Quran Quote  : 

Quran-17:23 Surah Al-isra English Translation,Transliteration and Tafsir(Tafseer).

۞وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعۡبُدُوٓاْ إِلَّآ إِيَّاهُ وَبِٱلۡوَٰلِدَيۡنِ إِحۡسَٰنًاۚ إِمَّا يَبۡلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ ٱلۡكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَآ أَوۡ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُل لَّهُمَآ أُفّٖ وَلَا تَنۡهَرۡهُمَا وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوۡلٗا كَرِيمٗا

Transliteration:( Wa qadaa Rabbuka allaa ta'budooo illaaa iyyaahu wa bilwaalidaini ihsaanaa; immaa yablughanna 'indakal kibara ahaduhumaaa aw kilaahumaa falaa taqul lahumaaa uffinw wa laa tanharhumaa wa qullahumaa qawlan kareemaa )

23. And your Lord has Commanded you that you should worship none except for Him and you should do good (57) with your parents. If either or both of them reach old age (58) then you should not utter any faint cry (59) to them and do not chide them and speak to them with respectful words (60).

Surah Al-Isra Ayat 23 Tafsir (Commentry)



  • Tafseer-e-Naeemi (Ahmad Yaar Khan)
  • Ibn Kathir
  • Ala-Madudi

57. From this emerge a few issues: 

1. The worship of Allah Almighty takes priority over loyalty to man. It should be remembered that obedience to the Holy Prophet عليه وآله وسلم الله is included in the worship of Allah Almighty. 

2. Amongst all the relatives, obedience to the parents takes the priority as Allah Almighty has mentioned it with His worship.

3. Even if the parents are non-believers, it is obligatory to fulfil their rights, because Allah Almighty has mentioned parents without any condition or restriction.

4.Parents should be served physically and financially because the word kindness to them is mentioned without any condition or restriction.

5. Worship of anyone besides Allah Almighty is not permissible, while obedience would be to Allah Almighty and His Beloved صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم Rasool

58. Though service to parents is important at all times, but in their hour of need this becomes absolutely incumbent. The fact of the matter is that to serve them when they are not in need of it is desirable, but when they are in need, this becomes obligatory. Thus, to serve them. when they are ill or helpless is obligatory.

59. Religious Issue:

1. Parents should not utter words that would hint that the attitude of their children is making life unbearable for them.

2. Do not address your parents by name;

3. Do not treat your parents like your servants

4. The son should not keep his parents like despised servants.

 

Ibn-Kathir

23. And your Lord has Qada ﴿decreed﴾ that you worship none but Him. And that you be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor reprimand them but address them in terms of honor. 24. And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: “My Lord! Bestow on them Your mercy as they did bring me up when I was young.”


The Command to Worship Allah Alone and to be Dutiful to One’s Parents

Allah commands us to worship Him alone, with no partner or associate. The word Qada ﴿normally having the meaning of decree﴾ here means “commanded”. Mujahid said that

﴿وَقُضِىَ﴾

(And He has Qada) means enjoined. This is also how Ubayy bin Ka`b, Ibn Mas`ud and Ad-Dahhak bin Muzahim recited the Ayah as:

«وَوَصَّى رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِيَّاه»

“And your Lord has Wassa ﴿enjoined﴾ that you worship none but Him.” The idea of worshipping Allah is connected to the idea of honoring one’s parents. Allah says:

﴿وَبِالْوَلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا﴾

(And that you be dutiful to your parents.) Here He commands good treatment of parents, as He says elsewhere:

﴿أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِى وَلِوَلِدَيْكَ إِلَىَّ الْمَصِيرُ﴾

(give thanks to Me and to your parents. Unto Me is the final destination) ï´¿31:14ï´¾

﴿إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ الْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ كِلاَهُمَا فَلاَ تَقُل لَّهُمَآ أُفٍّ﴾

(If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect,) means, do not let them hear anything offensive from you, not even say “Uff!” which is the mildest word of disrespect,

﴿وَلاَ تَنْهَرْهُمَا﴾

(and do not reprimand them) means, do not do anything horrible to them.

﴿وَلاَ تَنْهَرْهُمَا﴾

(and do not reprimand them) `Ata’ bin Rabah said that it meant, “Do not raise your hand against them.” When Allah forbids speaking and behaving in an obnoxious manner, He commands speaking and behaving in a good manner, so He says:

﴿وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوْلاً كَرِيمًا﴾

(but address them in terms of honor.) meaning gently, kindly, politely, and with respect and appreciation.

﴿وَاخْفِضْ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ الذُّلِّ مِنَ الرَّحْمَةِ﴾

(And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy,) means, be humble towards them in your actions.

