The story of a sorrowful father

A son came to the court of the beloved Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ  complaining about his father, “O Messenger of Allah صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ ! My father wants to take my wealth.”

The beloved Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ  said, “Bring your father here.” When he arrived, the beloved Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ  said to him, “Your son said you want to take his wealth. Is that true?”

The father answered, “Ask him what I do with the money I take. When I ask him for money, how do I use it? I spend it on hosting relatives and fulfilling the needs of my family and children.”

While the conversation was ongoing, angel Jibrīl عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم appeared and said, “This father has composed some verses of poetry in his heart, but he has not said them out aloud. Ask him to recite the verses.” Informing of the unseen, the beloved Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ  said, “You have composed some verses in your mind that you have not recited.”

Upon hearing this, the father said, “Allah always increases our faith and insight through your miracles.” Then he recited the verses to the beloved Prophet صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ , the translation of which is as follows:

I provided you with food since the day you were born and carried your burdens. When you were little, you were nourished by my earnings. Whenever illness or sorrow came upon you, I stayed awake all night because of your sickness. My heart feared your death, even though I knew that death is inevitable for everyone. My eyes wept as if the illness that afflicted you at night had struck me instead. I felt the pain, grew restless, and was troubled. I raised you until you grew wings and reached a point where I hoped you would now be of help to me, but you repaid me with harshness and rude words. If only when you disregarded the rights of being a father, you had treated me as a neighbour