Beauty of Clear Visions

The beauty of having a clear vision is that as much as it tells you what to do, it clearly tells you what not to do. When you say that your vision is to be in Islamabad next week, you are saying that you will not be in Quetta, Lahore, Istanbul, or any other city worldwide!

When you declare your intent to marry a widow who is a scholar of Islam, you are saying that all the virgins in the world, however beautiful, wealthy, or religious, are not an option at all.

Remember, sometimes, knowing what not to do is more important than knowing what to do. That‘s why when you seek guidance from a seasoned murabbi (a religious mentor), he shall first ask you to repent and avoid sins before telling you about virtuous deeds.

Look at how Allah (SWT) guides us from His (SWT) infinite knowledge and wisdom when he teaches us how to deal with our parents:

وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا ۚ إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ الْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُل لَّهُمَا أُفٍّ وَلَا تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوْلًا كَرِيمًا

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. (17:23) (Sahih International)

Allah (SWT) tells us to treat our parents in the best of manners (ؿحساا), and He (SWT) further elaborates by telling us what not to do first (saying Uff) and then tells us to speak to them with kindness. The word “Uff” used in verse 23 of Surah 17 (Al-Isra) is the mildest word of disrespect.

Mufti Mohammed Shafi, in his Tafseer, M‘uaraful Quran writes about these Ayahs: “This proves that, after the obligation of worshipping the most exalted Allah, obeying parents is most important and being grateful to parents like being grateful to Allah Ta‘ala is wajib (necessary).

This has its confirmation in the Hadith of Sahih al-Bukhari where a person reportedly asked the Holy Prophet (SAS): “Which is the most favored deed in the sight of Allah?” He said, “Salah at its (mustahabb: preferred) time.” The person asked again, “Which is the most favored deed after that?” To that he said, “Treating parents well.” (Qurtubi)

Here are some of the Ahadith that Mufti Shafi Saheb has quoted in his Tafseer:

1. According to a report from Sayyidna Abdullah ibn ‘Umar appearing in Jami‘ al-Tirmidhi and al-Mustadrak of al-Hakim (which Hakim rates as Sahih), the Holy Prophet (SAS) said, “The pleasure of Allah is in the pleasure of a father and the displeasure of Allah in the displeasure of a father.”
2. Ibn Majah reports on the authority of Sayyidna Abu Umamah that a person asked the Holy Prophet (SAS): “What rights do parents have on their children?” He said, “They both are your Paradise, or Hell.” It means that obeying and serving parents take one to Jannah and their disobedience and displeasure, to Jahannam
3. Al-Baihaqi (in Shu‘ab al-‘Iman) and Ibn Asakir have reported on the authority of Sayyidna Ibn Abbas that the Holy Prophet (SAS) said, “For one who remained obedient to his parents for the sake of Allah two gates of Paradise shall remain open. And for one who disobeyed them two gates of Hell shall remain open, and if he had just one of the two, either father or mother, then one gate (of Paradise or Hell) shall remain open.” Thereupon, someone asked, “Does it (the warning of Hell) hold good even when the parents have been unjust to this person?” Then he said thrice: ‘Yes, there is that warning of Hell against disobeying and hurting parents even if they were unjust to the son.’ (The outcome is that children have no right to settle scores with parents. If they have been unjust, it does not follow that they too back out from obeying and serving them).
4. In Shu‘ab al-‘Iman, al-Baihaqi has reported on the authority of Sayyidna Abu Bakrah that the Holy Prophet (SAS) said, “As for all those other sins, Allah Ta‘ala defers whichever He wills up to the Last Day of Qiyamah—except the sin of depriving parents of their rights and disobeying them. The punishment for that is given, much before comes the Hereafter, right here in this world as well.” (All Hadith reports given here have been taken from Tafsir Mazhari)