Short answer
Islam teaches values that many Korean families hold dear. It teaches honour for parents and elders, love of learning and keeping one's word. It teaches warmth to neighbours and guests, humility, and thanks for food. Many Korean families know these values as hyo, a child's devotion to his parents, and as jeong, a warm bond of trust. In Islam, each value is a command from God (﷾), the One Creator. He rewards those who do it with faith (16:97). Islam differs at the root: worship belongs to God (﷾) alone. Prayer, offerings and bowing in worship go to Him (72:18; 6:162). For a parent who died a believer, a Muslim prays to God (﷾) for them. The values you already live by point to the One who gave them.
Full explanation
Honour for parents and elders
Islam puts kindness to parents next to the worship of God (﷾). The Qur'an says: "Thy Lord hath decreed that ye worship none but Him, and that ye be kind to parents." In their old age, it says, "say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honour". It tells each person to give thanks to God (﷾) and to his parents, and it recalls the mother's hardship (31:14). A man asked the Prophet (ﷺ) who most deserved his good company. He answered: your mother, three times, and then your father (Bukhari 5971). In Korean, filial piety is called hyo. A study of Korean religion calls it one of the basic values of Confucian teaching. In a 2021 survey, Korean adults were asked what Confucianism brings to mind. Respect for older people, filial piety and politeness were among their answers.
“Thy Lord hath decreed that ye worship none but Him, and that ye be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honour. And, out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility, and say: "My Lord! bestow on them thy Mercy even as they cherished me in childhood."”
“And We have enjoined on man (to be good) to his parents: in travail upon travail did his mother bear him, and in years twain was his weaning: (hear the command), "Show gratitude to Me and to thy parents: to Me is (thy final) Goal.”
Abu Huraira reports that a man asked the Prophet (ﷺ) who most deserves his good company. The Prophet said: your mother. The man asked three more times who came next, and the answer was your mother, then your mother, and then your father.
A study of how the ban on ancestral rites shaped Korean Christianity. It calls filial piety (hyo) one of the fundamental values of Confucianism, and says ancestral rites were the main social basis of Joseon, a Confucian society. It says Korean Protestants replaced the rites with a memorial service of worship (chudo yebae).
A study of Confucian identity, beliefs about ancestors and ancestral rites in Korea, from national surveys. It reports that in the 2015 census, 54% of Korean adults had no religion; 19% were Protestant, 17% Buddhist and 8% Catholic. It says ancestral rites include death-day rites and holiday rites at the Lunar New Year or Korean Thanksgiving. Of the Confucian family rites they are counted the most important, because they express filial piety. Its surveys ask how often people perform rites for their dead family at graves or at home, such as prayers, incense, food or wine. Protestants are the least likely to keep the rites; Korean Protestants created a Christian memorial service to replace them. When a 2021 survey asked what Confucianism brings to mind, the answers included an ethical life or following rules (19%), respect for older people (17%), filial piety or family (11%) and politeness (8%).
Remembering parents after they die
Islam teaches a child to keep loving his parents after they die. The Qur'an teaches him to pray: "My Lord! bestow on them thy Mercy even as they cherished me in childhood." The Prophet (ﷺ) said that a person's deeds end at death, except three. They are lasting charity, useful knowledge, and a righteous child who prays for him (Muslim 1631). A man whose mother had died suddenly asked if she would have the reward of charity he gave for her. The Prophet (ﷺ) said yes (Bukhari 1388). So, for a parent who died a believer, a child prays to God (﷾) for them and gives charity for them. Many Korean families hold memorial rites for their dead parents and grandparents. They are held on the day of a death, and at holidays such as the Lunar New Year and Korean Thanksgiving. A study of these rites says they are counted the most important family rites, because they express filial piety. What Islam shares here is the remembering. The part headed "Where Islam differs" says what it changes.
“Thy Lord hath decreed that ye worship none but Him, and that ye be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honour. And, out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility, and say: "My Lord! bestow on them thy Mercy even as they cherished me in childhood."”
Abu Huraira reports that the Prophet (ﷺ) said that when a person dies, his deeds come to an end except three: lasting charity, knowledge that people benefit from, and a righteous child who prays for him.
Aisha reports that a man told the Prophet (ﷺ) that his mother had died suddenly. He thought she would have given charity if she had lived, and he asked whether she would receive the reward if he gave charity for her. The Prophet (ﷺ) said yes.
