Concept of friendship in Islam

Humans are social creatures by nature; they re always in need of friends and companions. Most of our lives depend on interaction with others. Strong individuals are the core of a strong community, something that Muslims should always strive for.

We all know that Allah the Most High has brought us to life in order to test us. Thus we are here for a relatively short period of time and that we shall meet Allah one Day, so we need to use our present life for what is best for us in the Hereafter. Once we know our purpose and our goal in life, we should seek ways to achieve them so as to benefit our own selves.

In an authentic Hadith, Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) said:

A person is likely to follow the faith of his friend, so look whom you befriend.

Prophet Mohammad ( pbuh) who has the most noble character and dealings with fellow humans gave us a very clear and simple message and advice in regard to friendship.

How should we choose our friends?

We should choose the friend that believes in and abide by our religion (Islam) and gives great respect to what Allah and Prophet Mohammad (pbuh) had ordered us. And we should stay away from the one who is not well mannered and gives no attention to what Islam is about or what pleases or displeases Allah, for he ll surely affect us negatively. There is no good if the companion drowns us in sins and displeasing Allah. The bases for the actions of those who follow the evil ways are corrupt; their actions are built upon misguidance and deviation. Their deeds are worthless to them as Allah said:

And We will turn to what they have done of deeds, so We shall render them to scattered floating dust. Qur an (25:23)

Their actions, even if we see them as righteous and noble are of no value to them, so how can they be useful to us? Good friends are those who share with their companions both happiness and sadness. If we share our feelings with the wrong-doers whose actions are worthless and based on corruption, then we are following the same ways and standards as they are doing, and we ll end up being as corrupt as they are, and then we re in a big trouble, how can we face Allah s dissatisfaction and displeasure? Instead of making friends with the misguided ones we should befriend the righteous, yet treat the rest in a gracious and just manner. Staying at sufficient distance is necessary; yet treating everybody in a noble and kind manner is required.

In another Hadith, Prophet Mohammad ( pbuh) said: The example of a good companion and a bad companion is like that of the seller of musk, and the one who blows the blacksmith s bellows. So as for the seller of musk then either he will grant you some, or you buy some from him, or at least you enjoy a pleasant smell from him. As for the one who blows the blacksmith s bellows then either he will burn your clothes or you will get an offensive smell from him.

When choosing our friends we should ask ourselves first: Are they going to help us achieve the purpose for which we were brought to life? or will they take us away from it? Will they desire for us Allah s pleasure or is that completely irrelevant to them and not their concern at all? Are they leading us to Paradise or to the Hell?

Allah says in the Qur an: O you who believe! Take care of your own selves. If you follow the right guidance and enjoin what is right and forbid what is wrong no hurt can come to you from those who are in error. The return of you all is to Allah, then He will inform you about (all) that which you used to do. Qur an (5:105) (angelfire.com)

http://www.saudigazette.com.sa/sgazette/Data/2004/6/21/Art_118353.XML

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Forgive and Win Divine Forgiveness

