you will be in my company in Paradise.”^[1]

Whom should we respect?

Respecting and honouring elders is a means of salvation and a path to attaining the closeness of Allah’s final Prophet, our master Muhammad صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, in Paradise.

We should show respect to those who are greater than us in knowledge, age, rank, or position. Our elders include parents, uncles, aunts, elder siblings, other relatives, teachers, spiritual guides, scholars, and Sufi masters. Likewise, we should treat those younger than us or lower in rank with kindness and affection.

How to show respect?

In our social life, we frequently interact with our elders, so it is essential to show them respect in every way.

Once, in the presence of the Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم, ꜤAbd al-Raḥmān b. Sahl رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ attempted to speak to Muḥayyiṣa رَضِىَ اللّٰهُ عَـنْهُ. ꜤAbd al-Raḥmān b. Sahl was in fact younger than Muḥayyiṣa.

The Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم taught ꜤAbd al-Raḥmān how to speak to his elders, and declared, “Let the elder speak.”^[2]

سُـبْحٰـنَ الـلّٰــه This is a lesson in respect when elders are speaking, the younger ones should remain silent. We should always honour our elders in various ways, such as:

*    Not starting to eat before they begin.

*    Refraining from speaking before them in gatherings.