Hadith Text & Reference

"A man came to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and asked him for permission to go for Jihad. He said: 'Are your parents alive?' He said: 'Yes.' He said: 'Then strive for their sake.'"

Source: Sunan an-Nasa'i 3103, The Book of Jihad

Linguistic Analysis

The term "Jihad" here refers specifically to military combat (qital). The phrase "strive for their sake" (fa fīhimā fajāhid) uses the same root j-h-d, demonstrating that serving one's parents constitutes a form of jihad - a spiritual struggle of equal or greater merit than physical combat.

Primary Legal Ruling

This hadith establishes that serving one's living parents takes precedence over voluntary military jihad. When both parents are alive and require care, fulfilling their rights becomes the greater obligation and more rewarded act than participating in non-obligatory warfare.

Hierarchy of Obligations

Scholars classify this under the principle of "prioritizing nearer obligations over farther ones." The rights of parents (ḥuqūq al-wālidayn) are among the most emphasized duties in Islam, second only to the rights of Allah Himself. Only when parental care is ensured or in cases of obligatory defensive jihad (farḍ al-'ayn) may one depart.

Spiritual Jihad

The Prophet (ﷺ) redefined jihad in this context, teaching that the struggle against one's ego in serving parents, showing them patience, kindness, and fulfilling their needs constitutes a higher form of striving in Allah's path. This is the greater jihad (al-jihād al-akbar) against the self.

Practical Application

This ruling applies particularly to voluntary (mustaḥabb) military expeditions. If defensive jihad becomes obligatory upon every individual (farḍ al-'ayn), the ruling changes. However, even then, arrangements must be made for parental care. The hadith emphasizes that paradise lies at the feet of mothers, and disobedience to parents is among the major sins.