Bahz ibn Hakim's grandfather said, "I asked, 'Messenger of Allah, to whom
should I be dutiful?' 'Your mother,' he replied. I asked, 'Then whom?' 'Your
mother,' he replied. I asked, 'Then whom?' 'Your mother,' he replied. I asked, 'Then to whom should I be
dutiful?' 'Your father,' he replied, 'and then the next closest relative
and then the next.'"
Narrated 'Ata' ibn Yasar said that a man came to Ibn 'Abbas and said, "I asked
a woman to marry me and she refused to marry me. Another man asked her and
she agreed to marry him. I became jealous and killed her. Is there any way
for me to repent?" He asked, "Is your mother alive?" "No," he replied. He
said, :
"I don't know of a deed closer to Allah, Exalted and Majestic, other than dutifulness to the mother."
Abu 'Amr ash-Shaybani said, "The owner of this house (and he pointed at
the house of 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud) said, "I asked the Prophet, may Allah
bless him and grant him peace, which action Allah loves best. He replied,
'Prayer at its proper time.' 'Then what?' I asked. He said, 'Then kindness
to parents." I asked, 'Then what?' He replied, 'Then jihad in the Way of
Allah.'" He added, "He told me about these things. If I had asked him to
tell me more, he would have told me more."