Forgive and Win Divine Forgiveness By Islamic-world.net.Staff Forgiveness is an attribute that has always received due attention in Islam as it has been widely mentioned in the noble Qur'an and the Sunnah. True Muslims have always adopted a forgiving attitude towards others. Nowadays, however, this noble trait is often forgotten and it seems very hard to see it practiced in everyday life. That is the reason why we hear news of wars everywhere where people are fighting and killing each other. Every side blames other parties and neglects the virtue of forgiveness. It is therefore important for us to re-inculcate the value of forgiveness in our lives, but before learning how to do that, we first need to know what forgiveness really is and why it is important to forgive. Defining Forgiveness To forgive an enemy or someone who has done wrong to you is to avoid taking revenge or inflicting punishment while you have the ability and the means to do so. A forgiving person treats kindly those who have committed a mistake or done him or her injustice. Another meaning of forgiveness is to forgo something you are entitled to. Also, a person who overlooks the faults in others is a forgiving person. Thus, forgiveness signifies overlooking the offence and injustice of a person who has purposefully or mistakenly done you wrong, such as insulting you, beating you up or taking your property unjustly. There are two aspects of forgiveness: divine forgiveness, which is shown by Allah, the All-Merciful, the Most Forgiving, and human forgiveness, which people show to one another with the aim of attaining the pleasure of Almighty Allah. We cannot expect to be forgiven by Allah unless we also forgive those who do wrong to us. Forgiving each other and even forgiving one's enemies is a highly commendable principle in Islam. In the Qur’an, Almighty Allah says [those who avoid major sins and acts of indecencies and when they are angry they forgive.] (Ash-Shura 42:37) We may forgive someone because we are unable to take vengeance or inflict punishment on them. This kind of forgiveness is, in fact, tantamount to patience and forbearance. It is not real forgiveness, but rather a kind of tolerance. The real meaning of forgiveness, however, is manifested when we have the means to take revenge but prefer to forgive and pardon. The noble Qur’an describes forgiveness in the following terms: [Turn to forgiveness and enjoin good and turn aside from the ignorant.] (Al-A`raaf 7:199) [Those who spend (benevolently) in ease as well as in straightness, and those who restrain (their) anger and pardon men; and Allah loves the doers of good (to others).] (Aal `Imran 3:134) Importance of Forgiveness A servant who hopes that his sins and offences shall be forgiven by Almighty Allah should also learn to forgive others and overlook their errors. Hating that their faults and weaknesses should be exposed, every Muslim should also screen the faults and weaknesses of others, unless otherwise necessary. Such attitude is referred to in a hadith in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said, "None of you truly believes until he wishes for his (Muslim) brother what he wishes for himself." (Al-Bukhari) Indeed, seeking forgiveness from Almighty Allah is a sign of humility in the servant and forgiving others is a sign of nobility. Moreover, forgiveness creates an atmosphere of kindness and ease among people and it improves their mutual relationships. Reliable Witnesses When we commit a sin, the following four witnesses are established against us: 1. The place where the sin is committed. [On that day, she (the earth) shall tell her news.] (Az-Zalzalah 99:4) 2. The organ used in the commission of the sin. [Until when they come to it, their ears and their eyes and their skins shall bear witness against them as to what they did.] (Fussilat 41:20) 3. The angels who record our deeds, good and evil alike. [Honorable recorders; they know what you do.] (Al-Infitar 82:11,12) 4. And above all, the Witness over all things: Almighty Allah. […We record that which they send before them, and their footprints, and all things we have kept in a clear register.] (Ya-Sin 36:12) From the foregoing, it becomes clear that none of our deeds can go unrecorded and that we will give account for all what we do and say. No matter how serious our sins were, if we sincerely repent to Almighty Allah, He, out of His boundless mercy, will accept our repentance and erase our bad deeds-as promised in His noble Qur’an and the Sunnah of His Prophet. Unforgivable Sin & Unbounded Mercy In the Qur’an, Almighty Allah says: [Surely Allah does not forgive that anything should be associated with Him, and He forgives what is besides this to whom He pleases…] (An-Nisaa’ 4:116) As the verse suggests, disbelief in Allah is the only sin, or rather crime, that Almighty Allah does not forgive. Apart from it, He gracefully forgives all kinds of sins. Moreover, it should be noted here that the meaning intended in the above Qur’anic verse is when one dies in a state of disbelief; that’s to say, even this heinous sin is forgiven if one sincerely repents before death and believes in the One and Only God: Allah. In a hadith qudsi (Divine Hadith), the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said that Almighty Allah said, “O Son of Adam, so long as you call upon Me and ask of Me, I shall forgive you for what you have done, and I shall not care (of the enormity of what you did). O Son of Adam, were your sins to reach the clouds of the sky and were you then to ask forgiveness of Me, I would forgive you. O Son of Adam, were you to come to Me with sins as great as the earth, and were you then to face Me ascribing no partners to Me, I would bring you forgiveness nearly as great as it is.” (Al-Mundhiri, and classed as hasan by Al-Albani) This article has been taken with modifications from Islamic-world.net.

