Quran / Themes / Parents and family

بر الوالدين

Parents and family

Draft · awaiting review5 passages

After worshipping God alone, the Quran repeatedly places kindness to parents. It also describes marriage as a place of peace, love and mercy, and warns against cutting family ties.

Quran 17:23–24 · Al-Israa (The Night Journey)

وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ إِيَّاهُ وَبِٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَٰنًا ۚ إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ ٱلْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَآ أَوْ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُل لَّهُمَآ أُفٍّ وَلَا تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوْلًا كَرِيمًا ۝٢٣

17:23 Your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him, and do good to parents. If any one of them or both of them reach old age, do not say to them: uff (a word or expression of anger or contempt) and do not scold them, and address them with respectful words,

اور حکم کر چکا تیرا رب کہ نہ پوجو اس کے سوائے اور ماں باپ کے ساتھ بھلائی کرو اگر پہنچ جائے تیرے سامنے بڑھاپے کو ایک ان میں سے یا دونوں تو نہ کہہ ان کو ہوں اور نہ جھڑک ان کو اور کہہ ان سے بات ادب کی 17:23

17:23 Thy Lord hath decreed, that ye worship none save Him, and (that ye show) kindness to parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age with thee, say not "Fie" unto them nor repulse them, but speak unto them a gracious word.

وَٱخْفِضْ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ ٱلذُّلِّ مِنَ ٱلرَّحْمَةِ وَقُل رَّبِّ ٱرْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِى صَغِيرًا ۝٢٤

17:24 and submit yourself before them in humility out of compassion, and say, “My Lord, be merciful to them as they have brought me up in my childhood.”

اور جھکا دے ان کے آگے کندھے عاجزی کر کر نیازمندی سے اور کہہ اے رب ان پر رحم کر جیسا پالا انہوں نے مجھ کو چھوٹا سا 17:24

17:24 And lower unto them the wing of submission through mercy, and say: My Lord! Have mercy on them both as they did care for me when I was little.

Not even “uff” to parents in their old age. Lower the wing of humility to them and pray for them.

Quran 31:14 · Luqman (Luqman)

وَوَصَّيْنَا ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ بِوَٰلِدَيْهِ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُۥ وَهْنًا عَلَىٰ وَهْنٍ وَفِصَٰلُهُۥ فِى عَامَيْنِ أَنِ ٱشْكُرْ لِى وَلِوَٰلِدَيْكَ إِلَىَّ ٱلْمَصِيرُ ۝١٤

31:14 We commanded man (to be good) in respect of his parents. His mother carried him (in her womb) despite weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years. (We said to man,) “Be grateful to Me, and to your parents. To Me is the ultimate return.

اور ہم نے تاکید کر دی انسان کو اسکے ماں باپ کے واسطے پیٹ میں رکھا اس کو اسکی ماں نے تھک تھک کر اور دودھ چھڑانا ہے اس کا دو برس میں کہ حق مان میرا اور اپنے ماں باپ کا آخر مجھی تک آنا ہے 31:14

31:14 And We have enjoined upon man concerning his partners - His mother beareth him in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years - Give thanks unto Me and unto thy parents. Unto Me is the journeying.

A reminder of what a mother goes through, and the command to be grateful to God and to parents.

Quran 46:15 · Al-Ahqaf (The Dunes)

وَوَصَّيْنَا ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ بِوَٰلِدَيْهِ إِحْسَٰنًا ۖ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُۥ كُرْهًا وَوَضَعَتْهُ كُرْهًا ۖ وَحَمْلُهُۥ وَفِصَٰلُهُۥ ثَلَٰثُونَ شَهْرًا ۚ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُۥ وَبَلَغَ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً قَالَ رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِىٓ أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَىَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَٰلِدَىَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَٰلِحًا تَرْضَىٰهُ وَأَصْلِحْ لِى فِى ذُرِّيَّتِىٓ ۖ إِنِّى تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَإِنِّى مِنَ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ ۝١٥

46:15 And We have enjoined upon man to do good to his parents. His mother carried him with difficulty and delivered him with difficulty. And his carrying and his weaning is (in) thirty months, until when he attains his maturity and reaches forty years, he says, “My Lord, grant me that I offer gratitude for the favour You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents, and that I do righteous deeds that You like. And set righteousness, for my sake, in my progeny. Of course, I repent to you, and truly I am one of those who submit to You.”

