ﱦ ﱧ ﱨ ﱩ ﱪ ﱫ ﱬ ﱭ ﱮ ﱯ ﱰ ﱱ ﱲ ﱳ ﱴ ﱵ ﱶ
And We have enjoined upon man [care] for his parents. His mother carried him, [increasing her] in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years. Be grateful to Me and to your parents; to Me is the [final] destination.
Tafsir
Verse range: 31:14
"His mother bore him in weakness upon weakness" This is like saying, "He returned, returning upon his hand" (raja‘a ‘awdan ‘ala yadihi), meaning a state of repetition. It is in the position of a circumstantial qualifier (hal). The meaning is that she weakens with weakness upon weakness; that is, her weakness increases and multiplies, for as the pregnancy progresses and grows, she becomes heavier and weaker. It is also recited as wahnan ‘ala wahin (with a fatha on the waw), narrated from Abu ‘Amr. It is said: wahana yahinu and wahana yahunu.
"And his weaning" This is an explanation of "We have enjoined."
"That you associate with Me that of which you have no knowledge" By forbidding the act, He intends the negation of the object itself. That is: do not associate with Me that which is nothing—meaning the idols—similar to His saying: "They do not call upon anything besides Him" (Al-Ankabut: 42).
"Accompany them in [this world] with appropriate kindness" Meaning: accompany them with good character, gentleness, patience, kindness, connection, and whatever generosity and chivalry dictate.
"And follow the way of those who turn back to Me" Meaning: follow the path of the believers in your religion, and do not follow their path in it, even though you are commanded to accompany them kindly in this world. Then, to Me is your return and theirs, and I will reward you for your faith and them for their disbelief. Through this, the ruling of the world is known regarding what is incumbent upon a person in accompanying and living with parents: observing the right of parenthood, honoring them, and the obligations toward them that cannot be neglected. Then, He clarified their ruling and state in the Hereafter.
It is reported that this was revealed regarding Sa‘d ibn Abi Waqqas and his mother. In the story, she remained for three days without eating or drinking until they pried her mouth open with a stick. It is reported that he said: "If she had seventy souls and they departed one by one, I would not return to disbelief."
If you ask: How did this speech occur in the middle of Luqman’s advice? I say: It is a parenthetical statement inserted by way of digression to emphasize the prohibition of polytheism found in Luqman’s advice.
If you ask: How does "His mother bore him in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years" intervene between the explainer and the explained? I say: When He enjoined [kindness to] parents, He mentioned the hardships and troubles the mother endures in carrying and weaning him over this long period, to make the recommendation for the mother specifically obligatory and to remind one of her great, individual right. Hence, the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to the one who asked, "Who is most deserving of my good company?"—"Your mother, then your mother, then your mother," and only then said, "Then your father."
Some Arabs used to carry their mothers to Hajj on their backs, reciting: I carry my mother, she who carried me, She who fed me milk and the best of her care, No parent can ever be fully repaid for their deeds.
If you ask: What is the meaning of limiting the weaning to two years? I say: The meaning of limiting it to this period is that it is the ultimate limit that should not be exceeded. Matters before the two years are left to the mother’s discretion: if she knows the child is strong enough to be weaned, she may wean him. This is indicated by His saying: "Mothers may nurse their children two complete years for whoever wishes to complete the nursing" (Al-Baqarah: 233). Al-Shafi‘i (may Allah be pleased with him) used this as evidence that the duration of nursing is two years, and that the sanctity of nursing (rada‘ah) is not established after they have passed. This is the school of Abu Yusuf and Muhammad. As for Abu Hanifa (may Allah be pleased with him), the duration of nursing is thirty months. It is reported from Abu Hanifa that if she weans him before two years and he becomes independent through food, then she nurses him again, it does not count as nursing. But if he eats only a little and is not independent of nursing, then she nurses him, it is considered prohibited nursing.
"O my son, indeed if it should be the weight of a mustard seed and should be within a rock or [anywhere] in the heavens or in the earth, Allah will bring it forth. Indeed, Allah is Subtle and Acquainted."
