patience in dealing with them, especially given the diversity of personalities and ways of thinking.

She explained that a successful personality in dealing with others can rely on several approaches, including formal interaction and setting boundaries, acceptance and engagement, or quickly withdrawing from certain situations. She clarified that understanding the nature of a situation and how to handle it contributes to maintaining balanced social relationships.

Al-Qattan addressed the participating mothers, affirming that “the mother is a school” and plays a fundamental role in raising children and building the family, thereby contributing to building society. She called for dealing with children, especially during adolescence, with patience, supplication, and emotional support.

She stressed the importance of the father’s presence alongside the mother in the upbringing process, noting that the complementarity between parents helps provide a supportive family environment for children and aids in overcoming challenges associated with different stages of development.