Without appreciating what people have done for us, and being thankful, we are not appreciating what Allah has done for us. Because when people help us, it is directly sent from Allah. He sends people as blessings and inspire them to help us, in some way. For example there was a person that was drowning in an ocean. He cried out, “Allah help me”, when there came a boat from nearby and helped him. He was thankful for being saved. In reality the help was sent from Allah. Allah`s help and love is sent us through people whom help us and mould us in the people we become. So when we are not thankful for those whom have helped us, we can clearly see that we are not thanking Allah.
Is There Any Big Problem?
Imagine your own birth, and your mother giving you away to an orphanage, were you are brought up, without siblings and the security of parents and family. You are only given the basics of education to cope with life and are sent out in the world to save yourself. Now imagine the reality of your life. You were born, with parents, and grew up with siblings and secure home with good education, and your basic need were fulfilled by your family. You grew up to be the young man/woman and your parents found a match and married you to a spouse that became your world. Now you have a job, a spouse, children and friends with a succesful prosperous life ahead of you. Is there any big problem?
Right Priorities?
Most of us might say no, alhamdolillah we are blessed. But are you grateful? Are you thankful of Allah? Are you taking care of your parents, now that they need you like you needed them when you were borned. Time changes and I have seen more of people neglecting their parents need when they get their own families. Mostly sons. They forget the fact that wouldn`t it be for their parents sacrificing their life from the time they were born, they wouldn`t be where they are today? How can they now, when their parents are old, and in need of care, forget their efforts? In fact, when they aren`t thankful to their parents, they are being ungrateful to Allah as well. Hadrat Jibrael as said that those whom have old parents and doesn`t earn Paradise because of that, will not earn Allah`s mercy, and Prophet Muhammad pbuh said aameen to that dua. We are told to be good to parents and treat them well, and remember their favours on our life. Still there are so many married children, that get so occupied in their life, that they forget it, or neglect it. Sometimes I wonder how their children will be with them, when they come in the same age. We can see that times are changing. Not only in western countries but now also in some muslim countries we have seen homes for the elderly, where their children leave them their, and mostly doesn`t contact them again.
How Can We Return The Favour?
When I see old Norwegians going somewhere alone, without any children or grandchildren, my heart cries in sorrow for them. This is a universal value, to be good do parents, no matter religion or ethnicity. If we are not demonstrating good treatment toward or elderly than the next generation will learn that from us, and we will see the fruit of our work. May Allah wake us before it is too late. Parents are a gift, that no matter how much time you spend with them, once they are away, one always feel that the time we spent with them wasn`t enough. May Allah reward our parents with good in this world and the next and may Allah give them infinite deeds multiplied with infinity for every difficulty they have gone through because of us or anyone else, and may Allah help us to take care of them as much as they deserve, and help us repay all their favour upon us and make us a sadqa jariryah for them. Aameen summa aameen.
Roshnii179 