Says ancestral rites have a long tradition in Korea, and that their Confucian-style norms were likely adopted in the eighteenth century. Under these norms, ancestors are honoured at home on the days of their deaths and on holidays. Most city dwellers now honour ancestors no more than two generations back, especially at the death-day rites.
A study of Confucian identity, beliefs about ancestors and ancestral rites in Korea, from national surveys. It reports that in the 2015 census, 54% of Korean adults had no religion; 19% were Protestant, 17% Buddhist and 8% Catholic. It says ancestral rites include death-day rites and holiday rites at the Lunar New Year or Korean Thanksgiving. Of the Confucian family rites they are counted the most important, because they express filial piety. Its surveys ask how often people perform rites for their dead family at graves or at home, such as prayers, incense, food or wine. Protestants are the least likely to keep the rites; Korean Protestants created a Christian memorial service to replace them. When a 2021 survey asked what Confucianism brings to mind, the answers included an ethical life or following rules (19%), respect for older people (17%), filial piety or family (11%) and politeness (8%).
Love of learning
Islam honours learning from its first word. The first verses revealed to the Prophet (ﷺ) begin: "Proclaim! (or read!) in the name of thy Lord and Cherisher, Who created". They speak of the Lord "Who taught (the use of) the pen". The Qur'an teaches the prayer "O my Lord! advance me in knowledge." The Prophet (ﷺ) said that whoever follows a path in search of knowledge, God (﷾) makes easy for him a path to Paradise (Muslim 2699). A study of education and family in Korea says that education has been held to matter most there. It has been so from the old Joseon kingdom to today. The same study says many families keep supporting their children's education, even through hardship.
“Proclaim! (or read!) in the name of thy Lord and Cherisher, Who created- Created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: Proclaim! And thy Lord is Most Bountiful,- He Who taught (the use of) the pen,- Taught man that which he knew not.”
Aisha describes the first revelation. In the cave of Hira the angel told the Prophet (ﷺ) to read, and three times he answered that he could not read, before the first verses of Surat al-Alaq were given to him. Khadija took him to her cousin Waraqa ibn Nawfal, an old, blind man who had become a Christian and wrote out parts of the Gospel in Hebrew letters. Waraqa said this was the angel God had sent to Moses, and a few days later he died.
“High above all is Allah, the King, the Truth! Be not in haste with the Qur'an before its revelation to thee is completed, but say, "O my Lord! advance me in knowledge."”
Abu Hurayra reports a longer saying of the Prophet (ﷺ) about good deeds and their reward. Among them: whoever follows a path in search of knowledge, Allah makes easy for him a path to Paradise; and when people gather in a mosque to recite the Qur'an and study it together, tranquillity descends on them, mercy covers them and the angels surround them. It ends: whoever is held back by his deeds will not be hurried forward by his lineage.
Says that education has long been considered paramount in Korean society, from the Joseon era to the present. It says many Korean families keep supporting their children's education despite hardship.
Warmth to neighbours and guests
Islam makes kindness to neighbours part of faith. The Qur'an commands good to "neighbours who are near, neighbours who are strangers" (4:36). The Prophet (ﷺ) said that whoever believes in Allah (﷾) and the Last Day must not harm his neighbour, and must honour his guest (Bukhari 6018). He said such a person must be generous to his neighbour and to his guest (Bukhari 6019). Korean has a word, jeong, for a bond of trust and closeness between people. A 2024 paper on jeong says it usually grows over time, after people have spent time near each other.
“Serve Allah, and join not any partners with Him; and do good- to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, those in need, neighbours who are near, neighbours who are strangers, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (ye meet), and what your right hands possess: For Allah loveth not the arrogant, the vainglorious;-”
Abu Huraira reports that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day must not harm his neighbour, must honour his guest, and must speak good or keep silent.
Abu Shurayh reports that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day must be generous to his neighbour and generous to his guest.
Section 2.2 describes jeong, citing Irene Kim and colleagues, as a special bond of trust and closeness between people. It says jeong overlaps with affection and attachment, usually grows after some time of being near one another, and brings a sense of connectedness.
