How can one deal with an 18-year-old son who is characterized by disobedience, lying, stealing, associating with bad companions, not performing prayers, assaulting his mother verbally and physically, in addition to neglecting his studies?

The responsibility of raising children is immense and requires wisdom and utilizing mistakes for guidance. The most important factor is making use of the early stages, because a child is a trust and his heart is a jewel ready to be shaped by good. Advising after puberty is difficult, but not impossible; it requires patience and deliberation. The parent should be gentle with his son and treat him like an adult, conveying advice through a friend, relative, or scholar, or through indirect methods, and by utilizing impactful events. Haste and anger can lead to bad outcomes, while patience and the prayers of parents are answered. The son should fear Allah and remember his meeting with his Lord and his accountability, and that his actions are major sins, especially abandoning prayer, which is disbelief. His parents have a great right upon him, and Allah has forbidden ill-treatment of them. Allah's mercy is vast; He accepts repentance and replaces evil deeds with good ones. His parents are keen on his well-being, so he should stick to his parents, ask for forgiveness, and choose righteous companionship.