Your phone rings. It’s your mother. You look at the screen. You could answer. But you’re tired. You’re busy. You’re watching something. You’ll call her back later.
You don’t.
Three days pass. She calls again. This time you’re with friends. You decline the call. Send a quick text: “Busy, will call you back.” You don’t. A week goes by. Your father leaves a voicemail. You listen to five seconds of it and delete it. “I’ll deal with it tomorrow,” you tell yourself.
There’s something you don’t understand. Something that should make your blood run cold. Every single moment of neglect, every harsh word, every eye roll, every time you chose literally anything over them—it’s all being recorded. And on the Day of Judgment, according to Islamic eschatological teachings documented by scholars across generations, your parents won’t just be witnesses. They’ll be testifying. Against you.
The Sin You Don’t Think Is That Serious
Disobedience to parents—Islamic scholars call it ‘Uquq al-Walidayn—is classified as one of the major sins in Islam. Not a minor mistake. Not something you can brush off. A major sin. Right up there with shirk.
Anas ibn Malik رضي الله عنه narrated, as recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari (Book 78, Hadith 5977) and Sahih Muslim (Book 1, Hadith 126): The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was asked, “What are the greatest sins?” The Prophet ﷺ responded, “To associate partners with Allah, and to be disobedient to one’s parents.” He was reclining, and then he sat up and said, “And false testimony, and false testimony,” and he continued repeating this until it was said, “We wished he would stop.”
Notice what Islamic scholars emphasize when teaching this hadith: The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was reclining—relaxed—and then he sat up when mentioning disobedience to parents. He repeated “false testimony” multiple times because of its severity, but he placed parental disobedience immediately after shirk—associating partners with Allah ﷻ.
If that doesn’t terrify you, you haven’t understood what it means, as traditional Islamic scholarship consistently emphasizes. You’re treating your parents with disrespect, neglect, or outright cruelty, and according to authentic prophetic warnings documented by hadith scholars, you’re committing a sin that’s second only to worshipping something other than Allah ﷻ.
[Surah Al-Isra, Ayah 23-24]
“And your Lord has decreed that you not worship except Him, and to parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as], ‘uff,’ and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word. And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, ‘My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small.'”
Don’t say “uff” to them. According to classical Arabic linguistic analysis documented by Islamic scholars who studied the Quran’s language, “uff” is the smallest possible expression of annoyance—basically a sigh, a grunt, an eye roll. Allah ﷻ didn’t just say “don’t curse them” or “don’t hit them.” He said don’t even make the smallest sound of irritation, as scholars emphasize when explaining the comprehensiveness of this prohibition.
Yet you do more than “uff.” You yell. You argue. You ignore their calls. You talk back. You disrespect them in front of others. You prioritize your friends, your spouse, your job, your entertainment—literally everything—over them. And according to Islamic teachings documented by scholars across generations, you think it’s normal. You think everyone does it. You think it doesn’t matter that much.
It matters more than almost anything else you’ll ever do.
The Dua That Gets Answered Immediately
Here’s something that should keep you awake tonight. The dua of a parent against their child is answered quickly—sometimes immediately.
Abdullah ibn Amr رضي الله عنهما narrated that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, as documented by Islamic scholars studying supplications with immediate response: “There are three supplications that are answered without doubt: the supplication of someone who has been wronged, the supplication of a traveler, and the supplication of a parent for their child.”
Read that again. The supplication of a parent for OR against their child. When your mother, hurt and broken by your behavior, raises her hands and says “Ya Allah, guide him” or “Ya Allah, show her what she’s doing to me”—that dua doesn’t wait in a queue. It doesn’t get reviewed. According to Islamic teachings documented by scholars, it goes straight to Allah ﷻ.
And if she’s so hurt, so broken, so fed up with your disrespect that she makes dua against you? That dua is even more dangerous.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ warned: “Do not make dua against yourselves, and do not make dua against your children, and do not make dua against your wealth, lest you coincide with a time when Allah answers supplications and He responds to you.”
