Imām Zamān (mGehr)’s advice about Fathers

Twenty first event was about being in the service of your old father: The noble man, practical, virtuous, perfect “Ghudwah al Sulaha” [means, the pattern of reconciliation], sir Sayyid Muḥammad Musawī Radhawi Najafī, famous as “Hindi”, was of the pious scholars and the Imām of the congregational prayer1 of Amīr al Mu’menin (pbuh)’s shrine. He narrated from the noble man, trustable scholar, Shaykh Bāqir ibn Shaykh Hādī Kāẓimi who lived near Ashraf Najaf.

That noble man said about an honest person who was a rubber [in Iranian bath], and had an old father. He never failed to serve his father. He even provided water for his father in WC. And he would stand waiting for him [his father] till he come out and was turned back. Yes, he was caring for his father, except on Tuesday nights, when he would go to Sahla Mosque.  But he left going there, afterward! When I asked why, he replied, ‘I went to the mosque for forty nights, but the final night I couldn’t go there sooner than evening. Well, I went there alone but I became dark [night]

The author, ‘Abbās Qummī, says, ‘There are many verses and narrations concerning parents and behaving offspring in kind and good ways. Here, for the blessing, we refer to some ḥādīth

Serving parents is better than [Shi’a]Jihad

Shaykh al-Kulaynī has narrated from Manṣūr bin Ḥāzem that he said, ‘Once I asked His Majesty al-Ṣādiq (pbuh) that which deed is better?

He stated, ‘Performing prayer at its time, doing good to parents, and Jihād in the way of God; Verily, if you are killed, you will be alive in the presence of God, and will be provided there. And if you die, your reward will be with God. But if you survive, you will come out of your sins like the day when you were born.

He said, ‘I have parents who are old and are fond of me, and are averse to let me go to Jihād’. His Majesty stated, ‘So stay with your parents. By God whose my life is in the hand oh, their fond to you for a day and a night, is better that one year in Jihād’.

A newly-converted Muslim’s respect to his Christian mother

Also, Sheykh al-Kulaynī  has narrated a story as follow, ‘Zakarīyyā b. Ibrāhīm was a Christian who had converted to Islam, and performed Ḥajj. One time, he went to the service of His Majesty al-Ṣādiq (pbuh) and said, ‘My parents and my family all are Christian, and my mother is blind and I live with her, and eat from his plate …

His Excellency asked, ‘Do they eat pork?” He answered, ‘No! They even don’t touch it!’ [The Imām stated, ‘No problem!’

There, the Excellency advised him to be good with his mother. Zakaria [Zachary] explained, ‘When I returned Kūfah, I changed to be good and kind to my mother; I fed her food, I looked for lice on his clothes and head, and I served him.

Well, my mother told me, ‘O, my dear son! When you believed in my religion, you didn’t behave with me like this! What has happened?! Since you converted to Islam, you have been doing so good to me!’ I reacted, ‘A man of the Prophet (pbuh&h)’s offspring ordered me to behave like this!’ My mother wondered, ‘Is this man a prophet?!’ I replied, ‘[No,] he isn’t. He is the Prophet (pbuh&h)’s son.

She reacted, ‘O, my son! He is a prophet; because, the advice which he gave you, is one of prophets’ advices.’ I told her, ‘O, mother! There will not be any prophet, after our prophet! He is the Prophet (pbuh&h)’s offspring.’ My mother said, ‘O, my dear son! Your religion is the best religion. Teach me that.’

So, I taught her and she turned to Islām. And I taught he saying prayers. Then he prayed noon, afternoon, evening and ʿišā prayers. Yet, he felt pain at night and asked again, ‘O, my dear son! Teach me [again] what you have taught me!’ Then she confessed to it and died!

In the morning, the Muslīms did Ghusl for her, I prayed for her and put her in the grave.

If you can, go on [help him yourself]! That is, when he needs it, embrace and lift him. your hand. Yes, it is a shield [ban] which saves you from the fire of hell on resurrection day!

And Sheikh Ṣadūq narrated from His Excellency Ṣādiq (pbuh) who stated, ‘Whoever loves The Almighty to ease the burden of death on them, they should visit their relatives and be kind to their parents. So, whenever they do it, The Almighty makes it easy for them to face death, and they will never be troubled in this world.’

1-     Here by Imām it means, leader and guide.