سُوْرَةُ الْاَحْقَافِ
Surah Al-Ahqaf (46) — Ayah 15
وَوَصَّيْنَا ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ بِوَٰلِدَيْهِ إِحْسَـٰنًا ۖ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُۥ كُرْهًا وَوَضَعَتْهُ كُرْهًا ۖ وَحَمْلُهُۥ وَفِصَـٰلُهُۥ ثَلَـٰثُونَ شَهْرًا ۚ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُۥ وَبَلَغَ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً قَالَ رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِىٓ أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَىَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَٰلِدَىَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَـٰلِحًا تَرْضَىٰهُ وَأَصْلِحْ لِى فِى ذُرِّيَّتِىٓ ۖ إِنِّى تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَإِنِّى مِنَ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ ﴿15﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And We have enjoined on man to be dutiful and kind to his parents. His mother bears him with hardship. And she brings him forth with hardship, and the bearing of him, and the weaning of him is thirty months, till when he attains full strength and reaches forty years, he says: "My Lord! Grant me the power and ability that I may be grateful for Your Favour which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents, and that I may do righteous good deeds, such as please You, and make my offspring good. Truly, I have turned to You in repentance, and truly, I am one of the Muslims (submitting to Your Will)."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَوَصَّيْنَا
wawaṣṣaynā
And We have enjoined
ٱلْإِنسَـٰنَ
l-insāna
(on) man
بِوَٰلِدَيْهِ
biwālidayhi
to his parents
إِحْسَـٰنًا ۖ
iḥ'sānan
kindness
حَمَلَتْهُ
ḥamalathu
Carried him
أُمُّهُۥ
ummuhu
his mother
كُرْهًۭا
kur'han
(with) hardship
وَوَضَعَتْهُ
wawaḍaʿathu
and gave birth to him
كُرْهًۭا ۖ
kur'han
(with) hardship
وَحَمْلُهُۥ
waḥamluhu
And (the) bearing of him
وَفِصَـٰلُهُۥ
wafiṣāluhu
and (the) weaning of him
ثَلَـٰثُونَ
thalāthūna
(is) thirty
شَهْرًا ۚ
shahran
month(s)
حَتَّىٰٓ
ḥattā
until
إِذَا
idhā
when
بَلَغَ
balagha
he reaches
أَشُدَّهُۥ
ashuddahu
his maturity
وَبَلَغَ
wabalagha
and reaches
أَرْبَعِينَ
arbaʿīna
forty
سَنَةًۭ
sanatan
year(s)
قَالَ
qāla
he says
رَبِّ
rabbi
My Lord
أَوْزِعْنِىٓ
awziʿ'nī
grant me (the) power
أَنْ
an
that
أَشْكُرَ
ashkura
I may be grateful
نِعْمَتَكَ
niʿ'mataka
(for) Your favor
ٱلَّتِىٓ
allatī
which
أَنْعَمْتَ
anʿamta
You have bestowed
عَلَىَّ
ʿalayya
upon me
وَعَلَىٰ
waʿalā
and upon
وَٰلِدَىَّ
wālidayya
my parents
وَأَنْ
wa-an
and that
أَعْمَلَ
aʿmala
I do
صَـٰلِحًۭا
ṣāliḥan
righteous (deeds)
تَرْضَىٰهُ
tarḍāhu
which please You
وَأَصْلِحْ
wa-aṣliḥ
and make righteous
لِى
lī
for me
فِى
fī
among
ذُرِّيَّتِىٓ ۖ
dhurriyyatī
my offspring
إِنِّى
innī
indeed
تُبْتُ
tub'tu
I turn
إِلَيْكَ
ilayka
to You
وَإِنِّى
wa-innī
and indeed, I am
مِنَ
mina
of
ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ
l-mus'limīna
those who submit
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
15. And We have enjoined upon man to treat his parents with kindness [19]. His mother bore him with hardship and gave birth to him with hardship [20]. The bearing of him and his weaning [21] is thirty months. When he reaches his full strength and attains forty years [22], he says, "My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents, and to do righteous [23] deeds that please You, and make my offspring [24] righteous for me. Truly, I turn to You in repentance, and surely I am of those who submit."
[19] For better conduct towards parents, see the footnotes of Surah Bani Isra'il, verses 23 and 24.
[20]
The Mother is More Deserving of Good Conduct Than the Father:
In this verse, first, both mother and father are commanded to be treated well. Then, three times, only the special services of the mother are mentioned. And the best explanation of this verse is the hadith narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah ؓ. He says that a man asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: Who is most deserving of my good conduct? The Prophet ﷺ replied: "Your mother." He asked again, then who? The Prophet ﷺ replied: "Your mother." The third time, the Prophet ﷺ gave the same answer. Then, the fourth time, the Prophet ﷺ replied: "Your father." [بخاری۔ کتاب الادب۔ باب من احق الناس بحسن الصحبۃ]
[21]
The Count of the Suckling Period and Its Consequences:
In Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 233, Allah Almighty has stated that the full period of suckling is two years. However, if the parents wish to reduce this period due to some necessity, there is no harm in it. Similarly, in Surah Luqman, verse 13, it is stated that it took two years to wean the child. And at this place, it is stated that the period of pregnancy and suckling is thirty months. Considering all these verses, the following issues become clear:
(1) The maximum period of suckling is two years. It can be reduced, but not increased. Therefore, if someone drinks a woman's milk after the age of two years, the rulings of suckling will not apply to him, i.e., those rulings which are related to marriage.
