Respect for Elders – Parents in Particular

Allah Almighty instructs humanity to reciprocate their parents’ devotion to their well-being and education through tender, kind and thoughtful consideration for them in their old age. Qur’anic references include:

For your Lord has ordered you not to worship any except Him. He also commanded you to be good to your parents. Should either or both of them reach old age and need care, do not behave irritably or reproach and reject them but always respond to them gently.

Treat them with humility and tenderness and pray, ‘Lord be merciful to them, as they were to me when I was little.’
Your Lord is aware of what is in your heart and how you behave [towards His Creation]. He is All-Forgiving to those who repent. (Qur’an 17:23-25)

Here, as well as in ayah 151of Sarah 6, Allah Almighty links His order – not to worship any other than Him – with His command to treat parents well,
Come, I will clarify what Allah really prohibits, do not associate anyone or anything with Him; and be good to your parents … (Qur’an 6:151)

These two commands are linked in order to emphasize the significance of parental rights. The assertion ‘Allah is Divine’ separates atheist from Muslim, as does obedience to heavenly injunctions.

Society depends on parents maintaining responsibility for the care, nurture and education of their offspring – and this is balanced by the reciprocal responsibility to be good to parents. (The Core of Islam – Chapter 4: Social Behavior, Author: Sayyid Fadhil Milani)”

IEC values the contributions and efforts of the elders in the community. For without their diligent effort, the community would not be what it is today. IEC takes this responsibility of reciprocating the contributions of the elders in the community very dearly and is working to establish an Adult Day Care wherein the community elders are provided and taken care during the day hours. Please reach out to IEC Management for more details on this initiative.