Children’s Education Series

Book - 8

Duty of the Children

towards their
Parents

Presented by
Amir Zaman & Nazma Zaman
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 “Assalamu-Alaikum” Peace be upon you

Amir Zaman
Nazma Zaman
Email: [email protected]
www.themessagecanada.com

1st Edition: July 2012

Price: $2

Published by
Institute of Social Engineering, Canada
ISE www.themessagecanada.com

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 Preface

Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala) in His Glorious Qur’an and

Rasulullah (Blessings and peace be upon him) in his various
Ahadith have commanded the mankind in general and the
Muslims in particular, to be kind and respectful to their
parents and to take good care of their physical and mental
comfort when they are alive, and to pray and spend for their
salvation in the Akhirah after they pass away. It is Fard
(mandatory/obligatory) for the Muslims (children and adults
alike) to know their duty towards their parents and act
accordingly to receive Allah’s mercy and blessings.

We have collected the commands from the Glorious Qur’an

and the Ahadith, and we are now presenting those in this
booklet for your careful study and implementation in your
day to day life so that your parents get the attention they
deserve and your receive rewards from Allah (SWT). Please
keep in mind that neglect or disobedience to these
commands is severely punishable by Allah (SWT). Disobeying
parents or dishonouring one’s parents is a major sin (Gunah-
e-Kabeera)

Amir Zaman
Nazma Zaman
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 Allah’s Commands
Children’s duty towards their
parents.

And your Lord has decreed that you worship none

but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents.
If one of them or both of them attain old age in
your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor
shout at them but address them in terms of honor.
(Surah Al-Isra, 17: 23)

Worship Allah and join none with Him in worship, and

do good to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, the poor, the
neighbor who is near of kin, the neighbor who is a
stranger, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (you
meet“, and those (slaves“ whom your right hands
possess. Verily, Allah does not like such as are proud
and boastful; (Surah An Nisa, 4: 36“

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 And we have enjoined upon man kindness (good
treatment) to his parents.
(Surah Al Ahqaf, 46: 15)

And We have enjoined on man to be dutiful

and kind to his parents. His mother bears him
with hardship and she brings him forth with
hardship, and the bearing of him, and the
weaning of him is thirty (30) months. When
he attains full strength and reaches forty
years, he says: ”My Lord! Grant me the power
and ability that I may be grateful for Your
favor which You have bestowed upon me and
upon my parents, and that I may do righteous
(good) deeds, such as please You, and make
my off-spring good. Truly, I have turned to
You in repentance, and truly, I am one of the
Muslims (submitting to Your Will).”
(Surah Al-Ahqaf, 46: 15)

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 And We have enjoined on man (to be dutiful
and good) to his parents. His mother bore him
in weakness and hardship upon weakness and
hardship, and his weaning in two years. Give
thanks to Me and to your parents, unto Me is
the final destination. (Surah Luqman, 31: 14)

But if they (both“ strive with you to make you

join in worship with Me others that of which you
have no knowledge, then obey them not, but
behave with them in this world kindly, and follow
the path of him who turns to Me in repentance
and in obedience. Then to Me will be your
return, and I shall tell you what you used to do.
(Surah Luqman, 31: 15“

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 Say (O Muhammad, SAW“: Come, I will recite
what your Lord has prohibited you from: Join not
anything in worship with Him; be good and
dutiful to your parents; kill not your children
because of poverty. We provide sustenance for
you and for them; come not near Al-Fawahish
(shameful sins, illegal sexual intercourse, etc.“
whether committed openly or secretly, and kill
not anyone whom Allah has forbidden, except
for a just cause (according to Islamic law“. This
He has commanded you that you may
understand. (Surah Al-An am, 6: 151“

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 And lower unto them the wing of
submission and humility through mercy,
and say: “My Lord! Bestow on them Your
Mercy as they did bring me up when I
was small.” (Surah Isra, 17: 24)

And We have enjoined on man to be good and

dutiful to his parents, but if they strive to make
you join with Me (in worship“ anything (as a
partner“ of which you have no knowledge, then
obey them not. Unto Me is your return, and I
shall tell you what you used to do. (Surah Al-
Ankabut, 29: 8“

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 Parents are inheritors of the
properties

It is prescribed for you, when death approaches

any of you, if he leaves wealth, that he make a
bequest to parents and next of kin, according to
reasonable manners. (This is) a duty upon the God-
fearing (Al-Muttaqun) (Surah Al-Baqara, 2: 180).