﴿وَقُل رَّبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِى صَغِيرًا﴾

(and say: “My Lord! Bestow on them Your Mercy as they did bring me up when I was young.”) means, say this when they grow old and when they die. Ibn `Abbas said: “But then Allah revealed:

﴿مَا كَانَ لِلنَّبِىِّ وَالَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ أَن يَسْتَغْفِرُواْ لِلْمُشْرِكِينَ﴾

(It is not (proper) for the Prophet and those who believe to ask Allah’s forgiveness for the idolators. ..)” ﴿9:13﴾ There are many Hadiths which speak about honoring one’s parents, such as the Hadith narrated through a number of chains of narration from Anas and others, which states that the Prophet climbed up on the Minbar, and then said, ((Amin, Amin, Amin.)) It was said, “O Messenger of Allah, why did you say Amin” He said:

«أَتَانِي جِبْرِيلُ فَقَالَ: يَا مُحَمَّدُ رَغِمَ أَنْفُ رَجُلٍ ذُكِرْتَ عِنْدَهُ فَلَمْمُيصَلِّ عَلَيْكَ، قُلْ: آمِينَ، فَقُلْتُ: آمِينَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: رَغِمَ أَنْفُ رَجُلٍ دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ فَلَمْ يُغْفَرْ لَهُ، قُلْ: آمِينَ، فَقُلْتُ: آمِينَ، ثُمَّ قَالَ: رَغِمَ أَنْفُ رَجُلٍ أَدْرَكَ وَالِدَيْهِ أَوْ أَحَدَهُمَا فَلَمْ يُدْخِلَاهُ الْجَنَّةَ، قُلْ: آمِينَ، فَقُلْتُ: آمِين»

(Jibril came to me and said, “O Muhammad, he is doomed who hears you mentioned and does not say Salla upon you.” He said, “Say Amin,” so I said Amin. Then he said, “He is doomed who sees the month of Ramadan come and go, and he has not been forgiven.” He said, “Say Amin,” so I said Amin. Then he said, “He is doomed who grows up and both his parents or one of them are still alive, and they do not cause him to enter Paradise.” He said, “Say Amin,” so I said Amin.)

Another Hadith Imam Ahmad reported from Abu Hurayrah that the Prophet said:

«رَغِمَ أَنْفُ، ثُمَّ رَغِمَ أَنْفُ ثُمَّ رَغِمَ أَنْفُ رَجُلٍ أَدْرَكَ أَحَدَ أَبَوَيْهِ أَوْ (كِلَيْهِمَا) عِنْدَ الْكِبَرِ وَلَمْ يَدْخُلِ الْجَنَّة»

(He is doomed, he is doomed, he is doomed, the man whose parents, one or both of them, reach old age while he is alive and he does not enter Paradise.) This version is Sahih although no one recorded it other than Muslim.

Another Hadith

Imam Ahmad recorded Mu`awiyah bin Jahimah As-Salami saying that Jahimah came to the Prophet and said: “O Messenger of Allah, I want to go out to fight and I have come to seek your advice.” He said,

«فَهَلْ لَكَ مِنْ أُم»

(Do you have a mother) He said, “Yes.” The Prophet said,

«فَالْزَمْهَا فَإِنَّ الْجَنَّةَ عِنْدَ رِجْلَيْهَا»

(Then stay with her, for Paradise is at her feet.) Similar incidents were also recorded by others. This was recorded by An-Nasa’i and Ibn Majah.

Another Hadith

Imam Ahmad recorded that Al-Miqdam bin Ma`dikarib said that the Prophet said:

«إِنَّ اللهَ يُوصِيكُمْ بِآبَائِكُمْ إِنَّ اللهَ يُوصِيكُمْ بِأُمَّهَاتِكُمْ إِنَّ اللهَ يُوصِيكُمْ بِأُمَّهَاتِكُمْ إِنَّ اللهَ يُوصِيكُمْ بِأُمَّهَاتِكُمْ إِنَّ اللهَ يُوصِيكُمْ بِالْأَقْرَبِ فَالْأَقْرَب»

(Allah enjoins you concerning your fathers, Allah enjoins you concerning your mothers, Allah enjoins you concerning your mothers, Allah enjoins you concerning your mothers, Allah enjoins you concerning your close relatives then the next in closeness.) This was recorded by Ibn Majah from the Hadith of `Abdullah bin `Ayyash.

Another Hadith

Ahmad recorded that a man from Banu Yarbu` said: “I came to the Prophet while he was talking to the people, and I heard him saying,

«يَدُ الْمُعْطِي الْعُلْيَا، أُمَّكَ وَأَبَاكَ، وَأُخْتَكَ وَأَخَاكَ، ثُمَّ أَدْنَاكَ أَدْنَاك»

(The hand of the one who gives is superior. (Give to) your mother and your father, your sister and your brother, then the closest and next closest.)”

(17:23) Your Lord has decreed:[25] (i) Do not worship any but Him;[26] (ii) Be good to your parents; and should both or any one of them attain old age with you, do not say to them even “fie” neither chide them, but speak to them with respect,

25. In the succeeding verses, those main basic principles have been put forward on which Islam desires to build the entire structure of human life. These form the manifesto of the invitation of the Prophet (peace be upon him) declared by him at the end of the Makki stage of his mission, and the eve of the new stage at Al-Madinah so that it should be known to all that the new Islamic society and state were going to be built on such and such ideological, moral, cultural economic and legal principles. Please also refer to (Surah Al-Anaam, ayat 151-153) and E.Ns thereof.

26. This commandment is very comprehensive. It prohibits not only the worship of anyone except Allah but also implies that one should obey and serve and submit to Allah alone without question. One should accept His commandments and law alone to be worthy of obedience and His authority to be supreme above all. This was not merely an instruction confined to a religious creed and individual practice but it served as the foundation of the moral, cultural, and political system which was practically established in Al-Madinah by the Prophet (peace be upon him). Its first and foremost principle was that Allah alone is the Master, Sovereign and Law-giver.

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