PARENTS
One of the greatest gifts to mankind
All praise is due to Allah, Lord of the worlds, The Most Merciful, The Hearer of supplications and peace and blessing upon our beloved prophet Muhammad and upon his family and companions.
“Thy Lord hath decreed that you worship none but him, and that you be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy life, say not a word of contempt, not repel them, but address them in terms of honor “(Surah Al-Isra, V.23)
“And, out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility, and say:” My Lord! Bestow on them thy mercy even as they cherished me in childhood “(Surah Al-Isra, V.24)
When our beloved prophet, Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah Subhanahu wa ta’alah be upon him) was on his journey of Mi’raj (The Holy Ascension to the heavens on the stairway of precious gems) beginning at Baty-al-Maqdis (Jerusalem), he halted at various places including one of which was the village where the Prophet ‘Isa (p.b.u.h) was born. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing of Allah Al-Mighty be upon him) offered two rakats as commanded by Allah Subhanahu wa ta’alah. After he had offered his prayers, he encountered various groups of people who were being punished by angels on the command of Allah, Al-Mighty. Out of which was a group of men and women who were imprisoned in a valley of fire. They were being burnt to death, but they instantly came back to life, only to be burnt alive once more. Their punishment seemed very severe to that of the others to Prophet Muhammad (Peace and blessings of Allah Subhanahu wa ta’alah be upon him). The Prophet asked angel Jibra’il (May Allah be pleased with him), ‘who are these people?’. The angel Jibra’il (May Allah be pleased with him) replied: ‘These are people who failed to honour and obey their parents and who were rebellious and opposed them.’
On another account, the prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing of Allah Al-Mighty be upon him) met Malik (the guardian angel of Hell) on his journey of Mi’raj, where he saw the seven layers of the hell fire through a pinhole, all stacked one upon another. The uppermost was the one reserved for the disobedient from among his nation and it is called ‘Jahannam ’. The punishments meted out here were less severe than in the deeper layers of Hell. He saw various groups of people being punished on account of their deeds in this world. Out of Which Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing of Allah Subhanahu wa ta’alah be upon him) describes a group of men and women who were being punished in the fire and the demons of Hell set upon them, beating them with fiery rods. The more they screamed, the harder they beat them. They drove blades of fire into their stomachs and whipped them with whips of fire. Their chastisement appeared very severe to prophet our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessing of Allah Al-Mighty be upon him). He asked about them and Malik (the guardian angel of Hell) said to him, ‘These are such who opposed and disobeyed their mothers and fathers.
Brothers and Sisters in Islam, realize the importance and Station of parents for Allah rewards the best to one who addresses his/her parents in terms of honour and respect.
- Najeeb Ahmed Mohammed