Life is different for sure
when we have lost someone that has been so dear to us. Especially if the one that has gone is our parents. The longing and missing to hold them, to talk to them, to just see them again for one last time will mean so much to us if we get the chance.
Remember how tender their love for us, their children? How they took care when we were sick when we need attention? We just miss that, don't we? When we were small our parents mean everything, especially their kisses and hugs that able to heal
everything. But did you realize as we start to grow older, be a teenager, an adult we kind of "no longer" need the care and kisses and hugs? We feel like we are old enough to start and care of our own life. How we sometimes prioritize our friends more than our parents? How we don't really "care" they stayed up all night waiting for us to come home? We miss that, we miss their presence in our lives and now that they are gone, sometimes tears just fall when we reminisce back the
memories.
As a child what can we do to honor our parents? How can we help to ease their life in the Hereafter? To make sure both our beloved parents will reach Paradise?
“When a person dies, all his deeds come to an end except three: ongoing charity, beneficial knowledge (which he has left behind), or a righteous child who will
pray for him.” (At Tirmidhi)
Thus, it is understood that the kindness and gratitude we are obliged to show our parents should be continued even after their death.
The above hadith indicates that a righteous child benefits his deceased parents with du'a. Just like how our success now is from the magic and barakah of our parents' endless du'a. It is further
explained that a child can benefit them by spending sadaqah, as well as doing other charitable deeds, on their behalf.
The reason for this is that a parent benefits himself by rearing his child, according to the teachings of Islam and exerting a consistent effort to raise him as a righteous person. As the child grows into adulthood and does righteous deeds, his
parents deserve merit in that they helped him accomplish that and his good actions are, therefore, at least in part, from his parents' earning.
Moreover, this is not only for our parents, but for ourselves. Respect for parents is key to the gates of Paradise. By upholding the commands of God and giving parents the affection and love due to them, we
receive the reward of eternal bliss. So it is like we kill two birds with one stone.
Hence, let us prepare and train ourselves to be a worthy and righteous person not just for our own sake but for our parents.
Being a parent is never a burden, it's loving a child wholeheartedly and unconditionally for eternity. How can we ever repay that?
Inspire change in yourselves for the benefits of others!
p/s: It doesn't hurt to spend a little that will save you both in Dunya and Akhirah
right?
