Hadith: The finest form of dutifulness is maintaining relations with those whom one’s father loved

عن عبد الله بن عمر رضي الله عنهما أَنَّ رَجُلاً مِنَ الأعرَاب لَقِيهَ بِطَريق مَكَّة، فَسَلَّم عَلَيه عَبد الله بنُ عمر، وَحمَلهُ على حمار كان يركَبُهُ، وَأعطَاه عِمَامَة كَانت على رأسه، قال ابن دينار: فقُلنا له: أَصْلَحَك الله، إنَّهم الأعراب وهُم يَرْضَون بِاليَسِير، فقال عبدُ الله بنَ عُمر: إِنَّ أَبَا هَذَا كَانَ وُدًّا لِعُمر بنِ الخطَّاب رضي الله عنه وإنِّي سَمِعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: «إِنَّ أَبَرَّ البِرِّ صِلَةُ الرَّجُل أَهْلَ وُدِّ أَبِيه». وفي رواية عن ابن دينار، عن ابن عمر: أنَّه كان إذَا خَرَج إلى مكة كان له حمار يَتَرَوَّحُ عليه إذا ملَّ رُكُوبَ الرَّاحِلة، وَعِمَامة يَشُدُّ بها رأسه، فَبينَا هو يومًا على ذلك الحمار إِذْ مَرَّ بِهِ أَعْرَابِي، فقال: أَلَسْتَ فُلاَن بنَ فُلاَن؟ قال: بَلَى. فَأَعْطَاهُ الحِمَار، فقال: ارْكَب هَذَا، وَأَعْطَاهُ العِمَامَةَ وَقَالَ: اشْدُدْ بِهَا رَأْسَكَ، فَقَالَ لَهُ بَعض أصحَابِه: غفر الله لك أَعْطَيت هذا الأعرابي حمارا كنت تَرَوَّحُ عليه، وعِمَامَة كُنتَ تشدُّ بها رأسَك؟ فقال: إِنِّي سمِعت رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم يقول: «إِنَّ مِنْ أَبَرِّ البِّر أَنْ يَصِلَ الرَّجُلُ أَهْلَ وُدَّ أَبِيهِ بَعْدَ أَنْ يُوَلِّيَ» وَإِنَّ أَبَاه كان صَدِيقًا لِعُمَرَ رضي الله عنه .
[صحيح] - [رواه مسلم]

‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) reported that a man from the Bedouins met him on his way to Makkah. ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar greeted him, made him ride on a donkey that he was riding, and gave him a turban that was wrapped around his head. Ibn Dinār said: "We said to him: 'May Allah grant you righteousness! These people are Bedouins and they are pleased with much less.'" ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar said: "This man’s father was a dear friend of ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him) and I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) say: 'The finest form of dutifulness is maintaining relations with those whom one’s father loved.'" In another narration by Ibn Dinār, he reported that when Ibn ‘Umar set out to Makkah, he kept a donkey with him that he would ride when he became tired of riding his camel, and had a turban that he would tie around his head. One day, while he was riding this donkey, a Bedouin passed by him. Ibn ‘Umar asked him: "Aren’t you so and so the son of so and so?" He said: 'Yes.' So he gave him his donkey and said: "Ride this," and he gave him his turban and said: "Tie this around your head." Some of his companions said to him: "May Allah forgive you! You gave this Bedouin a donkey that you would rest on, and a turban that you would tie your head with?" He said: "I heard the Messenger of Allah (may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon him) say: "The finest form of dutifulness is maintaining relations with those whom one’s father loved after his death”, and his father was a friend of ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).
[Authentic hadith] - [Narrated by Muslim]

Explanation

When Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) would leave to Makkah to perform Hajj, he would bring along with him a donkey to rest on when he became tired of riding the camel. Once, he met a Bedouin and asked him: "Are you so and so the son of so and so?" He said: 'Yes.' So, Ibn ‘Umar dismounted from his donkey and said: "Take this and ride it," and he gave him a turban that was tied on his head and said to him: "Tie your head with this." It was said to ‘Abdullāh ibn ‘Umar: "May Allah guide you!" or "May Allah forgive you!" These people are Bedouins, and Bedouins are satisfied with much less – meaning why would you leave your donkey and walk on your feet and give him your turban that you wrap your head with, while he is a Bedouin who would be satisfied with much less? Ibn ‘Umar replied: "The finest form of dutifulness is maintaining relations with those whom one’s father loved." This means that it is from dutifulness that if someone’s father, mother, or relative passes away, that he shows kindness to those whom they loved, and this is not only restricted to their friends, but even their friends' relatives. He then said: "and this man's father was a friend of ‘Umar", meaning ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb, his father. Because he was a friend of his father, he was kind and generous to him out of dutifulness to his own father ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him).