24. The Rights of Parents

The Quran commands: “We have enjoined man to show kindness to his parents—for his mother bears him, in hardship upon hardship, and his weaning takes two years. [We said] Give thanks to Me and to your parents; all will return to Me. But if they press you to associate something with Me about which you have no knowledge, do not obey them. Yet be kind to them in this world and follow the path of those who turn to Me. You will all return to Me in the end, and I will tell you everything that you have done.” (Quran, 31:14-15)

In the teachings of the Quran, after the rights of God, the greatest right is that of one’s parents. Among the teachings of the Quran, after what is due to God, the greatest obligations are those owed to one’s parents. According to a hadith, a mother is entitled to even greater consideration than a father. This is because recognizing someone’s rights is, in essence, an acknowledgment of the good they have done for us.

God’s beneficence towards humanity is supreme, making His rights the highest of all. After that come the rights of one’s parents who nurture and protect their children from the very beginning when they are completely helpless. Recognizing and honouring this beneficence constitutes one of the highest virtues, and such recognition must first be directed toward God and then towards one’s parents.

It is essential to distinguish between serving one’s parents and obeying them. Islamic teaching prescribes that serving parents is an absolute moral duty, without exception. Yet, obedience applies only to actions that are just and right. If parents command something contrary to divine guidance, they are not to be obeyed, although parents must still be treated with respect and kindness.