The Divine Command: Scholar Stresses Kindness to Parents as a Path to Paradise

In a Friday sermon at Khaleefa Jama Masjid, Moulana Khawaja Moinuddin Akrami Madani delivered a powerful address on one of Islam’s most emphasized commandments: showing unwavering kindness and respect to one’s parents (husn-e-sulook).

The scholar began by stating that after the worship of God and the rejection of polytheism, the very first social command in the Quran is to treat one’s parents with excellence. He described parents as an irreplaceable divine blessing, whose rights are paramount.

“Be good to your parents,” the scholar recited from the Quran, explaining that this encompasses speaking gently, never raising one’s voice above theirs, fulfilling their needs with a willing heart, and spending on them generously. He stressed this is not a burdensome duty but a source of joy for a believer.

Moulana Madani gave special focus to caring for parents in their old age, quoting the Quranic verse that instructs children not to even say “Uff” (a word of contempt) to them, but to speak with honor and lower the wing of humility out of mercy. He emphasized the continued obligation to pray for their forgiveness and well-being, just as they cared for their children in infancy.

A striking point was the universality of this command. The scholar clarified that kindness to parents is obligatory even if they are non-Muslims—though the duty in this life is to treat them well with worldly kindness, the spiritual bond is guided by faith.

The obligation, he explained, extends beyond their passing. True kindness after a parent’s death includes praying for their forgiveness, honoring their commitments, and maintaining good relations with their friends and relatives.

Highlighting its supreme status, Moulana Madani referenced a Hadith where the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) told a man wanting to join jihad that serving his living parents was an even greater deed. Another narration states that being good to parents is among the most virtuous acts.

The sermon concluded with practical advice and a warning. The scholar urged the youth, often preoccupied, to prioritize their parents’ happiness and companionship, noting that a parent’s sincere prayer for a dutiful child is directly accepted by God. Conversely, causing them distress is a major sin with consequences in this life and the next.

He reminded the congregation that divine pleasure is tied to parental pleasure, and that this path of kindness is a direct route to Paradise, urging everyone to reflect deeply on this fundamental pillar of faith and social conduct.

Source: Friday sermon by Moulana Khawaja Moinuddin Akrami Madani at Khaleefa Jama Masjid.