How can I honour my parents after they die?

The short answer

Your relationship with your parents does not end at the grave. You can make dua for them, give charity on their behalf, pay their debts (many scholars include missed fasts), and be kind to their friends and relatives. The Prophet ﷺ said a righteous child who prays for a parent is one of the things that keeps benefiting a person after death.

Evidence 1 2 3 4 5 6

Explanation

Losing a parent is one of the hardest things a person goes through. Islam gives you ways to keep doing good for them.

First, dua. The Prophet ﷺ said that when a person dies his deeds stop, except three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge, and "a pious son, who prays for him" 1. The Quran teaches the words: "My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small" 2. Prophets prayed for their parents too, like Nuh (AS): "My Lord, forgive me and my parents" 3.

Second, charity. When Sa'd ibn Ubada's mother died while he was away, he asked whether charity on her behalf would benefit her. The Prophet ﷺ said "Yes", and Sa'd gave a whole garden in her name 4.

Third, their unfinished obligations. A man asked whether he should fast for his mother, who died owing a month of fasts, and the Prophet ﷺ said yes, adding "Allah's debts have more right to be paid" 5. Paying off their debts to people is part of this as well.

Fourth, their loved ones. Ibn Umar once gave his donkey and turban to a Bedouin because the man's father had been a friend of Umar, and he quoted the Prophet ﷺ: "The finest act of goodness on the part of a son is to treat kindly the loved ones of his father" 6. Visit your parents' friends and relatives and keep their ties alive.

If you feel guilty that you fell short while they were alive, turn that regret into action: repent to Allah, and make these deeds a regular part of your life. Your parents can still receive your kindness.

The evidence

  1. 1
    Hadith Sahih Muslim 1631
    Sahih Muslim

    After death, a person keeps benefiting from ongoing charity, useful knowledge and a righteous child's prayer.

    Abu Huraira (Allah be pleased with him) reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:When a man dies, his acts come to an end, but three, recurring charity, or knowledge (by which people) benefit, or a pious son, who prays for him (for the deceased)

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ أَيُّوبَ، وَقُتَيْبَةُ، - يَعْنِي ابْنَ سَعِيدٍ - وَابْنُ حُجْرٍ قَالُوا حَدَّثَنَا إِسْمَاعِيلُ، - هُوَ ابْنُ جَعْفَرٍ - عَنِ الْعَلاَءِ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏ "‏ إِذَا مَاتَ الإِنْسَانُ انْقَطَعَ عَنْهُ عَمَلُهُ إِلاَّ مِنْ ثَلاَثَةٍ إِلاَّ مِنْ صَدَقَةٍ جَارِيَةٍ أَوْ عِلْمٍ يُنْتَفَعُ بِهِ أَوْ وَلَدٍ صَالِحٍ يَدْعُو لَهُ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

  2. 2
    Quran Al-Israa · 17:24

    Pray, "My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up when I was small."

    وَٱخۡفِضۡ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ ٱلذُّلِّ مِنَ ٱلرَّحۡمَةِ وَقُل رَّبِّ ٱرۡحَمۡهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرࣰ ا ۝٢٤

    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

  3. 3
    Quran Nooh · 71:28

    Nuh (AS) prayed for forgiveness for himself and his parents.

    رَّبِّ ٱغۡفِرۡ لِي وَلِوَٰلِدَيَّ وَلِمَن دَخَلَ بَيۡتِيَ مُؤۡمِنࣰ ا وَلِلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَٰتِۖ وَلَا تَزِدِ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ إِلَّا تَبَارَۢا ۝٢٨

    My Lord, forgive me and my parents and whoever enters my house a believer and the believing men and believing women. And do not increase the wrongdoers except in destruction

  4. 4
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 2756
    Sahih Bukhari

    Charity given on behalf of a deceased mother benefits her.

    Narrated Ibn `Abbas:The mother of Sa`d bin 'Ubada died in his absence. He said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! My mother died in my absence; will it be of any benefit for her if I give Sadaqa on her behalf?" The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Yes," Sa`d said, "I make you a witness that I gave my garden called Al Makhraf in charity on her behalf

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدٌ، أَخْبَرَنَا مَخْلَدُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ، أَخْبَرَنَا ابْنُ جُرَيْجٍ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي يَعْلَى، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ عِكْرِمَةَ، يَقُولُ أَنْبَأَنَا ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ أَنَّ سَعْدَ بْنَ عُبَادَةَ ـ رضى الله عنه ـ تُوُفِّيَتْ أُمُّهُ وَهْوَ غَائِبٌ عَنْهَا، فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ أُمِّي تُوُفِّيَتْ وَأَنَا غَائِبٌ عَنْهَا، أَيَنْفَعُهَا شَىْءٌ إِنْ تَصَدَّقْتُ بِهِ عَنْهَا قَالَ ‏ "‏ نَعَمْ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ فَإِنِّي أُشْهِدُكَ أَنَّ حَائِطِي الْمِخْرَافَ صَدَقَةٌ عَلَيْهَا‏.‏

  5. 5
    Hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 1953
    Sahih Bukhari

    The Prophet ﷺ approved fasting on behalf of a mother who died owing fasts.

