Question
It is said that every wrong or right that we do, the reward basically goes to our parents for it since they are responsible for our training and upbringing? The question here arises that no parent would ever teach his children to murder, to cheat, to steal, adultery etc. etc., then in such a case will the sins be added to parents’ accounts as well, and if yes, then why, since they never neither taught them any thing like that nor did they ever provide any such environment to let such acts flourish???
Answer
The concept that one’s parents get a share of reward/punishment for one’s good or bad deeds is not absolute. Interpreting it to be absolute would clearly be against the Qur’an, where it has clearly declared that: “[On the Day of Judgment,] every person shall only get what he actually strived for” (Al-Najam 53: 39).
Parents shall get their share of reward/punishment only in case of those deeds of a person, which that person had learnt from his parents and which they had encouraged and promoted him to do. Thus, if my mother taught, encouraged and directed me to say my prayers, she would get her share of reward each time I would say my prayers. Nevertheless, if a mother never encouraged or promoted prayers in the household, she would not get any reward for the prayers that her children offer. The same holds true for the bad deeds as well.
I hope this helps.
Regards,
Moiz Amjad
March 25, 2002