THE WORD OF GOD — From The Scriptures

within the confines of decency is a virtue, and crossing the boundaries at such moments is an immoral act of the worst degree. What is our duty to our parents? The Quran has this to say regarding parents: At several places the Quran exhorts us to be on our best behaviour with parents; to pay their dues, and, even when scolded by them, to refrain from angry retorts; we should never be found lacking in loving them or in serving them. That is to say: we should at all times conduct ourselves with the utmost propriety, regardless of how our parents treat us. According to a Hadith, a man approached the Prophet and asked, “O Prophet, who is more deserving of my good behaviour?” The Prophet said, “Your mother.” The man then asked, “Who after that?” The Prophet again said, “Your mother.” The man again repeated the question and the Prophet again said, “Your mother.” When the man asked the Prophet a fourth time, the Prophet replied “Your father.” (Sahih Muslim 16: 102) There are many traditions which tell us that, after God, it is to parents that one has obligations, more than to anyone else. One reason for this is, in this world, individuals receive the maximum benefits from parents. As such, it is incumbent upon a person when he grows up, to serve his parents to the best of his ability. He should be of assistance in their old age as they had assisted him in his childhood. Another reason is that: serving parents enables a person to become a servant of humanity at large, to look at all human beings with love; to honour them and to pay them their dues. Please send your questions to askmaulana@thespiritofislam.org