The Elderly

Abu Hurayra reported that the Prophet, may Allah bless him andgrant him peace, said, "Anyone who does not show mercy to our childrennor acknowledge the right of our old people is not one of us."

'Abdullah ibn 'Amr ibn al-'As reported that it reached him thatthe Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Anyone whodoes not show mercy to our children nor acknowledge the right of our oldpeople is not one of us."

The same from 'Amr ibn Shu'ayb.

The same from Abu Umama.

Al-Ash'ari said, "Part of respect for Allah is to show respectto an old Muslim and to someone who knows the Qur'an, as long as he doesnot go to excess in it nor turn away from it, and to respect a just ruler."

Same as 354.

Rafi' ibn Khudayj and Sahl ibn Abi Hathama reported that 'Abdullahibn Sahl and Muhayyisa ibn Mas'ud came to Khaybar and parted when theywere among the palm trees. 'Abdullah ibn Sahl was murdered. 'Abdu'r-Rahmanibn Sahl and Huwayyisa and Muhayyisa, the sons of Mas'ud came to the Prophet,may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and spoke to him about their (murdered)companion. 'Abdu'r-Rahman, the youngest of those present, began to speak,but the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, said, "Let theoldest speak first." (or "Exalt the eldest.") They spoke about their companionand the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, asked, "Willfifty of you take an oath that you are entitled to the blood-money of yourmurdered man?" They replied, "Messenger of Allah, this is something whichwe did not see." He said, "Then will the Jews exonerate themselves by theoaths of fifty of them?" They protested, "Messenger of Allah, they areunbelievers!" So the Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him and granthim peace, himself paid his blood money."

Ibn 'Umar said, "The Messenger of Allah, may Allah bless him andgrant him peace, said, 'Tell me which tree is like the Muslim? It givesfruits at all times by the permission of its Lord and its leaves do notfall.' It occurred to me that it was the palm tree, but I did not wantto speak as Abu Bakr and 'Umar, may Allah be pleased with them, were bothpresent. When they did not speak, the Prophet, may Allah bless him andgrant him peace, said, 'It is the palm tree.' When I left with my father,I said, 'Father, I thought that it was the palm,.' He asked, 'What keptyou from saying that? If you had said so, I would have preferred that tosuch-and-such.' I said, 'What kept me from doing so was that I did notsee you or Abu Bakr speak, so I did not like to speak out.'"

Hakim ibn Qays ibn 'Asim reported that when his father was dying,he enjoined his sons:
"Fear Allah and make the oldest among you your leaders.When people make the oldest among them their leaders, they follow theirfathers. When they make the youngest among them their leaders, that lowersthem in the sight of their peers. You must have wealth and use it well.It is an impetus for the generous and it will make you independent of critics.Beware of asking people. It is a man's last source of earning. When I die,do not wail. There was no wailing for the Messenger of Allah, may Allahbless him and grant him peace. When I die, bury me in a land where the Bakribn Wa'il will not know where I am buried. I used to waylay on the roadsin the time of the Jahiliyya."