Friday Prayer Sermons

The Prophet PBUH has elevated the status of obedience and care towards parents over the status of striving in the cause of Allah. A man came to the Prophet PBUH and said to him… ((I vow to migrate to you and strive in the cause of Allah aiming for Allah’s reward…. The Prophet PBUH asked him: Do you still have surviving parents? The man replied: Yes.. The Prophet said to him: ((return to your parents and be a good companion to them)).

Brothers and sisters… if you truly want to reflect on a wonderful example of being dutiful to one’s parents, then reflect on the example of the great Prophet Ibrahim PBUH. His father was a disbeliever… and disbelief is by far the greatest sin… and despite that, look at how the Quran has exposed his gentleness and kindness with his father. Allah says in the Quran: ((Remember when Ibrahim said to his father, O’ dear father! Why do you worship what can neither hear nor see, nor benefit you at all? O dear father! I have certainly received some knowledge which you have not received , so follow me and I will guide you to the Straight Path. O’ dear father! Do not worship Satan…
Abraham’s father response was very negative. He instructed Abraham to quit his religion and the calling to the Almighty. This is illustrated in the following verse, Allah says, that his father said to him: ((If you do not desist, I will certainly stone you to death.

In the face of such harshness, the real example of mercy and dutifulness is shown by Abraham PBUH. His response to his father in the Quran was: ((Peace be upon you! I will pray to my Lord for your forgiveness. He has truly been Most Gracious to me. and I distance myself from all of you and from whatever you invoke besides God)).
Brothers and sisters…. Allah SWT is Fair.. He rewards goodness with goodness. in this life dunya, and in the hereafter, This is why Abraham was granted a dutiful offspring…yes brothers and sisters... You reap what you sow. If you were dutiful to your parents, then surely this will be passed on to your children and they will be dutiful towards you.
Abraham was blessed with a child at an old age… He dreamt that he is sacrificing his son… When he shared this with his son Ismael, the response was as mentioned in the Quran: ((O’ my dear father! Do as you are commanded. God willing, you will find me steadfast)). Brothers and sisters: Ismael gave the perfect example of dutifulness, just like his father Abraham did with his own father. We are going to celebrate eid ul adha in a few weeks in remembrance of Ismael’s dutifulness to his father and their submission to their Lord. Allah SWT eternized their great characteristic and noble acts and made their remembrance everlasting.

Brothers and sisters… If we were to mention and reflect on the verses and the narrations that discuss and allude to being dutifulness to one’s parents, then we need many khutbas… However, let us just reflect on some practical aspects of this topic.

If one’s parents were not really merciful and had shortcomings towards their children, would that be a good reason for the children to reciprocate this towards their parents. Of course not… please listen to what Allah SWT said in the Quran: ((But if they urge you to associate with Me what you have no knowledge of, then do not obey. But accompany them in this world with appropriate kindness)). So even if parents are not good examples, their children still need to treat them with mercy and care. We also have to remember that Allah SWT mentioned something truly grave and that is associating someone else with Him in worship, and also mentioned disbelieving parents trying to influence their children in associating with Allah in worship, and despite this, Allah SWT still commanded the believers to be dutiful to such parents… So even if your parents were not very kind to you, you still need to be dutiful to them. Be dutiful to them & stay away from disobedience of Allah SWT.