Should he leave his job so that he can live with his parents?
Question

                I work abroad. My parents are in my home country. I have sisters there as well, but every one is busy with her life, although they live in the same country. I feel guilty towards my parents. I always feel that they are in need of me, although I always ask about them, and visit them in my holidays. Should I leave my job abroad and return to my country to work beside them? What should I do to fulfill my duty towards them?.
Praise be to Allah.
    There are different degrees of honouring one’s parents, the 
    least of which is upholding ties with them by spending on them, caring about 
    them, asking after them and showing concern. As for the greatest of these 
    degrees, there is no limit to it, and the righteous and the believers 
    compete in that, in ways that are limitless. This is the essential attitude 
    of the message brought by the Prophets, motivated by the verses and 
    ahaadeeth which place a great emphasis on parents and mention their rights 
    alongside the rights of Allaah, may He be exalted, and which speak of a 
    great reward for honouring them and upholding ties with them. The Prophet 
     (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) regarded that as the best 
    of deeds after prayer, and the Prophet  (peace and blessings of Allaah 
    be upon him) heard the recitation of Haarithah ibn al-Nu’maan in Paradise 
    and said: “He attained this level (in Paradise) because of honouring his 
    mother.”  Narrated by Ibn Wahb in al-Jaami’ (22); classed as saheeh 
    by al-Albaani in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah (913). The prayers of Uways 
    al-Qarni were answered because he honoured his mother. 

    Al-Bukhaari narrated in al-Adab al-Mufrad (15), in a 
    report that was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Adab, 
    from Ibn ‘Abbaas (may Allaah be pleased with them) that a man came to him 
    and said: I proposed marriage to a woman but she refused to marry me; 
    someone else proposed to her and she agreed to marry him. I got jealous and 
    killed her. Can I repent? He said: Is your mother alive? He said: No. He 
    said: Repent to Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, and seek to draw 
    near to Him as much as you can. I went and asked Ibn ‘Abbaas: Why did you 
    ask him if his mother was alive? He said: Because I do not know of any deed 
    that will bring one closer to Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, than 
    honouring one’s mother. 

    We say to you: 

    When it comes to honouring your parents and upholding ties 
    with them, it is undoubtedly better to stay with them to serve them and take 
    care of them. Abu Hurayrah stayed with his mother and he did not do Hajj 
    until she died, so that he could keep her company, as it says in Saheeh 
    Muslim (1665). The fuqaha’ stated that it is haraam for a son to travel 
    to seek knowledge or engage in business if that will result in neglect of 
    his parents. 

    It says in al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah (3/156): 

    If he – the son – wants to go out to seek knowledge in 
    another country, or engage in trade, but he fears that his parents may be 
    neglected, then he does not have the right to go out without their 
    permission. 

    The basic principle with regard to that is the report 
    narrated by Abu Dawood (2528) and al-Nasaa’i (4163), that a man came to the 
    Messenger of Allaah  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and 
    said:  I have come to swear allegiance to you and pledge to migrate, and I 
    have left my parents weeping. He  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon 
    him) said: “Go back and make them smile as you have made them weep.” 

    Classed as saheeh by Ibn al-Mulqin in al-Badr al-Muneer 
    (9/40) and al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood. 

    Abd ‘Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Amr ibn al-‘Aas narrated that a man came 
    to the Messenger of Allaah  (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) 
    and said: O Messenger of Allaah, should I go for jihad? He said: Do you have 
    parents? He said: Yes. He said: Then your jihad is with them. Agreed upon. 
    End quote. 

    But if it will not result in any neglect of the parents, and 
    they have others around who can look after them, or they are able to look 
    after themselves, then he may go out to seek knowledge or do business, and 
    it is not essential to have their permission. 

    It says in al-Mudawwanah (2/101): 

    Maalik said: Once a boy reaches the age of puberty he may go 
    wherever he wants, and the father has no right to prevent him. End quote. 

    See al-Mawsoo’ah al-Fiqhiyyah (8/7071). 

    But we advise you to do what is best and to do that which 
    will bring a great reward with Allaah, which is to be closer to them and 
    make them happy during the remainder of their lives, and look after them. Do 
    not deprive them of your company, and do not be a cause of them grieving 
    every time you bid farewell to them and travel. Whoever wants to honour them 
    completely, let him fulfil their wishes and do what makes them happy. ‘Urwah 
    ibn al-Zubayr interpreted the verse (interpretation of the meaning): “And 
    lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy” [al-Isra’ 
    17:24] by saying: Do not refrain from doing anything they want. End 
    quote. Tafseer al-Tabari (17/418) 

    Al-Bukhaari narrated in al-Adab al-Mufrad (18), in a 
    report that was classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in Saheeh al-Adab 
    al-Mufrad, from Abu Burdah that Ibn ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with 
    him) saw a Yemeni man circumambulating the Ka’bah, carrying his mother on 
    his back and saying, I am her humble camel, do you think that I have repaid 
    her? Ibn ‘Umar said: No, not even one contraction.  

    ‘Abd-Allaah ibn Ja’far said: I heard Bandar – who is one of 
    the imams of hadeeth – say: I wanted to go out – i.e., to seek a hadeeth – 
    and my mother told me not to, so I obeyed her, and I was blessed in that. 

    Al-Dhahabi (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in al-Siyar 
    (12/144): he compiled the hadeeth of Basra and he did not travel, out of 
    respect for his mother, then he travelled after she died. End quote. 

    Ja’far al-Khaldi said: Al-Abbaar – Abu’l-‘Abbaas Ahmad ibn 
    ‘Ali ibn Muslim (d. 290 AH) was one of the most ascetic of people. He asked 
    his mother for permission to travel to Qutaybah – i.e., to hear hadeeth – 
    and she did not give him permission; then she died, so he went out to 
    Khurasaan, then he reached Balkh and Qutaybah had died. They offered him 
    condolences for that, and he said: This is the result of knowledge; I chose 
    to please my mother. End quote. Al-Siyar (13/443). 

    Imam Ibn ‘Asaakir was asked about postponing travel to 
    Isbahaan, and he said: I asked my mother for permission to travel there and 
    she did not give me permission. End quote. Al-Siyar (20/567). 

    Bishr al-Haafi said: 

    The son who draws close to his mother so that he can hear his 
    mother is better than the one who strikes with his sword for the sake of 
    Allaah, and looking at her is better than everything. End quote. 
    Al-Tabsirah by Ibn al-Jawzi (1/188). 

    This is how our righteous predecessors were: they did not 
    give precedence to any deed at all over honouring one’s parents and they did 
    not feel that this entire world could make up for one of the parents needing 
    the son and not finding him there. 

    If you can go back to your parents and stay in their city, 
    and that will not cause you any serious harm due to leaving your work, then 
    strive to honour them and give precedence to that which is better, and do 
    not hesitate to do that, for Allaah has enjoined us to hasten and hurry to 
    do good things. 

    But if pleasing them is more likely to be achieved by your 
    staying in your job and earning money that you can spend on them, then keep 
    your job and strive to make the most of every opportunity to travel to visit 
    them and spend your vacations with them. And seek in all of that the 
    pleasure of Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted. 

    And Allaah knows best.