Quran by topic

Quran verses about parents

The Quran treats kindness to parents as a duty that follows directly from the worship of God alone. In several passages the command comes in the same breath as the command not to associate anything with Him.

This is a short selection, not a complete list. Each passage is given in Arabic with an English translation and its place in the Quran. Some are commands, one sets a limit, and two are prayers.

Kindness when they reach old age

۞ وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوٓا۟ إِلَّآ إِيَّاهُ وَبِٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَٰنًا ۚ إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ ٱلْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَآ أَوْ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُل لَّهُمَآ أُفٍّۢ وَلَا تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوْلًۭا كَرِيمًۭا

Thy Lord hath decreed, that ye worship none save Him, and (that ye show) kindness to parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age with thee, say not "Fie" unto them nor repulse them, but speak unto them a gracious word.

Al-Israa 17:23

وَٱخْفِضْ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ ٱلذُّلِّ مِنَ ٱلرَّحْمَةِ وَقُل رَّبِّ ٱرْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِى صَغِيرًۭا

And lower unto them the wing of submission through mercy, and say: My Lord! Have mercy on them both as they did care for me when I was little.

Al-Israa 17:24

Surah Al-Israa (The Night Journey) · Meccan · ayahs 23–24 of 111

The mother's weakness and the years of nursing

وَوَصَّيْنَا ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ بِوَٰلِدَيْهِ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُۥ وَهْنًا عَلَىٰ وَهْنٍۢ وَفِصَٰلُهُۥ فِى عَامَيْنِ أَنِ ٱشْكُرْ لِى وَلِوَٰلِدَيْكَ إِلَىَّ ٱلْمَصِيرُ

And We have enjoined upon man concerning his partners - His mother beareth him in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years - Give thanks unto Me and unto thy parents. Unto Me is the journeying.

Luqman 31:14

Surah Luqman (Luqman) · Meccan · ayah 14 of 34

Kindness, and a prayer at forty

وَوَصَّيْنَا ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ بِوَٰلِدَيْهِ إِحْسَٰنًا ۖ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُۥ كُرْهًۭا وَوَضَعَتْهُ كُرْهًۭا ۖ وَحَمْلُهُۥ وَفِصَٰلُهُۥ ثَلَٰثُونَ شَهْرًا ۚ حَتَّىٰٓ إِذَا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُۥ وَبَلَغَ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةًۭ قَالَ رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِىٓ أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ ٱلَّتِىٓ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَىَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَٰلِدَىَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَٰلِحًۭا تَرْضَىٰهُ وَأَصْلِحْ لِى فِى ذُرِّيَّتِىٓ ۖ إِنِّى تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَإِنِّى مِنَ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ

And We have commended unto man kindness toward parents. His mother beareth him with reluctance, and bringeth him forth with reluctance, and the bearing of him and the weaning of him is thirty months, till, when he attaineth full strength and reacheth forty years, he saith: My Lord! Arouse me that I may give thanks for the favour wherewith Thou hast favoured me and my parents, and that I may do right acceptable unto Thee. And be gracious unto me in the matter of my seed. Lo! I have turned unto Thee repentant, and lo! I am of those who surrender (unto Thee).

Al-Ahqaf 46:15

Surah Al-Ahqaf (The Dunes) · Meccan · ayah 15 of 35

Parents among those owed kindness

۞ وَٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَلَا تُشْرِكُوا۟ بِهِۦ شَيْـًۭٔا ۖ وَبِٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَٰنًۭا وَبِذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْيَتَٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَٰكِينِ وَٱلْجَارِ ذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْجَارِ ٱلْجُنُبِ وَٱلصَّاحِبِ بِٱلْجَنۢبِ وَٱبْنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَٰنُكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ مَن كَانَ مُخْتَالًۭا فَخُورًا

And serve Allah. Ascribe no thing as partner unto Him. (Show) kindness unto parents, and unto near kindred, and orphans, and the needy, and unto the neighbour who is of kin (unto you) and the neighbour who is not of kin, and the fellow-traveller and the wayfarer and (the slaves) whom your right hands possess. Lo! Allah loveth not such as are proud and boastful,

An-Nisaa 4:36

Surah An-Nisaa (The Women) · Medinan · ayah 36 of 176

Kindness, but not obedience in disbelief

وَوَصَّيْنَا ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ بِوَٰلِدَيْهِ حُسْنًۭا ۖ وَإِن جَٰهَدَاكَ لِتُشْرِكَ بِى مَا لَيْسَ لَكَ بِهِۦ عِلْمٌۭ فَلَا تُطِعْهُمَآ ۚ إِلَىَّ مَرْجِعُكُمْ فَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ

We have enjoined on man kindness to parents; but if they strive to make thee join with Me that of which thou hast no knowledge, then obey them not. Unto Me is your return and I shall tell you what ye used to do.

Al-Ankaboot 29:8

Surah Al-Ankaboot (The Spider) · Meccan · ayah 8 of 69

Yahya, dutiful to his parents

وَبَرًّۢا بِوَٰلِدَيْهِ وَلَمْ يَكُن جَبَّارًا عَصِيًّۭا

And dutiful toward his parents. And he was not arrogant, rebellious.

Maryam 19:14

Surah Maryam (Mary) · Meccan · ayah 14 of 98

Abraham's prayer for his parents

رَبَّنَا ٱغْفِرْ لِى وَلِوَٰلِدَىَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ ٱلْحِسَابُ

Our Lord! Forgive me and my parents and believers on the day when the account is cast.

Ibrahim 14:41

Surah Ibrahim (Abraham) · Meccan · ayah 41 of 52

Context

Six of these passages are Meccan. They belong to the period when the first believers were often in conflict with their own families over faith, and the Quran keeps the duty to parents while refusing to make it absolute. The seventh, from an-Nisaa, is Medinan and places parents in a wider list of people owed kindness.

Surah 29:8 is reported in connection with Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas. His mother vowed not to eat or drink until he gave up Islam, and the verse keeps kindness to parents while saying that obedience stops where it would mean worshipping something besides God. Commentators record the report; the Quran text itself does not name the occasion.

Surah 17:23–24 is Meccan and stands in a sequence of commands in al-Israa that begins with the worship of God alone. It is not tied to a single reported event.

No specific occasion is reported for the remaining passages. They are read as general commands and prayers.

Questions for reflection

Which of these verses describes your relationship with your parents most closely, and which is hardest to hear?
Several passages tie kindness to the effort of pregnancy and nursing. How does that change the duty from repayment to something else?
Surah 29:8 sets a limit: kindness remains, obedience does not, when faith is at stake. Where is that limit relevant today?
Abraham prays for his parents. What do you want to ask for them?