The Shaykh’s remarks on the virtue of children from a religious perspective, and an explanation of the difference between the Muslim’s and the disbeliever’s starting point in their love for their children.

The Shaykh : But I want to remind the Muslims of a legal issue that is more important than the previous material issue. When a disbeliever is content with a few children, he seeks comfort in this world behind that, because he does not think about the Hereafter, unlike the Muslim. The Muslim, in his starting point in his life, differs completely from the starting point of that disbeliever in his life. The disbeliever is branded by the saying of Allah the Exalted: , whereas the Muslim is . This is forbidden, so he leaves it; this is lawful, so he tries to obtain it. Thus, the disbeliever’s starting point is not the Muslim’s starting point. The Muslim starts from faith, while the disbeliever starts from a void, having no faith. Therefore, the consequences are different and vary to the greatest extent. Among these consequences is that this disbeliever is content with two children, as we said earlier, or three, and their fifth or sixth is their dog. As for the Muslim, truly, he is like the one who says regarding wealth, "Is there any more?" Why? Because he utilizes this wealth to increase his reward and raise his ranks with Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He). Similarly, he utilizes these children either by raising them with an Islamic upbringing, or if they do not survive and Allah (Mighty and Majestic) takes His trust, he counts them with Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He), especially if they die before reaching the age of accountability. Here comes the wonderful hadith appropriate for this purely religious topic, following that purely material topic. So he (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
The student : Here in the house.

The Shaykh : Yes, I remember this well. The important thing is that speech does not proceed unless the occasion requires it. So I say, "The Fire will not touch him except as the breaking of an oath." Does the disbeliever think about this meaning? Of course not. Therefore, the consequences of the Muslim couple in this world should be different from the consequences of the disbeliever couple in the world of disbelievers. The world of Islam is one thing, and the world of disbelievers is another. Those are, as Allah (Mighty and Majestic) described them truthfully, "They enjoy themselves as cattle enjoy themselves." Yes.
The student : They enjoy themselves .

The Shaykh : Excuse me, .
The student : And they enjoy themselves.

The Shaykh : .
The student : As cattle eat.

The Shaykh and they do not enjoy themselves.
The student : .

The Shaykh : Excuse me, they eat and enjoy themselves as cattle eat, and they do not enjoy themselves.
The student : .

The Shaykh : Excuse me, people, let us understand from the memorizer among you, please. .

The Shaykh : Very good, this is how the verse is.
The student: Yes.

The Shaykh : Fine, may Allah reward you with good.
So the point is: It is not permissible for a Muslim with this logic and this faith to apply the system of that disbeliever who differs completely from this Muslim in his starting point in his life. Therefore, so that we do not forget the original topic, we say that regulation as a rule is not permissible for a Muslim to adopt as a necessity, for necessities permit the prohibited.