Ruling on Prioritizing Children over Parents in Feeding
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Regarding the hadith of the three men who were trapped by the rock, the man who said: "I was delayed one day in seeking firewood."
And the children were crying with hunger at his feet.
Is it prescribed now for one who has a need, meaning: It is a matter that cannot be prepared except for this thing, and he has children and he has his parents. Should he prioritize the parents, even though they can obtain it later, but now the need is for the child? Based on the fact that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) answered his supplication, is it prescribed for a person to do this in these days?
No, it is not like that;Because we say: This man, as you know, was tending sheep, and always a person says: "Now return, now return, now we will reach the pasture," until the time slips away. Otherwise, taking care of the children and the fathers and mothers is more important than taking care of wealth. But this is a known thing; a person always goes too far in something and does not realize until the time has passed. Even a person writes and works on writing with his heart, and then he finds that the time has slipped away.
The questioner: I mean: Should he prioritize the parents in this matter, even though he can obtain this thing later, and leave the children?
The Shaykh: This was his independent legal reasoning (ijtihad), and if such a thing happens and the parents are sleeping and the children are crying from hunger, we prioritize the children.
The questioner: And how did Allah answer his supplication?The Shaykh: But this was his independent legal reasoning (ijtihad), and Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) rewards a person according to the extent of his effort.
And the children were crying with hunger at his feet.
Is it prescribed now for one who has a need, meaning: It is a matter that cannot be prepared except for this thing, and he has children and he has his parents. Should he prioritize the parents, even though they can obtain it later, but now the need is for the child? Based on the fact that Allah (Mighty and Majestic) answered his supplication, is it prescribed for a person to do this in these days?
No, it is not like that;Because we say: This man, as you know, was tending sheep, and always a person says: "Now return, now return, now we will reach the pasture," until the time slips away. Otherwise, taking care of the children and the fathers and mothers is more important than taking care of wealth. But this is a known thing; a person always goes too far in something and does not realize until the time has passed. Even a person writes and works on writing with his heart, and then he finds that the time has slipped away.
The questioner: I mean: Should he prioritize the parents in this matter, even though he can obtain this thing later, and leave the children?
The Shaykh: This was his independent legal reasoning (ijtihad), and if such a thing happens and the parents are sleeping and the children are crying from hunger, we prioritize the children.
The questioner: And how did Allah answer his supplication?The Shaykh: But this was his independent legal reasoning (ijtihad), and Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) rewards a person according to the extent of his effort.