The Rights of Elders in Islam

Therefore, one who does not know the rights of Allah, the Messenger (sallallahu alehi wassallam), the parents, the neighbors, the elderly in Islam and so forth, then how could he possibly establish their rights? How can he possibly be just? Due to this reason, it is among the most significant of matters and most emphasized obligations to be concerned with learning the rights (of others). And that the Muslim be concerned about it (i.e. the rights), and learning about it with the intent of performing actions according to it and establish it in a perfect and complete manner. It is a must likewise to perform it as an act of worship for Allah alone, and seeking nearness to Him. Not that this learning is to merely gain information, to increase in knowledge and have abundance of knowledge and so forth. So this is not the objective behind knowledge; rather, the only objective of knowledge is to act upon it.