I am a young man of sixteen years old. My father prevents me from performing the prayer in the mosque and prevents me from performing the Friday prayer, and if he could, he would prevent me from

The questioner : He says: I am a young man of sixteen years old. My father prevents me from performing the prayer in the mosque and prevents me from performing the Friday prayer, and if he could, he would prevent me from praying, but he knows the Shari'ah in this regard. He says, but at the same time he tries to pull me from the current I am in to the current of open sinfulness and corruption. So should I obey him? Please advise us, may Allah reward you, and peace be upon you and Allah's mercy and blessings.

The Shaykh : There is no doubt that obedience to the father is obligatory, and it is Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) who made obedience to the father obligatory. However, obedience to the father is not obligatory in every matter; it is only obligatory in what does not involve disobedience to Allah and His Messenger. As for when obedience to him involves disobedience to Allah and His Messenger, it is not permissible for the son to obey his father in that. Accordingly, it is not permissible for you to leave the congregation or the Friday prayer because of your father's prevention. You must strive to attend the congregation and the Friday prayer by every possible means. Also, your father has a right over you, which is that you advise him, guide him, and give him beneficial books to read, so that perhaps Allah the Exalted will guide him and return him to uprightness and steadfastness upon the truth, for this is among the greatest forms of dutifulness to the father.

The questioner : Yes, you have done well.