Honorable Muslims!
One day, a young person arrived in Madinah. Apparently, he had a long and challenging journey. He run directly near the Messenger of Allah (saw) and said, "I have left my mother and father behind in tears and come to you, o Messenger of Allah!" Then, our beloved Prophet (saw) said, "Go back to them and make them laugh as you made them weep."[1]
Dear Believers!
Our parents are the ones who deserve our kindness the most. Because they are the reason that we are in this life. They have brought us to where we are now, sometimes with tears in their eyes and prayers on their lips, and with the utmost care and hard work at other times. We could hold on to life thanks to their care and support. For the first time in our lives, we have tasted love, mercy, and compassion thanks to them. From them we have learned the highest degrees of patience and sacrifice. Regardless of our age, our parents have been our greatest shelter and support throughout our life path.
Dear Muslims!
Treating our parents well is also a commandment of our sublime religion. Islam recommends observing the rights of parents and ensuring their well-being. It informs that it is our duty of loyalty to be together with them especially in their old age and meet their needs in a loving and merciful manner. It forbids neglecting and hurting them. In this respect, Allah the Almighty (swt) states as follows in the verse I have recited at the beginning of the khutbah, "For your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And honor 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.'"[2]
Dear Believers!
Our Prophet says,
رِضَا الرَّبِّ فِى رِضَا الْوَالِدِ وَسَخَطُ الرَّبِّ فِى سَخَطِ الْوَالِدِ "The pleasure of the Lord lies in the pleasure of the parents. The anger of the Lord lies in the anger of the parents."[3] Then, let us all ask ourselves the following questions: Do we view treating our parents well as a requirement of servitude to our Lord (swt)? Do we make efforts to earn their pleasure and make them smile? Do we have a place for them in our hearts and our homes? Do we make our parents feel the warmth and peace of being a family? Do we strive for being together with them, and ask how they are and meet their needs when we are away? Or do we cause them to feel uncared and unloved by hiding behind various excuses?
Dear Muslims!
Let us observe the rights of our parents. Let us strive to win their hearts and deserve to be blessed with their supplications for us. Let us view earning the pleasure of our parents as the greatest happiness in this world and a chance for salvation in the Hereafter. Let us not withhold kindness, benevolence, a couple of nice words, a smiling face, respect, and tolerance from our parents. Let us always recite prayers and al-Fatiha for our deceased parents. Let us strive to be among those good children who make sure that their books of deeds keep recording good deeds.
I would like to conclude this Friday's khutbah with our Prophet's (saw) following hadith, "The father is the middle door of Paradise (i.e. the best way to Paradise). So it is up to you whether you take advantage of it or not."[4]
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[1] Abu Dawud, Jihad, 31.
[2] Isra, 17/23-24.
[3] Tirmidhi, Birr, 3.
[4] Tirmidhi, Birr, 3.
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