Repaying Parents

عَبْدَ اللَّهِ بْنَ عَمْرٍو رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمَا يَقُولُ جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَاسْتَأْذَنَهُ فِي الْجِهَادِ فَقَالَ أَحَيٌّ وَالِدَاكَ قَالَ نَعَمْ قَالَ فَفِيهِمَا فَجَاهِدْ 

Abdullah bin 'Amru radliallahu 'anhuma said: "A man came to the Prophet SAW and asked for permission to go to jihad. Then he asked: "Are your parents still alive?" The man replied: "yes". So he  said: "To both of them you jihad (devotion to)".

(HR Bukhari No: 2782)

Status: Sahih Hadith 

Learnings: 

1. Serving and doing good to parents is required such as helping from a financial point of view, care especially when they are unwell or old and to love them. 

2. Serving and being devoted to both parents is part of jihad. 

3. There was a friend whom the Prophet SAW did not allow to go to jihad and was asked to serve his two parents who were still alive. 

4. Devotion is also demanded after the death of parents.  Among them is fulfilling obligatory debts, which are debts with Allah SWT such as fasting, hajj, vows and also debts to humans.

Hadith of the Prophet SAW from Ibn Abbas RA, 

جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنَّ أُمِّي مَاتَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا صَوْمُ شَهْرٍ أَفَأَقْضِيهِ عَنْهَا قَالَ: نَعَمْ قَالَ: فَدَيْنُ اللَّهِ أَحَقُّ أَنْ يُقْضَى 

A man came to the Prophet SAW and said: O Messenger of Allah!  Indeed, my mother has passed away and unto her is Ramadan fasting (did not perform fasting).  Do I need to fast on his behalf?  The Prophet SAW said: "Yes, because the debt to God is more entitled to be fulfilled."

(HR Bukhari No: 1953) 

Do good to parents who have served us whether they are still alive or passed away.