Honor thy parents.

 

167. Honor thy parents: In the bible Moses and Jesus both place great emphasis on the children to honor their parents:  Judaism: Exodus 20:12 “Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which The LORD thy God giveth thee.” Leviticus 20:9 “For every one that curseth his father or his mother shall be surely put to death: he hath cursed his father or his mother; his blood shall be upon him.” This principle of honoring one’s parents is stressed so highly in the Holy Scriptures that it was a sentence of death for the children to disrespect their parents. Deuteronomy 5:16 “Honour thy father and thy mother, as The LORD thy God hath commanded thee; that thy days may be prolonged, and that it may go well with thee, in the land which The LORD thy God giveth thee.” Mainly Christ and Moses stress the honoring of one’s parents not the punishment that goes with the disrespect of one’s parents. This principle of honoring one’s parents is also found in the writings of the Bahá’í Faith:

BAHA’I FAITH: “As did previous Messengers of God, Bahá’u’lláh asks His followers to honor their parents.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Baha’i International Community, 1992, Magazine – The Baha’is)

 BABI RELIGION: “IT is seemly that the servant should, after each prayer, supplicate God to bestow mercy and forgiveness upon his parents. Thereupon God‘s call will be raised: ‘Thousand upon thousand of what thou hast asked for thy parents shall be thy recompense!‘ Blessed is he who remembereth his parents when communing with God. There is, verily, no God but Him, the Mighty, the Well-Beloved.”

(The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 93)

 JUDAISM: Proverbs 20:20 “Whoso curseth his father or his mother, his lamp shall be put out in obscure darkness.”  Christianity: Matthew 15:4 “For God commanded, saying, Honour thy father and mother: and, He that curseth father or mother, let him die the death.” Christ and Solomon both stress the respect one should have for one’s parents. Matthew 19:19 “Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”

BAHA’I FAITH: “Children Show honor to your parents and pay homage to them. This will cause blessings to descend upon you from the clouds of the bounty of your Lord, the Exalted, the Great.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Compilations, NSA USA – Developing Distinctive Baha’i Communities)

 CHRISTIANITY: Mark 10:19 “Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother.” The honoring of the parents is so important that God made it one of the Ten Commandments. Ephesians 6:1 “Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right.” Ephesians 6:2 “Honour thy father and mother;” Paul considers the honoring of one’s parents to be one of the very greatest commandments of the book of God.

BAHA’I FAITH: “Beware lest ye commit that which would sadden the hearts of your fathers and mothers. Follow ye the path of Truth which indeed is a straight path. Should anyone give you a choice between the opportunity to render a service to Me and a service to them, choose ye to serve them, and let such service be a path leading you to Me. This is My exhortation and command unto thee. Observe therefore that which thy Lord, the Mighty, the Gracious, hath prescribed unto thee.”

(Bahá’í Faith, Bahá’u’lláh: Ibid, Compilations, Lights of Guidance)

 BABI RELIGION: “I BEG Thy forgiveness, O my God, and implore pardon after the manner Thou wishest Thy servants to direct themselves to Thee. I beg of Thee to wash away our sins as befitteth Thy Lordship, and to forgive me, my parents, and those who in Thy estimation have entered the abode of Thy love in a manner which is worthy of Thy transcendent sovereignty and well beseemeth the glory of Thy celestial power.” “O my God! Thou hast inspired my soul to offer its supplication to Thee, and but for Thee, I would not call upon Thee. Lauded and glorified art Thou; I yield Thee praise inasmuch as Thou didst reveal Thyself unto me, and I beg Thee to forgive me, since I have fallen short in my duty to know Thee and have failed to walk in the path of Thy love.”

(The Bab, Selections from the Writings of the Bab, p. 210)

 ISLAM: 23. “Thy Lord hath decreed that ye worship none but Him, and that ye be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honor.” 24. “And, out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility, and say: ‘My Lord! bestow on them Thy Mercy even as they cherished me in childhood.”’

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah  17)

Islam: 83. “And (remember) when We made a covenant with the Children of Israel, (saying): Worship none save Allah (God) (only), and be good to parents and to kindred and to orphans and the needy, and speak kindly to mankind; and establish worship and pay the poor-due.”

(The Qur’an (Pickthall tr), Sura   2 – The Cow)

Islam: “Serve ye none but God (Allah), and to your two parents show kindness,”

(The Qur’an (E.H. Palmer tr), Sura   2 – The Heifer)

Islam: 83. “And remember We took a Covenant from the children of Israel (to this effect): worship none but Allah; treat with kindness your parents and kindred, and orphans and those in need; speak fair to the people; be steadfast in prayer; and practice regular charity. Then did ye turn back, except a few among you, and ye backslide (even now).”

(The Qur’an (Yusuf Ali tr), Surah   2)

Islam: “I asked Allah’s Apostle, ‘O Allah’s Apostle! What is the best deed?’ He replied, ‘To offer the prayers at their early stated fixed times.’ I asked, ‘What is next in goodness?’ He replied, ‘To be good and dutiful to your parents.”’

(Hadith, Bukhari Vol 4, Book 52, # 41)

 ZOROASTRIANISM: 7. “This I ask Thee, tell me truly, Ahura (God). Who created together with Dominion the precious Piety? Who made by wisdom the son obedient to his father? I strive to recognize by these things thee, O Mazda, creator of all things through the holy spirit.”

(Zoroaster, The Zend-Avesta, Avesta – Yasna 44)

 Zoroastrianism: Denkard. Zoroaster, “It is the duty of the child to be obedient and respectful to its father and to secure his love and keep him pleased.”

 HINDUISM: 162. “Let him never offend the teacher who initiated him, nor him who explained the Veda, nor his father and mother,”

(Hindu, Laws of Manu chapter 4)

 Hinduism: “Reprehensible is the son who does not protect his mother after her husband has died.”

(Hindu, Laws of Manu chapter 9)

 Hinduism: 2. “The son shall be devoted to his father, be of the same mind with his mother;”

(Hindu, Vedas, Atharva Veda)

 BUDDHISM: 23. “Good is filial devotion to one’s mother in the world, and devotion to one’s father is good.”

(Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 1 (tr. J. Richards))

 Buddhism: 23. “Happy is it to honour mother. Happy is it to honour father. Happy is it to honour ascetics. Happy is it to honour the Noble Ones.”

(Buddhist, Dhammapada – Sayings of the Buddha 3 (tr. J. Richards) chapter 23)

 SABEANISM: “It is incumbent on a pupil to honour his Master like his parents,” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapter 2)

Sabeanism: “Healing and victory be yours; My honoured First Parents Healing and victory be yours;” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapter 105)

Sabeanism: “It is incumbent to honour his (our) parents.” “Be there forgiveness of sins for me, and for my father and mother,” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapters 2 and 171)

Sabeanism: “Forgiveness of sins be there for me, for my father and mother, for my teacher, for my wife, for my offspring, Let there be forgiveness of sins for me! (thrice); for me and for my father, my mother,” (Sabeanism, Ginza Rba- chapter 410)