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EID MUBARAK!

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RAMADHAN WILL BE LEAVING SOON!!! .....Goodbye RAMADHAN......

Ramadhan will end soon..Maybe it is our last Ramadhan or will we be able to meet RAMADHAN again next year.? .Only ALLAH knows.. EVERYTHING...


It is really sad getting to know that Ramadhan is ending…How much have we gained?How much have we changed?How much better and stronger are we now? Whatever should it be,let us not stop fighting for the right thing,let us not stop doing the good deeds.let us not stop from changing and improving ourselves to be better and let us upgrade our devotion to Allah..


May Allah reward us whatever we deserve,
May Allah show us the right path to HIM,
And may Allah unite us and give us strength to defend ISLAM,
Insya-ALLAH……


To all…visitors of this blog(brothers,sisters,sons and daughters) I apologise ,if there is/are 'words'/phrases/sentences in this blog which might scratch/hurt your feelings…which I might not realize…

The GOOD things are from Allah…the bad ones come from me…

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DON'T FORGET!!!........................

Ramadhan Kareem to you all! May Allah aceept our deeds, fasts, prayers and supplications. Ameen! May Allah make this a month of peace, blessings, khair and be pleased with us. Ameen!


Don't Forget!

Dear brothers and sisters, this is a blessed month and many of us have been blessed with good health, family, peace and safety. But let us not forget the our brothers (and sisters) who are incarcerated in the jails of the munafiqun and the kuffar. While we sit down to our iftar with friends and family they will be spending it alone and probably getting scraps of food and being humililated.


While we stand up to pray our Salaah they may be tortured and prevented from Salaah. We go to sleep, they lay awake pondering and longing for the day they are free from those four walls. They miss their loved ones. They miss their brothers and sisters. Remember their families who hope for the day they are reunited. The families who do not have anyone to support them and are either destitute or on the verge of destitution. The families whose tears continue to stain their cheeks. The wife who misses her husband. The children who miss their father. The siblings who miss their brother(s). The Muslim Ummah misses you too!!!!!! May Allah keep them steadfast! Ameen!


The Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam) said, "The Faithful are to one another like [parts of] a building - each part strengthening the others" and "Every Muslim is a brother to a Muslim, neither wronging him nor allowing him to be wronged. And if anyone helps his brother in need, Allah will help him in his own need; and if anyone removes a calamity from [another] Muslim, Allah will remove from him some of the calamities of the Day of Resurrection; and if anyone shields [another] Muslim from disgrace, Allah will shield him from the disgrace on the Day of Resurrection." [Al-Bukhari and Muslim, on the authority of `Abd Allah ibn `Umar]


This Ramadhan let us remember our dead, the sick, the orphans, our poor and needy. Those who do not have shelter. Those who do not know where their next meal is
coming from. The marginalised section of our society.


"Have you seen him who belies the rewards and punishments of the Hereafter? He it is who drives away the orphan and does not urge giving away the food of the poor. " (107:1 - 3)

Let us remember our Mujahideen. The valiant protectors of the Ummah who are striving in the way of Allah during this month and always. May Allah grant them success and victory. Ameen!


Our Shuhadah. Those who gave their lives for Islam. Who sought Allah's Pleasure. May Allah bless them with Al Firdaus and the companionship of Rasulullah Sallallahu 'alaihi wa Sallam. May Allah bless their families. Ameen!