اور ہم نے حکم کر دیا انسان کو اپنے ماں باپ سے بھلائی کا پیٹ میں رکھا اسکو اسکی ماں نے تکلیف سے اور جنا اسکو تکلیف سے اور حمل میں رہنا اس کا اور دودھ چھوڑنا تیس مہینے میں ہے یہاں تک کہ جب پہنچا اپنی قوت کو اور پہنچ گیا چالیس برس کو کہنے لگا اے رب میرے میری قسمت میں کر کہ شکر کروں تیرے احسان کا جو تو نے مجھ پر کیا اور میرے ماں باپ پر اور یہ کہ کروں نیک کام جس سے تو راضی ہو اور مجھ کو دے نیک اولاد میری میں نے توبہ کی تیری طرف اور میں ہوں حکم بردار 46:15

46:15 And We have commended unto man kindness toward parents. His mother beareth him with reluctance, and bringeth him forth with reluctance, and the bearing of him and the weaning of him is thirty months, till, when he attaineth full strength and reacheth forty years, he saith: My Lord! Arouse me that I may give thanks for the favour wherewith Thou hast favoured me and my parents, and that I may do right acceptable unto Thee. And be gracious unto me in the matter of my seed. Lo! I have turned unto Thee repentant, and lo! I am of those who surrender (unto Thee).

A prayer for someone reaching maturity: to be grateful for the blessings given to them and their parents.

Quran 30:21 · Ar-Room (The Romans)

وَمِنْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦٓ أَنْ خَلَقَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَٰجًا لِّتَسْكُنُوٓا۟ إِلَيْهَا وَجَعَلَ بَيْنَكُم مَّوَدَّةً وَرَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّ فِى ذَٰلِكَ لَـَٔايَٰتٍ لِّقَوْمٍ يَتَفَكَّرُونَ ۝٢١

30:21 And it is among His signs that He has created for you wives from among yourselves, so that you may find tranquility in them, and He has created love and kindness between you. Surely in this there are signs for a people who reflect.

اور اسکی نشانیوں سے ہے یہ کہ بنا دیے تمہارے واسطے تمہاری قسم سے جوڑے کہ چین سے رہو انکے پاس اور رکھا تمہارے بیچ میں پیار اور مہربانی البتہ اس میں بہت پتے کی باتیں ہیں انکے لئے جو دھیان کرتے ہیں 30:21

30:21 And of His signs is this: He created for you helpmeets from yourselves that ye might find rest in them, and He ordained between you love and mercy. Lo! herein indeed are portents for folk who reflect.

Spouses are created so that people find tranquillity in each other, with love and mercy between them.

Quran 4:1 · An-Nisaa (The Women)

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱتَّقُوا۟ رَبَّكُمُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفْسٍ وَٰحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالًا كَثِيرًا وَنِسَآءً ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِى تَسَآءَلُونَ بِهِۦ وَٱلْأَرْحَامَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا ۝١

4:1 O men, fear your Lord who created you from a single soul, and from it created its match, and spread many men and women from the two. Fear Allah in whose name you ask each other (for your rights), and fear (the violation of the rights of) the womb-relations. Surely, Allah is watchful over you.

اے لوگو ڈرتے رہو اپنے رب سے جس نے پیدا کیا تم کو ایک جان سے اور اسی سے پیدا کیا اس کا جوڑا اور پھیلائے ان دونوں سے بہت مرد اور عورتیں اور ڈرتے رہو اللہ سے جس کے واسطے سے سوال کرتے ہو آپس میں اور خبردار رہو قرابت والوں سے بیشک اللہ تم پر نگہبان ہے 4:1

4:1 O mankind! Be careful of your duty to your Lord Who created you from a single soul and from it created its mate and from them twain hath spread abroad a multitude of men and women. Be careful of your duty toward Allah in Whom ye claim (your rights) of one another, and toward the wombs (that bare you). Lo! Allah hath been a watcher over you.

All people come from one soul. Be mindful of God, and of the wombs (family ties).

Explanations are our own summaries, not translations. Use the tafsir links on each ayah for classical commentary.