This is the third in a series of translations of selections from the work Matali al-Budur fi jawami akhbar al-Burur by Sheikh Ahmed al-Sideeq al-Ghumari al-Hasani. This excellent book is a compilation of Hadith divided into over 80 chapters on the topic of being good to parents (Birr al-Walidayn). ‘Birr al-Walidayn’ can mean to show parents kindness, righteousness, obedience, to give them excellent companionship, and to maintain ties with them amongst many other meanings. In-sha-Allah I will be translating excerpts and adding some of the Sheikh’s commentary as footnotes. Wa billahi al-tawfiq.
Part 3 – The Necessity of Obeying Them
Abu al-Darda reported that:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ advised me regarding seven things. He said “(1) Do not associate partners with Allah, even if you are cut to pieces or burnt. (2) Do not abandon the prescribed prayers on purpose – whoever abandons them on purpose will be out of the protection of Allah. (3) Do not drink wine because it is the key to all evil. (4) Obey your parents, even if they command you to leave your worldly possessions, leave them for their sake. (5) Do not contest with the rulers (for power), even if you think you are alone upon the truth. (6) Do not flee from the advance of the army, even if you are killed and your companions flee. (7) Spend on your family from within your means, (8) do not raise your stick from your family, (9) and cause them to fear Allah, Mighty and Majestic.”
Bukhari in al-Adab al-Mufrad
Abu Hurayra reported that:
The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said “The obedience of Allah is in the obedience of the parents and the disobedience of Allah is in the disobedience of the parents.”
Reported by al-Tabarani with a hasan chain
The Ulema have agreed that obeying parents is necessary (wajib) as long as it is not in something which is agreed upon to be forbidden (haram). This is due to what was narrated by Bukhari and Muslim and others in a marfu Hadith from Sayiduna Ali:
There is no obedience in (that which entails) disobedience. Obedience is only regarding the good.
There is also the the marfu Hadith of Imran bin Husayn narrated by Imam Ahmed and al-Hakim:
There is no obedience to the creation in that which entails disobedience to The Creator.
Orthodox Muslim 