“Think not of those who are slain in Allah's way as dead. Nay, they live, finding their sustenance in the presence of their Lord;” (3:169)

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Tips for Memorizing the Qur’an

Allah says in the Holy Qur’an (interpretation of the meaning): “Those who recite the Book of Allah, establish regular prayer, and spend (in charity) out of what We have provided for them, secretly and openly, hope for commerce that will never fail” (Fatir 35:29) Abdullah ibn Amr ibn Al-As may Allah bless him reported: The Prophet peace be upon him said, "The one who was devoted to the Qur'an will be told on the Day of Resurrection: `Recite and ascend (in ranks) as you used to recite when you were in the world. Your rank will be at the last Ayah you recite.''' [Abu Dawud and At-Tirmidhi]. This Hadith mentions the merit of those who memorize part or all of the Qur'an. Some scholars, in explaining this Hadith, have mentioned that the number of ranks (levels) in Paradise is equal to the number of ayahs in the Qur’an, and that a believer will rise one rank for each ayah that he or she memorizes. In another Hadith, Uthman ibn Affan may Allah bless him reported that the Messenger of Allah peace be upon him said, "The best amongst you is the one who learns the Qur'an and teaches it.'' [Al-Bukhari]. In what follows we list a few hints regarding memorizing the Qur’an, some of which were presented to us by the knowledgeable Sh. Osama Abdul-Azeem of Al-Azhar University in Cairo, Egypt. * First, make sure to correct your tawbah (repentance to Allah), as sins do not leave any room for the Words of Allah. The Imam Al-Shafie has a famous verse of poetry in which he complained to his scholar about having difficulty in memorizing. His scholar advised him to abandon sins * Have your intention ready, and bear in mind the reward and virtues of this great deed as mentioned in the Hadiths above. Ask Allah sincerely to assist you in accomplishing this. * Dedicate a specific time each day (or every couple of days) for memorizing. This should be a time when you are not busy with other things. * Use the same copy of the Qur’an each time. This is because your mind takes a ‘snapshot’ of the pages. * Start with the surahs that are easiest to you. Many people recommend beginning with the last five juz’s (the 30th, then the 29th, and so on). * Other surahs to begin with are those that you enjoy reciting most of all, and those that you frequently listen to and thus probably already know part of by heart. * The younger you are, the easier it will be. As you grow older, you get busier and your capacity for memorizing decreases. However, it’s never too late in shaa Allah. If you haven’t memorized a lot during your childhood or teens, you can still catch up. * After completing a couple of ayahs, recite them in the next nafl (voluntary prayer) that you pray. Alternatively, practice them with a friend or your spouse. Finally, it might be a good idea to work in groups, encouraging one another. If you are trying to get your children to memorize, you might want to create a sense of competition among them and then provide some reward to whoever memorizes best. May Allah guide us to all that pleases Him, Ameen. (www.islamway.com) __________________

*hijab*

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FEAR , RESPECT AND LOVE OF ALLAH MUST BE TOGETHER

Some people assume that love of Allah is enough for those who seek to live according to religious morals and earn Allah’s good pleasure. However, Allah informs us that His servants who possess superior morals and love Him also have a genuine fear and respect for Him. Every person who acknowledges Allah with all of His attributes and appreciates His greatness, as well as those who have intelligence and a conscience, will fear and respect Allah to the utmost degree. Allah enables such servants, who also abide by His will, to distinguish good from evil and to observe the limits that He has set for humanity. Allah informs us of the blessings He gives the believers in the following verse:

O you who believe. If you fear [and respect] Allah, He will give you discrimination, erase your bad actions, and forgive you. Allah’s favor is indeed immense. (Surat al-Anfal, 29)


For example, such people do not lie. Even if their self-interests suffer a loss, they will worry about not earning Allah’s good pleasure and thereby earning His retribution. Therefore, they will act in an honest manner. If they indulge in even a moment’s heedlessness and say something that is not right, they will immediately repent and undertake never to repeat that action in the future. Similarly, despite being in great need, they will not try to earn a living through unlawful means because they fear (and respect) Allah.