Humility, modesty and keeping one's word
Islam asks for a humble and modest manner. The Qur'an says the servants of God (﷾) are "those who walk on the earth in humility" (25:63). The Prophet (ﷺ) said that no one humbles himself for God's (﷾) sake but God (﷾) raises him (Muslim 2588). He said that modesty (haya) is a branch of faith (Bukhari 9). Islam also asks a person to keep his word: "fulfil (every) engagement, for (every) engagement will be enquired into" (17:34). The Prophet (ﷺ) named breaking promises as one sign of a hypocrite (Bukhari 33). In the 2021 survey above, Korean adults most often linked Confucianism with an ethical life; others named politeness.
“And the servants of (Allah) Most Gracious are those who walk on the earth in humility, and when the ignorant address them, they say, "Peace!";”
Abu Huraira reports that the Prophet (ﷺ) said that charity does not lessen wealth. Allah adds to the honour of one who forgives, and no one humbles himself for Allah's sake but Allah raises him.
Abu Hurayra reports that the Prophet (ﷺ) said faith has more than sixty branches, and that modesty is one branch of faith.
“Come not nigh to the orphan's property except to improve it, until he attains the age of full strength; and fulfil (every) engagement, for (every) engagement will be enquired into (on the Day of Reckoning).”
Abu Huraira reports that the Prophet (ﷺ) said the signs of a hypocrite are three: when he speaks he lies, when he makes a promise he breaks it, and when he is trusted he betrays the trust.
A study of Confucian identity, beliefs about ancestors and ancestral rites in Korea, from national surveys. It reports that in the 2015 census, 54% of Korean adults had no religion; 19% were Protestant, 17% Buddhist and 8% Catholic. It says ancestral rites include death-day rites and holiday rites at the Lunar New Year or Korean Thanksgiving. Of the Confucian family rites they are counted the most important, because they express filial piety. Its surveys ask how often people perform rites for their dead family at graves or at home, such as prayers, incense, food or wine. Protestants are the least likely to keep the rites; Korean Protestants created a Christian memorial service to replace them. When a 2021 survey asked what Confucianism brings to mind, the answers included an ethical life or following rules (19%), respect for older people (17%), filial piety or family (11%) and politeness (8%).
Thanks for food
Islam teaches that food is a gift from God (﷾), received with thanks. The Prophet (ﷺ) taught a boy in his care to mention the name of Allah (﷾) before eating (Bukhari 5376). He said that Allah (﷾) is pleased with a servant who eats a meal and praises Him for it (Muslim 2734a). So a Muslim begins a meal with bismillah, which means in the name of Allah (﷾). He ends it with al-hamdu lillah, which means praise be to Allah (﷾). Islam teaches that thanks for food is owed first to the One who gave it.
Umar ibn Abi Salama reports that, as a boy in the Prophet's (ﷺ) care, his hand roamed around the dish while he ate. The Prophet (ﷺ) told him to mention the name of Allah, to eat with his right hand, and to eat from the part of the dish nearest to him. He says he kept to this from then on.
Anas ibn Malik reports that the Prophet (ﷺ) said that Allah is pleased with a servant who eats a meal and praises Him for it, or drinks a drink and praises Him for it. Muslim places it in the chapter on praising Allah after eating and drinking.
Where Islam differs: worship is for God (﷾) alone
A Muslim should never mock a memorial table, a temple or anyone's family custom (6:108). Islam differs at the root of these values, and so in worship. In Islam every one of them is part of worshipping the One Creator. The Qur'an promises "a life that is good and pure" to whoever does good with faith (16:97). Because He alone creates and rewards, worship belongs to Him alone. Prayer, offerings and bowing in worship go to Him and to no one else (6:162). The Qur'an says, "invoke not any one along with Allah" (72:18), and "prostrate to Allah, Who created them" (41:37). Of those called on besides Him, it says "they cannot answer your (prayer)" (35:14). So the dead cannot answer or help those who call on them. A Muslim honours his elders with kind words and service. Islam looks at the act, not the name it is given. Bowing down to the ground, and any bow made in worship, is for God (﷾) alone, whatever it is called (41:37; 72:18). This is general guidance; for his own family's customs, a Muslim can ask a qualified scholar. For a parent who died a believer, he prays to God (﷾) for them and gives charity for them. A Muslim does not ask God's (﷾) forgiveness for those who died outside Islam (9:113). The verse gives its condition: "after it is clear to them that they are companions of the Fire". That rule is for his own prayers, not a verdict on anyone. God (﷾) punishes no one until a messenger has come to warn them (17:15), and He wrongs no one (4:40). We declare no one's fate; that belongs to God (﷾) alone. The page "How should we honour our ancestors?" says more.
