Dear Islamic brothers! As respecting and honouring elders becomes a means of salvation for the sinners in the Hereafter, at the same time, slightest bit of disrespect to them can also become a means of eternal loss and destruction of deeds. Because disrespecting one’s own elders is a satanic act. And this was the very reason why he (Shaytan) was humiliated, disgraced and thrown out of the court of Allah Almighty. Whereas, Shaytan was not disobedient before that. In fact, he worshipped for thousands of years. He was the treasurer of Paradise. He was a Jinn, but became Mu’allim-ul-Malakoot, i.e. the teacher of angels, due to his acts of worship and knowledge. But when he became disrespectful in the court of Sayyiduna Aadam عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم, then all his acts of worship went in vain. Humility and disgrace became his destiny. He eternally became accursed and became deserving of the torment of Hell.    

Dear Islamic brothers! It is learnt that disrespecting elders results in our own loss and respecting them results in our own benefit. How beautifully an Arab poet has said:

مَاوَصَلَ مَنْ وَصَلَ اِلاَّ بِالْحُرْمَۃِ                                                                   وَمَاسَقَطَ مَنْ سَقَطَ اِلَّا بِتَرْکِ الْحُرْمَۃِ

Whatever a person attained is only due to the virtue of showing respect

and whatever a person lost is only due to not showing respect.

Dear Islamic brothers! Our teachers are also included amongst our elders. Our pious predecessors رَحِمَهُمُ الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَالٰی used to show great respect and reverence towards their teachers. In the presence of their teachers, they would remain silent and continue learning with their gazes lowered. Some would show such deep respect for their teachers that they would even consider it to be an act of disrespect to mention a ruling whilst their teachers were still alive. In this relation, let us listen to two parables:

Halqah-e-Dars [study circle] of Imam Husayn

Praising the gathering of Islamic teachings of Sayyiduna Imam Husaynرَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ, Sayyiduna Ameer Mu’awiyyah رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ said to a Qurayshi person: ‘Go to Masjid-un-Nabawi, there you will see people sitting in a study circle with utmost respect and concentration as if birds are sitting on their