(2) The minimum period of pregnancy is six months. If a child is born before six months, he will not be considered the child of the present husband, but rather the child of another man. In clearer words, that boy will be considered a child of adultery. And he will have no relation to inheritance, and the child's mother may be subject to the punishment for adultery. It should be noted that according to current medical research, the minimum period of pregnancy is considered to be 28 weeks. If this research is correct, it still appears that the Shariah, considering the delicacy and importance of both aspects of this issue, has set the period at six months with utmost caution. If a child is born after six months, the father or the woman's husband will not have the right to deny his lineage.
(3) The best way to count the period of suckling is that if the child is born after six months, the period of suckling should be considered a full two years or twenty-four months. If born after seven months, then twenty-three months; after eight months, twenty-two months; and after nine months, twenty-one months.
(4) The count of the period will be according to lunar months, not solar months.
[22]
What is the Age of Maturity?
Although a person's physical strength and power reach their peak before the age of forty, intellectual maturity is attained at forty years. That is why the Prophets were granted prophethood at the age of forty or after it. However, 'Isa ؑ is an exception to this rule. Just as many other aspects of his life are miraculous, similarly, he was granted prophethood at the age of thirty, and at the age of thirty-three, he was raised to the heavens.
[23] This is evidence of the maturity of a person's intellect that he begins to feel the favors of his Lord and his parents, for which he thanks Allah and also seeks the ability from Allah to be grateful. And he practically expresses gratitude to Allah and seeks His ability in a way that pleases Allah. It should be noted that Allah Almighty only likes those deeds that are done purely for His pleasure, in accordance with the restrictions of Shariah, i.e., according to the example of the Messenger. There should not be even a hint of showing off in them, and later, no such act should be done that would nullify that deed.
[24]
Special Favor Upon Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq ؓ:
Among the noble Companions, only Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq ؓ was so fortunate that he himself was a Muslim, his parents were Muslims, and his children were Muslims, and all of them had the honor of the company of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. No other Companion had this distinction.
[19] For better conduct towards parents, see the footnotes of Surah Bani Isra'il, verses 23 and 24.
[20]
The Mother is More Deserving of Good Conduct Than the Father:
In this verse, first, both mother and father are commanded to be treated well. Then, three times, only the special services of the mother are mentioned. And the best explanation of this verse is the hadith narrated from Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah ؓ. He says that a man asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: Who is most deserving of my good conduct? The Prophet ﷺ replied: "Your mother." He asked again, then who? The Prophet ﷺ replied: "Your mother." The third time, the Prophet ﷺ gave the same answer. Then, the fourth time, the Prophet ﷺ replied: "Your father." [بخاری۔ کتاب الادب۔ باب من احق الناس بحسن الصحبۃ]
[21]
The Count of the Suckling Period and Its Consequences:
In Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 233, Allah Almighty has stated that the full period of suckling is two years. However, if the parents wish to reduce this period due to some necessity, there is no harm in it. Similarly, in Surah Luqman, verse 13, it is stated that it took two years to wean the child. And at this place, it is stated that the period of pregnancy and suckling is thirty months. Considering all these verses, the following issues become clear:
(1) The maximum period of suckling is two years. It can be reduced, but not increased. Therefore, if someone drinks a woman's milk after the age of two years, the rulings of suckling will not apply to him, i.e., those rulings which are related to marriage.
(2) The minimum period of pregnancy is six months. If a child is born before six months, he will not be considered the child of the present husband, but rather the child of another man. In clearer words, that boy will be considered a child of adultery. And he will have no relation to inheritance, and the child's mother may be subject to the punishment for adultery. It should be noted that according to current medical research, the minimum period of pregnancy is considered to be 28 weeks. If this research is correct, it still appears that the Shariah, considering the delicacy and importance of both aspects of this issue, has set the period at six months with utmost caution. If a child is born after six months, the father or the woman's husband will not have the right to deny his lineage.
(3) The best way to count the period of suckling is that if the child is born after six months, the period of suckling should be considered a full two years or twenty-four months. If born after seven months, then twenty-three months; after eight months, twenty-two months; and after nine months, twenty-one months.
(4) The count of the period will be according to lunar months, not solar months.
[22]
What is the Age of Maturity?
Although a person's physical strength and power reach their peak before the age of forty, intellectual maturity is attained at forty years. That is why the Prophets were granted prophethood at the age of forty or after it. However, 'Isa ؑ is an exception to this rule. Just as many other aspects of his life are miraculous, similarly, he was granted prophethood at the age of thirty, and at the age of thirty-three, he was raised to the heavens.
[23] This is evidence of the maturity of a person's intellect that he begins to feel the favors of his Lord and his parents, for which he thanks Allah and also seeks the ability from Allah to be grateful. And he practically expresses gratitude to Allah and seeks His ability in a way that pleases Allah. It should be noted that Allah Almighty only likes those deeds that are done purely for His pleasure, in accordance with the restrictions of Shariah, i.e., according to the example of the Messenger. There should not be even a hint of showing off in them, and later, no such act should be done that would nullify that deed.
[24]
Special Favor Upon Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq ؓ:
Among the noble Companions, only Sayyiduna Abu Bakr Siddiq ؓ was so fortunate that he himself was a Muslim, his parents were Muslims, and his children were Muslims, and all of them had the honor of the company of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. No other Companion had this distinction.