Every person who does not appropriately fear and respect Allah has his own private boundaries. Even if he is true and honest up to that boundary, he will act according to his own interests beyond it. Those who fear and respect Allah, on the other hand, will never stray from the straight path, regardless of how difficult their situation is. When confronted with any hardship, they immediately turn to Him in complete trust and ask Him to show them a way out.


Allah loves His servants, wills the good for them, is oft-forgiving and merciful, helps them in every instance, and bestows kindness upon His servants without seeking recompense. The idolaters and unbelievers are far away from Allah’s mercy. Our Lord, the possessor of infinite justice, provides for His pious servants who possess a genuine heart and true belief in Allah, and will reward them in this world and the Hereafter. Those who insist on unbelief will suffer the pains of Hell.


So fear [and respect] Allah as much as you are able to, and listen and obey.
(Surat at-Taghabun, 16)


Spend in the way of Allah. Do not cast yourselves into destruction. And do good: Allah loves good-doers. (Surat al-Baqara, 195)


Those who comprehend our Lord’s infinite strength and ability to punish in the Hereafter hold Allah in complete awe and respect. As a result, they are careful not to adopt an attitude that does not earn our Lord’s good pleasure. However, on the other hand, as a result of their genuine and faithful love of Allah, hoping Allah will forgive their sins and accept their repentance, they do their best to earn His good pleasure and be rewarded with Paradise for their striving in His path. The Qur’an mentions the believers’ morals, as follows:


Those who fear [and respect] their Lord in the Unseen will have forgiveness and an immense reward. (Surat al-Mulk, 12)


O you who believe. Fear [and respect] Allah the way He should be feared [and respected], and do not die except as Muslims. (Surah Al ‘Imran, 102)


But those who have fear [and respect] of their Lord will have Gardens with rivers flowing under them, remaining in them timelessly, for ever: hospitality from Allah. What is with Allah is better for those who are truly good. (Surah Al ‘Imran, 198)


Every believer who genuinely loves Allah will feel a great awe for Allah’s punishment and, by trying not to lose His love and consent, will strive to earn His good pleasure. Allah says of those believers, who have these morals:


But as for anyone who desires the Hereafter and strives for it with the striving it deserves, being a believer, their striving will be gratefully acknowledged. (Surat al-Isra’, 19)

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Symptoms Of the Heart’s Sickness & Signs of Its Health

The Signs of a Sick Heart

A servant’s heart may be ill, and seriously deteriorating, while he remains oblivious of its condition. It may even die without him realising it. The symptoms of its sickness, or the signs of its death, are that its owner is not aware of the harm that results from the damage caused by wrong actions, and is unperturbed by his ignorance of the truth or by his false beliefs.

Since the living heart experiences pain as a result of any ugliness that it encounters and through its recognising its ignorance of the truth (to a degree that corresponds to its level of awareness), it is capable of recognising the onset of decay - and the increase in the severity of the remedy that will be needed to stop it - but then sometimes it prefers to put up with the pain rather than undergo the arduous trial of the cure!

Some of the many signs of the heart’s sickness is its turning away from good foods to harmful ones, from good remedies to shameful sickness. The healthy heart prefers what is beneficial and healing to what is harmful and damaging; the sick heart prefers the opposite. The most beneficial sustenance for the heart is faith and the best medicine is the Qur’ân.



The Signs of a Healthy Heart

For the heart to be healthy it should depart from this life and arrive in the next, and then settle there as if it were one of its people; it only came to this life as a passer-by, taking whatever provisions it needed and then returning home. As the Prophet, may Allâh bless him and grant him peace, said to Abdullâh ibn Umar, “Be in this world as if you were a stranger or a passer-by.”[1] The More diseased the heart is, the more it desires this world; it dwells in it until it becomes like one of its own people.

This healthy heart continues to trouble its owner until he returns to Allâh, and is at peace with Him, and joins Him, like a lover driven by compulsion who finally reaches his beloved. Besides his love for Him he needs no other, and after invoking Him no other invocations are needed. Serving Him precludes the need to serve any other.

