Rights of Parents

Undoubtedly parents are a great blessing of Allah and those who recognize their importance are also great people. As there are a lot of favors on every person from parents so there are a lot of rights of parents on every person. To fulfill the rights of parents is necessary for the success of every person in this world and the hereafter and the negligence certainly leads to a huge loss. No one of us can be free from the rights of parents and these rights cannot be fulfilled even we spend the whole life for it. Parents are reason for the existence of a person in this world so every blessing a person has is by virtue of the mercy of parents. In addition, the difficulties they face while looking after their children, especially the sufferings of mother in carrying her child in womb, giving birth to him, feeding him milk, to what extent can we pay thanks to these favors of his parents.

Islam being a complete guidance about life lays great stress on fulfilling the rights of parents. The way in which Islam defines the rights and status of parents leads towards a good society. We can understand the importance of rights of parents in Islam by the fact that Allah عَزَّ وَجَلَّ has discussed their rights along with His own rights Allah عَزَّ وَجَلَّ has commanded:

“Worship only Allah عَزَّ وَجَلَّ , and show kindness to parents”.

If one of them or both of them attain old age with, never say unto them any word of disgust nor reproach them, but address them with excellent speech.

There are a lot of sayings of the Holy prophet صَلَّی اللہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ about the importance of rights of parents: Abu Darda رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ reported that the Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ said:

"A father is the main gate of Paradise. Now it is up to you to preserve or waste it."

At another place, The Messenger of Allah عَزَّ وَجَلَّ و صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ said:

“Every righteous child who casts a look of mercy and affection upon his parents shall be granted, for every look of his, rewards equivalent to that of an accepted Hajj.” Those around the Prophet questioned: “O’ Prophet of Allah عَزَّ وَجَلَّ و صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ ! Even if he were to look at them a hundred times a day?” The Messenger of Allah عَزَّ وَجَلَّ و صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ replied: “Indeed! Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ is the Greatest and Most Kind.”

Islam teaches us to give respect to our parents. We should not raise our voices before them. We must give them a respectful place to sit. When they come to us we should stand up for their respect. When they are sitting with us we must sit in a respectful manner, address them with respectable words and talk to them softly with love and kindness. Sa'id ibn Mussaiyyab said:

“One should talk to his parents as if a slave talking to his strict master”.

It is our duty to love our parents. We must show love in our behavior to them. When we look towards our parents, there must be love in our eyes for them.

Obedience to parents is a very important lesson of Islam . To obey every order of parents by living with in the limits of Islam is necessary for us. We should try to obey their orders happily. The holy Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَhas said:

“Goodness towards (one’s) parents is the greatest obligatory act”.

Serving our parents is our duty. We should serve them by fulfilling their needs of life.

We should take care of the proper rest of our parents. A person once approached the Messenger of Allah عَزَّ وَجَلَّ و صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ and said:

“I have an old father and mother, who due to their attachment towards me are not keen for me to go to Jihad.” [Hearing this], the Noble Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ said: “(If such is the case then) Stay with your parents for, by the One in whose control lies my soul, their attachment of one day and one night to you is better than one year of Jihad.”

To fulfill the needs of our parents is our duty. We should give them proper clothing, food, room and other things they need. Spending on parents has also lots of reward. Allah says in Quran:

“They ask you as to what they should spend. Say, "Whatever you spend of good is [to be] for parents”.

We should also visit our parents, sit with them, talk to them, and also listen to them. There are still deeds that can be done to benefit those who have lost either one or both of their parents. Make Du'a daily for them, give charity on their behalf or in their name to Masjid and Islamic chools s, read Qur'an on their behalf, distribute Islamic literature in their name.

Abu Huraira رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ reported from the Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ that, Allahعَزَّوَجَلَّ shall raise the position of a pious person in Jannah. He shall ask, “O my Rabb عَزَّوَجَلَّ ! What is the reason for this?” Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will give him answer that it is due to Istighfar from your child who they did for you.”

Let us pray that we will all do our best to respect our parents , honor them, be kind to them, help them, and please them for the pleasure of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. At the end I am going to share with you two sayings of the beloved Rasoolصَلَّی اللہُ عَلَیْہِ وَسَلَّمَ as a summary of this writing:

The Messenger of Allah عَزَّ وَجَلَّ و صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ said: “One, who follows the orders of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ with regards to obeying parents, shall have two doors of Paradise opened up for him. And if there happens to be only one parent, one door of Paradise shall open up for him.”

Similarly the disobedience leads towards a great loss and humiliation. As The Messenger of Allah عَزَّ وَجَلَّ و صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ said:

“One who pleases his parents has verily pleased Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ , and one who has angered his parents has verily angered Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ .”

In this Hadith it is clear that Allah عَزَّ وَجَلَّ gets angry with those people who are doing acts for the anger of their parents.