How to Honour and Respect One’s Parents after they Die – by Shaikh Al-Fawzān

A man from Banu Salamah came to Allah’s Messenger (salallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) and said: “O Allah’s Messenger, is there anything that remains obligatory upon me from the rights of my parents in terms of goodness towards them after their death?” He responded, “Yes, to pray (salāh) for them…”

Shaikh Al-Fawzan: Salāh here refers to du’ā (supplication) for them.

The Prophet (salallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) continued: “And to seek forgiveness for them…”

Shaikh Al-Fawzan: So one is to seek forgiveness for them after their death.

The Prophet (salallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) continued: “And fulfil their promises after their deaths…”

Shaikh Al-Fawzan: Meaning, fulfil their bequests and legacies that they have left behind. If their bequest (wasiyah) was correct and accordance to Islam, then carry it out. If they had debts, then pay off their debts. If they had friends, then be good to them.

The Prophet (salallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) continued: “And keep the family ties of kinship that are not there except due to them…”

Shaikh Al-Fawzan: Likewise, from the good treatment towards one’s parents after their death is to maintain the close family ties that are there due to one’s parents; with brothers and sisters, their children (nieces and nephews), maternal and paternal aunts and uncles, one’s grandparents, etc. – all of this is part of respecting and honouring one’s parents.

The Prophet (salallāhu ‘alayhi wa sallam) continued: “To respect and honour the friends of your parents.” 

Shaikh Al-Fawzan: So if the parents had friends, then honour them and show them respect because that would make them happy though they are deceased. This hadeeth was reported by Abu Dawood (5142), Ibn Mājah and ahādeeth with this meaning are very many. Ibn ‘Umar (radiyallahu ‘anhumā) was travelling on the road and he came across a Bedouin Arab. So Ibn ‘Umar approached him, dismounted from his riding beast and helped the Bedouin on it, and then took off his turban and placed on the head of the Bedouin. The people with him asked him: “Less than this would have sufficed.” He responded, “This was the friend of my father, ‘Umar.” (Shaikh Al-Fawzān begins to cry in the audio)… He said, “This was the friend of my father, ‘Umar.” So he honoured him and showed him respect, and he acted upon the hadeeth.

Source: Twitter Link

Note: Though the hadeeth has been declared weak by Shaikh Al-Albāni (rahimhullāh), its meaning is nevertheless correct due to many numerous verses and ahādeeth that support each point of the text of this narration as Shaikh Al-Fawzān has pointed out.


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