Compassion for the Young
and Respect for the Elders

The Prophet of Islam said that one who does not show compassion to the younger ones and respect for the elders is not one of us. (Musnad Ahmad, Hadith No. 7073) This hadith explains what noble morals are and how they should be established in a society.

In every society, some are junior and others are senior in terms of age as well as in many other respects. For example, in school and college, a teacher’s status is higher than those of the students. How do we live in moderation in such a society? The simple principle is that the elders treat the younger ones with kindness and compassion, and the younger ones treat their elders with respect and dignity. In a society where people observe these two principles, everyone will be happy and have a good opinion about one another.