(RESPECT OF THE PARENTS)
By: Moulana Nabeel Hanif Ismail
All praise is due to Almighty Allah, Peace, Blessings and Salutations upon the greatest of Allah’s creation, Nabi Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, His family and all the companions.
Almighty Allah mentions in the Holy Quraan:
“And we have enjoined man to be good to his parents. His mother bears him painfully (in the womb) and gives birth to him painfully.”(Suraah Ahqaaf, verse 15)
In the above verse, every type of good service, life, wealth, etc are ALL included in “do good”. Even if the parents are infidels, their service is obligatory upon the children.
This verse also tells us that the right of service is greater for the mother because she has taken care of the child with her own blood. We can never pay our mothers back with anything due to the pain she went through carrying us and giving birth to us. We must always make sure we respect them and serve them to attain PARADISE!
HADEETH 1 (RESPECT OF THE FATHER)
Hazrat Abu Hurairah Radiallahu Anhu narrates that the Beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said;
“Obeying the father is obeying Almighty Allah and disobeying the father, is disobeying Almighty Allah.”
From this Hadeeth we learn the respect and obedience of the father. As some people think that it is only important to be good to our mother, but we tend to forget that our fathers also hold importance. Yes the respect of the mother is greater than the father as the Holy Quraan proves above. I felt it important to narrate this Hadeeth also, to prove about the father.
HADEETH 2
Hazrat Ibne Abbas Radiallahu Anhu narrates that Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said;
“Those that love their parents well, each time they look at their parents with love, Almighty Allah writes for them the same reward as an ACCEPTED Hajj.”
The companions asked, “what if we look at our parents a hundred times in a day?”
The Beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam replied; “Almighty Allah is great and worthy of the greatest reward.”
Subhanallah, we must try to make an effort to love them and respect them to attain such rewards. We are so blessed to have opportunities such as this.
HADEETH 3 (DO WE WANT TO END OUR LIVES LIKE THIS?)
Hazrat Abdullah ibne Aufa narrates that we went to the Beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam and said; “There is a young man between life and death. We are urging him to read the Kalima but he is unable to do so.”
The Beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam asked if he was punctual in his Salaah? The answer was given in the positive. Upon hearing this, the Beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam stood up and we also stood up.
The Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam went to the young man and said, “say ‘Laa Ilaaha Illallahu.’” The young man said, “I do not have the strength in my tongue to recite these words.”
When he was asked why, he replied that he was disobedient to his mother.
The Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam asked if his mother was still alive. The companions replied that she was. When she appeared, the Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam asked if that was her son. She said that he was.
The Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said; “If a great fire was made and you were told to intercede for your son or he will be thrown in the fire. Would you intercede for him?”
Upon hearing this question, the mother immediately replied; “I will intercede for him.”
The Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said; “Make Almighty Allah and me your witness that you are pleased and happy with your son. She said; “Oh my lord, I’m making you and your beloved witnesses that I’m pleased with my son.”
Then The Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam turned towards the young man and said; “recite “(The Kalima)”, this time the young man recited the full Kalima. The Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam thanked Almighty Allah with these words; “Thanks be to Almighty Allah who saved this young man from the fire of HELL!”
Allah u Akbar, due to the disobedience towards the parents, the young man was failing to read the Kalima, let us think to our selves, what if we fail, who will come to save us? Therefore let us try and be obedient to our parents. If they have left this world let us make Esaale Thawaab for them.
HADEETH 4
Hazrat Amaamah Bahli Radiallahu Anhu narrates that the Beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said;
“There are three types of people whose COMPULSORY or VOLUNTARY worship will not be accepted by Almighty Allah,
- Who troubles his parents
- One who gives charity and then brags about it
- One who does not believe in TAQDEER (Destiny)”
May Almighty Allah save us from being amongst the above, as becoming one of the above can waste our IBAADAT (Worship).
HADEETH 5
Hazrat Abubakr Radiallahu Anhu narrates that the Beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said;
“Almighty Allah forgives any sin that he wishes, however the disobedience of parents is not forgiven. Such a sin is punished in this world”
We will now understand why some of us fall in difficulties and why we face so many problems in this world, to avoid facing punishment, we may be obedient to our parents.
HADEETH 6
Hazrat Abu Amaamah narrates that a person came to the Beloved Prophet Muhammad Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam and asked;
“Yaa Rasulallah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam, what rights do parents have over their children?” The Prophet Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam replied; “They are your paradise or your Hellfire.”
This proves from the statements of the scholars that if we will be obedient and good them, then they will be a means of attaining PARADISE and if we don’t, then due to that reason they will be a means of HELLFIRE.
May Almighty Allah guide us to be obedient to our parents, may he guide us ALL on the strait path and may we become good followers of ISLAM!
Insha Allah, Ameen.
Moulana Nabeel Hanif Ismail