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Is jihad obligatory for one whose mother refused his departure, given that she needs him to support his siblings, his wife, and his children?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

Jihad and honoring one's parents are among the best deeds. If a Muslim intends to perform legitimate jihad, he should seek permission from his parents. If they permit him, he may engage in jihad; otherwise, he should not go, but rather remain with them, because honoring one's parents is a type of jihad. The Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, clarified this in numerous hadiths, including one where a man came to him seeking permission for jihad, and the Prophet asked him about his parents. When he learned they were alive, he commanded him to remain with them and honor them, for his jihad lay in them. This ruling applies to those for whom jihad is not individually obligatory. However, if it becomes individually obligatory upon him, then there is no obedience to a creature in disobedience to the Creator.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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