Think about that moment, as Islamic spiritual guides emphasize when teaching about the weight of parental pain. Your mother, after years of raising you, sacrificing for you, staying up nights worrying about you—after being disrespected one too many times, makes dua out of pain: “Ya Allah, make him understand what he’s doing to me.”
That dua reaches Allah ﷻ. Sometimes the answer comes in forms you never expected. Loss. Difficulty. Hardship. Things that force you to understand—too late—what you put her through.
[Surah Luqman, Ayah 14-15]
“And We have enjoined upon man [care] for his parents. His mother carried him, [increasing her] in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years. Be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the [final] destination. But if they endeavor to make you associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge, do not obey them but accompany them in [this] world with appropriate kindness and follow the way of those who turn back to Me [in repentance]. Then to Me will be your return, and I will inform you about what you used to do.”
Paradise Under Her Feet—But You’re Stepping On Her Heart
You’ve heard the saying. “Paradise is under the feet of your mother.” It’s quoted at every Islamic lecture, every Friday sermon, every Mother’s Day post on social media.
But do you understand what it actually means? According to scholarly analysis of this hadith preserved in classical Islamic texts, it means your path to Jannah literally goes through her. Her pleasure with you. Her satisfaction with your behavior. Her heart being at peace with how you treat her.
Mu’awiyah ibn Jahimah As-Sulami رضي الله عنه came to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and asked permission to go on a military expedition, as narrated in an authentic hadith recorded by Imam Ahmad in his Musnad (Hadith 15511) and authenticated by scholars including Shaykh Shu’ayb Al-Arna’ut. The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ asked him: “Do you have a mother?” He said, “Yes.” The Prophet ﷺ said, “Stay with her, because Paradise is beneath her feet.”
Not “Go fight in jihad, that’s more important.” Not “Prioritize this other act of worship.” The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ told him that serving his mother was more important than going to battle for Islam. Let that sink in, as scholars emphasize when teaching about the hierarchy of Islamic obligations.
Your mother. The woman who carried you for nine months—according to Quranic description, in “weakness upon weakness,” documented by scholars who explain the physical toll of pregnancy. The woman who gave up her body, her sleep, her comfort, her entire life for you. The woman who would still die for you without hesitation, as Islamic teachings consistently emphasize regarding motherly love.
And how do you treat her?
You talk to her like she’s stupid. You get annoyed when she asks you questions. You’re embarrassed by her in front of your friends. You forget to call her for weeks. You promise to visit and cancel at the last minute. You’re glued to your phone when she’s trying to talk to you, as scholars note when discussing modern forms of disrespect not imaginable in previous generations.
Paradise is under her feet. But you’re stepping on her heart.
The Companion Who Made Her Convert
Let me tell you a story that should break you, documented in authentic Islamic historical sources preserved by scholars who chronicled the lives of the companions.
Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه—the companion who narrated more hadith than anyone else, a man so dedicated to learning that he sacrificed marriage and wealth just to memorize the words of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ—had a mother who wasn’t Muslim, as recorded by early Islamic biographers whose works remain foundational to Seerah studies.
Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه would try to tell her about Islam, and she would reject it. She would say hurtful things about Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. But he never gave up on her. He never yelled at her. He never cut her off. He kept treating her with kindness, with respect, with service—even though she wasn’t Muslim, as emphasized by scholars who teach this story to illustrate the unconditional nature of parental rights.
One day, after she said something particularly painful about the Prophet ﷺ, Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه went to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ crying and said, as narrated in authentic reports documented by hadith scholars: “O Messenger of Allah, pray to Allah to guide my mother to Islam.”
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ made dua for her. That same day, when Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه returned home, he found his mother taking a bath (preparing for ghusl). She called out to him to wait outside. When she came out, she said: “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is His slave and messenger.”
Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه went back to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, crying again—but this time with joy, as documented in Islamic biographical literature studied by scholars across centuries.
