Leaving work abroad to be dutiful to a sick mother
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Fatwa number ( 5393 )
Q: I have a mother who is still alive, praise be to Allah, and her health is somewhat poor. She is often struck by episodes of high blood pressure and diabetes, may Allah protect you. Please note that she is married to my uncle and has children, who are my brothers and sisters, and they live with her in the same house. There are four of them, and my brother, who is the next youngest to me, is only one year younger than I am. I am currently twenty-nine years old. I have never cut off ties with my mother, praise be to Allah. I call her on the phone almost every day to check on her condition and my siblings, and to reassure her about my condition and my family. I support her financially with whatever she wants, and I consider these duties and fulfill them, praise be to Allah. She is completely pleased with me, except that in every phone call, or when I visit the Kingdom—and I visit her often—she asks me to return to Riyadh and leave my work abroad so that I can be by her side constantly and not leave her. This is because she often repeats that she is ill and fears she may die (and death is a certainty for all servants), and that I will not be present with her, so Allah will be angry with me.
She always cries, and her crying and insistence that I return to Riyadh and be by her side distress me, even though I asked her to live with me abroad and she refused. Please give us a ruling, may Allah reward you and grant you the best reward for me. Should I leave my job and request to return, sacrificing my future and livelihood, to be by her side and not leave Riyadh ? Or should I continue to perform my national duty, which is working abroad, until the end of my work period and my return? I may also be exposed to being transferred to another country, as that is the nature of my job?
A: Dutifulness to parents is obligatory for the child. It is obeying them in what is good, extending the hand of help through giving, being kind to them as much as possible, and softening and pleasing one’s speech to them. Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Isra 17:23-24] Similarly, seeking provision, striving for it, and earning a livelihood is also obligatory. Therefore, if it is facilitated to temporarily transfer your work to Riyadh so that you can be by your mother’s side, that is better. If transferring you is not facilitated, then continue to perform your work.
And soften your speech to your mother when she asks you to stay with her. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: I have a mother who is still alive, praise be to Allah, and her health is somewhat poor. She is often struck by episodes of high blood pressure and diabetes, may Allah protect you. Please note that she is married to my uncle and has children, who are my brothers and sisters, and they live with her in the same house. There are four of them, and my brother, who is the next youngest to me, is only one year younger than I am. I am currently twenty-nine years old. I have never cut off ties with my mother, praise be to Allah. I call her on the phone almost every day to check on her condition and my siblings, and to reassure her about my condition and my family. I support her financially with whatever she wants, and I consider these duties and fulfill them, praise be to Allah. She is completely pleased with me, except that in every phone call, or when I visit the Kingdom—and I visit her often—she asks me to return to Riyadh and leave my work abroad so that I can be by her side constantly and not leave her. This is because she often repeats that she is ill and fears she may die (and death is a certainty for all servants), and that I will not be present with her, so Allah will be angry with me.
She always cries, and her crying and insistence that I return to Riyadh and be by her side distress me, even though I asked her to live with me abroad and she refused. Please give us a ruling, may Allah reward you and grant you the best reward for me. Should I leave my job and request to return, sacrificing my future and livelihood, to be by her side and not leave Riyadh ? Or should I continue to perform my national duty, which is working abroad, until the end of my work period and my return? I may also be exposed to being transferred to another country, as that is the nature of my job?
A: Dutifulness to parents is obligatory for the child. It is obeying them in what is good, extending the hand of help through giving, being kind to them as much as possible, and softening and pleasing one’s speech to them. Allah the Exalted said:
(23) 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. (24) And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, "My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small."
وَقَضَى رَبُّكَ أَلا تَعْبُدُوا إِلا إِيَّاهُ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِنْدَكَ الْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ كِلاهُمَا فَلا تَقُلْ لَهُمَا أُفٍّ وَلاَ تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُلْ لَهُمَا قَوْلا كَرِيمًا (23) وَاخْفِضْ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ الذُّلِّ مِنَ الرَّحْمَةِ وَقُلْ رَبِّي ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًاAnd soften your speech to your mother when she asks you to stay with her. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.