Islam for Parents

Father and Son - Story showing how Parents should be treated

This post is in: Treatment of Parents

A very old man at the age of eighty was resting and contemplating in a small corner of his room when suddenly the silence was broken with the entrance of his 45 year old son who had come to visit his father, as father and son got into deep conversation about his sons wife and children, how his coping with his job and his financial wellbeing…

A deep silence fell into the room, just about when the 45 year old son was about to leave, a crow landed on the window ledge right where they both were seated, as the old man stared at the crow he smiled and after a while he asked his son:

“What is this son?”

The son with a stunned reaction replied: “father it’s a crow”After gazing back at the crow the father asked the same question again: “What is this son”

The son shocked at his response for the second time repeated: “father it’s a crow”

The crow which still hadn’t moved from the window ledge began to move from side to side, making strange movements, then he turned back and was glancing at father and son. Once again the father asked: “son what is this?” His son impatiently answered: “father don’t you hear me, it’s my third time telling you it’s a crow”

And when the father persistently asked for the fourth time, the son infuriated and outraged raised his voice and said: “Father it is your fourth time asking me the same question, each time I answer you, you without hesitating ask again, are you trying to test my patience?”

The father who still hadn’t lost his soft smile got up from his place and went inside to another room, and when he came back he had in his hand a book, and he said: “do you know what this is?” and continued “it is a diary, filled with my memories”

After flicking through the worn out pages he found what he was looking for, and handed the book towards his son to read the page…

“Today with my 3 year old son we were sitting by the window playing on the couch when suddenly a crow landed on the ledge, he was amazed and asked me exactly 23 times what it was, and without any hesitation I answered his question; I told him that it was a crow each time he asked me and when he asked me on the 23rd time I hugged and caressed him with great tender, not even the slightest feeling of impatience did I feel, because his repetitive question, made me stare at him and notice his total innocence, and how much I really do love him”

Allah (s.w.t) has not only commanded us to be good servants to Him, but also to our mother and fathers, it is stated in the Holy Quran:
“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,” and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word.” (Surah al-Isra, 17:23)