If a man’s father, mother, or any of his relatives has passed away, you should honor the people they loved—that is, not only the friend himself, but even the friend’s relatives.

Now, the father of this Bedouin had been a companion of ʿUmar—that is, ʿUmar ibn al-Khattab, Ibn ʿUmar’s own father—so Ibn ʿUmar honored the Bedouin as an act of filial piety toward his father ʿUmar (may Allah be pleased with him).

This report shows how faithfully the Companions obeyed the Prophet, how keen they were for every good deed, and how quickly they rushed to perform it. Ibn ʿUmar drew from the Prophet’s words a great lesson: he treated this Bedouin generously solely because the Bedouin’s father had been a friend of ʿUmar. Just imagine what Ibn ʿUmar would have done had he actually met the man who had been his father’s friend—he would have honoured him even more profusely.

The hadith therefore teaches: if there is anyone who shared a bond of affection with your father or mother, then honour that person. Likewise, if there are women who were friends of your mother, honour those women; and if there are men who were friends of your father, honour those men, for such conduct is part of filial piety.

The narration also displays the vastness of Allah’s mercy: the door of dutifulness is broad, extending not only to one’s father and mother but even to their friends. When you treat those friends well, you are in fact showing piety toward your own parents, and you will be rewarded as one who is dutiful to his parents.

This is one of Allah’s favors: He has opened many gateways to goodness for His servants and multiplied them, so that they may enter through them from every direction. We ask Allah the Exalted to make us and all Muslims among the dutiful; He is Generous and Bountiful. May blessings and peace be upon our master Muhammad, his family, and all his Companions.