And after she became Muslim, whenever Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه would leave his house, he would stand at his mother’s door and say: “As-salaamu alaykum, yaa ummataah, wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu—Peace be upon you, mother, and the mercy and blessings of Allah.” And she would reply: “Wa alayka-s salaam, yaa bunayya, wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuhu—And upon you be peace, my son, and the mercy and blessings of Allah.”
He would also say: “May Allah have mercy on you as you cared for me when I was small.” And she would reply: “May Allah have mercy on you as you delivered me from error when I was old.”
That’s how a companion of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ treated his mother, as scholars emphasize when teaching about excellence in character. Even before she was Muslim. Even when she hurt him. With respect. With kindness. With duas for her guidance—not against her, as traditional Islamic ethical teachings consistently emphasize.
Now compare that to how you treat your Muslim mother who raised you in Islam, sacrificed everything for you, and all she wants is a phone call once in a while.
What They’ll Say on the Day of Judgment
According to Islamic eschatological teachings preserved by scholars who studied Quranic verses and prophetic traditions about the Day of Resurrection, on the Day of Judgment, every single relationship will be judged. Parent-child. Spouse-spouse. Sibling-sibling. But the parent-child relationship holds a weight that scholars consistently emphasize as second only to one’s relationship with Allah ﷻ.
Abdullah ibn Amr رضي الله عنهما narrated, as recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari (Book 78, Hadith 5973) and Sahih Muslim (Book 1, Hadith 130): The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, “One of the greatest sins is for a man to curse his own parents.” The companions رضي الله عنهم asked, “O Messenger of Allah, how can a man curse his own parents?” He replied, “He insults another man’s father, so that man insults his father in return. He insults another man’s mother, so that man insults his mother in return.”
Even causing your parents to be insulted is considered cursing them. Because you’re responsible for the harm that comes to them through your actions.
Now imagine the Day of Judgment. You’re standing there, and your parents are called to testify about you. About how you treated them. Every conversation. Every broken promise. Every time you chose your friends over them. Every lie you told them. Every moment of disrespect.
What will they say? They can’t lie on that Day—no one can. They’ll tell the truth. About the day you screamed at your mother in public. About the time your father asked for help and you were “too busy.” About the years you barely visited them. About how they cried themselves to sleep wondering where they went wrong in raising you.
[Surah Al-Zilzal, Ayah 7-8]
“So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it, and whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.”
An atom’s weight, as classical Islamic exegesis emphasizes. Every tiny act of disrespect. Every small moment of neglect. It’s all there. And according to Islamic teachings documented by scholars, your parents will testify to it.
The Rights You’re Violating Every Day
Parents have over their children, based on Quranic commands and prophetic traditions. These aren’t suggestions. They’re obligations.
First: Speaking to them with respect. Not just avoiding cursing—avoiding even the sound “uff,” as the Quran commands. According to scholarly interpretation preserved in classical Islamic texts, this means no eye-rolling, no sighing, no annoyed tones, no talking back, no raising your voice.
When was the last time you spoke to your mother the way you speak to your boss? With careful words, watching your tone, thinking before you respond? Your mother deserves infinitely more respect than your boss—yet you save your patience and politeness for strangers while giving her your worst behavior.
Second: Prioritizing their needs. Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrated, as recorded in Sahih al-Bukhari (Book 78, Hadith 5971) and Sahih Muslim (Book 32, Hadith 2548): A man came to the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and asked, “Who is most deserving of my good companionship?” The Prophet ﷺ said, “Your mother.” The man asked, “Then who?” The Prophet ﷺ said, “Your mother.” The man asked again, “Then who?” The Prophet ﷺ said, “Your mother.” The man asked yet again, “Then who?” The Prophet ﷺ said, “Your father.”
Three times mother, then father, as Islamic scholars emphasize when teaching about the ranking of parental rights. Not because fathers don’t matter, but because, mothers endure pregnancy, childbirth, and nursing—suffering that fathers don’t experience.
Yet you prioritize everyone else. Your spouse’s demands. Your children’s wants. Your friends’ invitations. Your job requirements. And your parents? They get whatever time is left over—which according to your behavior documented in how you actually live, is usually nothing.