If this heart misses its share of reciting the Qur’ân and invoking Allâh, or completing one of the prescribed acts of worship, then its owner suffers more distress than a cautious man who suffers because of the loss of money or a missed opportunity to make it. It longs to serve, just as a famished person longs for food and drink.

Yahya ibn Mu‘âdh said: “Whoever is pleased with serving Allâh, everything will be pleased to serve him; and whoever finds pleasure in contemplating Allâh, all the people will find pleasure in contemplating him.”

This heart has only one concern: that all its actions, and its inner thoughts and utterances, are obedient to Allâh. It is more careful with its time than the meanest people are with their money, so that it will not be spent wastefully. When it enters into the prayer, all its worldly worries and anxieties vanish and it finds its comfort and bliss in adoring its Lord. It does not cease to mention Allâh, nor tire of serving Him, and it finds intimate company with no-one save a person who guides it to Allâh and reminds it to Him.

Its attention to the correctness of its action is greater than its attention to the action itself. It is scrupulous in making sure that the intentions behind its actions are sincere and pure and that they result in good deeds.

As well as and in spite of all this, it not only testifies to the generosity of Allâh in giving it the opportunity to carry out such actions, but also testifies to its own imperfection and shortcomings in executing them.



The Causes of Sickness of the Heart

The temptations to which the heart is exposed are what cause its sickness. These are the temptations of desires and fancies. The formers cause intentions and the will to be corrupted, and the latter cause knowledge and belief to falter.

Hudhayfa ibn al-Yamanî, may Allâh be pleased with him, said: “The Messenger of Allâh said, ‘Temptations are presented to the heart, one by one. Any heart that accepts them will be left with a black stain, but any heart that rejects them will be left with a mark of purity, so that hearts are of two types: a dark heart that has turned away and become like an overturned vessel, and a pure heart that will never be harmed by temptation for as long as the earth and the heavens exist. The dark heart only recognises good and denounces evil when this suits its desires and whims.’ ”[2]

He, may Allâh bless him and grant him peace, placed hearts, when exposed to temptation, into two categories:

First, a heart which, when it is exposed to temptation, absorbs it like a sponge that soaks up water, leaving a black stain in it. It continues to absorb each temptation that is offered to it until it is darkened and corrupted, which is what he meant by “like an overturned vessel”. When this happens, two dangerous sicknesses take hold of it and plunge it into ruin:

The first is that of its confusing good with evil, to such an extent that it does not recognise the former and does not denounce the latter. This sickness may even gain hold of it to such an extent that it believes good to be evil and vice-versa, the sunnah to be bid‘a and vice-versa, the truth to be false and falsity to be the truth.

The second is that of its setting up its desires as its judge, over and above what the Prophet taught, so that it is enslaved and led by its whims and fancies.

Second, a pure heart which the light of faith is bright and from which its radiance shines. When temptation is presented to pure hearts such this, they oppose it and reject it, and so their light and illumination only increase.

copied from: http://www.angelfire.com/al/islamicpsychology/tazkiyah.html

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5 before 5

A saying of the last prophet Mohammad (s.a.w)

"Take benefit of five before five:

Your youth before your old age,
your health before your sickness,
your wealth before your poverty,
your free time before you are preoccupied,
and your life before your death"

(Narrated by Ibn Abbas and reported by Al Hakim)

Your youth: As worshipping in youth holds more value than in old age.
Your health: As many good deeds become hard when unhealthy.
Your wealth: As the greatness of charity can be achieved before it's too late.
Your free time: As one will make excuse when preoccupied as free time was wasted.
And your life before your death: As the doors to deeds are now closed.

