How to treat a sinful (fasiq) mother

Question

Hinda is a woman and Zayd is her son. Hinda, a divorcee, lives in the house of an unrelated man and resides in his house in a domestic relationship with that unrelated stranger without having contracted a nikah. Hinda is shameless and brazen in talking with any strange man, has completely abandoned the Shar‘i hijab, and is averse to every person of Islam. Several matters need to be asked about. (1) How should the son Zayd conduct himself, according to the Shari‘a, towards his mother Hinda? (2)

Answer

It is obligatory (lazim) for Zayd to maintain respect for his mother; it is not right to say anything contrary to good manners or to treat her insolently. Along with this it is also obligatory that he strive by every possible means to reform her — advise her himself or have her counselled through someone who can influence her — and pray for her himself.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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