ARE YOU A RIGHTEOUS CHILD?

OUR PARENTS ARE OUR DOOR TO JANNAH! Being dutiful to our parents is one of the most fundamental principles of Islam. Among the daily obligations that have been commanded by ALLAH; treating our parents in the kindest way is the most important form of worship that can be our means to Jannah. The kind of treatment that we give to our parents can be a means to define our final resting place.

Our parents are the only ones who took care of us whilst we were small. From our mother’s womb till we are grown-up adults and also when we reach old age, our major support system has been our parents alone. They have made sacrifices for us so much so that we can never pay back the same amount of treatment towards them. But it is only they who have been patient with us all this long. From the day that they taught us how to speak until we start communicating in a better way with other individuals. They have been our best friends who paid attention to us without demanding anything in return. Or be it the days and nights that our parents remain worried about our health conditions or the first day of our school. Without a doubt, they have fulfilled their rights and responsibilities towards us. Now it is our turn to give them the best treatment in the form of kindness, compassion, mercy, gratitude.

In an authentic hadith, Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar (May Allah be pleased with him) saw a Yemeni man going around the Kaaba in Makkah while carrying his mother on his back. This man said to Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar, “I am like a tame camel for her! I have carried her more than she carried me. Do you think I have paid her back, oh Ibn ‘Umar?” Abdullah Ibn ‘Umar replied, “No, not even one contraction [during childbirth]!!”

They will always be there for us no matter what are the circumstances. In fact, they can never be angry with us for a longer period and that is also because of their unconditional love for us. There is absolutely no one in this world who can replace them. The more grateful and dutiful we are to them, it can never encompass the same treatment that they have given to us. As we grow up and are busy with our lives, we tend to forget that our parents are also growing old and require our love and support. It is the duty of every person to treat their parents with love, respect, compassion, kindness.

In the Glorious Qur’an, ALLAH (SWT) commands us to be dutiful to them as He says- “We have enjoined upon man to be dutiful to his parents. His mother bore him in weakness upon weakness and hardship upon hardship, and his weaning is in two years. Show gratitude and pay thanks to Me and to your parents. Unto Me is the final destination.” (Surah Luqman, V-14)

Therefore, it is mandatory for us to have certain characteristics in order to serve them in the best way. Here are some tips:

1. Obedience to ALLAH and Parents- After ALLAH, our first priority should be gaining the pleasure of our parents, after all, they were with you at all times, they nurtured you and made you what you are today. They sacrificed every single penny that they could just to fulfill your aspirations. So, it is not the time to be dutiful to them? Indeed, a righteous child will be dutiful to them and give them the best of care and attention so they never feel neglected. Always remember this hadith- Our Prophet (SAW) said: “The pleasure of ALLAH is found in the pleasure of parents and the displeasure of ALLAH is found in the displeasure of the parents.”
2. Serving our parents– A righteous child who obeys ALLAH, and His beloved Messenger (SAW), and has the proper knowledge of his deen, knows that it is fardh upon him to serve his parents in all circumstances. He is aware that they are his door to Jannah. So, he will utilize every single opportunity to serve them. They don’t wait for their beloved parents to grow old and then they will serve them, they know that nothing is guaranteed to us. So they work towards their akhirah by serving their parents in the best possible way. Our Prophet SAW said-“The best of deeds is the observance of prayer at its proper time and kindness to the parents.” (Sahih Muslim)
3. Using Kind Words to them– Sadly, today’s youth is busy with the technological era. It is not bad to use it, but when its use takes away your preference and priority, here is it when it becomes harmful because it can ruin the purest form relationship. We are commanded by ALLAH, not to say ‘uff’ to them. The more we serve them, the less and we will never be able to pay them back the same love and support that they provided to us. ALLAH (SWT) commands us- “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 (Al-Qur’an 17:23)
4. Prioritize time only for them– The true believers will prioritize their time firstly for his parents. they will follow the footsteps of The beloved Prophet (SAW). Just as he (SAW) divided his time among the three; i.e. ALLAH, family, and the community. We should also focus on our parents, give the right time and attention, joke often with them, entertain them in the best way as we never know for how long we or they are here. In a narration, when Abdullah bin Zubair’s son was crying when his father had passed away, he said: “I am not crying because my father passed away, I am crying because my easiest door to Jannah has now been shut from me.”
5. Making dua for them– With the duty of obeying our parents, it is also important to make dua for them both when they are alive and after they pass away. Dua of a righteous child is accepted as soon as a person passes away. So, the righteous child who will make dua for them will be a blessing for them. One of the important dua in the Quran is “And say:’My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up when I was small.” ( Al-Quran 17:24)
6. Giving up arguments with them– Yes! This is a good trait. You have to follow the best of mannerisms with your parents even if you are right. You should never argue with your parents, you should understand that they are also at an age where they want their opinion to rule and matter as they respected their parents and listened sincerely to their pieces of advice. Arguing with them will only exceed the conversation and take it into the wrong track. So, it is better to stay quiet and accept their point of view even if you are right. Know that “hurting the feelings of parents brings punishment in both the worlds.” (Baihaqi)

Lastly, I would like to finish with the beautiful and emotional story at the time of the Prophet (SAW). Our Prophet (SAW) said: Hadith in Musnad Imam Ahmad: A Sahabi came from Yemen, he said, “O Rasulullah (SAW) “I have come from Yemen so that I can do jihad behind you and I have left my parents and they are crying because I left them. Then he (SAW) said, “If you want the pleasure of Allah, go back to them, and go make them laugh as you have made them cry.” This means we will not enter Jannah if we make them cry in this world and disobey them. Jannah is found in the pleasure of parents. The easiest way to enter Jannah is to please parents.

May ALLAH Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala give us tawfiq to treat our parents in the best way that we attain His Jannah by serving and obeying our parents. I ask ALLAH to forgive our shortcomings and guide us to the straight path. Aameen.