Respecting one's father

Q: Recently me and my father just came back from a court case our first one which gave us a sign that this was a great trial from Allah. Previously my father kept on demanding a change from me and forcing me to change my attitude, behaviour, talking to family nicely etc. But the problem is my dad doesn't do anything of them as well so how can I change if the environment that I'm surrounded by has some bad and my father keeps on getting my brother involved because he has changed because he has moved to a darul uloom in the UK where the environment is full of huffaaz and ulama. So it's different to mine. I seriously don't know what to do? I told my dad I can't change in one day that's what he is demanding. It went to an extent that I said to my father that I said I can't change unless you do and my father says theres nothing for me to change just you even though my mother had agreed that if you want people to change some points that even you have to change as well but my father said never. I'm not going to change for no one and this is bringing my anger through that I can't live with my father anymore but my mother just said avoid him for a few days and not to deal with him. I don't know what to do. I'm trying to change but if I have my father around I don't think I will but I did say that if you want me to change theres going to be some rules as well that there are no more jokes to be done as it leads to haram and there has to be little talk as in I talk to you less but still he disagreed I mean what can I do. Now I told him some of the stuff he said was wrong even backing my self up from the quran he still said no? Subhanallah I get the feeling sometime that what kind of a dad has Allah given me (astagfirullah)? Please give some naseehah for what should I do? Move out the house to my grandparents? Or never talk to him anymore? Or anything that you think because my father is ruining my life.

A: Don’t ever disrespect him nor should you back answer him. Try your best to change even though it may be difficult to do it straight away. Don’t worry about what he is doing.

And Allah Ta'ala (الله تعالى) knows best.

 

Answered by:

Mufti Ebrahim Salejee (Isipingo Beach)