سُوْرَةُ الإِسۡرَاءِ
Surah Al-Israa (17) — Ayah 23
۞ وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ إِيَّاهُ وَبِٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَـٰنًا ۚ إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ ٱلْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَآ أَوْ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُل لَّهُمَآ أُفٍّ وَلَا تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوْلًا كَرِيمًا ﴿23﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And your Lord has 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 shout at them but address them in terms of honour.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ وَقَضَىٰ
waqaḍā
And has decreed
رَبُّكَ
rabbuka
your Lord
أَلَّا
allā
that (do) not
تَعْبُدُوٓا۟
taʿbudū
worship
إِلَّآ
illā
except
إِيَّاهُ
iyyāhu
Him Alone
وَبِٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ
wabil-wālidayni
and to the parents
إِحْسَـٰنًا ۚ
iḥ'sānan
(be) good
إِمَّا
immā
Whether
يَبْلُغَنَّ
yablughanna
reach
عِندَكَ
ʿindaka
with you
ٱلْكِبَرَ
l-kibara
the old age
أَحَدُهُمَآ
aḥaduhumā
one of them
أَوْ
aw
or
كِلَاهُمَا
kilāhumā
both of them
فَلَا
falā
then (do) not
تَقُل
taqul
say
لَّهُمَآ
lahumā
to both of them
أُفٍّۢ
uffin
a word of disrespect
وَلَا
walā
and (do) not
تَنْهَرْهُمَا
tanharhumā
repel them
وَقُل
waqul
but speak
لَّهُمَا
lahumā
to them
قَوْلًۭا
qawlan
a word
كَرِيمًۭا
karīman
noble
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
23. 1. In this verse, after commanding His own worship, Allah, the Exalted, has ordered good conduct towards parents in the second place, which highlights the importance of obedience to parents, serving them, and showing them respect and honor. Thus, along with fulfilling the requirements of divine Lordship, fulfilling the requirements of obedience to parents is also necessary. The importance and emphasis of this have also been clearly explained in the hadiths, and especially in old age, it is forbidden to even say "uff" to them or to scold or rebuke them, because in old age, parents are weak, helpless, and powerless, while the children are young and in control of the means of livelihood. Moreover, there is a clash between the passionate emotions of youth and the cold and warm experiences of old age. In such circumstances, keeping in mind the requirements of respect and honor for parents becomes a very difficult stage. However, only the one who keeps these requirements in mind will be successful in the sight of Allah.
