Allaah The Almighty has made our parents the means of giving us life and made them the source of providing us with unparalleled love and a sound upbringing. However, when we grow up, we tend to forget the period of our infancy and childhood and disregard their efforts. What ingratitude can be worse than this?
The very least we can do for our parents is to show goodness and kind treatment towards them while they are alive, and supplicate for them, offer charity and other righteous deeds on their behalf after their death.
Allaah The Almighty mentions the virtues of being good to one’s parents in conjunction with worshipping Him alone when He Says (what means): {“And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you are 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 honour. 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 young.’“}(Quran, 17: 23-24).
The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) classified being undutiful to parents as one of the great major sins and mentioned it along with associating partners with Allaah The Almighty in His worship. He sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “Shall I not inform you about the most grievous of the grave sins?” His Companions replied, “Indeed, O Messenger of Allaah!” He sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “Associating anything with Allaah (in worship), and being undutiful to parents, (he was reclining at that time, then he sat up and said): (beware of) false testimony or false utterance.” He repeated it so many times that his Companions wished that he would become silent. (Al-Bukhaari and Muslim).
A man came to the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) and asked, “Which of the people is most deserving of my good companionship?” He sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) replied: “It is your mother.” The man asked, “Who is next?” He sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) replied: “It is your mother.” The man then asked, “Who is next?” He sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) replied: “It is your mother.” Then the man asked, “Who is next?” The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) replied: “It is your father.” (Al-Bukhaari).
Abu Hurayrah may Allaah be pleased with him narrated that the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “Let him be humiliated! Let him be humiliated! Let him be humiliated!” It was asked, “Who, O Messenger of Allaah?” He sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) replied: “He whose parents reach old age, either one or both of them, and who does not enter Paradise (due to not being dutiful to them).” (Muslim)
Dutifulness to parents is one of the reasons behind the forgiveness of sins. Ibn ‘Umar may Allaah be pleased with them both, said that a man came to the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) and said, “I have committed a great sin, can I repent from it?” The Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) asked: “Is your mother alive?” and in another narration he asked: “Are you parents alive?” The man replied, “No” so the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) asked: “Do you have a maternal aunt?” The man replied, “Yes” Thereupon, the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “Then be dutiful to her.” (At-Tirmithi).
‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib may Allaah be pleased with him said, “If there was anything less than this expression (i.e., saying ‘Uff’ to one’s parents) as a form of being undutiful, Allaah would have forbidden that expression.” Allaah The Almighty also mentions gratefulness to Him along with being grateful to one’s parents when He says (what means): “Give thanks to Me and to your parents. Unto Me is the final destination.”(Quran, 31: 14)
These narrations inspire you to be dutiful to your parents and respect and glorify them. Do not be negligent of the saying of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ): “The pleasure of the Lord is in pleasing your parents, and the wrath of the Lord (upon the child) is if he makes them angry.” (At-Tabaraani).