What are my duties to my parents in Islam?

The short answer

After worshipping Allah alone, being good to your parents is one of the greatest duties in Islam. You must treat them with kindness and respect, speak gently even when they are difficult, serve them, especially in old age, and pray for them. Being undutiful to parents is among the greatest sins.

Evidence 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Explanation

Allah places kindness to parents right after His own right: "your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment" 1. When they grow old, do not say even "uff" (a sigh of irritation) to them, do not shout at them, and speak to them "a noble word". Lower to them "the wing of humility out of mercy" and pray, "My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small" 1.

The mother has a special place. Allah reminds us that she carried us "in weakness upon weakness" and tells us to be grateful to Him and to our parents 2. When a man asked who most deserved his good companionship, the Prophet ﷺ said "Your mother" three times, and then "Your father" 3.

This duty is not a side issue. The Prophet ﷺ named prayer on time as the deed Allah loves most, and then being good and dutiful to parents 4. And he listed being undutiful to parents right after shirk among the biggest of the great sins 5.

He also made clear that serving parents is a form of striving. When a man asked to join a military expedition, the Prophet ﷺ asked if his parents were alive and told him, "Then exert yourself in their service" 6. And he warned that a person who has elderly parents and still does not earn Paradise through them has truly lost 7.

In daily life this means: greet them warmly, answer when they call, help at home without being asked, spend on them if they need it, consult them, be patient with their moods, and make dua for them. If you have fallen short, start today and ask Allah's forgiveness.

The evidence

  1. 1
    Quran Al-Israa · 17:23–24

    Worship Allah alone and be good to parents; never say "uff", speak nobly, and pray for their mercy.

    ۞وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعۡبُدُوٓاْ إِلَّآ إِيَّاهُ وَبِٱلۡوَٰلِدَيۡنِ إِحۡسَٰنًاۚ إِمَّا يَبۡلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ ٱلۡكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَآ أَوۡ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُل لَّهُمَآ أُفࣲّ وَلَا تَنۡهَرۡهُمَا وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوۡلࣰ ا كَرِيمࣰ ا ۝٢٣ وَٱخۡفِضۡ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ ٱلذُّلِّ مِنَ ٱلرَّحۡمَةِ وَقُل رَّبِّ ٱرۡحَمۡهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرࣰ ا ۝٢٤

    23 And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as], "uff," and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word 24 And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, "My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small

  2. 2
    Quran Luqman · 31:14

    The mother carried her child in weakness upon weakness; be grateful to Allah and to parents.

    وَوَصَّيۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ بِوَٰلِدَيۡهِ حَمَلَتۡهُ أُمُّهُۥ وَهۡنًا عَلَىٰ وَهۡنࣲ وَفِصَٰلُهُۥ فِي عَامَيۡنِ أَنِ ٱشۡكُرۡ لِي وَلِوَٰلِدَيۡكَ إِلَيَّ ٱلۡمَصِيرُ ۝١٤

    And We have enjoined upon man [care] for his parents. His mother carried him, [increasing her] in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years. Be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the [final] destination

  3. 3
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 5971
    Sahih Bukhari

    The mother is most deserving of good companionship, three times, then the father.

    Narrated Abu Huraira:A man came to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! Who is more entitled to be treated with the best companionship by me?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Your mother." The man said. "Who is next?" The Prophet said, "Your mother." The man further said, "Who is next?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Your mother." The man asked for the fourth time, "Who is next?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Your father

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا جَرِيرٌ، عَنْ عُمَارَةَ بْنِ الْقَعْقَاعِ بْنِ شُبْرُمَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي زُرْعَةَ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَنْ أَحَقُّ بِحُسْنِ صَحَابَتِي قَالَ ‏"‏ أُمُّكَ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ ثُمَّ مَنْ قَالَ ‏"‏ أُمُّكَ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ ثُمَّ مَنْ قَالَ ‏"‏ أُمُّكَ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ ثُمَّ مَنْ قَالَ ‏"‏ ثُمَّ أَبُوكَ ‏"‏‏.‏ وَقَالَ ابْنُ شُبْرُمَةَ وَيَحْيَى بْنُ أَيُّوبَ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو زُرْعَةَ مِثْلَهُ‏.‏

  4. 4
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 5970
    Sahih Bukhari

    After prayer on time, the deed Allah loves most is being dutiful to parents.

