Serving parents is better than [Shi’a]Jihad

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.