Dear Brothers and Sisters!  

Today, individualism has become a characteristic that harms our relations. In the negative sense, individualism, which means prioritising one’s own interests, makes people selfish. It weakens the sense of sacrifice and loyalty. Families, which are the core of the society, suffer the most from this situation. We are going through a period when family ties are weakened and people are faced with loneliness. Depression caused by loneliness has turned into a mass disease. The way to overcome this is to give the necessary importance to family and to observe the rights of the mother and father, who are the pillars of the family.

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

One of the most unique features of Islamic moral values ​​is the sacredness of the right of parents. In the Qur’an, Allah (swt) says: “And We have enjoined upon man [care] for his parents. His mother carried him, [increasing her] in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years. Be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the [final] destination.’”[1] It is one of the most important orders of our religion to treat our parents well. On the contrary, treating them badly is considered a major sin. Allah’s Messenger (saw) asked the Sahaba, “Shall I inform you of the biggest of the great sins?”. The Sahaba replied, “Yes, O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)”, then Rasulullah (saw) said, “To join partners in worship with Allah: to be undutiful to one’s parents.””[2]

Dear Jama’ah!

Allah (swt), the most merciful, has ordered us to do good to our parents without any doubt. In the Qur’an, Allah (swt) says, “For your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And honour your parents. If one or both of them reach old age in your care, never say to them ˹even˺ ‘ugh,’ nor yell at them. Rather, address them respectfully. And be humble with them out of mercy, and pray, “My Lord! Be merciful to them as they raised me when I was young.”[3] On this note, our Prophet Muhammad (saw) said, “The pleasure of Allah is gained by pleasing parents. The wrath of Allah is also called by angering the parents.”[4]

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

We should be more sensitive especially in the old age of our parents. We should be afraid to offend and hurt them. Rasulullah (saw) said, “He who sees either of his parents during their old age or he sees both of them, but he does not enter Paradise, let him be humbled into dust; let him be humbled into dust; let him be humbled into dust.”[5] He warned that we will attain Paradise in return for the good we do to them, and that evil deeds will not go unpunished.

Let’s not turn our backs on them. Let’s always keep their hearts at ease. If we couldn’t visit them as needed during the pandemic, let’s not neglect them now. Let’s visit our parents and elders. Let’s not dishonor them.

May Allah (swt) make us one of his servants who do good to their parents and gain Allah’s approval. Ameen!

[1] Surah Luqman, 31:14

[2] Buhârî, Edeb, 6

[3] Surah Al-Isra, 17:23-24

[4] Tirmizî, Birr, 3/1899

[5] Müslim, Birr, 9, 10

Khutba: Parent’s Rights