Chapter 1 - Parents

Hadith 1

1. Abu 'Amr ash-Shaybani    said, "The owner of this house (and he pointed at the house of 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud) said, "I asked the Prophet,   , which action Allah loves best.

He    replied, 'Prayer at its proper time.'

'Then what?' I asked.

He    said, 'Then kindness to parents."

I asked, 'Then what?' He    replied, 'Then jihad in the Way of Allah.'"

He    added, "He told me about these things. If I had asked him to tell me more, he would have told me more."



Hadith 2

'Abdullah ibn 'Umar  (Radhi Allahu Anhuma)  said, "The pleasure of the Lord lies in the pleasure of the parent. The anger of the Lord lies in the anger of the parent."

Hadith 3

Bahz ibn Hakim's grandfather    said, "I asked, 'Messenger of Allah, to whom should I be dutiful?'

'Your mother,' he    replied.

I asked, 'Then whom?'

'Your mother,' he replied   .

I asked, 'Then whom?'

'Your mother,' he replied   .

I asked, 'Then whom?' 'Your mother,' he replied   .

I asked, 'Then to whom should I be dutiful?'

'Your father,' he replied   , 'and then the next closest relative and then the next.'"



Hadith 4

'Ata' ibn Yasar said that a man came to Ibn 'Abbas : and said, "I asked a woman to marry me and she refused to marry me. Another man asked her and she agreed to marry him. I became jealous and killed her. Is there any way for me to repent?"

He    asked, "Is your mother alive?" "No," he replied.

He     said, "repent to Allah Almighty and try to draw near Him as much as you can."

'Ata' said, "I went to Ibn 'Abbas    and asked him, 'Why did you ask him whether his mother was alive?'

He    replied, 'I do not know of any action better for bringing a person near to Allah than dutifulness to his mother.'"

Hadith 5

Abu Hurayra    said, "The Prophet    was asked, 'Messenger of Allah, to whom should I be dutiful?'

'Your mother,' he    replied.

He   was asked, 'Then whom?'

'Your mother,' he  replied.

He  was asked,  'Then whom?'

'Your mother,' he  replied.

He   was asked, 'Then whom?'

'Your mother,' he  replied.

He   was asked, 'Then whom?'

He  replied, 'Your father.'"


Hadith 6

Abu Hurayra   reported: "A man came to the Prophet of Allah,   , and asked, 'What do you command me to do?'

He   replied, 'Be dutiful towards your mother.'

Then he   asked him the same question again and he   replied, 'Be dutiful towards your mother.'

He repeated it yet again and the Prophet   replied, 'Be dutiful towards your mother.'

He repeated the question a fourth time and the reply was, 'Be dutiful towards your mother.'

Then he put the question a fifth time and the Prophet  said, 'Be dutiful towards your father.'"








Hadith 7

Ibn 'Abbas (Radhi Allahu Anhuma) said, "If any Muslim obeys Allah regarding his parents, Allah will open two gates of the Garden for him. If there is only one parent, then one gate will be opened. If one of them is angry, then Allah will not be pleased with him until that parent is pleased with him." He was asked, "Even if they wrong him?" "Even if they wrong him" he replied.

Hadith 8

Taysala ibn Mayyas   said, "I was with the Najadites [Kharijites] when I committed wrong actions which I supposed were major wrong actions. I mentioned that to Ibn 'Umar (Radhi Alllahu Anhumma). He inquired, 'What are they?" I replied, 'Such-and-such.'

He stated, 'These are not major wrong actions. There are nine major wrong actions. They are: associating others with Allah, killing someone, desertion from the army when it is advancing, slandering a chaste woman, usury, consuming an orphan's property, heresy in the mosque, scoffing, and causing one's parents to weep through disobedience.'

Ibn 'Umar (Radhi Alllahu Anhumma) then said to me, 'Do you wish to separate yourself from the Fire? Do you want to enter the Paradise?' 'By Allah, yes!' I replied. He asked, 'Are your parents still alive?' I replied, 'My mother is.' He (Radhi Alllahu Anhumma) said, 'By Allah, if you speak gently to her and feed her, then you will enter the Garden as long as you avoid the major wrong actions.'"

Hadith 9

Hisham ibn 'Urwa related this ayat from his father, "Take them under your wing, out of mercy, with due humility." (17:24)

Hadith 10

Abu Hurayra    reported that the Prophet,    said,

"A child cannot repay his father unless he finds him as a slave and the buys him and sets him free."



Hadith 11

Sa'id ibn Abi Burda said, "I heard my father say that Ibn 'Umar    saw a Yamani man going around the House while carrying his mother on his back, saying, 'I am your humble camel. If her mount is frightened, I am not frightened.' Then he asked, 'Ibn 'Umar? Do you think that I have repaid her?' He    replied, 'No, not even for a single groan.'

"Ibn 'Umar did tawaf and came to the Maqam and prayed two rak'ats. He said, 'Ibn Abi Musa, every two rak'ats make up for everything that has happened between them.'"



