On the fifteenth of June each year, the United Nations raises a seemingly noble slogan, dedicating this day to raising awareness about elder abuse. Its agencies flood platforms with reports, booklets, and initiatives that call for protection, express compassion, and demand action.
Yet for those who reflect on this worn-out and repetitive discourse, and read between the lines, it becomes clear that what is presented as humanitarian and rights-based may in fact carry a vision foreign to our culture—one that may even threaten the core of intergenerational relationships and pave the way for a shift in moral values.
What first draws attention in these campaigns is the insistence that older people should not be seen as weak or dependent. Rather, they must—according to the messaging—be treated as equals, indistinguishable from the young.
This principle may seem bright on the surface, but upon closer examination, it strips aging of its meaning and ignores the human instinct that recognizes old age as a natural stage in life, with its own particularities, needs, and dignified symbolism.
Elder Care Homes
Old age is not a disgrace to be denied, nor is it a defeat to be hidden. Rather, it is the crown of life, the culmination of experience, and a turning point toward wisdom, serenity, and inner peace. Islam has never demanded that we treat the elderly as if they were young, but rather that we honor their age, grant them their rightful place, and respect them—not in spite of their old age, but because of it.
When we examine the recommendations and documents of international organizations, we notice an increasing tendency in Western thought to view the elderly through a cold, materialistic lens. Despite the seemingly administrative goodwill, the prevailing idea is that the best way to protect the elderly is by separating them from their families, excluding them from society, and placing them in care homes and institutions promoted as strategic global solutions—almost as if they were a universal model to be adopted everywhere.
In this view, aging becomes more of a managerial burden than a human relationship. The elderly person is treated as a case to be managed: surrounded by institutional walls, subjected to regulated hours, placed in pre-planned programs, and gradually stripped away from the warmth of home and the tenderness of family. These centers are marketed as modern and civilized solutions that reflect societal advancement, when in fact, they are merely an extension of a philosophy that dismantles family bonds, reinforces individualism, and replaces compassion with regulations, and affection with budgets.
In one of the initiatives addressing aging and age-friendly communities, we find the Polish experience, which aims to build a supportive environment for its growing elderly population. In this context, we see efforts to integrate the elderly as active participants in social life, rather than marginalizing or isolating them.
Poland has established 11 age-friendly cities that provide supportive environments through appropriate facilities, activities, and policies, engaging seniors in community and cultural events such as education, radio broadcasting, home assistance, and social interaction.
What is troubling about this approach is not merely the reduction of the solution to an institution, but the promotion of such a model as a mark of advanced civilization. It may appear to respect the experience of the elderly and acknowledge their contributions, and perhaps it is indeed suitable for the demographic conditions of their societies—which is not something we object to. In our part of the world, we have a sufficient number of young people capable of supporting all sectors without exception.
But we are not required to copy the Western model as it is, without pausing for a moment to consider that the elderly in our societies have always been, and still are, treated as a foundational pillar of the home and the community—not as guests in their own homes.
Where is the call to strengthen the extended family? Where are the awareness efforts that encourage sons and daughters to embrace their aging parents with care and compassion?
More concerning still is that many of the awareness brochures and programs issued by these institutions ask the elderly themselves to take action.
They are told: do not accept abuse; speak up; report it; contact the appropriate authorities.
Just like that, the burden is placed on the elderly person—who may already be lacking in health, capacity, or support—to defend themselves.
Where is the family? Where is the community? Where are those who should be stepping in on their behalf?
Strangely, these campaigns often acknowledge that the abusers are close relatives—sons, grandchildren, or neighbors—yet the awareness messaging is not directed at them. Instead, it remains focused on the victim. This distortion in messaging reflects a deep ethical flaw, making the elderly not just a victim, but also responsible for their own rescue.
For example, one publication from the Caxton Legal Centre tells the story of a 71-year-old woman who is mistreated by her family, including being financially controlled, insulted, and at times physically assaulted. Nevertheless, she is expected to initiate the reporting of the abuse by speaking to someone she trusts in the community, contacting an elder legal support service, or reaching out to the police in cases of immediate danger. This approach clearly places the burden on the victim to take the first step—ignoring the psychological and physical barriers that may prevent her from doing so.
A similar story appears on the national Compass website created to assist older Australians. In this case, a father hosts his daughter, who suffers from drug addiction, in his home. The situation deteriorates when she begins to act aggressively and brings other addicts into the house, negatively affecting the father’s mental health. Despite this, Bob is expected to take legal action to remove his daughter from the home and to manage the situation on his own—with only limited legal and social support.
This illustrates a broader pattern: systems that place full responsibility on the shoulders of the elderly, instead of fostering a culture of responsibility among the youth and the wider community.
Western Demographics
This issue is not only about the methods being used, but about a core idea. When the United Nations describes the growing number of elderly people in the coming years as a “problem” that countries must prepare for, it is expressing a purely materialistic view—one that sees the human being in terms of productivity and cost.
According to statistics on the UN’s own website, “Between 2019 and 2030, the number of people aged 60 years and older is expected to grow by 38%, from 1 billion to 1.4 billion, surpassing the number of youth worldwide. This increase will be greatest and fastest in developing countries.” But it is unclear why the UN insists on associating this data specifically with the developing world, even though the real demographic crisis is in Europe and the so-called “developed” countries.
