Antiques

Leicester, being a small place, can get boring at times and on occasions its confusing as to where to go and what to do to pass time.

This Sunday I went for a long drive towards Market Harborough and further up. In one of the town centres I saw like a Museum and Town Centre hall. On the window I read "open only on Tuesdays, Thursday & Saturdays" and therefore I thought it would be closed.

As I was just about to drive past I saw a banner reading "Antique Show on Sunday" and in order to pass some time I parked up and made my way inside.

Inside were mostly old people with stalls arranged in a large hall, a total of thirty or more stalls were displaying items that were antiques and usually had some history connected to it.

Whilst inside I saw a variety of items, from books to collector items; model cars, old scales, small items, large items, medals, cups and a wide range of antique items.

The thing that amazed me was the price tag on most of these items; A model of a toy car that we can purchase in a shop of a new model car would cost over five or six times more because the model was of an old car; a small cup the size of one's finger nail was priced at about £45.00; and many other items that 'seemed' to be highly priced.

POINT

The people at that antique show were those people who realised and appreciated the value of these 'aged' items.

It made me realise that Islam has also realised the value of 'age' and has instructed us to do the same:

Hadhrat Abdullah ibn Amr ibn al-'As رضي الله عنه has narrated the Prophet صلي الله عليه و سلم as saying:

"Those who do not show mercy to our young ones and do not realise the right of our elders are not from us"

[Sunan Abi Dawud]

Similarly, Hadhrat Abu Musa al-Ash'ari رضي الله عنه has narrated the Prophet صلي الله عليه و سلم as saying:

"Glorifying Allah involves showing honour to a grey-haired Muslim..."

[Sunan Abi Dawud]

We all realise how important obedience towards our parents is, and furthermore how necessary it is to serve them, but this becomes a great obligation when they reach their old age:

Hadhrat Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrated that the Prophet صلي الله عليه و سلم said:

"Let him be humiliated, let him be humiliated, let him be humiliated. It was said: Allah's Messenger, who is he? He صلي الله عليه و سلم said: "He who finds his parents in old age, either one or both of them, and does not enter Paradise (through serving them)".

[Saheeh Muslim]

We all know what the status of parents are according to Islam and humanity; we even feel regret at times due to our disobedience towards them; and at times we even go to the extreme of neglecting them and their needs. This is only because we fail to realise the true price tag attached to our parents, especially in their old age.

The Prophet of Allah صلي الله عليه و سلم has mentioned the following person to be most unfortunate:

"...(When I ascended the third step of the Pulpit Jibra'il عليه السلام appeared before me and said:) Woe to him in whose presence his parents or one of them attain old age, and through failure to serve them is not allowed to enter Paradise." I said, Aameen".

[Hakam, Tabarani]

May Allah give us all the inclination and understanding to serve our parents. May He give us the strength to be respectful towards our elders and show mercy towards them and our youngsters. May He make us steadfast in serving our parents, especially in their old age, and make it a source of entering His paradise. Aameen.