By Ibrahim Kegbegbe
In the discourse of Islamic values, one question sometimes surfaces among believers: Are the Companions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) greater than one’s parents, or do parents hold a higher rank? A careful study of the Qur’an, Hadith, and the works of classical scholars shows that these two are not rivals but distinct bearers of honor, each occupying a divinely assigned place.
Parents in the Qur’an: Second Only to Allah’s Worship
The Qur’an emphasizes parental rights directly after the command to worship Allah. In Surat al-Isrāʾ (17:23–24), Allah decrees:
“And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him, and that you show kindness to your parents…”
In Surat Luqmān (31:14), Allah links gratitude to parents with gratitude to Him:
“Be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the [final] destination.”
The Prophet (peace be upon him) reinforced this teaching. Ibn Masʿūd (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated that when he asked the Prophet which deed was most beloved to Allah, he replied: “Prayer at its proper time.” Asked what comes next, he said: “Being dutiful to one’s parents.” Then: “Jihad in the path of Allah.” (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, 527; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, 85).
Imam al-Ghazālī, in Iḥyāʾ ʿUlūm al-Dīn, explained that dutifulness to parents is among the greatest forms of obedience, because parents are the visible cause of one’s existence, nurturing, and upbringing. He wrote that serving parents is a form of shukr (gratitude) to Allah, since He chose them as the means of our life.
The Qur’an on the Sahabah: Carriers of the Torch
The Qur’an also praises the Prophet’s Companions, recognizing their sacrifices in establishing Islam. In Surat al-Tawbah (9:100), Allah declares His eternal pleasure with the earliest Muhājirīn and Anṣār. In Surat al-Fatḥ (48:29), their devotion and humility in worship are praised.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: “Do not revile my Companions. For if one of you were to spend gold equal to Mount Uhud, it would not equal a handful (of what they gave), nor even half of it.” (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, 3673; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, 2541).
Ibn Taymiyyah, in Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā (Vol. 4, p. 419), stated that the Sahabah have a rank no later generation can reach, because they carried the responsibility of transmitting Islam directly from the Prophet. Their precedence is not due to lineage or privilege, but due to their faith and sacrifices.
Imam al-Qurṭubī, in his Tafsīr of Surat al-Tawbah (9:100), wrote that the divine pleasure upon the Sahabah is a clear testimony of their superiority in rank. However, he noted that this does not cancel the individual duties owed to parents, since each right belongs in its own category.
Parents vs. Sahabah: Two Different Rights
The Qur’an does not equate or oppose parents’ rights and the Sahabah’s rank. They operate in different domains. Parents have a direct right over their children—obedience, service, and supplication. The Sahabah, however, have a universal right over the Ummah, for without them Islam would not have reached us.
The Prophet (peace be upon him) gave a clear direction in this matter. When a man asked permission to join jihad, he said: “Are your parents alive?” The man replied yes. The Prophet said: “Then strive in their service, for that is your jihad.” (Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, 3004; Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, 2549).
Ibn Kathīr, in his Tafsīr of Surat Luqmān (31:14), stressed that the duty to one’s parents is so great that even jihad—except in cases where it is individually obligatory—does not take precedence over their service.
At the same time, Imam al-Nawawī, in his Sharḥ Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim (commentary on Hadith 2541), noted that while parents’ rights are the greatest among individual people, the rank of the Sahabah in the sight of Allah is loftier due to their foundational role in Islam.
A Balanced Understanding
The balanced position, therefore, is this:
Parents represent our immediate, personal duty, second only to Allah. To neglect them is a grave sin, and their service is a path to Paradise.
The Sahabah represent a universal rank, chosen and praised by Allah, and their sacrifices are unmatched by later generations.
As Ibn Taymiyyah summarized: “The Companions’ superiority is in rank, but parents’ right is in obligation.” (Majmūʿ al-Fatāwā, Vol. 4).
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Thus, the Muslim’s task is not to weigh one against the other, but to give each their due: honoring parents with tenderness and obedience, and honoring the Sahabah with reverence, defense, and supplication. This harmony reflects the Qur’anic vision of justice—“And give to everyone his due right” (Surat al-Nisāʾ 4:58).
