Page 23 - The Mercy of Believers

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TO WHOM DO BELIEVERS SHOW COMPASSION AND MERCY?

who grow old and become weak. They do their best to
make them feel comfortable and always respect them.
Considering the difficulties and distress old age is likely
to bring, they anticipate all their needs. This aside, they
never stop being tender-hearted and respectful in their
manner, no matter what the circumstances. On this mat-
ter, a hadith of the Prophet (says):

I asked, "Messenger of Allah, to whom should I be dutiful?" He
replied, "Your mother"...."Then to whom should I be dutiful?"
He replied, "Your father,and then the next closest relative and
then the next". (Bukhari, Muslim)
However, there is a different kind of situation which a
believer is likely to encounter regarding his parents; it
may well be that the parents of a believer might have cho-
sen the path of disbelief. The attitude a believer has to
adopt in such a case would be to graciously and toler-
antly summon them back to the right path. The dialogue
between the Prophet Ibrahim, peace be upon him, and his
father is exemplary in the sense of the manner to be
adopted and the attitude to be assumed. When the
Prophet Ibrahim wanted his father to desist from wor-
shipping idols, he addressed him thus:
Mention Ibrahim in the Book. He was a true man
and a prophet.

Remember when he said to his father, "Father, why
do you worship what can neither hear nor see and is
not of any use to you at all?
Father, knowledge which never reached you has
come to me, so follow me and I will guide you to the
right path.