They ask you (O Muhammad, SAW“ what

they should spend. Say: Whatever you
spend of good must be for parents and
kindred and orphans and the poor and the
wayfarers, and whatever you do of good
deeds, truly, Allah knows it well.
(Surah Al-Baqara, 2: 215“.
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 Message to the other nations &
prophets regarding parents

And (remember) when We took a covenant from

the Children of Israel, (saying): Worship none but
Allah (Alone) and be dutiful and good to parents,
and to kindred, and to orphans the poor, [Tafsir
At-Tabari, Vol. 10, Page 158 (Verse 9:60)] and
speak good to people [i.e. enjoin righteousness and
forbid evil, and say the truth about Muhammad,
[Blessings and Peace be upon him ], and perform
As-Salat (Iqamat-as-Salat), and give Zakat. Then
you slid back, except a few of you, while you are
backsliders. (Surah Al-Baqara, 2: 83).

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 Asking forgiveness for the
parents

My Lord! Forgive me, and my parents, and him who

enters my home as a believer, and all the believing
men and women. And to the Zalimun (polytheists,
wrong-doers, and disbelievers, etc.“ grant You no
increase but destruction!
(Surah Nuh, 71: 28“

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 Misbehavior with
the parents forbidden

But he who says to his parents: “Fie upon you

both! Do you hold out the promise to me that
I shall be raised up (again) when generations
before me have passed away (without
rising)?” While they (father and mother)
invoke Allah for help (and rebuke their son):
“Woe to you! Believe! Verily, the Promise of
Allah is true.” But he says: “This is nothing
but the tales of the ancient.”
(Surah Al-Ahqaf, 46: 17)

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 Honoring Parents Emphasised

Abu 'Amr ash-Shaybani (RA) said, "The owner of

this house (and he pointed at the house of
'Abdullah Ibn Mas'ud (RA)) said, "I asked the
Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him), which
action Allah loves best. He replied, 'Prayer at its
proper time.' 'Then what?' I asked. He said, 'Then
kindness to parents." I asked, 'Then what?' He
replied, 'Then jihad in the Way of Allah.'" He
added, "He told me about these things. If I had
asked him to tell me more, he would have told me
more." (Sahih Bukhari)

'Abdullah Ibn 'Umar (RA“ reported that the Prophet

said, "The pleasure of the Lord lies in the pleasure of
the parents. The anger of the Lord lies in the anger of
the parents." (Sahih Bukhari“

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 Dutifulness to mother/father

Bahz Ibn Hakim's grandfather narrated: "I asked, O

'Messenger of Allah, to whom should I be dutiful?'
'Your mother,' he replied. I asked, 'Then whom?'
'Your mother,' he replied. I asked, 'Then whom?'
'Your mother,' he replied. I asked, 'Then to whom
should I be dutiful?' 'Your father,' he replied, 'and
then the next closest relative and then the next.'"
(Sahih Bukhari)

'Ata' Ibn Yasar said that a man came to Ibn 'Abbas (RA“
and said, "I asked a woman to marry me and she refused
to marry me. Another man asked her and she agreed to
marry him. I became jealous and killed her. Is there any
way for me to repent?" He asked, "Is your mother alive?"
"No," he replied. He said, "Repent to Allah Almighty and
try to draw near Him as much as you can." 'Ata' said, "I
went to Ibn 'Abbas (RA“ and asked him, 'Why did you ask
him whether his mother was alive?' He replied, 'I do not

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 know of any action better for bringing a person near to
Allah than dutifulness to his mother.'"
(Sahih Bukhari“

