- Birr Al-Walidain (Kindness to Parents) is obligatory upon all muslims, even concerning non-believing parents.
- Linguistically, it is derived from the verb Barra which points to truthfulness, righteousness kindness and good conduct.
The prophet (ﷺ) said:
الْبِرُّ حُسْنُ الْخُلُقِ* وَالإِثْمُ مَا حَاكَ فِي صَدْرِكَ وَكَرِهْتَ أَنْ يَطَّلِعَ عَلَيْهِ النَّاسُ
The essence of Birr is (manifested in) good morals (Akhlaq) whereas sinful conduct is that which turns in your heart (making you feel uncomfortable) and you dislike that it other people become aware of it.
- Regarding parents and relatives, Birr pertains to obeying their orders (except in the disobedience of Allah ﷻ), and *fulfilling their needs* and requirements. Its opposite is ‘Uquq عُقُوق’, which pertains to disrespect and neglecting/disregarding (their) rights.
Branches of Faith: Kindness to Parents (P1)