We must differentiate here between two things: being kind to parents and total obedience to them. Obedience must be discriminating. We obey our parents only in what is right and what is calculated to please Allah. But we should be kind to them in all situations.
As long as the issue is not doing what is haram or unlawful it should be confined to counseling between children and their parents trying to reach a proper choice that will bring substantial benefit. Therefore, parents don’t have the right to force their view on children who may be interested in other fields of study.
This point is tackled in detail by Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, a senior lecturer and an Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. He states: “Just as parents are not allowed to force their children to eat a particular food which the latter do not like, they are not allowed to compel their sons or daughters to choose a certain field of study against their will. So long as the field of study the sons or the daughters have chosen is allowed in Islam, the parents are not allowed to object or force the children to go for a certain field of education they are not interested in. This is based on the fact that one is supposed to build and plan for his or her future the way he wishes it to be and not as others like it to be. Even in the past, Imam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah bless his soul, forbade the parents to force their children to eat some food if they don’t like it. This is a kind of Islam’s respect of people’s views and thoughts.
I advise every Muslim son out there to deal with the problem in a wise way so that you do not cause your parents to get angry with you. I suggest that you ask some wise men in your area or people whose word carries weight with your parents to intervene in the matter and try to convince your parents.”