Discussion on seeking the parents' permission for jihad.

The Shaykh : If there are two elderly parents, very old, and they have a son who serves them, and this son is eager, more than eager, to do what? To go to jihad in the cause of Allah. There is no one else who can take care of himself and attend to the needs and affairs of his two elderly parents, as we said. I am not saying he should leave his parents to their circumstances, for they may perish from hunger, weakness, and illness, and so on. Rather, we say: You should consult your heart, as it came in the hadith, and this is its place: . Now, look, do you have anyone who can take your place in attending to your parents' affairs? No; so you, as it came in the hadith: . No, there is someone who attends to their affairs and serves them; in that case, the permission is not required under the previous condition that they are in need of men.

The questioner : O Shaykh... I am not speaking about the permission. I understood from your words that the permission is based on the interest, and this is correct.

The Shaykh: All right.

The questioner : I think in the hadith of 'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'As in Ibn Hibban: Which deeds are best? He said: . He said: Then what? He said: . The Prophet said: And to me. He said: You command me to treat my parents with right. He said: By Him who sent you with the truth... You...

The Shaykh: Yes.

The questioner : Shaykh Ahmad Shakir commented on this matter that the guardians of the orphan seek your permission in every expedition, so it is based on the interest and the need.

The Shaykh: Yes.

The questioner : But I am speaking of a person now whose mother, for example, does not want him to go, and this going will bring upon her, for example, psychological or perhaps physical harm; so if he goes despite this harm and the disagreement there; are they in need or not in need? Which one takes precedence? If he goes, does he sin, and if he stays, does he sin? How does one take precedence?

The Shaykh : Okay, so you do not mention the case of the mother and her need for the son.

The questioner : Yes, which mother? I mean...

The Shaykh : Because I will say: I will return to what I said earlier.

The questioner: All right.

The Shaykh: All right.

The questioner : The need, generally, is one in a specific work or a specific claim or...

Another questioner : Do you allow me, Shaykh? You mentioned that the need for mujahideen there, whether from individuals or not, is the basis for the ruling on the lifting or the dropping of the individual obligation on individuals or not. Okay, the need here is disputed; some say: We are in need of men, especially the Arabs among them, and some say: We are not in need except for money...

The Shaykh: All right.

The questioner : So is it here?

The Shaykh : Apply the rule: "The affirming is given precedence over the negating."

The questioner : ... in need?

The Shaykh : What is best?

The questioner : No, in this there is a rule...

The Shaykh : Yes.

The questioner : ... the one who affirms cannot... the need sometimes... the need for realism, but it is affirmed so that the cause is not lost, and this is reality, meaning it is like...

The Shaykh: All right.

The questioner : Some commanders said with this need.

The Shaykh : It is good.

The questioner : Those under them said...

The Shaykh : Good, fine, so that the cause is not lost; is that what you say?

The questioner : Or for the...

The Shaykh : No, it is or let it be delayed, so that the cause is not lost...