Hadith 12

Marwan used to make Abu Hurayra    his agent and he used to be located in Dhu'l-Hulayfa. His mother was in one house and he was in another. When he wanted to go out, he would stop at her door and say, "Peace be upon you, mother, and the mercy of Allah and His blessing." She would reply, "And peace be upon you, my son, and the mercy of Allah and His blessing." Then he said, "May Allah have mercy on you as you raised me when I was a child." She answered, "May Allah have mercy on you as you were dutiful to me when I was old." Whenever he wanted to go inside, he would do something similar.



Hadith 13

'Abdullah ibn 'Amr    said, "A man came to the Prophet,    and made a pledge to him that he would do Hijra. He left his parents who were in tears. The Prophet   said, 'Go back to them and make them laugh as you made them weep.'



Hadith 14

Abu Hazim reported that Abu Murra, the mawla of Umm Hani' bint Abi Talib had told him that he rode with Abu Hurayra    to his land in al-'Aqiq. When he entered his land, he shouted out in his loudest voice, "Peace be upon you, mother, and the mercy of Allah and His blessing!" She replied, "And peace be upon you and the mercy of Allah and His blessing." He said, "May Allah have mercy on you as you raised me when I was a child." She replied, "My son, may Allah repay you well and be pleased with you as you were dutiful towards me when I was old."

Hadith 15

Abu Bakra  reported that the Messenger of Allah,  said,

"Shall I tell you which is the worst of the major wrong actions?"

"Yes, Messenger of Allah," they replied. He   said,

"Associating something else with Allah and disobeying parents."

He had been reclining, but then he    said up and said,

"And false witness."

Abu Bakra said, "He continued to repeat it until I said, 'Is he never going to stop?'"



Hadith 16

Warrad, the scribe of al-Mughira ibn Shu'ba, said, "Mu'awiya wrote to al-Mughira, saying, 'Write down for me what you heard the Messenger of Allah,    say.'"

Warrad said, "He dictated to me and I wrote out, 'I heard him forbid asking too many questions, wasting money and chit-chat.'"

Hadith 17


Abu't-Tufayl said, "'Ali   was asked, 'Did the Prophet,   give you something special which he did not give to anyone else?'

He replied, 'The Messenger of Allah,    did not give me anything special which he did not give to everyone else except for what I have in my sword scabbard.' He brought out a piece of paper.

Written on that paper was: 'Allah curses anyone who sacrifices an animal to something other than Allah. Allah curses anyone who steals a milestone. Allah curses anyone who curses his parents. Allah curses anyone who gives shelter to an innovator.'"

9. Being Dutiful to Parents as long as that does not entail disobedience to Allah

Hadith 18

Abu'd-Darda' said, "The Messenger of Allah, recommended nine things to me:

'Do not associate anything with Allah, even if you are cut to pieces or burned.
Do not abandon a prescribed prayer deliberately. Anyone who abandons it will forfeit Allah's protection.
Do not drink wine - it is the key to every evil.
Obey your parents. If they command you to abandon your worldly possessions, then leave them for them.
Do not contend with those in power, even if you think that you are in the right.
Do not run away from the army when it is advances, even if you are killed while your companions run away.
Spend on your wife out of your means.
Do not raise a stick against your wife.
Cause your family to fear Allah, the Almighty and Exalted.'"

Hadith 19

'Abdullah ibn 'Amr said, "A man came to the Prophet, and said, 'I have come to make you a pledge that will do hijra although I have left my parents in tears."

The Prophet said, 'Go back to them and make them laugh as you made them cry.'"



Hadith 20

'Abdullah ibn 'Amr said, "A man came to the Prophet, wanting to do jihad.

The Prophet asked, 'Are your parents alive?'

'Yes,' he replied.

He said, 'Then exert yourself on their behalf.'"


Hadith 21

Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, , said, "Disgrace! Disgrace! Disgrace!"

They said, "Messenger of Allah, who?"

He said, "The one who fails his parents or one of them when they are old will enter the Fire."





Hadith 22

Mu'adh said, "Bliss belongs to someone who is dutiful towards his parents. Allah Almighty will prolong his life."

Hadith 23

Ibn 'Abbas (Radhi Allahu Anhuma) mentioned the words of the Almighty,

"When one or both of them reach old age with you, do not say 'Ugh!' to them out of irritation and do not be harsh with them but speak to them with gentleness and generosity. Take them under your wing, out of mercy, with due humility and say: 'Lord, show mercy to them as they did in looking after me when I was small." (17:23-24)

He (Radhi Allahu Anhuma) said,

"This was abrogated in Surat at-Tawba: 'It is not right for the Prophet and those who have iman to ask forgiveness for the mushrikun even if they are close relatives after it has become clear to them that they are the Companions of the Blazing Fire.' (9:113)"







Hadith 24

Sa'id ibn Abi Waqqas   said: "Four ayats were revealed about me.

