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What is the ruling on volunteering for relief work without the permission and knowledge of one's parents, if it is highly probable that they would forbid it?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

It is not permissible for you to travel to dangerous areas under the pretext of volunteering to help victims without your parents' permission and consent, as long as the work is not obligatory for you. Even Jihad, which is the best of deeds, requires the parents' permission, as the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, said: "Are your parents alive?" He said: "Yes." He said: "Then strive for their sake." It has been forbidden for a child to engage in Jihad without their permission due to the hardship and distress it causes them. This applies to any journey where they fear for your life or any of your limbs. If you forgo volunteering out of filial piety towards your parents, it is hoped that Allah will combine for you the reward of your good intention and the reward of honoring your parents.

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

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