Page 131 - Seekers Guide Book

The Seeker’s Guide
According to another tradition:

Abdullah ibn Amr said, ‘A man came to the
Prophet, may God bless him and grant him
peace, wanting to do jihad. The Prophet
asked, ‘Are your parents alive? ‘Yes,’ he
replied. The Prophet then said, ‘Then exert
yourself on their behalf.’ Then your jihad
would be with them’ (i.e., in looking after
them and being at their service). (Sahih al-
Bukhari, hadith no. 3004)

The Quran instructs us to be kind to our parents and
pray for them and this is looked at as among the best of
deeds:

We have enjoined on man kindness to
his parents: his mother bore him, in pain
and in pain she gave birth to him, and his
bearing and weaning takes thirty months.
At length, when he reaches the age of full
maturity and attains forty years, he says, ‘O
my Lord! Help me to be grateful for Your
favours which You have bestowed upon
me, and upon both my parents, and to do
good deeds that will please You. Grant me
righteousness in my offspring. Truly, I have
turned to You and, truly, I submit to You.’
We accept from such people the best of
what they do and We overlook their bad
deeds. They will be among the people of
Paradise—this is a true promise that has
been given to them. (Quran 46:15-16)

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