If Allah the Almighty had known anything lower than that...

If Allah the Almighty had known anything lower than that, He would surely have forbidden it.”[^8] Imam as-Sadiq (a.s.) said, “Anyone who looks towards his parents with hatred, even if they had been unjust to him, Allah shall not accept his salat .” There are many such ahadith . ^9 As opposed to the above is being kind to one’s parent s which indeed is the best means of attaining the pleasure of Almighty Allah.

He has said in the holy Qur’an: “…and lower for them the wings of humility out of mercy, and say, ‘My Lord!

Have mercy on them as they had nourished me when I was an infant.’” (17:24) Ibrahim bin Shu‘ayb narrated that he said to Imam as-Sadiq (a.s.), “My father has become very old and weak so much so that we carry him [to the toilet] when need be.” He said, “If you can help him in that, then do so, and [also] feed him with your hand because this [service] will be a shield [against the hell-fire] for you tomorrow [i.e., in the next world].”[^10] Maintaining the ties with one’s mother before the father has also been mentioned in many noble ahadith .

Imam as-Sadiq (a.s.) said, “A person came to the (s.a.w.) and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! To whom should I do a good deed?’ He replied, ‘To your mother.’ Then the person asked, ‘Then who?’ The Prophet replied, ‘Your mother.’ Then the person asked, ‘Then who?’ The Prophet replied, ‘Your mother.’ Then the person asked, ‘Then who?’ The Prophet answered, ‘Your father.’”[^11] (See the question-answer section below.) In some ahadith the right of the eldest brother over the younger ones has been mentioned.

This right should be observed and implemented in order to strengthen the ties of brotherhood within the single family and to guarantee its survival as a strong and well-knit structure if and when it goes through a rough patch.

The (s.a.w.) said, “The right of the eldest brother over the younger ones is like the right of the father over his child.”[^12] Besides the guardian of the child or someone authorized by him, no one is allowed to physically punish a child when he commits a forbidden act or causes harm to others. The guardian and someone authorized by him are allowed to discipline a child.

[However, there are limits that must be observed:] the act of, say, hitting should be light, not agonizing, and should not be such that it leaves bruises on the child’s skin; that it should not exceed three hits [in one instance]; and that also only when disciplining the child depends on corporal punishment.