Works of Abul Baraa Muhamad Amreeki

Attachment Disorder in Child Psychology & Development

Attachment disorders occur when a child has been unable to consistently connect with a parent or primary caregiver. If a young child repeatedly feels abandoned, isolated, powerless, or uncared for—whatever the reason—they will learn that they can’t depend on others and that the world is a dangerous and frightening place.

Attachment disorders are conditions that can develop in young children who have issues establishing a deep emotional connection—known as the attachment bond—with their parent or primary caregiver. Since the quality of the attachment bond profoundly impacts your child’s development, experiencing attachment issues can affect their ability to express emotions, develop trust and security, and build meaningful relationships later in life.

Both types of attachment disorder are common in young children who have been traumatized, abused, bounced around in foster care, lived in orphanages, or separated from their primary caregiver after establishing a bond. These children may have difficulty relating to others and are often developmentally delayed.

This is why in Islam, we show children love and care, and affection.

Abu Huraira reported that al-Aqra’ b. Habis saw Allah’s Apostle (ﷺ) kissing Hasan. He said:

I have ten children, but I have never kissed any one of them, whereupon Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) said: He who does not show mercy (towards his children), no mercy would be shown to him.
وَحَدَّثَنِي عَمْرٌو النَّاقِدُ، وَابْنُ أَبِي عُمَرَ، جَمِيعًا عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، قَالَ عَمْرٌو حَدَّثَنَا سُفْيَانُ، بْنُ عُيَيْنَةَ عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، عَنْ أَبِي سَلَمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ الأَقْرَعَ بْنَ حَابِسٍ، أَبْصَرَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُقَبِّلُ الْحَسَنَ فَقَالَ إِنَّ لِي عَشَرَةً مِنَ الْوَلَدِ مَا قَبَّلْتُ وَاحِدًا مِنْهُمْ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏ “‏ إِنَّهُ مَنْ لاَ يَرْحَمْ لاَ يُرْحَمْ ‏”‏ ‏.‏
Reference : Sahih Muslim 2318a
In-book reference : Book 43, Hadith 86
USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 30, Hadith 5736

Anas ibn Malik reported: The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, would come to us, and I had a little brother whose nickname was Abu ‘Umayr. He had a pet sparrow he used to play with, and it died. The Prophet entered one day and saw him grieving, so he said, “What is the matter with him?” They said, “His sparrow has died.” The Prophet said, “O Abu ‘Umayr, what happened to the little sparrow?”

Source: Sunan Abī Dāwūd 4969

Grade: Sahih (authentic) according to Al-Arna’ut

عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ قَالَ كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ يَدْخُلُ عَلَيْنَا وَلِي أَخٌ صَغِيرٌ يُكْنَى أَبَا عُمَيْرٍ وَكَانَ لَهُ نُغَرٌ يَلْعَبُ بِهِ فَمَاتَ فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ النَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ فَرَآهُ حَزِينًا فَقَالَ مَا شَأْنُهُ قَالُوا مَاتَ نُغَرُهُ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا عُمَيْرٍ مَا فَعَلَ النُّغَيْرُ

4969 سنن أبي داود كتاب الأدب باب ما جاء في الرجل يتكنى وليس له ولد

4969 المحدث شعيب الأرناؤوط خلاصة حكم المحدث إسناده صحيح في تخريج سنن أبي داود

The virtue of sponsoring orphans and the great reward for that, Muslim (2983) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allah (blessings and peace of Allah be upon him) said: “The one who sponsors an orphan, whether it is a relative of his or not, he and I will be like these two in Paradise,” and Maalik pointed with his forefinger and middle finger.

An-Nawawi (may Allah have mercy on him) said: With regard to the words “whether it is a relative of his or not”, the one who is a relative of his is one who is related to him such as his grandfather, mother, grandmother, brother, sister, paternal uncle, maternal uncle, maternal aunt, paternal aunt, and other relatives. And the one who is not a relative is one with whom he has no blood ties. End quote from Sharh Muslim by an-Nawawi.