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 Dutifulness to parents, even if
they are unjust

Ibn 'Abbas (RA) said, "If any Muslim obeys Allah

regarding his parents, Allah will open two gates of
the Garden for him. If there is only one parent,
then one gate will be opened. If one of them is
angry, then Allah will not be pleased with him until
that parent is pleased with him. "He was asked,
"Even if they wrong him?" "Even if they wrong him"
he replied. (Sahih Bukhari)

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 Gentle words to parents
Hisham Ibn 'Urwa related this ayat from his
father, "Take them under your wing, out of mercy,
with due humility."
(Al Isra, 17:24)

Taysala Ibn Mayyas said, "I was with the Najadites [Kharijites]
when I committed wrong actions which I supposed were major
wrong actions. I mentioned that to Ibn 'Umar. He inquired,
'What are they?" I replied, 'Such-and-such.' He stated, 'These
are not major wrong actions. There are nine major wrong
actions. They are: associating others with Allah, killing
someone, desertion from the army when it is advancing,
slandering a chaste woman, usury, consuming an orphan's
property, heresy in the mosque, scoffing, and causing one's
parents to weep through disobedience.' Ibn 'Umar (RA“ then
said to me, 'Do you wish to separate yourself from the Fire?
Do you want to enter the Fire?' 'By Allah, yes!' I replied. He
asked, 'Are your parents still alive?' I replied, 'My mother is.'

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 He said, 'By Allah, if you speak gently to her and feed her,
then you will enter the Garden as long as you avoid the major
wrong actions.'"
(Sahih Bukhari“

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 Repaying parents

Abu Hurayra (RA) reported that the Prophet

(Blessings and Peace be upon him), said, "A
child cannot repay his father unless he finds
him as a slave and he buys him and sets him
free." (Sahih Bukhari)

'Abdullah Ibn 'Amr (RA“ narrated: "A man came

to the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon
him“, and made a pledge to him that he would
do hijra. He left his parents who were in tears.
The Prophet said, 'Go back to them and make
them laugh as you made them weep.'"
(Sahih Bukhari“

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 Sa'id Ibn Abi Burda (RA) said, "I heard my
father say that Ibn 'Umar (RA) saw a Yamani
man going around the House while carrying his
mother on his back, saying, 'I am your humble
camel. If her mount is frightened, I am not
frightened.' Then he asked, 'Ibn 'Umar (RA),
Do you think that I have repaid her?' He
replied, 'No, not even for a single grain.' "Ibn
'Umar (RA) did tawaf and came to the Maqam
and prayed two rak'at. He said, 'Ibn Abi
Musa (RA), every two rak'at make up for
everything that has happened between
them.'" (Sahih Bukhari)

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 Disobedience to parents

Abu Bakra (RA) reported that the Messenger

of Allah (Blessings and Peace be upon him),
said, "Shall I tell you which is the worst of
the major wrong actions?" "Yes, Messenger
of Allah," they replied. He said, "Associating
something else with Allah and disobeying
parents." He had been reclining, but then he
sat up and said, "And false witness." Abu Bakr
(RA) said, "He continued to repeat it until I
said, 'Is he never going to stop?'"
(Sahih Bukhari)

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 Allah curses whoever
curses his parents

Abu't-Tufayl (RA) said, "'Ali was asked, 'Did the

Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him), give you
something special which he did not give to anyone
else?' He replied, 'The Messenger of Allah
(Blessings and Peace be upon him) did not give me
anything special which he did not give to everyone
else except for what I have in my sword scabbard.'
He brought out a piece of paper.

