سُوْرَةُ الْعَنْكَبُوْتِ
Surah Al-Ankaboot (29) — Ayah 8
وَوَصَّيْنَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ بِوَٰلِدَيْهِ حُسْنًا ۖ وَإِن جَـٰهَدَاكَ لِتُشْرِكَ بِى مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِۦ عِلْمٌ فَلَا تُطِعْهُمَآ ۚ إِلَىَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿8﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And We have enjoined on man to be good and dutiful to his parents; but if they strive to make you join with Me (in worship) anything (as a partner) of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not. Unto Me is your return and I shall tell you what you used to do.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَوَصَّيْنَا
wawaṣṣaynā
And We have enjoined
ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ
l-insāna
(on) man
بِوَٰلِدَيْهِ
biwālidayhi
goodness to his parents
حُسْنًۭا ۖ
ḥus'nan
goodness to his parents
وَإِن
wa-in
but if
جَـٰهَدَاكَ
jāhadāka
they both strive against you
لِتُشْرِكَ
litush'rika
to make you associate
بِى
bī
with Me
مَا
mā
what
لَيْسَ
laysa
not
لَكَ
laka
you have
بِهِۦ
bihi
of it
عِلْمٌۭ
ʿil'mun
any knowledge
فَلَا
falā
then (do) not
تُطِعْهُمَآ ۚ
tuṭiʿ'humā
obey both of them
إِلَىَّ
ilayya
To Me
مَرْجِعُكُمْ
marjiʿukum
(is) your return
فَأُنَبِّئُكُم
fa-unabbi-ukum
and I will inform you
بِمَا
bimā
about what
كُنتُمْ
kuntum
you used
تَعْمَلُونَ
taʿmalūna
(to) do
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.
8-1. At numerous places in the Noble Quran, along with commanding His oneness and worship, Allah Almighty has emphasized the treatment towards parents. This clarifies that only the one who understands and fulfills the requirements of obedience and service to parents can truly comprehend and fulfill the demands of Lordship (Allah being One). A person who is unable to understand that his existence in this world is the result of the mutual closeness of his parents, and that his upbringing and nurturing are the fruits of their utmost kindness and compassion, should not show any negligence in serving them nor turn away from obeying them. Surely, such a person will also remain incapable of understanding the Creator of the universe and fulfilling the demands of His oneness and worship. This is why the ahadith also greatly emphasize good conduct with parents. In one hadith, the pleasure of parents is declared as the pleasure of Allah, and their displeasure as the displeasure of the Lord.
8-2. That is, if parents command shirk (and this includes commands for other sins as well), and even make special efforts for it, then they should not be obeyed, because "there is no obedience to anyone in disobedience to Allah." In the context of the revelation of this verse, the incident of Hazrat Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas ؓ is mentioned: when he became Muslim, his mother said, "I will neither eat nor drink until I die or you renounce the prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ." Eventually, he had to forcefully open his mother's mouth to feed her, upon which this verse was revealed.
8-2. That is, if parents command shirk (and this includes commands for other sins as well), and even make special efforts for it, then they should not be obeyed, because "there is no obedience to anyone in disobedience to Allah." In the context of the revelation of this verse, the incident of Hazrat Sa'd bin Abi Waqqas ؓ is mentioned: when he became Muslim, his mother said, "I will neither eat nor drink until I die or you renounce the prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ." Eventually, he had to forcefully open his mother's mouth to feed her, upon which this verse was revealed.