    Narrated Al-Walid bin 'Aizar:I heard Abi `Amr 'Ash-Shaibani saying, "The owner of this house." he pointed to `Abdullah's house, "said, 'I asked the Prophet (ﷺ) 'Which deed is loved most by Allah?" He replied, 'To offer prayers at their early (very first) stated times.' " `Abdullah asked, "What is the next (in goodness)?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "To be good and dutiful to one's parents," `Abdullah asked, "What is the next (in goodness)?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "To participate in Jihad for Allah's Cause." `Abdullah added, "The Prophet (ﷺ) narrated to me these three things, and if I had asked more, he would have told me more

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْوَلِيدِ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، قَالَ الْوَلِيدُ بْنُ عَيْزَارٍ أَخْبَرَنِي قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَمْرٍو الشَّيْبَانِيَّ، يَقُولُ أَخْبَرَنَا صَاحِبُ، هَذِهِ الدَّارِ ـ وَأَوْمَأَ بِيَدِهِ إِلَى دَارِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ـ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَىُّ الْعَمَلِ أَحَبُّ إِلَى اللَّهِ قَالَ ‏"‏ الصَّلاَةُ عَلَى وَقْتِهَا ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ ثُمَّ أَىُّ قَالَ ‏"‏ ثُمَّ بِرُّ الْوَالِدَيْنِ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ ثُمَّ أَىّ قَالَ ‏"‏ الْجِهَادُ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي بِهِنَّ وَلَوِ اسْتَزَدْتُهُ لَزَادَنِي‏.‏

  5. 5
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 5976
    Sahih Bukhari

    Being undutiful to parents is among the biggest of the great sins, after shirk.

    Narrated Abu Bakra:Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said thrice, "Shall I not inform you of the biggest of the great sins?" We said, "Yes, O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)" He said, "To join partners in worship with Allah: to be undutiful to one's parents." The Prophet (ﷺ) sat up after he had been reclining and added, "And I warn you against giving forged statement and a false witness; I warn you against giving a forged statement and a false witness." The Prophet kept on saying that warning till we thought that he would not stop

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنِي إِسْحَاقُ، حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدٌ الْوَاسِطِيُّ، عَنِ الْجُرَيْرِيِّ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي بَكْرَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ‏"‏ أَلاَ أُنَبِّئُكُمْ بِأَكْبَرِ الْكَبَائِرِ ‏"‏‏.‏ قُلْنَا بَلَى يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ الإِشْرَاكُ بِاللَّهِ، وَعُقُوقُ الْوَالِدَيْنِ ‏"‏‏.‏ وَكَانَ مُتَّكِئًا فَجَلَسَ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ أَلاَ وَقَوْلُ الزُّورِ وَشَهَادَةُ الزُّورِ، أَلاَ وَقَوْلُ الزُّورِ وَشَهَادَةُ الزُّورِ ‏"‏‏.‏ فَمَا زَالَ يَقُولُهَا حَتَّى قُلْتُ لاَ يَسْكُتُ‏.‏

  6. 6
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 3004
    Sahih Bukhari

    A man seeking to join jihad was told to exert himself in serving his parents.

    Narrated `Abdullah bin `Amr:A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) asking his permission to take part in Jihad. The Prophet (ﷺ) asked him, "Are your parents alive?" He replied in the affirmative. The Prophet (ﷺ) said to him, "Then exert yourself in their service

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا آدَمُ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، حَدَّثَنَا حَبِيبُ بْنُ أَبِي ثَابِتٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا الْعَبَّاسِ الشَّاعِرَ ـ وَكَانَ لاَ يُتَّهَمُ فِي حَدِيثِهِ ـ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَمْرٍو ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ يَقُولُ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَاسْتَأْذَنَهُ فِي الْجِهَادِ فَقَالَ ‏"‏ أَحَىٌّ وَالِدَاكَ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ نَعَمْ‏.‏ قَالَ ‏"‏ فَفِيهِمَا فَجَاهِدْ ‏"‏‏.‏

  7. 7
    Hadith Sahih Muslim 2551
    Sahih Muslim

    Humbled is the one whose parents reach old age and he does not enter Paradise through them.

    Abu Huraira reported Allah's Apostle (ﷺ) as saying:Let him be humbled into dust; let him be humbled into dust. It was said: Allah's Messenger, who is he? He said: He who sees either of his parents during their old age or he sees both of them, but he does not enter Paradise

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا شَيْبَانُ بْنُ فَرُّوخَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، عَنْ سُهَيْلٍ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏"‏ رَغِمَ أَنْفُ ثُمَّ رَغِمَ أَنْفُ ثُمَّ رَغِمَ أَنْفُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ قِيلَ مَنْ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ قَالَ ‏"‏ مَنْ أَدْرَكَ أَبَوَيْهِ عِنْدَ الْكِبَرِ أَحَدَهُمَا أَوْ كِلَيْهِمَا فَلَمْ يَدْخُلِ الْجَنَّةَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

  8. 8
    Tafsir Al-Mukhtasar fi Tafsir al-Quran · 17:23

    Your Lord - O servant - has instructed and made obligatory that you worship none but Him, and He has instructed that you be good to your parents, especially when they become old. If either of them or both of them reach old age with you, do not become annoyed with them by uttering words that indicate the same, do not scold them and do not be harsh when speaking to them, but say to them kind words that are soft and courteous.

This answer was compiled with the help of AI, using only the verified texts shown here. Every reference links to its source. If you find a mistake, please report it. Updated 2026-09-24

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