Parental Rights in Islam

The biggest right over us is that of Allah (swt).

 

Faith and obedience to Him are our first and foremost duties of these responsibilities of domestic life.

Fulfillment of these responsibilities is a social need as part of the religious duties.

After the above responsibilities, it boils down to the family life which parents are entitled to the highest place and foremost rights.

 

This can be substantiated by going through the following verses from the Koran.

"Your lord, Allah has decreed that you worship none but Him and that you be kind to parents whether one or both of them attain old age in your life. Say not to them a word of contempt nor repel them but address them in terms of honour and out of kindness lower to them the wing of humility and say," My lord bestow on both of them Your mercy as the cherished me in my childhood." (17:23-24)

The above verses can be interpreted :

 

1. Parents' rights are next to the rights of Allah (swt) in Islam.
   
2. When parents become old, their temperament is changed. They may become easily irritable and short tempered
   

   due to their age. Children should show considerable patience and magnanimity for their ageing parents.
   

3. Parents should be respected and revered throughout all stages of their ages. Particularly when they are old and become
   

   persistent, nagging and critical. The children should all more submissive and tolerant and should always keep in mind the related
   

   verses from the Koran.
   

4. The children should adopt attitude of humbleness, politeness and obedience for their parents. They should readily carry out the orders of parents and also feel comforted by doing so.
   
5. We should recall those days of infancy when we were totally dependent on our parents. During that period we were weak and in need of help from the parents to survive. During that time, our parents nourished us with love and affection bearing all sorts of hardships.
   

   They felt happy when we were happy and became restless when we were slightly harmed. We as children should always have these memories fresh in mind and pray to Allah(swt) to be merciful and kind to our parents in their old age as they had been considerate and kind to their own children in their hour of needs.
   

 

Importance of parents

Once a man questioned Prophet about the rights of parents upon their children.

He replied that " the parents are the Heaven OR Hell for their children." (ibn-e-majah, mishkat)

It can be interpreted that, one clearly understands in the point of view of the hereafter, he can earn an abode in Heaven by keep the parents happy.

On another hand, he can be a deserving person for Hell if he makes them unhappy by his misbehavior.

 

"The pleasure of Allah lies in the pleasure of father and the displeasure of Allah lies in the displeasure of father." (tirmizi, hakim)

Nobody can get the pleasure of Allah(swt) without pleasing the parents. One who earns the pleasure of the parents pleases Allah(swt). One who displease the parents may not be saved from His wrath. Both the things are interdependent.

"Go back home and serve her as Heaven was under her feet" told by The prophet to a young man who wanted to participate in the war with him when the prophet realize that the young man still has his living mother.

From this hadith, weknow that mothers must be highly respected, treated politeness and submission and served selflessly by those who want to deliverance on the day of judgement.

 

The 1^st hadith mentioned about father, established the importance of obedience of father while the hadith mentioned about mother, established the worth of obedience to mother.