FIRSTLY: That the obligation of obedience to the parents and their rights is an obligation laid down by Allaah ta'aalaa in His Book and upon the tongue of His Messenger sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), that is the basis for it - nothing else i.e. it is an obligation because Allaah ta'aalaa made it such. Allaah ta'aalaa says:

Thy Lord hath decread that ye worshlp none but Him, and that ye be kind to parents.~l

SEC0NDLY: In the Aayahs where Allaah ta'aalaa orders good treatment of parents, He precedes it with the order to worship Him alone - He says:

...... Worship none but Allaah; Treat with kindness your parents..... "2

and He says: Serve Allaah, and join not any partners w{th Him; Be good to parents......" 3

and He says:

...... join not anything as equal with Him; Be good to parents...... "4

"And He has enjoined on man (to be good) to his parents: travail upon travail did his mother bear him, and in years twain was his weaning; (Hear the Command), 'Show gratitude to Me and to thy parents: to Me is (thy final) goal. " "5

THIRDLY:

Obedience to parents just like obedience to those in authority is subservient to obedience to Allaah and His Megsenger (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam). Therefore if obedience to parents clashes with obedience to Allaah and His Messenger (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) then parents must be disobeyed on that point.

Alee (radhiAllaahu 'anhu) reports that the Messenger (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam) said:

'There is no obedience to anyone in disobedience to Allah, verily obedience is in that which is correct .~ 6

And as regards obedience to the Messenger (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), then the Aayahs obligating that are many, and Allaah ta'aalaa says:

"We sent not an Apostle, but to be obeyed, in accordance with the Will of Allaah."7

And Abu Hurayrah (radhiAllaahu 'anhu) reports that Allah's Messenger (sallallaahu 'alaihi wa sallam), said

~He who obeys me has obeyed Allah and he who disobeys me has disobeyed Allah, and he who obeys the Ameer has obeyed me and he who disobeys the Ameer has disobeyed me .8

In tafseer of Aayah 83 of Sooratul-Baqarah, Ibn Katheer says."Allaah the Blessed and Most High, reminds Banee Israaeel of these orders which He gave them and took their covenant upon and that they had turned away from that, all of it, knowingly and deliberately - while