Tafsir of Al-Isra 17:23

{وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ} He has commanded and decreed with absolute certainty.

{أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا} The *an* (أَن) is explanatory (mufassira), and *la ta‘budu* (لَا تَعْبُدُوا) is a prohibition. It is as if it said: "He commanded you by saying: Do not worship [anyone but Him]."

{وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا} Meaning: "And treat your parents with kindness." It is also possible that it means: "And that you should treat your parents with kindness." It has been recited as *wa-awṣā* (وَأَوْصَىٰ - He enjoined). Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) recited it as *wa-waṣṣā* (وَوَصَّىٰ). It is not permissible for the *ba* in *bi-l-wālidayn* to be connected to *iḥsān* (kindness), because the verbal noun (*maṣdar*) cannot be preceded by that which it governs.

{إِمَّا} This is the conditional *in* (إِن) with *ma* (مَا) added to it for emphasis. This is why the emphatic *nun* (ن) is attached to the verb. If *in* were used alone, this attachment would not be correct; you cannot say *in tukrimanna Zaydan* (إِنْ تُكْرِمَنَّ زَيْدًا), but you can say *immā tukrimannahu* (إِمَّا تُكْرِمَنَّهُ).

{أَحَدُهُمَا} This is the subject of *yablughanna* (يَبْلُغَنَّ). For those who recite it as *yablughān* (يَبْلُغَانِ), it is a substitute (*badal*) for the pronoun *alif* referring to the parents. *Kilāhumā* (كِلَاهُمَا) is a conjunction to *aḥaduhumā*, acting as both subject and substitute. If you ask: "If it were said *immā yablughān kilāhumā*, *kilāhumā* would be an intensifier (*tawkīd*), not a substitute; why do you claim it is a substitute?" I reply: Because it is conjoined to something that cannot be an intensifier for a dual, so it follows its grammatical status and must be like it. If you ask: "What harm is there in making it an intensifier while the conjoined element is a substitute?" I reply: If the intention were to intensify the dual, one would simply say *kilāhumā*. Since *aḥaduhumā* or *kilāhumā* was used, it is known that intensification is not intended; thus, it is a substitute like the first.

{أُفٍّ} A sound indicating annoyance. It is recited with the three vowels, both with and without *tanwīn*: * **Kasra:** Based on the original construction. * **Fatḥa:** A lightening of the *ḍamma* and the *tashdīd*, like *thumma*. * **Ḍamma:** Following the vowel of the preceding word, like *mundhu*.

The Meaning of "Inda" (With You) It means when they grow old and helpless, becoming a burden to their child with no one to care for them but him. They are *‘inda* (with) him in his house and under his protection. This is more difficult for him and requires greater patience. He may even have to handle for them what they handled for him in his childhood. He is commanded to treat them with gentleness, softness, and patience, so that if he is annoyed, he does not say to them—let alone anything worse—"Uff," even when faced with things that are repulsive or burdensome.

{وَلَا تَنْهَرْهُمَا} Do not scold them for what they do that you do not like. "Prohibition," "scolding," and "harshness" are all related.

{وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوْلًا كَرِيمًا} Instead of scolding or saying "Uff," speak to them beautifully, as required by good manners and nobility. It is said this means saying: "O my father, O my mother," just as Abraham said to his father, "O my father," despite his father's disbelief. One should not call them by their names, as that is a sign of rudeness and bad manners.

{جَنَاحَ الذُّلِّ} Recited as *adh-dhull* (with ḍamma) and *adh-dhill* (with kasra). * **Meaning 1:** Lower your wing of humility for them, as in "Lower your wing for the believers." It is attributed to *dhull* (humility) just as "Hatim" is attributed to "generosity," meaning: "Lower your humble wing for them." * **Meaning 2:** To make a low wing for your humility toward them, as Labid gave the North Wind a "hand" and the cold a "rein," as an exaggeration in showing humility and submissiveness to them.

{مِنَ الرَّحْمَةِ} Out of the excess of your mercy and affection for them, due to their old age and their need today for the one who was the most needy of them yesterday. Do not be content with your own mercy, which is fleeting; pray to Allah to have mercy on them with His everlasting mercy, and make that a reward for their mercy toward you in your childhood and their upbringing of you.

On Praying for Parents If you ask: "Is praying for mercy valid if they are disbelievers?" I reply: If they are disbelievers, one may pray for them on the condition of faith, and pray to Allah to guide them. Some say that praying for disbelievers was permissible and then abrogated. Ibn Uyaynah was asked about charity on behalf of the deceased and said: "All of it reaches them, and nothing is more beneficial to them than seeking forgiveness (*istighfār*). If there were anything better, He would have commanded you to do it for your parents."

Traditions and Sayings * "Allah’s pleasure is in the pleasure of the parents, and His wrath is in their wrath." * "The dutiful person may do as he wishes, for he will not enter the Fire; the undutiful person may do as he wishes, for he will not enter Paradise." * A man asked the Prophet (ﷺ): "My parents have reached such an age that I must handle for them what they handled for me in my childhood. Have I repaid them?" He said: "No, for they did that while wishing for your survival, while you do it while wishing for their death." * A man complained to the Prophet (ﷺ) about his father taking his wealth. The Prophet (ﷺ) summoned the father, who was an old man leaning on a staff. The father explained that he had supported his son when he was weak and poor, and now that the roles were reversed, the son was stingy. The Prophet (ﷺ) wept and said to the son: "You and your wealth belong to your father." * Regarding the mother's bad temper, the Prophet (ﷺ) reminded the son of her patience during pregnancy, nursing, and sleepless nights. When the son claimed he had repaid her by carrying her on his back for Hajj, the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "You have not repaid her, not even for a single labor pain." * The Prophet (ﷺ) warned: "Beware of being undutiful to parents, for the scent of Paradise is found from a distance of a thousand years, but the undutiful, the severer of ties, the old adulterer, and the one who lets his garment drag out of pride will not find its scent."

Legal Rulings Jurists state: One should not take his father to the market for sale, but if he is sent to carry him, he should do so. He should not serve him wine. Abu Yusuf said: If the father commands him to light a fire under his pot containing pork, he should do it. Hudhayfah asked the Prophet (ﷺ) for permission to kill his father while he was in the ranks of the polytheists, and the Prophet (ﷺ) said: "Let someone else deal with him."

{رَّبُّكُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا فِي نُفُوسِكُمْ ۚ إِن تَكُونُوا صَالِحِينَ فَإِنَّهُ كَانَ لِلْأَوَّابِينَ غَفُورًا}