It also states that “elder abuse is a problem present in both developing and developed countries,” even while admitting there is little data from the developing world: “There are no prevalence estimates or statistics except in certain developed countries—ranging from 1% to 10%. Despite the lack of knowledge about the extent of elder abuse, its social and moral significance is clear. As such, it requires a multifaceted global response focused on protecting the rights of older persons.”
So, in essence, the United Nations is trying to bring our countries into a problem we are not actually suffering from and wants us to adopt strategies and campaigns that are not suited to the nature of our lives and cultures.
In this worldview, the elderly are seen as non-productive consumers, and their growing numbers are seen as a burden. But this perception is completely disconnected from the spirit of Islam, which views advanced age not as a liability, but as a blessing.
In Islamic teaching, old age is a source of barakah (blessing), as the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said: “The best among you are your elders.” The believer’s increasing age is seen as a source of greater good. While the UN may view the elderly as a demographic challenge, Islam sees them as a spiritual and social treasure.
Yet the real danger does not lie in the UN’s discourse itself, but in its blind adoption within our societies. When some Islamic countries embrace these messages and turn them into national plans without scrutiny, we risk shifting our culture from one rooted in faith, compassion, and familial solidarity, to a secular, materialist, and individualistic model where values like kindness and sincere intent have no place.
Another critical contrast lies in the direction of the message itself: the UN’s rhetoric is almost always directed at the elderly, urging them to take responsibility and stand up to abuse. In Islam, however, the message is consistently directed to the youth—calling on them to show kindness, respect, and care for their elders.
Forms and Types of Abuse
Elder abuse manifests in various forms, just as the hands that commit it differ. It is not limited to physical assault or yelling—it can be subtle or blatantly cruel, stripping dignity from someone who has reached old age and now needs compassion more than cruelty or neglect.
The first and most visible form is physical abuse, where hands meant to help instead inflict harm: frail bodies are pushed, slapped, or grabbed—acts devoid of mercy. Alongside it creeps emotional and psychological abuse, more hidden but equally painful: a hurtful word, a contemptuous look, deliberate neglect, or depriving the elder of the right to make decisions, all of which send the message that they are no longer wanted or needed.
Next is financial or material abuse, where someone reaches into their savings, spends their money without permission, or strips away their property from trembling hands—without consent or compassion. In other cases, abuse is indirect: the elder is simply neglected, left without food, medicine, or warmth—an abandonment that eats away at their life in silence, as though their existence no longer matters.
The most brutal form is sexual abuse, when an elder, no longer able to resist or refuse, is violated—an offense that wounds not just the body but dignity and soul. Yet the most silently cruel abuse is abandonment, when an elder is left alone and forgotten, though once they were the pillar of the household.
These forms of abuse, as documented by the World Health Organization, are not mere theories—they are daily realities that cry out to societies: wake up. The elderly seek nothing more than respect to be restored, dignity to be preserved, and status to be honored. Ignoring this call means not only losing them—but also losing our own humanity.
The Islamic Perspective
In Islamic teachings, a person is raised from early childhood to believe that honoring the elderly is part of the faith—indeed, it is a form of reverence toward God. As stated in the hadith: “Indeed, part of honoring Allah is honoring the elderly Muslim.” In Islam, the image of the elderly is not merely that of someone in need of assistance, but of someone whose service is a duty born out of love and respect.
They are the ones who gave to us before we could ask, embraced us before we could understand affection, raised us before we knew what care meant, and nurtured us through their sleepless nights and hard work.
They planted our roots, built our homes, and taught us letters and meanings. No matter how old we become, we continue to learn from their wisdom, patience, and legacy. We must not forget those who taught us how to walk, nor those who stood by us when we stumbled. How could we forget them now, as their backs bend and their breaths grow heavy?
True loyalty lies in repaying even a fraction of their kindness—by protecting them, preserving their dignity, never abandoning them, and elevating them to their rightful status. We must reassure them that they remain the light in our homes and the blessing in our lives.
With them, we walk life’s path—hand in hand—not because we are weak, but out of respect for their pace. We see their greatness through our eyes and give them a place in our hearts so they may light our way with a love that never ages.
Dr. Muhammad bin Sulaiman Al-Wasil, in his article The Elderly and Their Rights in Islam, outlines this noble perspective that regards old age not as a crisis, but as a station of honor. He highlights that honoring the elderly, greeting them first, offering them priority in gatherings, speaking to them kindly, and praying for them are not optional virtues—they are obligatory rights. He also explains that the presence of the elderly brings longer life, increased provision, and divine blessings. As you treat others, so shall you be treated—he who honors the elderly will, in turn, be honored when he grows old.
Adopting the UN model for elderly care must be approached with awareness and responsibility. We are not against protection, nor against the development of tools—but we oppose the dilution of concepts, the stripping of sanctity from the family, the marginalization of youth’s role in honoring their elders, and the reduction of the elderly to mere numbers in a welfare system.
We are a nation that reveres its elders, sees in them light and blessing—not burden or problem. Caring for them is not merely a legal obligation, but a pure act of worship and a source of divine mercy in this life and the next.