    Narrated Ibn `Abbas:A man came to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! My mother died and she ought to have fasted one month (for her missed Ramadan). Shall I fast on her behalf?" The Prophet (ﷺ) replied in the affirmative and said, "Allah's debts have more right to be paid." In another narration a woman is reported to have said, "My sister died..." Narrated Ibn `Abbas: A woman said to the Prophet (ﷺ) "My mother died and she had vowed to fast but she didn't fast." In another narration Ibn `Abbas is reported to have said, "A woman said to the Prophet, "My mother died while she ought to have fasted for fifteen days

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنَا مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عَبْدِ الرَّحِيمِ، حَدَّثَنَا مُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ عَمْرٍو، حَدَّثَنَا زَائِدَةُ، عَنِ الأَعْمَشِ، عَنْ مُسْلِمٍ الْبَطِينِ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ قَالَ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ أُمِّي مَاتَتْ، وَعَلَيْهَا صَوْمُ شَهْرٍ، أَفَأَقْضِيهِ عَنْهَا قَالَ ‏ "‏ نَعَمْ ـ قَالَ ـ فَدَيْنُ اللَّهِ أَحَقُّ أَنْ يُقْضَى ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ سُلَيْمَانُ فَقَالَ الْحَكَمُ وَسَلَمَةُ، وَنَحْنُ جَمِيعًا جُلُوسٌ حِينَ حَدَّثَ مُسْلِمٌ بِهَذَا الْحَدِيثِ ـ قَالاَ ـ سَمِعْنَا مُجَاهِدًا يَذْكُرُ هَذَا عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ‏.‏ وَيُذْكَرُ عَنْ أَبِي خَالِدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ، عَنِ الْحَكَمِ، وَمُسْلِمٍ الْبَطِينِ، وَسَلَمَةَ بْنِ كُهَيْلٍ، عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ، وَعَطَاءٍ، وَمُجَاهِدٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَتِ امْرَأَةٌ لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِنَّ أُخْتِي مَاتَتْ‏.‏ وَقَالَ يَحْيَى وَأَبُو مُعَاوِيَةَ حَدَّثَنَا الأَعْمَشُ عَنْ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَتِ امْرَأَةٌ لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِنَّ أُمِّي مَاتَتْ‏.‏ وَقَالَ عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ أَبِي أُنَيْسَةَ عَنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ سَعِيدِ بْنِ جُبَيْرٍ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَتِ امْرَأَةٌ لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِنَّ أُمِّي مَاتَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا صَوْمُ نَذْرٍ‏.‏ وَقَالَ أَبُو حَرِيزٍ حَدَّثَنَا عِكْرِمَةُ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ قَالَتِ امْرَأَةٌ لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم مَاتَتْ أُمِّي وَعَلَيْهَا صَوْمُ خَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ يَوْمًا‏.‏

  6. 6
    Hadith Sahih Muslim 2552
    Sahih Muslim

    The finest goodness is to be kind to the loved ones of one's father.

    Ibn Dinar reported that a desert Arab met Abdullah b. 'Umar on the way to Mecca. 'Abdullah greeted him and mounted him upon the donkey on which he had been riding and gave him the turban that he had on his head. Ibn Dinar (further) reported:We said to him ('Abdullah b. 'Umar): May Allah do good to you, these are desert Arabs and they are satisfied even with meagre (things). Thereupon Abdullah said: His father was loved dearly by 'Umar b. Khattib and I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: The finest act of goodness on the part of a son is to treat kindly the loved ones of his father

    العربية

    حَدَّثَنِي أَبُو الطَّاهِرِ، أَحْمَدُ بْنُ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَرْحٍ أَخْبَرَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ وَهْبٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي سَعِيدُ بْنُ أَبِي أَيُّوبَ، عَنِ الْوَلِيدِ بْنِ أَبِي الْوَلِيدِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عُمَرَ، أَنَّ رَجُلاً، مِنَ الأَعْرَابِ لَقِيَهُ بِطَرِيقِ مَكَّةَ فَسَلَّمَ عَلَيْهِ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ وَحَمَلَهُ عَلَى حِمَارٍ كَانَ يَرْكَبُهُ وَأَعْطَاهُ عِمَامَةً كَانَتْ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ فَقَالَ ابْنُ دِينَارٍ فَقُلْنَا لَهُ أَصْلَحَكَ اللَّهُ إِنَّهُمُ الأَعْرَابُ وَإِنَّهُمْ يَرْضَوْنَ بِالْيَسِيرِ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ إِنَّ أَبَا هَذَا كَانَ وُدًّا لِعُمَرَ بْنِ الْخَطَّابِ وَإِنِّي سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ "‏ إِنَّ أَبَرَّ الْبِرِّ صِلَةُ الْوَلَدِ أَهْلَ وُدِّ أَبِيهِ ‏"‏ ‏.‏

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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