Written by: Fadilat ul-Sheikh Abdul Salam bin Muhammad (May Allah protect him)
Abdullah bin Amr bin Al-Aas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"The pleasure of Allah is in the pleasure of the parents, and the displeasure of Allah is in the displeasure of the parents."
[Reported by Tirmidhi, authenticated by Ibn Hibban and Al-Hakim]
References:
[Saheeh Tirmidhi: 1899], [Ibn Hibban: 459/2], [Al-Hakim: 152/4]
Sheikh Nasiruddin Albani has discussed this hadith in detail regarding its authenticity in his work Silsilah Al-Ahadith Al-Saheehah [516].
Abdullah bin Amr bin Al-Aas (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"The pleasure of Allah is in the pleasure of the parents, and the displeasure of Allah is in the displeasure of the parents."
[Reported by Tirmidhi, authenticated by Ibn Hibban and Al-Hakim]
References:
[Saheeh Tirmidhi: 1899], [Ibn Hibban: 459/2], [Al-Hakim: 152/4]
Sheikh Nasiruddin Albani has discussed this hadith in detail regarding its authenticity in his work Silsilah Al-Ahadith Al-Saheehah [516].
Vocabulary:
- Rida (pleasure): Derived from the verb radiya, meaning to be pleased or content, as in alim ya'lam (he knows).
- Sakhat (anger/displeasure): Pronounced as suqt or sakhat on the pattern of words like qufl (lock) or jabal (mountain), from the verb alim ya'lam (he knows).
Benefits:
- This hadith shows that it is obligatory to please one's parents, and it is prohibited to displease them, as their pleasure brings Allah's pleasure, and their displeasure brings Allah's displeasure. Allah has mentioned the rights of parents alongside His own in the Qur'an:
"Be grateful to Me and to your parents."
[Luqman: 14]
And He said:
"Your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him and that you be kind to your parents."
[Al-Isra: 23] - There are many hadiths emphasizing the obligation of good treatment towards parents. Some of them are:
(a) The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"May his nose be rubbed in the dust, may his nose be rubbed in the dust, may his nose be rubbed in the dust."
It was asked: "Who, O Messenger of Allah?" He replied:
"The one who finds his parents, one or both of them, in old age and does not enter Paradise."
[Saheeh Muslim: 6510]
(b) Ibn Mas'ud (may Allah be pleased with him) said: "I asked the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), 'Which deed is most beloved to Allah?' He said:
'Prayer at its prescribed time.'
I asked: 'Then what?' He said:
'Good treatment of parents.'
I asked: 'Then what?' He said:
'Jihad in the way of Allah.'
[Agreed upon]
(c) Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"Shall I not tell you of the gravest of the major sins?"
He said this three times. We said, "Of course, O Messenger of Allah." He said:
"Associating partners with Allah and disobeying parents."
[Saheeh Bukhari: 5976] - Obedience to parents is conditional upon their commands not contradicting the commands of Allah. If obeying them involves disobedience to Allah, their orders should not be followed. For instance, if they command something prohibited by Allah or forbid something obligatory, their command should not be obeyed.
Ali (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
"There is no obedience in matters of sin; obedience is only in what is good and righteous."
[Agreed upon, Mishkat Al-Masabih, Book of Leadership]
Especially, if they command shirk (associating partners with Allah), obedience to them is not permissible, as the Qur'an states:
"But if they strive to make you associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge, then do not obey them."
[Luqman: 15] - Nawab Siddiq Khan (may Allah have mercy on him) said in his Tafseer: "The summary is that when an act of disobedience is involved, or something that is obligatory for every individual (fard 'ayn) is abandoned, obedience to parents is not required. Obedience to them is only required in permissible matters."
In Sharh Iqna, it is mentioned that if parents command someone to abandon an obligatory duty, their obedience is not required. For example, in acquiring knowledge necessary for fulfilling religious obligations like purification, prayer, and fasting (which cannot be done without knowledge), one may travel without their permission if that knowledge cannot be attained locally, as "there is no obedience to the creation in disobedience to the Creator."
Additionally, it is obligatory to prepare for battle and train against disbelievers, as failing to do so is an act of hypocrisy:
"If they had intended to go forth, they would have prepared for it."
[At-Tawbah: 46]
If such training cannot be done locally, one may travel for it without needing the parents' permission, and their refusal does not make it forbidden. - Abdullah bin Amr (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that a man came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and asked for permission to go for jihad. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) asked him: "Are your parents alive?" He replied: "Yes." The Prophet said: "Then strive in their service."
[Bukhari, Book of Jihad]
Imam Bukhari (may Allah have mercy on him) titled this chapter Jihad with the permission of the parents. Commenting on this, Hafiz Ibn Hajar (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
"The majority of scholars state that jihad becomes forbidden if both parents or even one prohibits it, provided they are both Muslims. This is because kindness to them is obligatory (fard 'ayn), while jihad is a communal obligation (fard kifayah). However, if jihad becomes an individual obligation (fard 'ayn), no permission is required."
[Fath Al-Bari, Hadith: 3004] - If jihad becomes an individual obligation (fard 'ayn), and one refrains from participating due to parental orders, they risk Allah's punishment. Allah says:
"Say: If your fathers, your sons, your brothers, your wives, your relatives, the wealth you have acquired, the commerce you fear will decline, and the dwellings you love are dearer to you than Allah and His Messenger and striving in His cause, then wait until Allah brings about His decision. And Allah does not guide the defiantly disobedient people."
[At-Tawbah: 24] - Jihad becomes an individual obligation (fard 'ayn) in the following cases:
- When the enemy attacks or occupies Muslim lands. (For more details, see Tafseer Al-Qurtubi, Issue 4, Ayah 41, Surah At-Tawbah)
- When the ruler commands a specific group or individual to go forth. As Allah says:
"If you are called to go forth, then go forth."
[Bukhari: 2825] - When a person is already on the battlefield and the fighting begins, as the Qur'an states:
"O you who believe! When you meet those who disbelieve advancing in battle, do not turn your backs to them."
[Al-Anfal: 15]