a man came to the Prophet accompanied by a son of his. He said to him: "Do you love him?" He said: "May Allah love you as I love him." Then he (the son) died and he noticed his absence and asked about him. He said: "Will it not make you happy to know that you will not come to any of the gates of Paradise but you will find him there, trying to open it for you?"
The Book of Funerals - Sunan an-Nasa'i 1870
This narration from Sunan an-Nasa'i presents profound consolation for bereaved parents who lose righteous children, demonstrating the Prophet's wisdom in comforting grieving hearts with divine promises.
Scholarly Commentary
The father's response "May Allah love you as I love him" exemplifies proper adab (etiquette) when speaking to the Prophet, combining respect with the expression of paternal affection.
The Prophet's subsequent consolation reveals that righteous children who die before their parents become intercessors and helpers in the Hereafter. They precede their parents to Paradise and await them at its gates.
This hadith contains immense comfort for believing parents, transforming earthly loss into eternal gain. The child becomes a perpetual means of joy and assistance in the afterlife.
The imagery of the child attempting to open Paradise's gates for the parent signifies the child's elevated status and continuous service to the parent in the Hereafter.
Legal and Spiritual Implications
This narration emphasizes that parental love for children is not only permissible but praiseworthy in Islam when channeled correctly.
It establishes that deceased Muslim children attain Paradise and occupy high stations, serving as comfort to parents and encouraging proper upbringing.
The hadith teaches the importance of visiting and consoling bereaved parents with reminders of divine mercy and eternal rewards.