Islam - Its Meaning for Modern Man — Page 225
225 be given to a duty owed in respect of benefits received in the past as against an inclination to yield to the natural instinct of love or to do that which might hold out the hope of benefits to be received in the future. In this context, love of parents and the duty owed to them stands higher than the love of children and the duty owed to them. In the case of the latter, the natural instinct does not need to be stimulated, but has to be regulated to check indulgence. The Quran has put the duty owed to parents in close juxtaposition to the duty owed to God. “Thy Lord hath commanded that ye worship none but Him and that ye conduct yourselves towards your parents with beneficence. If one of them or both of them attain old age with thee, never say unto them any word expressive of annoyance, nor reproach them, but address them with kindly speech; and lower to them the wing of humility out of tenderness, and pray, ‘My Lord, have mercy on them, even as they nourished me tenderly in my childhood’” (17:24 ⎯ 25). Again: “We have enjoined on man concerning his parents ⎯ his mother bears him in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning takes two years ⎯ ‘Be grateful to Me and to thy parents. Unto Me is the final return’” (31:15). Yet again: “We have enjoined on man to conduct himself beneficently toward his parents. His mother bears him with pain, and brings him forth in