People compete with one another to have the best cars, the best professions, the best grades, and so on. The only people on this earth who want you to be better than themselves are your parents — your father and your mother.
It’s natural for us to have an instinctive love for our parents, which is part of our fitrah. When the children are the ones grumpy with parents, and when they tend to dictate upon their parents, it is a sign of qiamah.
With regards to the sign of qiamah, Prophet Muhammad (saw) mentioned in a hadith: “…when a woman is a female slave, when she gives birth to her master…,” meaning, it will be as if the children are like the masters and the parents like the slaves.
A man came to Prophet (saw) and said: “Ya Rasulullah, who is the person who has got the most right to my good companionship on this earth (after Allah and you)? Then Prophet (saw) immediately replied: ‘Your mother.’ The man asked again: ‘Who next?’ Prophet (saw) said: ‘Your mother.’ The man asked for the third time, ‘Who next?’ Prophet (saw) said: ‘Your mother.’ The man asked for the fourth time, ‘Who next?’ Then the Prophet (saw) replied: ‘Your father.’” [Muslim]
Subhan Allah! Let us ask ourselves, where are we today with regards to treating our parents? How often do we utter words like ‘uff’ to them?
Our parents do not expect much from us, not even the least. All they want is to see us happy, healthy and shining. They work hard to raise us up, to feed us, to educate us, and give us all the best things at their level best. Can we not show a little courtesy by being merciful to them, and by doing those little things that make them happy?
Allah subhaanahu wa ta’ala states in the Quran, in Surah Al-Isra: Allah has decreed to worship Him alone, and to do good treatments to parents; whether they reach old age, not to say them so much as, “ufh,” and not to repel them but only to treat them with honor.
When we make dua for the parents, we should also make dua for their guidance. Abu Bakr (ra) came to Masjid-al-Haram and preached to people about Islam. He was even beaten there. When he was hurt, who came around to take care of him? Who was there to hug him? It was none other than his mother.
Later, when Abu Bakr (ra) met Prophet Muhammad (saw) he said: “Ya Rasulullah! She is my mother; and she is very good to her child, (meaning she is very good to me). Make dua that Allah subhaanahu wa ta’ala opens up her heart to Islam.” By the infinite mercy and grace of Allah, as Allah accepted the dua, the mother took Shahada.
In Arabia, parents are usually shown a high level of respect, unlike the unfortunate treatment in UK, Australia, Bangladesh, India, etc. How often do you hear about children kicking off their parents from home? The matter is not given significant importance here as well as in many parts of the world. That is why the number of old- age-homes is increasing.
Our fathers and mothers are our doors to Paradise. Woe to the person who has parents and he doesn’t earn his Paradise through serving them. We should be sincerely dutiful towards them, without taking them for granted.
May we start treating our parents with due respect from now onward, and may Allah forgive us all our shortcomings. Ameen.
