Absolute Justice, Kindness and Kinship — Page 378
369 24 The Teaching of Justice and Kindness Regarding Relatives So far we have discussed relations between different nations and groups. Now I shall turn to the internal relationships among different tiers of society. Such tiers may comprise the relationship of parents with their children, children with their parents, brothers and sisters of a family and the relationship between close relatives and distant relatives etc. The Holy Quran has not disregarded any of these internal social divisions. I will begin with the rights of parents upon their children. The Rights of Parents upon their Children The Quran very strongly admonishes children to treat their parents not only with justice but with kindness: And We have enjoined on man concerning his parents—his mother bears him in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning takes two years—'Give thanks to Me and to your parents. Unto Me is the final return. ' (S u rah Luqm a n; Ch. 31: V. 15)