On September 17, 2012, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed June 1 as the Global Day of Parents to be observed annually, honouring parents throughout the world. On May 27, 2023, the entire Merchant family remembered their loving dad and grandfather, Jehangir, on the 5th anniversary of his death.
I was personally by his side in 2018 when he left this world peacefully to return to his original abode. Of course, we also remembered our mum. She passed away on January 21, 2021. Were she alive today, the family would be celebrating her 92nd birthday a week from today, on June 9th.
I became aware of the Global Day of Parents late into the night of Thursday June, 1, through a tribute — along with a picture — that the United Nations Secretary General General, António Guterres, paid to his late parents in LinkedIn. He wrote:
“This Global Day of Parents I think of my mother Ilda and my father Virgílio. I will always cherish their nurture, encouragement and unconditional love. I am grateful for them and all parents worldwide committed to raising their children in a peaceful and healthy world.” Inspiring words, indeed.
While June 1 is Global Parents Day, we must be mindful that parents need care and support regularly. Many of us have lost one or both our parents, while others have both parents alive, some in good health and others facing extraordinary challenges. They depend on their children, the spouses of their children as well as grandchildren to provide them with comfort and companionship as they age.
Islam places a particular emphasis on devotion and being good to parents, as shown by the following verses in the Qur’an:
“Serve God, and associate naught with Him. Be kind to parents, and the near kinsman” — 4:36.
“Thy Lord has decreed you shall not serve any but Him, and to be good to parents, whether one or both of them attains old age with thee; say not to them ‘Fie’ neither chide them, but speak unto them words respectful, and lower to them the wing of humbleness out of mercy and say; ‘My Lord, have mercy upon them, as they raised me up when I was little.“ — Quran, 17:23-24.
“(And We have charged man concerning his parents — his mother bore him in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning was in two years — ‘Be thankful to Me, and to thy parents; to Me is the homecoming.” — 31:14.
‘You shall not serve any save God; and to be good to parents, and the near kinsman, and to orphans, and to the needy — 2:83.
“They will question thee concerning what they should expend. Say: ‘Whatsoever good you expend is for parents and kinsmen, orphans, the needy, and the traveller; and whatever good you may do, God has knowledge of it” — 2:215.
“Our Lord, forgive Thou me and my parents, and the believers, upon the day when the reckoning shall come to pass.” — 14:41.
“Lower to them the wings of humility out of compassion” — 17: 24.
“O John, take the Book forcefully; and We gave him judgment, yet a little child, and a tenderness from Us, and purity; and he was godfearing, and cherishing his parents, not arrogant, rebellious.” — 19:12-14.
“Give them company in the worldly affairs with appropriate courtesy and kindness” — 31:15.
These are beautiful verses for us to keep in mind. In this regard, mutual support between spouses for the care of both their parents is critical for family unity and harmony; it will ensure barakah (happiness) in both the worlds and give us peace of mind in our daily lives.
Date posted: June 2, 2023.
Last updated: June 3, 2023 (added Qur’anic verse 17-24.)
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English translations of Qur’anic verses quoted above by A. J. Arberry. Please visit Corpus Qur’an for upto 7 different translations of every verse in the Qur’an.
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