Third: Making dua for them. One of the greatest gifts you can give your parents is consistent supplication for them, especially after their death when they can no longer earn good deeds themselves.
When was the last time you sincerely, from your heart, made dua for your parents? Not a rushed “Ya Allah forgive my parents” tacked onto the end of your prayer. A real, heartfelt dua where you cried for them the way they cried for you when you were sick.
[Surah Ibrahim, Ayah 40]
“My Lord, make me an establisher of prayer, and [many] from my descendants. Our Lord, and accept my supplication. Our Lord, forgive me and my parents and the believers the Day the account is established.”
What You Need to Do Before It’s Too Late
Stop reading for a moment. Think about your parents. Right now. They’re getting older. Weaker. They won’t be here forever. And when they’re gone, you can’t fix this. You can’t apologize to them. You can only make dua and hope it reaches them.
But they’re still here now. Allah ﷻ is giving you time. Opportunity. A chance to make things right before it’s too late.
First: Call them. Today. Not tomorrow. Not when you have time. Right now. Tell them you love them. Tell them you’re sorry. Tell them they matter more than your phone, your Netflix, your friends, your convenience.
Second: Serve them. If they’re elderly and living with you, caring for them is your honor—not your burden. Help them with things they can’t do anymore. Be patient when they repeat themselves. Don’t show annoyance when they need you for the tenth time today.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, as recorded in Sahih Muslim (Book 32, Hadith 6180) and emphasized by Islamic scholars teaching about parental rights: “May he be humiliated, may he be humiliated, may he be humiliated.” It was said, “Who, O Messenger of Allah?” He said, “The one who finds his parents in old age, one or both of them, and does not enter Paradise [by serving them].”
Three times he said “may he be humiliated,” as scholars emphasize when teaching about the severity of this warning. If you can’t earn Paradise by serving your elderly parents—the easiest path to Jannah—then you’re truly lost.
Third: Ask for their forgiveness. For every harsh word. Every missed call. Every broken promise. Every moment of disrespect. Don’t wait for them to bring it up. Go to them. Humble yourself. Cry if you need to. Get their forgiveness while you still can.
Fourth: Make sincere dua for them. Every single prayer. After every salah. In the last third of the night. During Ramadan. On Fridays. Beg Allah ﷻ to forgive them, to have mercy on them, to grant them Paradise without account.
[Surah Al-Isra, Ayah 24]
“And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, ‘My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small.'”
The Reality You Can’t Escape
You can’t unknow this now. You can’t read about the status of parents in Islam—documented through Quranic verses, prophetic traditions, and scholarly consensus across fourteen centuries—and then continue treating them carelessly.
On the Day of Judgment, you’ll stand before Allah ﷻ, and He’ll ask you about your parents. About the rights they had over you. About how you fulfilled—or violated—those rights.
And your parents will be there. They won’t be able to lie for you. They won’t be able to cover for you. They’ll testify. About everything. The truth. The whole truth. About the daughter who was too busy for her mother’s phone calls. About the son who spoke to his father with disrespect. About the child who forgot their parents the moment they got married, as traditional Islamic ethical teachings warn against.
The Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said, as narrated in Sunan Ibn Majah (Hadith 3664) and authenticated by scholars of hadith: “One of the major sins is for a person to curse his parents.” It was asked, “O Messenger of Allah, how can a person curse his parents?” He said, “By insulting another person’s father, who then insults his father, or by insulting another person’s mother, who then insults his mother.”
Every action has a consequence, as Islamic theology consistently emphasizes. Every moment of neglect leaves a mark. Every harsh word is recorded. And one day you’ll face it all—with your parents standing there as witnesses.
Don’t let that day come while they’re hurt. While they’re waiting for a call you never made. While they’re wondering why the child they sacrificed everything for can’t spare them five minutes of their time.
Call them. Today. Now. While you still can. Paradise is under their feet—but it starts with how you treat their hearts.