Mufti Menk – Be Kind to Your Parents

			Be good or kind to your parents. Notice Allah didn't say obey your parents because obedience is for
Allah, your parents, if they were to tell you something within the obedience of Allah, it's okay.
But some parents, they are human as well. They make mistakes, they do things that perhaps are not
correct. Sometimes they might be abusive, they might be wrong. Allah says, you don't have to listen
to them when they are wrong, but you have to be kind to them whether they're right or wrong. You
have to respectfully disagree with them when they are wrong. You have to kindly excuse yourself when
they're asking you to do something wrong. So Allah says, Remember to be kind to your parents. I
		

			think this is a powerful lesson because people mix obedience and kindness. Many parents say, you
have to obey me because Allah instructed you to obey me and that's wrong. Allah did not instruct us
to obey our parents, where they are wrong, where they're being unreasonable, where they are being an
Islamic ungodly. No, Allah says, Be kind to them, smile and disagree. Subhan Allah, many parents
themselves have issues they need to deal with. Many parents themselves, don't have a good
relationship with Allah yet. So how do they expect Allah to be pleased with a child who will obey an
instruction that's against the commands of Allah, Allah tells the child here, be kind to your
		

			parents, be respectful to your parents, but you don't have to be obedient when they are telling you
to do something wrong. As simple as that. So the list starts with Allah. It moves on to parents,
then Allah says, what we will pour back then be kind to your relatives, be kind to the orphans, be
kind to the poor, and the needy, be kind to your neighbors, be kind to the ones who live next to
you, and those who are with you next to you at all times and the wayfarer, the wayfarer, meaning a
stranded person, a person on the streets, a person who has no abode, a homeless person, a person
who's trying to get from point A to point B but they're stranded. Allah says, be kinder to all of
		

			these people. And Allah subhanho wa Taala says he doesn't like those who are arrogant, those who are
haughty, those who are disobedient to Allah subhanho wa Taala. So remember, if we would like
goodness and kindness, if we would like comfort, be kind and respectful to the following categories,
your parents, then your relatives, even if there are nasty people, what's stopping you from being
kind and respectful, even though you might keep a bit of a distance, no harm in keeping a distance,
but be respectful. And then Allah says, Be kind to the orphans. Be kind to the beggars, the poor,
the needy, be kind to your neighbors, make sure that you're very, very good to your neighbors. May
		

			Allah subhanho wa Taala help us and then he says, Be kind to us Sabine, wayfarer, a person who's
lost a homeless person. May Allah subhanho wa Taala help us develop this kindness so that we can
achieve comfort