In today’s society, many sons and daughters are influenced by secular cultures, which focus on children’s freedom. This freedom blindly encourages children to distance themselves from their parents and mistreat them, those parents who spent their lives building their children’s characters.
The children may mistreat their parents in the form of:
Raising voices at them, holding grudges against them, being ashamed of their oldness, having no patience with their oldness, emotionally and physically abusing them, placing them in “old age” home, separating themselves from them due to mere disagreements, not sharing their wealth with them freely.
All the above-mentioned actions toward one’s parents are forbidden in Islam. The older the parents get, the more the Muslim son/daughter is required to provide respect, attention and care for them.
Position of Parents in Islam
Islam has raised the status of parents to a level that is just one degree below the belief in Allah and the true worship of him.
And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as], “uff,” and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word.” Quran.com/17/23
Also,
Be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the [final] destination.” Quran.com/31/14.
Those words from Qur’an shows the strong connection between worshiping Allah and treating parents with kindness and respect.
Remember your Childhood!
It’s an obligation upon us to serve them as they served us when we were little children, and for being the reason we were brought up into this life as well, we should bear any trouble from them with forbearance.
And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, “My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small.” Quran.com/17/24
We should recall those days of infancy when we were totally dependent on our parents, we were weak and in need of help from our parents to survive. In those days, our parents nourished us with love bearing all sorts of hardships.
The children should always have these memories fresh in mind and pray to Allah (The one God, creator of heaven and earth) to be merciful and kind to their parents in their old age.
Even Obedience in Times of War?!
Islam has the utmost consideration for the feelings of parents even in times of war.
The prophet didn’t forget the weakness of parents and their rights to their children during the time of war, so he gently discouraged those who wanted to participate in a battle and directed them in taking care of their parents.
A man came to the Prophet asking his permission to take part in Jihad. The Prophet asked him, “Are your parents alive?” He replied in the affirmative. The Prophet said to him, “Then exert yourself in their service.”(1)
Conclusion
To conclude, Islam is a complete code of life. Every aspect of life is found in the Qur’an (the final scripture from the One God) and Sunnah (prophet Muhammad’s teachings). The basic structure of human society must be according to Allah’s will. There are rights of parents towards children and there are rights of children toward their parents. We must follow these rules in order to be successful in this world and in the hereafter.(2)
References:
(1) Sahih al-Bukhari 3004
(2) Honor the father and mother
