Absolute Justice, Kindness and Kinship — Page 379
— Part IV 370 In relation to this Quranic admonishment, the following tradition by Ab u Hurairah ra is quoted: Three times the Holy Prophet sa declared, 'may his nose bite the dust, may his nose bite the dust. ' (This is an Arabic phrase which is used to indicate that the person about whom one is talking has been disgraced and failed in his life. ) The Companions inquired 'O Messenger of Allah who is that person?' The Holy Messenger sa indicated in response that he is the one who found his parents in old age and failed to earn paradise by treating them with utmost kindness. 60 This may appear to be a small immaterial thing but if you look at the Western as well as the Eastern societies today, you will discover that children in both the societies are becoming increasingly careless of their parents. This problem is more prevalent in the Western societies and less in the Eastern societies but there, too, it is gradually spreading. As a result of this, society is generally suffering with growing miseries. The Holy Prophet sa however, repeatedly admonished his Companions to treat their parents with kindness in accordance with the Quranic teaching. He taught them elaborately and the rights of parents were so clearly explained that as a result, a most beautiful society came into being in the world. Once, a young Beduin complained in a tactless manner to the Holy Prophet sa that his father wanted to misappropriate his wealth. The Holy Prophet sa