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Welcome to InspirationInc!
"Dedicated
to my Wonderful Parents the Reason for my Existence."
Allah has ordered us not only to pray for our parents, but to treat them with ultimate
compassion, remembering that when we were helpless children they preferred us to themselves.
When they reach
old age, Muslim parents are treated mercifully, with even more kindness than they were ever. Mothers are particularly honored;
Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said that 'Paradise lies at the feet of mothers'.
Allah says in
the Qur'an says, in Surrah BaniIsra'il:
"Your Lord (The Creator) has ordained that you worship none
but Him, and that you be kind to the parents."
Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said that the parents of a person are his Heaven
or Hell. Which shows that if a person obeys his parents and fulfills their needs and comforts and keeps them happy, he will
enter Paradise. But if he is rude and disobedient to them and offends them by ignoring their feelings or by causing them grief,
his place shall be in Hell.
Pleasing the parents causes Allah's pleasure.
Even if one's parents
are polytheists, and they want him to follow them, he should refuse, yet continue to be kind and respectful to them.
Asma'
bint Abu Bakr (May Allah be pleased with her) relates that her mother had come to the Madinah to meet her. Her mother followed
the Pagan customs and beliefs. So Asma' asked Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) how should she treat her mother, as she was a Pagan,
and should she treat her like a daughter should treat her mother, and show kindness to her. The Prophet (PBUH) told her to
be kind and considerate and to treat her with all kindness and respect.
Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said that serving one's
parents well is an act of great virtue, he condemned disobeying them and harming them, and described such acts as the most
serious and detestable sin.
When asked about the major sins, Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) replied." To associate another
god with Allah, to disobey the parents, to kill unlawfully and to give false testimony."
The above-mentioned acts have
been condemned as 'Akbarul-Kabaair' i.e. the most serious of the major sins. The order, in which Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) mentioned
them shows that the disregard of parents' rights is next, only, to Polytheism (Shirk) and it is even more serious than murder.
Anyone
who seeks Allah's satisfaction has to make sure that his parents are happy with him, not angry with him. Keeping the parents
well pleased is essential since their anger and displeasure will lead to Allah's anger and displeasure.
Prophet
Mohammad (PBUH) said:
"In the good pleasure of the father lies the good pleasure of the Creator and in his
displeasure, lies the displeasure of the Creator."
Although the mother was not mentioned in this (Hadith), or quote
by Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), in many other Hadith's, the Prophet (PBUH) has highlighted the right of the mother and stressed
the importance of treating her kindly and attaining her satisfaction.
Abu Hurairah (May Allah be please with him) narrates
that a person asked Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) "Who has the greatest claim on me with regard to service and kind treatment?"
The Prophet replied, "Your mother, and again your mother, and once again your mother. After her, is your father, then that
of your near relations and then of the relations next to them.
Allah says in the Qur'an:
"We
have enjoined on man Kind, that he be kind to his parents: in pain did his mother bear him and in pain did she give him birth.
The carrying of the (child) to his weaning is (a period of) thirty months. At length when he reaches the age of full strength
and attains forty years he says 'O my Lord! grant me that I may be grateful for Your Blessing which You have bestowed upon
me and upon both my parents and that I may do righteousness as may please You; and make my offspring righteous. Truly I repent
to You, and I am of the Muslims" (46.15)
Allah also says:
"Your Lord has commanded that you
worship none but Him, and be kind to parents. If either or both of them reach old age with you, do not say 'uff' to them or
chide them, but speak to them in terms of honor and kindness. Treat them with humility, and say, 'My Lord! Have mercy on them,
for they did care for me when I was little." (17.23-4)
Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said:
"If
anyone possesses these three characteristics Allah will give him an easy death and bring him into His Paradise: gentleness
towards the weak, affection towards parents, and kindness to slaves.
A man once asked Prophet Mohammad (PBUH), "Shall
I participate in war (Jihad)?" The Prophet asked, 'Are your parents alive?' The man said, "Yes." the Prophet (PBUH) said:
'Do Jihad for their benefit.' (Serving one's parents is equal in honor to fighting against an enemy of Islam.
Prophet
Mohammad (PBUH) also said:
"He who casts up the favors he has done, he who is disobedient to parents and he
who is addicted to wine will not enter Paradise."
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Islamic teachings on the Importance of Parents
Say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address
them in terms of honour. - Quran 17:23
In Islam it is obligatory for us to show kindness, respect, and obedience to our parents.
The position of parents, and the mutual obligations and responsibilities, have been addressed in Islam in great detail. In
fact kindness and obedience is so strongly emphasized that God has linked showing gratitude to one's parents with showing
gratitude to God -
And We have enjoined on man (to be good) to his parents: in travail upon travail
did his mother bear him, and in years twain was his weaning: (hear the command), "Show gratitude to Me and to thy parents:
to Me is (thy final) Goal. (31:14)
Sadly we are living in a time where children speaking disrespectfully to their parents and
about their parents, is the norm rather than the exception. However Islam places great emphasis on respectful and considerate
behaviour to even our enemies, so to not uphold the obligations laid down by God to our parents is actually one of the major
sins.
In the Quran
Let's see what
the Quran says about Parents. This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear God (2:02)
Treat parents with honour & speak to them graciously & with
humility
Thy Lord hath decreed that ye worship none but Him, and that ye be kind to
parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy 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 them
thy Mercy even as they cherished me in childhood. (17:23)
Be grateful to parents but do not obey them if they strive to make you associate
things with God
...Be grateful to Me and to both your parents; to Me is the eventual coming.
