How Obedient To Your Parents Are You ?

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After obedience to Allah and His Messenger, it is most important to be obedient to one's parents. Being polite and helpful to one's parents is the duty of every Muslim.

Children sometimes do not realize how much their parents have done for them. Every mother bears the pains of pregnancy and childbirth. She often spends many sleepless nights patiently caring for her baby's needs. If the baby is sick, parents nurse him to health. They gladly spend their money and time to buy clothes, food and medicine for the baby and toys to make him happy.

As their child grows, they try to provide him a good education and a loving home. They are there for all important events in their child's life, from his first words to his college graduation, professional career, and marriage, giving him all their love and support. Even if he makes a mistake, they never stop loving him. Most of all, they pray that their child will grow up to be successful and happy in this life and in the Hereafter.

Returning the Love and Kindness of Parents

Parents feel very happy if their son or daughter is kind, polite, helpful, and obedient. If their child is rude, disobedient, or lazy, they feel dissapointed and even embarrassed. After all, the way a child behaves reflects on his parents.

When they become old and too week physically to care for themselves, parents need loving care, just as they gave their children when they were young. We should never forget that if our parents had not taken care of us when we were young and helpless, we probably would not have survived. We truly owe our lives to our parents, so taking care of them in their old age should be our pleasure.

The Qur'an commands us to show kindness to parents in the following words:

Your Lord has decreed that you worship nothing but Him, and that you be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word for contempt, nor repel them but address them in terms of honor. And, out of kindness, lower to them wing of humility, and say: My Lord! Bestow on them Your mercy, even as they cherised me in childhood.

(Al-Isra' 17:23-14)

Obedience to Allah (s) Come First

If parents ask their children to do something which Allah (s) has forbidden, children should obey Allah (s) over the order of their parents. However, they should respectfuly explain to their parents the reasons for their disobedience. If the parents are not Muslims, Rasulullah (s) taught us to be kind and respectful to them. We should take care of them and continue to explain Islam to them.

How to be Obedient and Helpful to Parents

In every home, many chores need to be done. When a child comes home from school, he should make it a point to help his parents before going off to play. Tidying up, washing clothes, mowing the lawn are a few ways we can help our parents. By offering our help, we show them how much we love and respect them.

Children should do their best to obey their parents. Children should not argue with their parents, refuse to help them, or make a fuss over every small matter. If a child is asked to take a bath, change clothes, do the vacuuming, or do homework, he/she should try to do so as soon possible. Respecting our parents' wishes is another way we can show our parents we love them.