“Revile not ye those whom they call upon besides Allah, lest they out of spite revile Allah in their ignorance. Thus have We made alluring to each people its own doings. In the end will they return to their Lord, and We shall then tell them the truth of all that they did.”
“Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and has Faith, verily, to him will We give a new Life, a life that is good and pure and We will bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions.”
“Say: "Truly, my prayer and my service of sacrifice, my life and my death, are (all) for Allah, the Cherisher of the Worlds: No partner hath He: this am I commanded, and I am the first of those who bow to His will.”
“"And the places of worship are for Allah (alone): So invoke not any one along with Allah;”
“Among His Signs are the Night and the Day, and the Sun and the Moon. Do not prostrate to the sun and the moon, but prostrate to Allah, Who created them, if it is Him ye wish to serve.”
“If ye invoke them, they will not listen to your call, and if they were to listen, they cannot answer your (prayer). On the Day of Judgment they will reject your "Partnership". and none, (O man!) can tell thee (the Truth) like the One Who is acquainted with all things.”
“Thy Lord hath decreed that ye worship none but Him, and that ye be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honour. And, out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility, and say: "My Lord! bestow on them thy Mercy even as they cherished me in childhood."”
Abu Huraira reports that the Prophet (ﷺ) said that when a person dies, his deeds come to an end except three: lasting charity, knowledge that people benefit from, and a righteous child who prays for him.
Aisha reports that a man told the Prophet (ﷺ) that his mother had died suddenly. He thought she would have given charity if she had lived, and he asked whether she would receive the reward if he gave charity for her. The Prophet (ﷺ) said yes.
“It is not fitting, for the Prophet and those who believe, that they should pray for forgiveness for Pagans, even though they be of kin, after it is clear to them that they are companions of the Fire.”
“Who receiveth guidance, receiveth it for his own benefit: who goeth astray doth so to his own loss: No bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another: nor would We visit with Our Wrath until We had sent a messenger (to give warning).”
“Allah is never unjust in the least degree: If there is any good (done), He doubleth it, and giveth from His own presence a great reward.”
An invitation
If you already live by these values, ask where they come from. Islam's answer is that they come from the One who made you and gave you every good thing. Islam is not only a set of manners. It is a complete way of life (deen): belief in one Creator, prayer, family and character together. The Qur'an asks to be tested: produce a chapter like it (2:23). It says Muhammad (ﷺ) was sent to all people (7:158), and calls him the Seal of the Prophets, the last of them (33:40). The page "How do we know God exists?" begins with the first question. The values you already live by point to the One who gave them.
“This day have I perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion.”
“O ye who believe! Enter into Islam whole-heartedly; and follow not the footsteps of the evil one; for he is to you an avowed enemy.”
“And if ye are in doubt as to what We have revealed from time to time to Our servant, then produce a Sura like thereunto; and call your witnesses or helpers (If there are any) besides Allah, if your (doubts) are true.”
“Say: "O men! I am sent unto you all, as the Messenger of Allah, to Whom belongeth the dominion of the heavens and the earth: there is no god but He: it is He That giveth both life and death. So believe in Allah and His Messenger, the Unlettered Prophet, who believeth in Allah and His words: follow him that (so) ye may be guided."”
“Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but (he is) the Messenger of Allah, and the Seal of the Prophets: and Allah has full knowledge of all things.”
Point by point
Confucian Identification, Ancestral Beliefs, and Ancestral Rituals in Korea
A study of Confucian identity, beliefs about ancestors and ancestral rites in Korea, from national surveys. It reports that in the 2015 census, 54% of Korean adults had no religion; 19% were Protestant, 17% Buddhist and 8% Catholic. It says ancestral rites include death-day rites and holiday rites at the Lunar New Year or Korean Thanksgiving. Of the Confucian family rites they are counted the most important, because they express filial piety. Its surveys ask how often people perform rites for their dead family at graves or at home, such as prayers, incense, food or wine. Protestants are the least likely to keep the rites; Korean Protestants created a Christian memorial service to replace them. When a 2021 survey asked what Confucianism brings to mind, the answers included an ethical life or following rules (19%), respect for older people (17%), filial piety or family (11%) and politeness (8%).
