Honor parents, obey Allah first
“There is no obeying the creation if it means disobeying the Creator.”
Muslims must balance honoring parents and cultural traditions with uncompromising obedience to Allah and His Messenger, respectfully refusing family demands that normalize disobedience.
The khutbah in 6 steps
- Introduces a new Muslim jahiliyyah: following family culture over revealed guidance.
- Uses Surah al-Baqarah to warn against blindly following forefathers and gradually normalizing wrongdoing.
- Uses Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas and other companions to show faith may require resisting parental pressure.
- Clarifies that parents deserve honor and care, but not obedience in commands against Islam.
- Applies the principle to family disputes, intergenerational expectations, family ties, and wedding customs.
- Closes with the rule that obedience to creation cannot require disobedience to the Creator, followed by dua and prayer.
In the khateeb's words
“The devil does not tell you to do haram right away. The devil tells you it's halal though, it's okay.”
“We obey, cherish and revere our parents, so long as they are not commanding us to disobey Allah, or to disobey His Prophet, or to turn our backs away from what is clearly righteous.”
“There is no obeying the creation if it means disobeying the creator.”
For the dinner table
Today’s khutbah reminded us to keep our love and actions balanced by Allah’s guidance. The khateeb emphasized loving, cherishing, and respecting our parents while recognizing that obedience to them has limits when it means disobeying Allah. Even when we cannot follow a request, we should speak and act with kindness and show our parents mercy. He encouraged us to examine inherited customs and to learn from converts about the sacrifices involved in following Islam. He also urged our community to talk honestly about its own problems so that we can help one another grow.
- What could you say kindly when you believe something you are asked to do is wrong?
- Which family tradition helps you remember Allah, and how?
- What would you like to learn from someone who embraced Islam?
More on Family & marriage
Don't let a moment of disagreement turn into conflict where years of good are forgotten like that.14:45IAR Atwater · Southwest Raleigh, NC · Oct 31, 2026Protect relationships when disagreements arise
EPIC · Plano, TX · Oct 30, 2026Honor your mother while you still can“Call sometimes just because you want to hear her voice.”
We cannot have disrespectful parents disrespecting each other in the presence of their kids.22:41UMMA · Southfield, MI · Sep 19, 2026Faith shows in how we treat family