All praise is due to Allah. We thank Him and praise Him for giving us life to witness today’s Jumat service. We seek His forgiveness and protection from the evil within our souls and the consequences of our wrongdoings. Whoever Allah guides, no one can mislead, and whoever He allows to stray, no one can guide. May peace and blessings be upon our beloved Prophet, Muhammad (the son of Abdullah), his family, his companions, and those who follow their teachings until the Day of Resurrection.
Dear brothers in Islam, Allah, the Almighty, says in the Qur’an:
Chapter 4, Verse 1: “O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul and created from it its mate and dispersed from both of them many men and women. And fear Allah, through whom you ask one another, and the womb. Indeed, Allah is ever, over you, an Observer.”
Today, I will speak about the importance of respecting our parents, who brought us into this world. Allah commands us in the Qur’an:
Chapter 17, Verse 23: “And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age while with you, say not to them [so much as] ‘uff’ and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word.”
From this verse, we learn many valuable lessons. After worshipping Allah, the next most important duty is to respect, love, and care for our parents. When they grow old, we must exercise patience and compassion, even when they repeat themselves or forget things. It is a command from Allah to show kindness and refrain from even uttering words of frustration like “uff.” Treating our parents with respect is not just a social duty but also an act of worship, for which we will be rewarded in this life and the hereafter.
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said:
Hadith: “The pleasure of Allah is in the pleasure of the parents, and the displeasure of Allah is in the displeasure of the parents.”
This Hadith highlights that Allah’s pleasure is linked to the satisfaction of our parents, and His displeasure is linked to their unhappiness. Hence, whoever pleases their parents pleases Allah, and whoever displeases them displeases Allah.
It is disturbing to hear of children mistreating their parents, behaving arrogantly, and, in some cases, even engaging in shameful acts like harming them or using them for rituals. How can such children forget the sacrifices their parents made, especially the mother, who stayed awake when they were sick, or both parents who sacrificed their comfort to provide for their child’s well-being?
Our parents need nothing more from us than care and support in their old age. No child can ever fully repay their parents for the love and sacrifice they gave. Let us strive to make them happy and honor their efforts, as this is a means of earning Allah’s pleasure and easing our affairs in life.
As Allah reminds us in the Qur’an:
Chapter 16, Verse 90: “Indeed, Allah enjoins justice, and the doing of good to others, and giving to the kindred; and He forbids indecency, evil, and rebellion. He admonishes you that you may take heed.”
Let us conclude with a prayer for our Prophet, as Allah and His angels send blessings upon him. O you who believe, ask Allah to send blessings upon him and greet him with peace.
Chapter 33, Verse 56: “Indeed, Allah and His angels send blessings upon the Prophet. O you who have believed, ask Allah to send blessings upon him and greet him with peace.”
