Disobedience to Parents
Our religion emphasizes kindness, loyalty, and respect, and Islam strongly advises treating parents with utmost care. It strictly prohibits severing ties with them, causing them distress, or bringing sorrow to their hearts. In Islam, disobedience to parents is considered a grave sin and is clearly forbidden and condemned. Those who mistreat their parents may face their prayers against them, as such prayers are likely to be answered. Moreover, they are subjected to punishment in this life and the hereafter, and are warned about the consequences of their own children disobeying them.
Hadiths on Disobedience to Parents
A wealth of Hadiths addresses the issue of disobedience to parents, including:
- The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: “No one who is a disobedient child, nor a drunkard, nor someone who has committed fornication will enter Paradise.”
- He also stated: “When Allah created His creation and was done, the womb rose and took hold of the Divine Throne, saying: ‘This is the place for the one who seeks refuge with You from cutting ties.’ Allah replied: ‘Would you not be pleased if I connect with those who maintain ties with you and cut off those who sever relations with you?’ She replied: ‘Yes, O Lord.’ Allah said: ‘Then that is accepted.’ Abu Huraira narrated: ‘Read if you wish: “So, do you think that if you were given power, you would cause corruption in the land and sever your kinship?”‘
- The Prophet (peace be upon him) declared: “May Allah curse the one who curses his parents, may Allah curse the one who sacrifices to anyone other than Allah, and may Allah curse the one who alters the landmarks of the land.”
- He stated: “The parent is the middle gate to Paradise; guard or lose this gate as you wish.”
- He mentioned: “Three prayers are surely answered: the prayer of the wronged, the prayer of the traveler, and the prayer of a parent against their child.”
- It is narrated by Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace be upon him) spoke of the major sins or was asked about them, and he said: “Associating partners with Allah, killing a soul, and disobedience to parents.”
- He also said: “All sins are delayed by Allah until the Day of Resurrection, except for oppression and disobedience to parents or severing ties of kinship, which are hastened for their bearer in this world before death.”
Hadiths on Kindness to Parents
A number of noble Hadiths highlight the significance of treating parents with kindness and the tremendous rewards associated with it, including:
- A man named Jahma came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and asked, “O Messenger of Allah, I wished to go forth for jihad with you, seeking thereby Allah’s pleasure and the Hereafter.” He replied, “Is your mother alive?” I said, “Yes.” He said, “Then return and be dutiful to her.” I approached him again from another direction, and said, “O Messenger of Allah, I wished to go forth for jihad with you, seeking Allah’s pleasure and the Hereafter.” He again asked, “Is your mother alive?” I replied, “Yes, O Messenger of Allah.” He responded, “Then return and be dutiful to her.” I approached him again from the front and said, “O Messenger of Allah, I wished to go forth for jihad with you, seeking Allah’s pleasure and the Hereafter.” He asked once more, “Is your mother alive?” I said, “Yes, O Messenger of Allah.” He remarked, “May you cling to her feet, for there lies Paradise.”
- Abdullah ibn Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him) inquired of the Prophet (peace be upon him), “Which deeds are most beloved to Allah?” He said, “Prayer at its appointed time.” I asked, “Then what?” He replied, “Then kindness to parents.” I further asked, “Then what?” He said, “Jihad in the path of Allah,” and if I had asked further, he would have increased his response.
- A man asked the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), “O Messenger of Allah, who is most deserving of my good companionship?” He replied, “Your mother.” The man then asked, “And then who?” The Prophet said, “Then your mother.” The man continued to ask, “And then who?” To which the Prophet responded, “Then your mother.” The man asked again, “And then who?” The Prophet concluded, “Then your father.”
- The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “May his nose be rubbed in the dust, may his nose be rubbed in the dust, may his nose be rubbed in the dust.” Someone asked, “Who, O Messenger of Allah?” He replied, “Whoever has both parents alive during old age, but does not enter Paradise.”
- A man came to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) seeking permission for jihad. The Prophet asked him, “Are your parents alive?” When the man affirmed, the Prophet said, “Then wage jihad with them.”
- The Prophet (peace be upon him) declared: “The pleasure of the Lord lies in the pleasure of the parents, and the displeasure of the Lord lies in their displeasure.”