Written on that paper was: 'Allah curses anyone who

sacrifices an animal to something other than Allah.
Allah curses anyone who steals a milestone. Allah
curses anyone who curses his parents. Allah curses
anyone who gives shelter to an innovator.'"
(Sahih Bukhari“
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 Being dutiful to parents as
long as that does not entail
disobedience to Allah

'Abdullah Ibn 'Amr (RA) narrated: "A man

came to the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be
upon him), wanting to do jihad. The Prophet
asked, 'Are your parents alive?' 'Yes,' he
replied. He said, 'Then exert yourself on
their behalf.'" (Sahih Bukhari)

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 The One who fails his Parents
will not enter the Garden
(Paradise)

Abu Hurayra (RA) reported that the Prophet

(Blessings and Peace be upon him), said,
"Disgrace! Disgrace! Disgrace!" They said,
"Messenger of Allah, who?" He said, "The one
who fails his parents or one of them when
they are old will enter the Fire."
(Sahih Bukhari)

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 Allah prolongs the life of
someone who is dutiful towards
his parents

Mu'adh (RA) said, "Bliss belongs to someone

who is dutiful towards his parents. Allah
Almighty will prolong his life."
(Sahih Bukhari)

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 One should not ask forgiveness
for his father if he is an
idolater

Ibn 'Abbas (RA) mentioned the words of the

Almighty, "When one or both of them reach old age
with you, do not say 'Ugh!' to them out of irritation
and do not be harsh with them but speak to them
with gentleness and generosity. Take them under
your wing, out of mercy, with due humility and say:
'Lord, show mercy to them as they did in looking
after me when I was small." (Al Isra, 17:23-24) He
said, "This was abrogated in Surat at-Tawba: 'It is
not right for the Prophet and those who have Iman
to ask forgiveness for the mushrikun even if they
are close relatives after it has become clear to
them that they are the companions of the Blazing
Fire.' (Surah Tawbah 9: 113)"

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 Dutifulness towards a parent
who is an idolater

Asma' bint Abi Bakr (RA) narrated: "In the

time of the Prophet (Blessings and Peace be
upon him), my mother (who was still a
mushrik) came to me hoping (I would be
dutiful). I asked the Prophet (Blessings and
Peace be upon him), 'Do I have to treat her
well?' 'Yes,' he replied."
(Sahih Bukhari)

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 A person should not revile
(abuse verbally)
his parents

'Abdullah Ibn 'Amr (RA) narrated that the

Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon him),
said, "Reviling one's parents is one of the
great wrong actions." They asked, "How could
he revile them?" He said, "He reviles a man
who then in turn reviles his mother and
father." (Sahih Bukhari)

'Abdullah Ibn 'Amr (RA“ said, "A man's reviling

his father is one of the major sins (kabeera
ghunah“ in the sight of Allah Almighty."
(Sahih Bukhari“
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 The punishment for
disobeying parents

Abu Bakra (RA) reported that the Prophet

(Blessings and Peace be upon him), said, "There is
no wrong action more likely to bring punishment in
this world in addition to what is stored up in the
Next World than oppression and severing ties of
kinship." (Sahih Bukhari)

'Imran Ibn Husayn (RA“ narrated, "The Messenger of

Allah (Blessings and Peace be upon him“, said,
'What do you say about fornication, drinking wine
and theft?' 'Allah and His Messenger know best,' we
replied. He stated, 'They are acts of outrage and
there is punishment for them, but shall I tell you
which is the greatest of the great wrong actions?
Associating with Allah Almighty and disobeying

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 parents.' He had been reclining, but then he sat up
and said, 'and lying.'"
(Sahih Bukhari“

Making Parents Weep

Ibn 'Umar (RA) said, "Making parents weep is

part of disobedience and one of the major
sins (kabeera ghunah)."
(Sahih Bukhari)

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 The Supplication of
Parents

Abu Hurayra (RA) reported that the Prophet

(Blessings and Peace be upon him), said,
"Three supplications (Dua’s) are answered by
Allah without a doubt: the supplication of
someone who is oppressed, the supplication of
someone on a journey, and the supplication of
parents for their children."
(Sahih Bukhari)

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 Offering Islam to
a Christian mother

