A Hundred Pilgrimages a Day

The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) said: “Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) will record an accepted Hajj in favour of a pious child who casts an affectionate glance upon his parents, for every glance he casts upon them.” The Companions asked: “Even if he casts a hundred glances upon them every day?” The Messenger of Allah (sal Allahu alaihi wa sallam) replied: “Yes. Allah is much greater (than you imagine) and pure (of all defects such as miserliness).”

When we are young and dependent on our parents we naturally love them. But as we grow we become less and less dependent on them. In addition, conflicts of interest begin to arise, between our pleasing them and pleasing ourselves. So, we unfortunately begin to disrespect our parents. Their shortcomings begin to bother us while the sacrifices they made for our sake are invisible to us.

He who remembers that there are not two parties involved here but three (myself, my parents, and Allah!) will remember that it is Allah (subhana wa ta’ala) we have to be concerned about pleasing! For such a person then, casting affectionate glances upon their parents is easy.