Ibn 'Abbas said, "If any Muslim obeys Allah regarding his parents, Allah will open two gates of the Garden for him. If there is only one parent, then one gate will be opened. If one of them is angry, then Allah will not be pleased with him until that parent is pleased with him." He was asked, "Even if they wrong him?" "Even if they wrong him" he replied.
The Excellence of Obedience to Parents
This noble tradition from Ibn 'Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) establishes the profound spiritual reward for fulfilling the rights of parents. The opening of gates to Paradise signifies both ease of entry and elevated stations, with the number of gates corresponding to the number of parents one honors.
The Divine Connection
Allah's pleasure is intrinsically linked to parental satisfaction. When a parent is displeased, the Divine displeasure follows, regardless of the apparent justification. This demonstrates the sacred nature of the parent-child bond in Islamic teachings.
Unconditional Duty
The remarkable clarification that this obligation persists "even if they wrong him" removes any potential excuses. The child's duty remains intact regardless of parental shortcomings, though this does not extend to obeying them in disobedience to Allah.
Scholarly Commentary
The scholars explain that while one must maintain good conduct toward parents even when mistreated, this does not require enduring physical harm. The wisdom lies in balancing rights - maintaining respectful behavior while protecting oneself from actual harm, always striving to reconcile and seek their pleasure through lawful means.