The first was when my mother swore she would neither eat nor drink until I left Muhammad,  Allah Almighty revealed, 'But if they try to make you associate something with Me about which you have no knowledge, do not obey them. Keep company with them correctly and courteously
in this world' (31:15)

The second was when I took a sword that I admired and said, 'Messenger of Allah, give me this!' Then the ayat was revealed: 'They will ask you about booty.' (8:1)

The third was when I was ill and the Messenger of Allah,   , came to me and I said, 'Messenger of Allah, I want to divide my property. Can I will away a half?'

He    said, 'No.' 'A third?' I asked. He was silent and so after that it was allowed to will away a third.

The fourth was when I had been drinking wine with some of the Ansar. One of them hit my nose with the jawbone of a camel. I went to the Prophet,   , and Allah Almighty  revealed the prohibition of wine."

Hadith 25

Asma' bint Abi Bakr    said, "In the time of the Prophet,   my mother came to me hoping (I would be dutiful). I asked the Prophet, , 'Do I have to treat her well?'

'Yes,' he    replied."

Ibn 'Uyayna said, "Then Allah revealed about her, 'Allah does not forbid you from being good to those who have not fought you in the deen.' (60:8)"



Hadith 26

Ibn 'Umar (Radhi Allahu Anhuma) said, "'Umar saw a silk robe for sale. He  said, 'Messenger of Allah, would you buy this robe and wear it on Jumu'ah and when delegations visit you?'

He   replied, 'Only a person who has no portion in the Next World could wear this.'

Then the Messenger of Allah,   was given some robes made of the same material. He sent one of the robes to 'Umar  

'Umar    exclaimed, 'How can I wear it when you said what you said about it?'

The Prophet    replied, 'I did not give it to you so that you could wear it. You can sell it or give it to someone.'

'Umar sent it to a brother of his in Makkah who had not yet become Muslim."








Hadith 27

'Abdullah ibn 'Amr    said that the Prophet,   , said,

"Reviling one's parents is one of the great wrong actions."

They asked, "How could he revile them?"

He   said, "He reviles a man who then in turn reviles his mother and father."



Hadith 28

'Abdullah ibn 'Amr   said, "A man's reviling his father is one of the major wrong actions in the sight  of Allah Almighty."







Hadith 29

Abu Bakra reported that the Prophet,   said,

"There is no wrong action more likely to bring punishment in this world in addition to what is stored up in the Next World than oppression and severing ties of kinship."

Hadith 30

'Imran ibn Husayn said, "The Messenger of Allah,    said,

'What do you say about fornication, drinking wine and theft?'

'Allah and His Messenger know best,' we replied.

He    stated,

'They are acts of outrage and there is punishment for them, but shall I tell you which is the greatest of the great wrong actions? Associating with Allah Almighty and disobeying parents.' He had been reclining, but then he sat up and said, 'and lying.'"








Hadith 31

Ibn 'Umar (Radhi Allahu Anhuma) said, "Making parents weep is part of disobedience and one of the major wrong actions."








Hadith 32

Abu Hurayra   reported that the Prophet, , said, "Three supplications are answered without a doubt: the supplication of someone who is oppressed, the supplication of someone on a journey, and the supplication of parents for their children."



Hadith 33

Abu Hurayrah reported that he heard the Messenger of Allah,   , say,

"No human child has ever spoken in the cradle except for 'Isa ibn Maryam,    and the companion of Jurayj."

Abu Hurayrah    asked, "Prophet of Allah, who was the companion of Jurayj?"

The Prophet  replied, "Jurayj was a monk who lived in a hermitage. There was a cowherd who used to come to the foot of his hermitage and a woman from the village used to come to the cowherd.

"One day his mother came while he was praying and called out, 'Jurayj!' He asked himself, 'My mother or my prayer?' He concluded that he should prefer the prayer. She shouted to him a second time and he again asked himself, 'My mother or my prayer?' He thought that he should prefer the
prayer. She shouted a third time and yet again he asked himself, 'My mother or my prayer?' He again concluded that he should prefer the prayer.

When he did not answer her, she said, 'Jurayj, may Allah not let you die until you have looked at the faces of the beautiful women.' Then she left.

"Then the village woman was brought before the king after she had given birth to a child. He asked,
'Whose is it?'
'Jurayj's,' she replied.

He asked, 'The man in the hermitage?'

'Yes,' she answered.

He ordered, 'Destroy his hermitage and bring him to me.' They hacked at his hermitage with axes until it collapsed. They bound his hand to his neck with a rope and took him along to the king. When he passed by the beautiful women, he saw them and smiled. They were looking at him along with the people.

"The king asked, 'Do you know what this woman claims?' 'What does she claim?' he asked.

He replied, 'She claims that you are the father of her child.'

He asked her, 'Where is the child?' They replied, 'It is in her room.'

He went to the child and said, 'Who is your father?'

'The cowherd,' he replied.

The king said, 'Shall we build your hermitage out of gold?'

'No,' he replied.

He asked, 'Of silver?'

'No,' he replied.

The king asked, 'What shall we build it with?'

He said, 'Put it back the way you found it.'

Then the king asked, 'What made you smile.'

'Something I recognized,' he replied, 'The supplication of my mother overtook me.' Then he told him about it."