There are 2 kinds of rights.  One is rights due to Almighty Allah and the other is rights due to the creation and fellow human beings.

 

Apart from the aforementioned verse of the Holy Quran, the orders to treat the parents nicely have been given at various other places.  Thus, obedience to parents is the primary responsibility of children.

 

It should be noted that we are asked to respect our parents and treat them nicely because they are the material means of our existence, thus their respect and reverence is compulsory on human beings.  Their respect is such that when one goes before them, the gaze should be lowered, they should be spoken to softly, neither can one scold them nor can one be rude to them.  Let alone hurting them in any way, one cannot even say, “Uff” to them.

Just think!  Our parents are the material means of our coming in this world and we are obligated to respect and revere them in this manner whereas the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) is the raison d'etre of the creation of the universe and not only our existence, then how much should one respect and revere Him?

 

Serving parents is compulsory for children

 

Obedience of parents is compulsory on children as long as they give orders which are correct as per the Shariah.  If the parents order to go against the Shariah or to commit some wrong deed, then they will not be obeyed, as the disobedience of the Creator in obedience of the creation is not correct.

 

There is a Hadith on the authority of Hadhrat ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbas (May Allah be well pleased with them):

 

Translation: You go before your parents as if a lowly, emaciated slave is entreating his stern and harsh master to seek his pleasure.  (Tafseer Ruh Al Bayan, Surah Isra-23)