Abu Hurayra (RA) narrated, "Neither Jew nor

Christian has heard me and then not loved me.
I wanted my Christian mother to become a
Muslim, but she refused. I told her about it
and she still refused. I went to the Prophet
(Blessings and Peace be upon him), and said,
'Pray to Allah for me.' He did so and I went
to her. She was inside the door of the house
and said, 'Abu Hurayra (RA), I have become a
Muslim.' I told this to the Prophet (Blessings
and Peace be upon him), and I asked, 'Make
supplication (Dua’) to Allah for me and my
mother.' He said, 'O Allah, make people love
Abu Hurayra (RA) and his mother.'" (Sahih
Bukhari)

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 Dutifulness towards parents
after their death

Abu Hurayra (RA) said, "The dead person can

be raised a degree after his death. He said,
'My Lord, how is this?' He was told, 'Your
child can ask for forgiveness for you.'"
(Sahih Bukhari)

Ibn Sirin (RA“ said, "We were with Abu Hurayra

(RA“ one night and he said, 'O Allah, forgive
Abu Hurayra (RA“ and his mother and whoever
asks for forgiveness for both of them.'"
Muhammad said, "We used to ask for
forgiveness for them so that we would be
included in Abu Hurayra's (RA“ supplication."
(Sahih Bukhari“
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 Abu Hurayra (RA) reported that the
Messenger of Allah (Blessings and Peace be
upon him), said, "When a person dies, all
action is cut off for him with the exception
of three things: sadaqa which continues,
knowledge which benefits, or a righteous
child who makes supplication (Dua’) for him."
(Sahih Bukhari)

Ibn 'Abbas (RA“ reported that a man said, O

Messenger of Allah, my mother died without a
will. Will it help her if I give sadaqa on her
behalf?" "Yes," he replied.
(Sahih Bukhari“

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Abu Usayd (RA) narrated: "We were with the
Messenger of Allah (Blessings and Peace be
upon him), when a man asked, 'Messenger of
Allah, is there any act of dutifulness which I
can do for my parents after their death?' He
replied, 'Yes. There are four things:
Supplication for them, asking forgiveness for
them, fulfilling their pledges, and being
generous to friends of theirs. You only have
ties of kinship through your parents."
(Sahih Bukhari)

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 The Dutifulness of someone
who maintains what
his father loved
'Abdullah Ibn Dinar (RA) reported that Ibn 'Umar
(RA) passed by a bedouin during a journey. The
bedouin's father had been a friend of 'Umar's (RA).
The bedouin said, "Am I not the son of so-and-so?" He
said, "Yes, indeed." Ibn 'Umar (RA) ordered that he be
given a donkey which was following him. He also took
off his turban and gave it to him. One of the men with
him said, "Wouldn't two dirhams be enough for him?"
He replied, "The Prophet (Blessings and Peace be upon
him), said, 'Maintain what your father loved. Do not
cut it off so that Allah puts out your light."
(Sahih Bukhari)

Ibn 'Umar (RA“ reported that the Messenger of Allah

(Blessings and Peace be upon him“, said, "The strongest
form of dutifulness is when a man maintains relations with
the people his father loved." (Sahih Bukhari“
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 Do not cut off relationship with
someone with whom your father
maintained ties

Sa'd Ibn 'Ubada az-Zurqi (RA) reported that his

father said, "I was sitting in the mosque in Madina
with 'Amr Ibn 'Uthman (RA) when 'Abdullah Ibn
Salam walked by, leaning on his nephew. 'Amr left
the assembly and showed his concern for him."
Then Ibn Salam returned to them and said, "Do
what you like, 'Amr Ibn 'Uthman (RA)," (and he
said it two or three times) By the One who sent
Muhammad (Blessings and Peace be upon him), with
the Truth, it is in the Book of Allah Almighty (and
he said it twice), 'Do not cut off those your father
has joined so that that extinguishes your light.'"
(Sahih Bukhari)

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 A man should not call his
father by his name nor sit
down before him nor walk in
front of him

Abu Hurayra (RA) saw two men and said to

one of them, "Who is this man in relation to
you?" He is my father," he replied. He said,
"Do not call him by his own name nor walk in
front of him nor sit down before him."
(Sahih Bukhari)

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