The obligation of the undutiful son toward his parents: seeking forgiveness and making supplication for them after their death
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Q: What is the authenticity of this hadith from Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him) ? He said: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “A servant may die while his parents, or one of them, are still alive, and he is undutiful to them. Yet he continues to make supplication for them and seek forgiveness for them until he is recorded by Allah as dutiful.”
A: I do not know the status of this hadith, nor do I know about its authenticity. However, the meaning is correct, for supplication for the parents, seeking forgiveness for them, and giving charity on their behalf are all part of being dutiful to them after death. Perhaps Allah will alleviate for him what he did of undutifulness, provided he has sincere repentance. He must repent to Allah, feel remorse for what he did, and increase in seeking forgiveness and making supplication for them with mercy, pardon, and forgiveness, while also increasing in giving charity on their behalf. Indeed, all of this is what Allah the Exalted has prescribed for a child toward his parents. It is established that a man asked him (peace and blessings be upon him), saying: “O Messenger of Allah, is there anything left by which I can be dutiful to my parents after their death?” He (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Sunan Abi Dawud 5142Da'if (Al-Albani).
And prayer for them: meaning supplication for them; and among that is the funeral prayer. And seeking forgiveness for them: meaning asking Allah for forgiveness for them. And fulfilling their covenant: meaning their wills, if they bequeathed something that does not contradict the Shari'ah. So being dutiful to them includes fulfilling a will that conforms to the Shari'ah. And honoring their friend: meaning the parents' friends. He honors them, treats them well, and respects the rights of friendship between them and his parents. If the friend is poor, he consoles him; if he is not poor, he contacts him to greet him and ask about his condition, maintaining the friendship that existed between them and his parents, provided that this friend is not one who deserves to be boycotted. Likewise, maintaining the ties of kinship that can only be maintained through them, such as being kind to his maternal uncles, paternal uncles, and relatives on the side of his father and mother. All of this is part of being dutiful to the parents.
A: I do not know the status of this hadith, nor do I know about its authenticity. However, the meaning is correct, for supplication for the parents, seeking forgiveness for them, and giving charity on their behalf are all part of being dutiful to them after death. Perhaps Allah will alleviate for him what he did of undutifulness, provided he has sincere repentance. He must repent to Allah, feel remorse for what he did, and increase in seeking forgiveness and making supplication for them with mercy, pardon, and forgiveness, while also increasing in giving charity on their behalf. Indeed, all of this is what Allah the Exalted has prescribed for a child toward his parents. It is established that a man asked him (peace and blessings be upon him), saying: “O Messenger of Allah, is there anything left by which I can be dutiful to my parents after their death?” He (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
Yes, you can invoke blessings on them, forgiveness for them, carry out their final instructions after their death, join ties of relationship which are dependent on them, and honour their friends.
نعم، والصلاة عليهما، والاستغفار لهما، وإنفاذ عهدهما من بعدهما، وإكرام صديقهما، وصلة الرحم التي لا توصل إلا بهماAnd prayer for them: meaning supplication for them; and among that is the funeral prayer. And seeking forgiveness for them: meaning asking Allah for forgiveness for them. And fulfilling their covenant: meaning their wills, if they bequeathed something that does not contradict the Shari'ah. So being dutiful to them includes fulfilling a will that conforms to the Shari'ah. And honoring their friend: meaning the parents' friends. He honors them, treats them well, and respects the rights of friendship between them and his parents. If the friend is poor, he consoles him; if he is not poor, he contacts him to greet him and ask about his condition, maintaining the friendship that existed between them and his parents, provided that this friend is not one who deserves to be boycotted. Likewise, maintaining the ties of kinship that can only be maintained through them, such as being kind to his maternal uncles, paternal uncles, and relatives on the side of his father and mother. All of this is part of being dutiful to the parents.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.