سُوْرَةُ الإِسۡرَاءِ
Surah Al-Israa (17) — Ayah 24
وَٱخْفِضْ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ ٱلذُّلِّ مِنَ ٱلرَّحْمَةِ وَقُل رَّبِّ ٱرْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِى صَغِيرًا ﴿24﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
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."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَٱخْفِضْ
wa-ikh'fiḍ
And lower
لَهُمَا
lahumā
to them
جَنَاحَ
janāḥa
(the) wing
ٱلذُّلِّ
l-dhuli
(of) humility
مِنَ
mina
(out) of
ٱلرَّحْمَةِ
l-raḥmati
[the] mercy
وَقُل
waqul
and say
رَّبِّ
rabbi
My Lord
ٱرْحَمْهُمَا
ir'ḥamhumā
Have mercy on both of them
كَمَا
kamā
as
رَبَّيَانِى
rabbayānī
they brought me up
صَغِيرًۭا
ṣaghīran
(when I was) small
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 24) ➊ {وَ اخْفِضْ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ الذُّلِّ مِنَ الرَّحْمَةِ : ’’ جَنَاحَ ‘‘} refers to the wing of a bird and also to the arm. The meaning is that just as a bird lowers its wings over its young ones, taking them into its embrace and protecting them from every hardship and difficulty, in the same way, you too should lower the wings of humility over them out of mercy. Here, it is noteworthy that Allah Almighty has not emphasized the rights of children as He has emphasized the rights of parents, because naturally, there is compassion and love in the hearts of parents for their children. However, He has forbidden the oppression that they used to commit against their children. This will be mentioned ahead in verse (31) of this Surah.
➋ { وَ قُلْ رَّبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيٰنِيْ صَغِيْرًا:} It is understood from this that praying to Allah Almighty for mercy for the parents is obligatory, because this is Allah’s command. Therefore, during their lifetime and after their death, one must pray for them daily, either with these words or with other words, as is the prayer of Ibrahim (peace be upon him): «رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِيْ وَ لِوَالِدَيَّ وَ لِلْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ۠ يَوْمَ يَقُوْمُ الْحِسَابُ » [ إبراہیم : ۴۱ ] “Our Lord! Forgive me and my parents and the believers on the Day when the reckoning will be established.” Except if any of them died upon disbelief, then after their death, seeking forgiveness for them is not permissible. {’’ رَبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيٰنِيْ‘‘} The excellence of this prayer is that while praying with these words, the remembrance of the parents’ nurturing in childhood demands more sincerity and effort in supplicating for them.
➋ { وَ قُلْ رَّبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيٰنِيْ صَغِيْرًا:} It is understood from this that praying to Allah Almighty for mercy for the parents is obligatory, because this is Allah’s command. Therefore, during their lifetime and after their death, one must pray for them daily, either with these words or with other words, as is the prayer of Ibrahim (peace be upon him): «رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِيْ وَ لِوَالِدَيَّ وَ لِلْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ۠ يَوْمَ يَقُوْمُ الْحِسَابُ » [ إبراہیم : ۴۱ ] “Our Lord! Forgive me and my parents and the believers on the Day when the reckoning will be established.” Except if any of them died upon disbelief, then after their death, seeking forgiveness for them is not permissible. {’’ رَبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيٰنِيْ‘‘} The excellence of this prayer is that while praying with these words, the remembrance of the parents’ nurturing in childhood demands more sincerity and effort in supplicating for them.
