Sons and daughters share equal duty to support parents – Mufti

SHAH ALAM – All financially capable children, whether sons or daughters are religiously obligated to support their parents and this responsibility takes precedence over helping other relatives, especially when parents are elderly, frail, or in need.

Penang Mufti Datuk Dr Mohd Sukki Othman said caring for ageing parents is not simply a moral expectation but a binding requirement under Islamic law.

He emphasised that Islam places exceptional importance on honouring parents. Providing for their welfare, including financial support, forms part of the Quranic principle of ihsan, doing good towards one’s parents.

“One common question is: who must provide this support? Is it only the sons?

“According to the majority of scholars, including those of the Shafi’i school widely followed in Malaysia, the obligation to support parents who are elderly or financially dependent applies to all capable children, regardless of gender.

“Both sons and daughters must contribute if they have surplus income beyond their essential needs,” he told Sinar.

Sukki added that the method of contribution can be agreed upon, either equally among all capable children or proportionate to individual financial capacity, with wealthier children contributing more.

“The principle is clear, this is a collective religious duty. If one child cannot afford to contribute, the responsibility shifts to the others. Financially capable children have no grounds to abandon this major trust,” he said.

He noted that the proposed legal amendments, though the religious ruling was already established, were necessary to empower the Syariah courts to intervene, issue orders and enforce payments when children neglect their duty.

Meanwhile, Kelantan Mufti Datuk Mohd Shukri Mohamed said while sons often held priority due to their role as heads of the household, kindness, care and dutifulness towards parents were not restricted to male children.

He pointed out that the traditional emphasis on sons stemmed from daughters generally being under their husbands’ financial care, but stressed that acts of goodness and responsibility towards parents extended to all children without exception.

“All children must feel grateful and indebted to their parents, even if their parents never ask for anything in return,” he added.

He stressed that the Quran’s emphasis on ihsan reflected the high value placed on the parent–child relationship.

Shukri also reminded that children must show the utmost respect to their parents, especially their mothers, whose elevated status is emphasised three times in a well-known hadith of Prophet Muhammad SAW.