But if they strive to make thee join in worship with Me things of which thou hast no knowledge, obey them not; yet bear them
company in this life with justice (and consideration), and follow the way of those who turn to me (in love): in the end the
return of you all is to Me, then will I inform you of what you did (31:15)
These verses make it clear that we must honour our parents, appreciate their sacrifices and
efforts for us, and do our best for them. This is required regardless of whether they are Muslims or not.
Be good to parents and everyone else who you meet
Serve God, and join not any partners with Him; and do good- to parents, kinsfolk,
orphans, those in need, neighbours who are near, neighbours who are strangers, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (ye
meet), and what your right hands possess: For God loveth not the arrogant, the vainglorious;- (4:36)
If the Quran tells us to be good to a stranger how can we even think of disrespecting our
parents?
Hadiths
Let's see what Prophet Muhammad
 said about parents in the authentic Hadiths. Whatsoever the Prophet gives you, take it and whatsoever he
forbids you, refrain from it. - Quran 59:7
Disobedience to parents is a major sin
Anas narrated from Prophet Muhammad about the major sins. He (Mohammed) observed: Associating anyone with God, disobedience to parents, killing a person
and false utterance. (Muslim)
One of the dearest deeds to God is being good & dutiful to parents
Narrated 'Abdullah: I asked the Prophet "Which deed is the dearest to God?" He replied, "To offer the prayers at their early stated fixed times." I asked, "What
is the next (in goodness)?" He replied, "To be good and dutiful to your parents"...(Bukhari)
Being dutiful to parents is one of the keys to
enter Paradise
Abu Huraira reported Prophet Muhammad as saying: Let him be humbled into dust; let him be humbled into dust. It was said: God's Messenger, who is he? He said:
He who sees either of his parents during their old age or he sees both of them, but he does not enter Paradise (because he
has been undutiful to them). (Muslim)
Acts of kindness we can do for our parents after their death
While we were with Prophet Muhammad of God . A man of Banu Salmah came to Him and said: Apostle of God is there any kindness left that I can do to my parents after
their death? He replied: Yes, you can invoke blessings on them, forgiveness for them, carry out their final instructions after
their death, join ties of relationship which are dependent on them, and honour their friends. (Abu Dawood)
The High Status given to Mothers
A man came to the Prophet and asked him for permission to join a military expedition. The Prophet asked him if he had a mother, and when he replied that he had, he said, "Stay with her, for Paradise is at her feet."
(Ahmad)
Summary
Sometimes we may take our parents for granted and overlook their importance. As
Muslims we should constantly be alert to guard ourselves from sins, however, are we guarding ourselves from
one of the biggest major sins? Are we honouring and respecting our parents as per their right? Or are we neglecting one of
the deeds most dearest to God? Right now the choice is ours!
We ask God the Most High, the All-Powerful, to teach us that which will
benefit us, and to benefit us by that which we learn.
Signs of Allah's existence
"Tell me about this nature and the beauty you see in it, do you think is it self-
sustained? -- What you see as nature is the Creator, the Originator, the Shaper, what you see Is Allah, so why do you call
Him nature?
If, on the other hand, the adversary says: "Nature is an abstract quality,
a display in need of an agent, and all that we witness of its accomplishments is brought about without nature having knowledge,
will, ability, or even the mere consciousness of what it is producing. All that we see is evidence of nature's achievements."
Then
the reply should be that no sane person would accept this reasoning. Do you really believe that the amazing actions and beauties
that we see in this world, that no mind can fathom or fully appreciate, are made by an agent that itself has no thinking,
ability, wisdom or feeling? Would anyone believe such reasoning but a madman or an animal?
Also the reply should be:
"If what you claim were true, I would be clear that such an abstract quality cannot have created itself or originated itself,
so who is its Lord, Maker and Originator? Who enabled it to do all that? This logic is a most decisive piece of evidence in
favor of believing in the Originator and Maker of nature, believing in Allah and in the infinity of His ability, knowledge
and wisdom.
Nothing can create itself', nature itself would discredit such logic: it in fact contradicts mind, innate
intuition. For it is not possible to have wise effects without the agency of a wise, able and knowing entity; that it is not
possible to have well-controlled effects without here being a maker who is able, in control of things.
When you accept
the necessity of the great Creator (Allah), beside whom no other god exists, and no other lord, stop calling Him nature or
the 'self- active mind' or such appellations. Say instead: What I describe is Allah, the Creator of everything, the Originator
of the world, the Shaper, Lord of the Worlds, Sustainer of the heavens and the earth, Lord of the east and the west, He created,
and perfected what He crafted. Do not deny His Names and Attributes and Self, and attribute His making to another and His
creation to someone else.
You have to concede His existence, and attribute to Him authorship, creation, lordship and
control. There is no other way, praised is Allah, Lord of the Worlds.
Allah's ability and evidence of creating the
world is made more manifest within this verse, as Allah says:
Allah is the One who sends the winds like heralds of
His Mercy. When they have carried the heavy laden clouds, We drive them to a land that is dead. Then We cause water to descend,
and with it bring forth fruits of every kind. So shall We raise up the dead, that you may be admonished. Qur'an (7:57)
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