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."
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.'"
Abu Hurayra said, "The Prophet was asked, 'Messenger of Allah, to whom
should I be dutiful?' 'Your mother,' he replied. He was asked, 'Then whom?'
'Your mother,' he replied. He was asked, 'Then whom?' 'Your mother,' he replied.
He was asked, 'Then
whom?' He replied, 'Your father.'"
"A man came to the Prophet of Allah, may Allah bless
him and grant him peace, and asked, 'What do you command me to do?' He replied,
'Be dutiful towards your mother.' Then he asked him the same question again
and he replied, 'Be dutiful towards your mother.' He repeated it yet again
and the Prophet replied, 'Be dutiful towards your mother.' Then he put the question a fourth time and the Prophet said, 'Be dutiful towards
your father.'"
