Surah Al-Ahqaf, Ayah 15
وَوَصَّيْنَا الْإِنسَانَ بِوَالِدَيْهِ إِحْسَانًا ۖ حَمَلَتْهُ أُمُّهُ كُرْهًا وَوَضَعَتْهُ كُرْهًا ۖ وَحَمْلُهُ وَفِصَالُهُ ثَلَاثُونَ شَهْرًا ۚ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا بَلَغَ أَشُدَّهُ وَبَلَغَ أَرْبَعِينَ سَنَةً قَالَ رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَالِدَيَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُ وَأَصْلِحْ لِي فِي ذُرِّيَّتِي ۖ إِنِّي تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَإِنِّي مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ
And We have enjoined upon man, to his parents, good treatment. His mother carried him with hardship and gave birth to him with hardship, and his gestation and weaning [period] is thirty months. [He grows] until, when he reaches maturity and reaches [the age of] forty years, he says, "My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to work righteousness of which You will approve and make righteous for me my offspring. Indeed, I have repented to You, and indeed, I am of the Muslims."
اور ہم نے انسان کو اپنے والدین کے ساتھ احسان کرنے کا حکم دیا ہے۔ اس کی ماں نے اسے تکلیف کے ساتھ اٹھایا اور تکلیف کے ساتھ جنا، اور اس کا حمل اور دودھ چھڑانا تیس مہینے ہے۔ یہاں تک کہ جب وہ اپنی پختگی کو پہنچا اور چالیس سال کا ہوا تو کہا، 'اے میرے رب! مجھے توفیق دے کہ میں تیری اس نعمت کا شکر کروں جو تو نے مجھ پر اور میرے والدین پر کی ہے اور یہ کہ میں ایسا نیک عمل کروں جس سے تو راضی ہو، اور میری اولاد میں بھی اصلاح کر دے۔ بے شک میں نے تیری طرف توبہ کی ہے اور بے شک میں مسلمانوں میں سے ہوں۔'
Explanation
This verse beautifully traces human development from conception to spiritual maturity. It begins by commanding kindness to parents, then describes a mother's sacrifices during pregnancy and childbirth, noting the thirty-month period of pregnancy and weaning. The verse culminates with the prayer of a mature person at age forty - traditionally considered the age of full wisdom - who asks Allah for the ability to be grateful, to do righteous deeds, and to have righteous offspring. This teaches that parental sacrifices, especially maternal ones, deserve lifelong gratitude and kindness; that spiritual maturity involves recognizing our dependence on Allah and our parents; that true wisdom includes praying for the ability to be grateful and righteous; and that concern for our children's righteousness is a sign of spiritual maturity. The prayer serves as a model for mature believers seeking Allah's help in fulfilling their duties to parents, Allah, and future generations.
Context
This verse appears in Surah Al-Ahqaf (The Wind-Curved Sandhills), emphasizing the importance of honoring parents and showing the progression from dependence to spiritual maturity and responsibility.