Cited for
I have no religion, and I live by these values anyway. Why would I need Islam?
The response
These are good values, and Islam does not ask you to give them up. But a duty to parents binds you even when it costs and no one sees. Islam asks what gives it that weight, and who will repay it. The Qur'an answers that it is the One who made you. It promises "a life that is good and pure" to whoever does good with faith. And it asks you to test it: produce one chapter like it. The page "Where does morality come from?" sets out the reasons.
Where it lands — The values are good. Islam names the One who gave them, who rewards good done with faith.
Qur'an 2:256 — Surat al-Baqara (The Cow), verse 256
“Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error: whoever rejects evil and believes in Allah hath grasped the most trustworthy hand-hold, that never breaks. And Allah heareth and knoweth all things.”
Cited for
Are you trying to convert me? This page is just a way to recruit.
The response
No. This page makes you aware of Islam, as a friendly talk and not a debate. It invites you to look, openly, and no one can make anyone believe. The Qur'an tells even the Prophet (ﷺ) that he cannot guide everyone he loves, but God (﷾) guides whom He wills. It also says, "Let there be no compulsion in religion", so the choice is yours. If your answer is no, the Qur'an's words are: "To you be your Way, and to me mine". The friendship stays either way.
Where it lands — The page makes Islam known. Guidance is God's (﷾), and the choice is the reader's.
Exodus 20:12 — Torah, Shemot, chapter 20, verse 12
“Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.”
Cited for
My family is Christian. We already worship God, and we honour our parents for His sake.
The response
Then we share much: belief in one Creator, and honour for parents. The Bible says, "Honour thy father and thy mother". Jesus called the first commandment "The Lord our God is one Lord". The Qur'an gives Jesus's own words: "It is Allah Who is my Lord and your Lord; then worship Him". Islam asks that all worship and prayer go to that one Lord alone. The page "What do Islam and Christianity have in common?" sets out the rest.
Where it lands — Christians and Muslims share the Creator and the honour of parents. Islam gives all worship to the one Lord.
Formation of Korean Christianity through the Banning of Ancestral Rites
A study of how the ban on ancestral rites shaped Korean Christianity. It calls filial piety (hyo) one of the fundamental values of Confucianism, and says ancestral rites were the main social basis of Joseon, a Confucian society. It says Korean Protestants replaced the rites with a memorial service of worship (chudo yebae).
Cited for
If I stopped the memorial rites, I would fail my parents.
The response
Islam does not ask you to fail them. It commands kindness to parents in the same sentence as the worship of God (17:23). It keeps that command even when parents are not Muslim (31:15). On a memorial day a Muslim can still be with his family, visit the graves and remember the dead. He makes no offering, and bows down to no one but God (﷾). Among the finest acts of goodness is to keep ties with the people your father loved. For a parent who died a believer, the child also prays to God (﷾) for them and gives charity for them. For his own family's case, a Muslim can ask a qualified scholar.
Where it lands — Islam keeps the honour and the remembering, and gives the worship to God (﷾).
Qur'an 9:113 — Surat al-Tawba (The Repentance), verse 113
“It is not fitting, for the Prophet and those who believe, that they should pray for forgiveness for Pagans, even though they be of kin, after it is clear to them that they are companions of the Fire.”
Cited for
So your religion says my grandparents are in hell.
The response
For those who died outside Islam, a Muslim does not ask God's (﷾) forgiveness (9:113). That is a rule for his own prayers. It is not a verdict on your grandparents. The verse gives its condition: "after it is clear to them that they are companions of the Fire". The Qur'an also says God (﷾) sends no wrath "until We had sent a messenger" (17:15). He is "never unjust in the least degree" (4:40). We declare no one's fate. That belongs to God (﷾).
Where it lands — Islam states its rule for prayer openly, and leaves each person's fate to a God who wrongs no one.
Qur'an 16:97 — Surat al-Nahl (The Bee), verse 97
“Whoever works righteousness, man or woman, and has Faith, verily, to him will We give a new Life, a life that is good and pure and We will bestow on such their reward according to the best of their actions.”
Cited for
My grandmother was kind and honoured her parents all her life, but she never followed Islam. Does her goodness count for nothing?
