A Simple Guide to ISLAM
Islamic Society
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ISLAMIC SOCIETY
CHILDREN’S DUTIES TO PARENTS
The Qur'an has made it compulsory for the child to treat his
parents with all goodness and mercy. God says in the Qur'an:
“And your Lord has commanded that you worship none
but Him and that you be kind to parents. If either one
or both of them reach old age with you, show them sign
of impatience nor chide them, but address them in
terms of honour, and out of kindness lower to them
your wing of humility and say, “My Lord and Sustainer,
have mercy on them both as they nurtured, cherished
and sustained me in childhood.” (17:23-24)
Thus every adult Muslim must show goodness and mercy to his
parents throughout their lives. There is only one exception to
this. That is, if the parents ask their children to commit
shirk,
that
is, to associate anything with God, then the child is not to obey
his parent. In all other cases the children must show love and
gratitude to their parents. They must always speak to them gently
and respectfully. They must try their best to make them happy, if
that does not involve any disobedience to God. The children
must take great care not to react to what their parents have to
say. If they say or do anything which is not liked or approved of
by the children, then they must show patience and tolerance
instead of giving rent to their anger. The children must
scrupulously try to refrain from disobeying their parents, since the
