Is It a Major Sin to Criticize One’s Parents for Committing a Major Sin?
Answered by Mawlana Ilyas Patel
Question
If someone criticizes his parents and the criticism is valid, is he committing a major sin?
Suppose someone witnesses his mother engaging in adultery or lying and then labels her an adulterer or liar. Is he committing a grave sin?
Answer
In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful and Compassionate.
I pray you are well.
Thank you so much for your question and for asking for guidance and advice about a sensitive matter.
It is a sensitive matter to enjoin the good and the forbidding the evil when it comes to having to do it to our parents, elders, and leaders. If they commit a major sin, it has to be done with wisdom and love in the gentlest and most respectful of ways. Just so you know, one has to inform respectfully, as one is not responsible for enforcing. Thus, it would not be allowed to curse, shout and scold parents in any way, leading to a major sin.
Keep in mind the lofty position of parents in Islam, and be careful to treat them well and not to embarrass them or to be condescending.
Help them to move away from sinful matters if they are committing them by being helpful, giving them every moment of joy to be with them, around the house, and making them see the fruits of their upbringing you.
Always keep this prophetic hadith in mind: “Allah is gentle, likes gentleness, and gives for gentleness what he does not give for harshness.” [Abu Dawud]
May Allah (Most High) reward you for your concern, and efforts, and may you see the results soon, amin
Related:
How Do I Advise My Parents To Avoid Sins if It Annoys Them?
What Are the Criteria for Enjoining Good and Forbidding Evil?
I pray this helps with your question.
Wassalam,
[Mawlana] Ilyas Patel
Checked and Approved by Shaykh Faraz Rabbani
Mawlana Ilyas Patel is a traditionally-trained scholar who has studied within UK, India, Pakistan, Syria, Jordan, and Turkey. He started his early education in the UK. He went on to complete hifz of Quran in India, then enrolled into an Islamic seminary in UK where he studied the secular and ‘Aalimiyya sciences. He then traveled to Karachi, Pakistan. He has been an Imam in Rep of Ireland for a number of years. He has taught hifz of the Quran, Tajwid, Fiqh and many other Islamic sciences to both children and adults onsite and online extensively in UK and Ireland. He taught at a local Islamic seminary for 12 years in the UK where he was a librarian and a teacher of Islamic sciences. He currently resides in UK with his wife. His personal interest is love of books and gardening.