The response
We declare no one's fate. That belongs to God (﷾), who is "never unjust in the least degree". The Qur'an also says He sends no wrath "until We had sent a messenger". What Islam promises is a lasting reward for good done with faith in the One who gave it. That is why this page invites you to know Him. The page "Is being a good person enough?" says more.
Where it lands — Each person's fate belongs to a God who wrongs no one. Islam offers the good its Giver and its reward.
Perspectives
A Korean reader's replies
In the 2015 census, over half of Korean adults reported no religion. A reader may say these values need no religion, that a page like this only wants to recruit, or that the values are simply manners.
I live by these values without any religion.
Rebuttal
Living by these values is good, and Islam does not ask you to give them up. But a duty to parents binds even when it costs and no one sees. Islam asks what gives it that weight, and who will repay it. Its answer is the One who made us, who promises a good life to whoever does good with faith (16:97). The Qur'an asks to be tested (2:23).
A page like this is just a way to recruit people.
Rebuttal
No. This page makes you aware of Islam, as a friendly talk and not a debate. It invites you to look, openly. Guidance is God's (﷾): He guides whom He wills (28:56), and there is no compulsion in religion (2:256). If your answer is no, the Qur'an says: "To you be your Way, and to me mine" (109:6). The friendship stays either way.
These are Korean manners and Confucian ethics. They have nothing to do with God.
Rebuttal
Good manners matter, and Islam does not ask you to drop them. But manners change from place to place, while a duty to parents binds us even when it costs. Islam teaches that this duty comes from the One who made us. The Qur'an commands kindness to parents in the same sentence as the worship of God (﷾) alone (17:23). And God (﷾) is pleased with the one who thanks Him for a meal (Muslim 2734a).
The family memorial rites
Many Korean families see the memorial rites as the duty of a good child: hyo, filial piety, kept after a parent's death. A family may also ask what Islam says of grandparents who were never Muslim.
Leaving the memorial rites would dishonour my parents and my ancestors.
Rebuttal
Islam commands kindness to parents even when they are not Muslim (31:15). A Muslim honours them by care while they live, and by keeping their ties after they have gone. What changes is worship, which goes to God (﷾) alone (17:23).
Islam says my grandparents are in hell.
Rebuttal
A Muslim does not ask God's (﷾) forgiveness for those who died outside Islam. The verse gives its condition: "after it is clear to them that they are companions of the Fire" (9:113). That rule is for his own prayers, not a verdict on anyone. God (﷾) punishes no one until a messenger has come to warn them (17:15), and He wrongs no one (4:40). We declare no one's fate; that belongs to God (﷾) alone.
My grandmother was kind and honoured her parents all her life, but she never followed Islam. Does her goodness count for nothing?
Rebuttal
We declare no one's fate; that belongs to God (﷾) alone. He punishes no one until a messenger has come to warn them (17:15), and He wrongs no one (4:40). Islam's promised reward is for good done with faith (16:97), so this page invites you to know the One who gave the good.
Buddhist: compassion is enough
Buddhism has shaped Korea for many centuries. Many Koreans live by its call to meet anger with kindness and to treat others as oneself.
Defeat anger with kindness, villainy with virtue, stinginess with giving, and lies with truth.
Rebuttal
Islam teaches the same: repel evil with what is better, and the enemy may become a close friend. It adds why goodness matters beyond this life: not an atom's weight of good is lost before God (﷾).
The Islamic perspective
Islam teaches honour for parents and elders, love of learning, care for neighbours and guests, humility, keeping one's word and thanks for food. Many Korean families keep customs close to these values. Islam roots every one of them in worship of the One Creator, who rewards them, and gives worship to Him alone.
The Qur'an puts kindness to parents next to the worship of God (﷾) alone. The Prophet (ﷺ) put the mother first.
A child's prayer, and charity given on a parent's behalf, reach a parent who died a believer.
Islam honours learning, care for neighbours and guests, humility, modesty and keeping one's word as part of faith.
Many Korean families keep customs close to these values: hyo, the memorial rites, care for their children's learning, and jeong.
Prayer, offerings and bowing in worship belong to God (﷾) alone; those invoked besides Him cannot answer or help.
A Muslim does not ask God's (﷾) forgiveness for those who died outside Islam. The verse's condition is "after it is clear to them that they are companions of the Fire" (9:113). No one is punished before a messenger reaches them (17:15), God (﷾) is never unjust (4:40), and we declare no one's fate.