I always reminded my children and grandchildren that Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) emphatically stated “He is not one of us who does not have mercy on our young and does not respect our elders.” (Narrated by At-Tirmidhi). We learned from the Prophet's example on how to treat the elderly with honor and respect, a core value in the Islamic faith. Our community has taught us to always do good to someone older than we are.
I remember when serving as Chairman of Parent-Teacher Associations (PIBG) of several schools for the past 25 years, that in essence, all schools hold the view that respecting elders (especially parents and teachers) and obeying rightful authority are fundamental Islamic values. The baseline: a Muslim is duty-bound to be respectful, polite, and obedient in goodness towards those whom Islam has given a rank - be it age, scholar, parenthood, or leadership.
At a recent formal YSB Charity Dinner, whilst waiting for the arrival of royal guest-of-honor and entourage; my 6-year old grand-daughter, Ilyan Faqihah bt Haji Mohd Faiz, a pupil of Genius Aulad Preschool, posed a question to me, "Why does Islam place such stress on respecting elders & authority?"
I explained “From a logical standpoint, elders (like parents & grandparents) have invested time, love & resources into raising the next generation. It's only fair & just to show them gratitude and care in return. By respecting our elders, we're thanking God for the gift of upbringing & wisdom they passed to us."
I stressed that “Elderly people like me & your grandma have life experiences and wisdom that younger folks lack. Honoring them creates a culture where that wisdom is transmitted rather than discarded. Families that revere their elders benefit from continuity and learning from their past success & mistakes.”
I recall the Holy Quran (Surah 16: An. Nahl, verse 43) even directs every Muslim, “Ask those who know (the learned/experienced) if you do not know.”
Zulkifly Baharom (hajizul50@gmail.com) is a content creator under the Newswav Creator programme, where you get to express yourself, be a citizen journalist, and at the same time monetize your content & reach millions of users on Newswav. Log in to creator.newswav.com and become a Newswav Creator now!
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