*Always show respect to your elders from within your heart and outwardly regardless of whether they are your parents, teachers, family members etc.

*Address your elders with respectable names or titles

* When addressing your father, you should not call him by his name, rather you should use a title of love and respect such as Abba etc.

It is reported regarding Hazrat Abu Hurayrah (Radhiyallahu Anhu) that on one occasion he had seen two men. He asked one of the two men: “Who is this person?” He replied: “This is my father.” Hazrat Abu Hurayrah (Radhiyallahu Anhu) then advised him regarding the rights of his father saying: “(When you address him), then do not call him by his name. (When you walk with him), you should not walk in front of him, (and when you both reach a gathering), then you should not sit before he sits.”
(Adab al mufrad #44)

* Do not call your elders by nicknames.

* When speaking about your parents, ustaads, elders etc., refer to them in a respectful manner.

* When any elder comes to greet you and make musaafaha with you while you are seated, then out of respect you should stand up to greet them. Do not greet them and make musaafaha with them while you are seated.

* If you are seated and your elder speaks to you while he is standing, then out of respect you should also stand and answer him. Do not remain seated and answer him while he is standing. The same will apply if he is sitting and you are standing. You should respectfully sit and answer him.

* When addressing your elder speak to him with respect. Do not be rude and disrespectful in your approach.

* Do not raise your voice above the voice of your elder, nor argue with him.

* When you are in his company, do not embark on any activity without his consent.

* Do not ask him to do any work for you. Rather, you should remain in his service.

* One should not regard himself to be equal or greater than his seniors/elders.

* One should not hope or desire that his elders call him by respectable titles etc.

* One should not address elders from a distance by shouting out to them if he needs to enquire regarding anything. Rather, he should respectfully go up to them and then address them.

* Do not wait for them to ask you to fulfil some service which is expected from you. You should carry it out before they ask you to do so.

* If they reprimand you for some mistake which you did not make, then remain silent and accept their correction. Later on, when the time is right, you may respectfully explain yourself.

* When walking with your elders, then let them walk ahead of you.

* If they ask you to do a task for them, then you should inform them upon its completion.

* If the task that they ask you to carry out is not manageable for you, then politely and respectfully excuse yourself.

* If you notice your elders making a mistake, then do not be hasty in correcting them immediately, as it is possible that you have not understood the situation correctly. Hence, when you find a suitable opportunity, then respectfully enquire from them regarding the matter. In this way, if they had made a mistake, they will be able to correct themselves, and if you had misunderstood the situation, then they will be able to explain to you and guide you correctly.

* If one does not live near his asaatiza (teachers) and elders, then too he should maintain contact with them by phoning them and occasionally taking out the time to visit them. In this manner, he will be able to keep a good relationship with them and continue to benefit from them.

* When in the company of your elders, maintain a high level of respect. Do not do anything that will amount to disrespect e.g. raising one’s voice while speaking to them or standing in front of them with one’s hands in his pockets.

* If one’s elders are engaged in some ibaadat or work and one wishes to speak to them or discuss some matter with them, one should wait for them to complete whatever they are engaged in. When waiting for them, one should wait at a slight distance so that they are not disturbed by one’s presence. Thereafter, when they complete their ibaadat or work, one may meet them and discuss one’s need with them. In this manner, one will not disrupt their programme nor inconvenience them.