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How To Respect Your Parents

A Muslim child should respect and appreciate his or her parents on a daily basis. Allaah mentions that human beings must recognise their parents and that this is second only to the recognition of Allaah Himself. Throughout the Quran, we notice that parents are mentioned with appreciation and respect, even if they are senile. In the Quran, there is a very beautiful description of how parents are to be treated; Allaah Says (what means): "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' [i.e., an expression of irritation or disapproval] and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word. And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say: 'My Lord! Have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small.'" [Quran 17:23-24]

The recognition and respect of parents is mentioned in the Quran eleven times; in every instance, Allaah reminds children to recognise and to appreciate the love and care that they have received from their parents. One such example is when Allaah says what means: "And We have enjoined upon man goodness to parents…" [Quran 29:8 & 46:15]

1. The demand for recognising parents is made more emphatic when Allaah Says (what means): "And [recall] when We took the covenant from the Children of Israel, [enjoining upon them]: 'Do not worship except Allaah; and to parents, do good…'" [Quran 2:83]

2. Allaah again emphasises in chapter An-Nisaa' that children should be kind to their parents. He says what means: "Worship Allaah and associate nothing with Him, and to parents do good..." [Quran 4:36]

3. In Chapter Al-An'aam, Allaah reemphasises that people should be kind to their parents; He says what means: "Say: 'Come, I will recite what your Lord has prohibited to you. [He commands] that you not associate anything with Him, and to parents, good treatment...'" [Quran 6:151]

C. Mothers:
Although Islam recognises both parents, mothers are given particular gratitude and respect. This can be appreciated if we reflect upon the hardships and suffering that mothers experience in their lives. In this regard, there is a Hadeeth of the Prophet : It was narrated by Abu Hurayrah that a man came to the Prophet and asked him: 'Who is most deserving of my close companionship?' He replied: “Your mother; your mother; your mother; then your father; then the next closest to you in kinship; then the one next closest.”

Islam has endorsed respect for parents by their children, even if the parents are non-Muslims. If parents strive to convert their children to non-Islamic beliefs, the children should not obey them, but must still maintain goodness towards them. In this regard, Allaah says what means: "And We have enjoined upon man [care] for his parents. His mother carried him, [increasing her] in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is two years. Be grateful to Me and your parents; to Me is the [final] destination. But if they endeavour to make you associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge, do not obey them but accompany them in [this] world with appropriate kindness and follow the way of those who turn back to Me [in repentance]. Then to Me will be your return, and I will inform you about what you used to do." [Quran 31:14-15]

D. More Respect:
Islam teaches us that of the most beloved deeds to Allaah, having respect for one's parents is second only to that of prayer and is greater than that of Jihaad (fighting in His cause). In this respect, Abu 'Abdur-Rahmaan 'Abdullaah Ibn Mas’ood narrated the following: "I asked the Prophet : 'Which deed is the most beloved to Allaah?' He replied: "Prayers performed on time." I then asked: 'Which one is next?' He replied: "Goodness to parents." I then asked: 'Which is next?' He replied: "Jihaad in the path of Allaah.""
In Islam, respect for parents is so great that the child and his wealth are considered to be the property of the parents: `Aa’ishah narrated that a man came to the Prophet in order to resolve a dispute that he had with his father regarding a loan he had given him. The Prophet said to the man: "You and your wealth are to (i.e., the property of) your father."

E. Final Remarks:

We hope and pray that all of us will respect our parents while they are alive and after their death. One can honour his parents after their death through the following methods:

1. Performing daily Du'aa' (supplication) for them.
2. Giving charity on their behalf.
3. Instituting a perpetual charity on their behalf, such as a mosque, an Islamic Centre, an Islamic library, an Islamic hospital, an orphanage, etc.
4. Performing Hajj on their behalf, or asking someone to do so.
5. Distributing Islamic literature on their behalf.

Let us pray to Allaah that we do our best to respect our parents, honour them, be kind to them, assist them, and please them so that we may attain the love of Allaah.
O Allaah! Accept our humble prayers and make us obedient slaves to You.
O Allaah! Help us to be respectful children to our parents. Aameen.

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