Mufti Menk – This is where we are lacking

			And this is one we are lacking.
		

			We're losing,
		

			respecting those who are senior. That is a duty, someone who's older than you respect them.
		

			This person is older than me. That's why I'm quiet sometimes. That's why I've chosen a different way
of doing things. Your mother, older than you, your father, your parents, how are you talking to
them, not only them, anyone who's older than you, even amongst us who are seated here, imagine a
young person very fit, and they come in, they sit down, and then there is a slightly older person,
and they struggling to walk a little bit, and you don't give your seat up for them.
		

			I've seen non Muslims do this, meaning giving up their seats, what about us, it's an act of worship,
you must respect the adults. But that doesn't mean that when they are wrong, and then instructing
you to do something that you obey, claiming that I'm respecting the older person, or some older
people use that to blackmail the younger ones, to doing things that are wrong. I know some parents
who use the status of a parent to blackmail the child to stop them from doing something Allah has
allowed such as getting married,
		

			for example, and they blackmail your parents. So what Subhana Allah, I will respect you, but it's
within limits. So two sides to the coin, I hope you've understood both and
		

			to have mercy on those who are young.
		

			That's a duty someone is younger than you have mercy. Teach them in a good way. Be patient with
them, your children, be very patient with them. Sometimes you have one child Mashallah you enjoy the
child and you know, the child might be running around breaking this destroying that may be doing
this that whatever else, then you have a second child and suddenly you know, what, you becoming a
little bit more impatient. And then a third child and you find you find that you cannot sleep at
night sometimes and you're getting up in the morning and it's you're so tired, and what happens you
start getting upset and agitated, control, control, have mercy on these children. Have mercy on
		

			them.
		

			That is your test. That is your agenda. That is why Allah subhanho wa Taala placed this in your life
purposefully not for nothing.