Parents
TREATMENT OF PARENTS
There are numerous injunctions in the Holy Quraan regarding the special treatment towards one’s parents. Some of these are as follows:
- • Almighty Allah says: “And (remember) when We made a covenant with the Children of Israel (saying): Worship none save Allah (only); and be good to parents and to kindred and to orphans and the needy and speak kindly to mankind; and establish worship and pay the poor-due. Then, after that, you slid back, save a few of you, being averse”. (2:83)
- • Almighty Allah observes: “They ask you (O Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) what they shall spend. Say: that which you spend for good (must go) to parents and near kindred and orphans and the needy and the wayfarer. And whatsoever good you do, Lo! Allah is aware of it”. (2:215)
- • Almighty Allah says: “And serve Allah. Ascribe no thing as partner unto Him. (Show) kindness unto parents, and unto near kindred, and orphans, and the needy, and unto the neighbour who is of kin (unto you) and the neighbour who is not of kin, and the fellow-traveller and the wayfarer and (the slaves) whom your right hands possess. Lo! Allah loves not such who are proud and boastful.” (4:36)
- • Almighty Allah commands: “Say: Come, I will recite unto you that which your Lord has made a sacred duty for you: that you ascribe no thing as partner unto Him and that you do good to parents, …” (6:151)
- • Almighty Allah says: “Your Lord has decreed that you worship none besides Him, and (that you show) kindness to parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age with you, say not “Fie” unto
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- them nor repulse them, but speak unto them a gracious word. And lower unto them the wing of submission through mercy, and say: My Lord! Have mercy on them both as they did care for me when I was little.” (17:23-24)
- • Almighty Allah says: “We have enjoined on man kindness to parents; but if they strive to make thee join with Me that of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not. Unto Me is your return and I shall tell you what you used to do”. (29:8)
- • Almighty Allah says: “And We have enjoined upon man concerning his parents – His mother bears him in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years – Give thanks to Me and to your parents. Unto Me is the journeying”. (31:14)
- • Almighty Allah says: “And We have commanded unto man kindness toward parents. His mother bears him with reluctance, and brings him forth with reluctance, and the bearing of him and the weaning of him is thirty months, till, when he attains full strength and reaches forty years, he says: My Lord! Arouse me that I may give thanks for the favour wherewith You have favoured my parents, and me and that I may do right acceptable unto You. And be gracious unto me in the matter of my seed. Lo! I have turned to You repentant, and lo! I am of those who surrender (to You)”. (46: 15)
Sayyiduna Abdullah reported: “I asked Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) which deed Allah loves most? He replied, ‘To offer prayers at their early stated times.’ Sayyidina Abdullah asked, ‘What is the next in goodness?’ The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) said, ‘To be good and dutiful to one’s parents.’ Sayyidina Abdullah asked, ‘What is the next in goodness?’ The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) said, ‘To participate in Jihad for Allah’s cause’.” Sayyidina Abdullah added, “The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) narrated to me these three 3 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk
things, and if I had asked more, he would have told me more.” (Bukhari)
Sayyiduna Abu Hurayra reported that a man asked the Beloved Habeeb (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam): “O Allah’s Apostle! Who is more entitled to be treated with the best of companionship by me?” The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) said: “Your mother”. The man said: “Who is next?” The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) said: “Your mother”. The man further said: “Who is next?” The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) said: “Your mother.” The man asked for the fourth time: “Who is next?” The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) said: “Your father”. (Bukhari, Muslim)
Islam has given parents that much importance that one should not go for Jihad without the permission of one’s parents. Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Omar reported: “A man said to Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam), ‘Shall I participate in Jihad?’ The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) said, ‘Are your parents living?’ The man said, ‘Yous’. The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) said, ‘Do Jihad for their benefit’”. (Bukhari) The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) enjoined on him to serve his parents and do his best to satisfy their needs, for this will be a substitute for fighting in Almighty Allah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) cause.
Sayyiduna Abdullah Ibn-e-Omar reported that Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) said: “The most grateful is he who treats well the friends of his father in his absence.” (Muslim)
Sayyidah Asma Bint Abu-Bakr reported: “My mother, who was pagan, came with her father during the period of peace pact between the Muslims and the Quraish infidels. I went to seek the advice of Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) 4 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk
saying, ‘My mother has arrived, and she is hoping for my favour’. The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) said, ‘Yes, be good to your mother’”. (Bukhari, Muslim)
Sayyiduna Mughirah reported that Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) said: “Allah has forbidden the following things for you: To disobey your mothers, to bury the female child alive, to refuse the repayment to your creditors”. (Bukhari, Muslim)
Sayyiduna Abdullah Ibn-e-Amr reported that the Glorious Nabi of Allah said: “It is one of the greatest sins that a man should curse his parents.” The people asked: “O Allah’s Apostle (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam)! How can a man curse his own parents?” The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) said: “When a man abuses the father of another man and the latter abuse the father of the former and abuses his mother.” (Bukhari, Muslim)
Sayyiduna Abdullah Bin Amr reported that Sayyiduna Rasoolullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) said: “The pleasure of Allah lies in the pleasure of father, and the displeasure of Allah is in the displeasure of father.” (Tirmidi)
Sayyiduna Abu Umaamah reported that a companion asked the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam): “O Allah’s Apostle (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam)! What are the rights of parents to their sons?” The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) said: “Both are like Heaven and Hell for you.” (Ibn-e-Majah) This means the pleasure of parents would bring the reward of the Heaven and their displeasure will result into the torment of Hell.
Sayyiduna Mu’awiyah Bin Jahemah reported that his father called on the Holy Prophet of Islam and said: “O Allah’s Apostle! I wish to go for Jihad and I have come to you to take your advice”. The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) asked: “Do you have 5 www.GardensOfSunnah.co.uk
a mother?” He said: “Yes.” The Holy Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) said: “Make her service obligatory for yourself as the Heaven is by the side of her feet”. (Nisaai)
Sayyiduna Mughirah reported that the Beloved Habeeb (Sallallahu Alaihi Wassallam) said: “Allah has forbidden you
1. to be undutiful to your mothers,
2. to withhold what you should give, or
3. demand what you do not deserve, and
4. to bury your daughters alive.”
5. Allah has disliked that
6. you talk too much about others,
7. ask too many questions in religion or waste your property.” (Bukhari)