Righteousness to parents is virtuous and highly rewarded in the here after and this life. There are many verses in the holy Qur’an and hadiths that encourage people to be good to their parents.

It is narrated that the Prophet (saw) said,

“I entered the paradise and I heard Qur’an recitation, I asked who was the man reciting the holy Qur’an. They said this Al-Haritha ibn Al-Nu’man (ra)…this is the reward of his righteousness to his parents.”

Lady Aisha (ra), the Prophet’s (saw) wife said,

“None excelled Uthman ibn Affan (ra) and Al-Haritha (ra) with regard to their righteousness to their parents.”

Uthman (ra) said,

“I have never gazed at my mother’s face since I have embraced Islam.”

Al-Haritha (ra) said,

“I used to clean my mother’s hair, feed her by my hand and I never argued with her about what she ordered me to do. I would just wait till she left, and then I would ask those who were sitting with her about what she said.”

These two people, and thousands of the companions, have been guided by the following holy verses of the Qur’an:

Thy Lord hath decreed that ye worship none but Him, and that ye be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honor. (17:23, Yousif Ali translation)

In this verse God has decreed that righteousness to parents is next to worship, moreover; words of contempt to them are not allowed in Islam.

Prophet Muhammad (saw), guided by his Lord, was emphatic on righteousness to parents. He was born orphan and six years later his mother died on her way to his father’s grave, he was with her. After sixty years, and three years before he died, he visited his mother’s grave and sobbed before her grave.

The Prophet (saw) said:

“Whoever wants to have his lifespan lengthened and his sustenance to be blessed, let him be righteous to his parents and maintain good relations with their relatives.”

The Prophet (saw) was keen on implementing the Qur’anic concept

“Don’t say to them aught.” It is narrated that a Bedouin came to the Prophet (saw) giving him the pledge to emigrate with him, the Bedouin left his parents crying at his departure. So the Prophet (saw) said to him, “Go back to your parents, and make them laugh as you made them cry.”

It is also narrated that the Prophet (saw) and his companions were sitting under a tree on the way between Makkah and Madinah; a strong, able man came to the Prophet (saw) and asked him to give him the chance to participate in holy war with him because he, as he said, martyrdom was his goal in life.

The Prophet (saw), through his foresight knew that he left behind old parents, asked him,

“Are your parents still alive?”

He replied,

“Yes, they are.”

“Go back to your parents, be good to them and thank them and God,” the Prophet (saw) said.

It is also narrated that a man came from Yemen to the Prophet (saw), the man asked the Prophet (saw) to give him the chance to participate in  his war against the enemies.

The Prophet (saw) asked,

“Have you left anybody behind you in Yemen?”

"Yes, my parents,"

replied the man.

"Have you asked for their permission?" said the Prophet (saw)."No, I haven't,"

said the man.

"Go back to them and ask their permission and if they agree, come back and if they do not, stay with them and be righteous to them,”

said the Prophet (saw).