It is a duty of a Muslim to respect, honor, take care of & make Dua for parents. The welfare of parents in their old age is an obligation upon every child and should be undertaken with gratitude simply because it is a means of repaying them for their unconditional love, support and care they showered you during your early years. If Allah blessed you with this opportunity, remember that he would reward you immensely for your kindness and patience. Neglecting to do so would only incur the wrath of Allah. He says in the Holy Quran:
وَقَضَى رَبُّكَ أَلاَّ تَعْبُدُواْ إِلاَّ إِيَّاهُ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ الْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ كِلاَهُمَا فَلاَ تَقُل لَّهُمَآ أُفٍّ وَلاَ تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوْلاً كَرِيمًا
وَاخْفِضْ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ الذُّلِّ مِنَ الرَّحْمَةِ وَقُل رَّبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا
“And your Lord has decreed that you worship not except Him, and to parents, good treatment. Whether one or both of them reach old age [while] with you, say not to them [so much as], ‘uff,’ and do not repel them but speak to them a noble word. And lower to them the wing of humility out of mercy and say, ‘My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small.’” [Al-Isra 17:23-4]
One wonderful way to honor your parents, whether they are departed or alive, is to keep making Dua for them.
Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) has said: “When a man dies all his good deeds come to an end except three: Ongoing charity (Sadaqah Jariyah), beneficial knowledge and a righteous son who prays for him.” [Sahih Muslim]
Making Dua for parents will, unquestionably, be beneficial for them in this life as well as the hereafter. The Quran and Sunnah offer a number of insightful Duas for parents that you may recite daily. InshaaAllah, the Almighty will reward your efforts and grant you and your parents Jannatul Firdaus.
Dua for Parents’ Forgiveness
رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْحِسَابُ
Transliteration: Rabbana-ghfirli wa liwaalidayya wa lilmu’mineena yauma yaqoomul-hisaab
Translation: “Our Lord! Forgive me, my parents, and the believers on the Day when the judgment will come to pass.” [Surah Ibrahim 14:41]
رَبِّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِمَن دَخَلَ بَيْتِيَ مُؤْمِنًا وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ وَلَا تَزِدِ الظَّالِمِينَ إِلَّا تَبَارًا
Transliteration: Rabbi-ghfirli wa liwalidayya waliman dakhala baytiya mu’minan walilmu’mineena walmu’minati wala tadhidi-dhalimeena illatabaara
Translation: “My Lord, forgive me and my parents and whoever enters my house a believer and the believing men and believing women. And do not increase the wrongdoers except in destruction.” [Surah Nuh 71:28]
Dua for Parents’ Mercy
رَّبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا
Transliteration: Rabbi-rhamhuma kama rabbayanee sagheera
Translation: “My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small.” [Surah Al-Isra 17:24]
Dua to Shower Blessings Upon Parents and to Inspire Gratitude
رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَىٰ وَالِدَيَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُ وَأَدْخِلْنِي بِرَحْمَتِكَ فِي عِبَادِكَ الصَّالِحِينَ
Transliteration: Rabbi awzi’ni an ashkura ni’matikal-latee an’amta ‘alayya wa ‘ala waalidayya wa an a’mala salihan tardhaahu wa adkhilnee birahmatika fee ‘ibaadikas-saliheen
Translation: “Lord, inspire me to be thankful for the blessings You have granted me and my parents, and to do good deeds that please You; admit me by Your grace into the ranks of Your righteous servants.” [An-Naml 27:19]
رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَى وَالِدَيَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُ وَأَصْلِحْ لِي فِي ذُرِّيَّتِي إِنِّي تُبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَإِنِّي مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ
Transliteration: Rabbi awzi’ni an ashkura ni’matikal-latee an’amta ‘alayya wa ‘ala waalidayya wa an a’mala salihan tardhaahu wa aslih lee fee dhurriyyathee innee thubthu ilayka wa innee min-almuslimeen
Translation: “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.” [Surah Al-Ahqaf 46:15]
Dua for Parents’ Health & Well-Being
Uthman b. Abu al-‘As Al-Thaqafi reported that he made a complaint of pain to Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) that he felt in his body at the time he had become Muslim. Thereupon Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) said: “Place your hand at the place where you feel pain in your body and say Bismillah (in the name of Allah) three times and seven times,
أَعُوذُ بِاللَّهِ وَقُدْرَتِهِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا أَجِدُ وَأُحَاذِرُ
Transliteration: A’udhu billahi wa qudratihi min sharri ma ajidu wa uhadhiru
Translation: “I seek refuge with Allah and with His Power from the evil that I find and that I fear.” [Sahih Muslim]
Aisha (RA) also narrated:
The Prophet (PBUH) used to treat some of his wives by passing his right hand over the place of ailment and used to say,
اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ النَّاسِ أَذْهِبِ الْبَاسَ، اشْفِهِ وَأَنْتَ الشَّافِي، لاَ شِفَاءَ إِلاَّ شِفَاؤُكَ، شِفَاءً لاَ يُغَادِرُ سَقَمًا
Transliteration: Allahumma Rabban-naas adhhibil-bas, ashfihi wa antash-Shaafi, la shifa’a illa shifa’uka, shafi’an la yughadiru saqaman
Translation: “O Allah, the Lord of the people! Remove the trouble and heal the patient, for You are the Healer. No healing is of any avail but Yours; healing that will leave behind no ailment.” [Sahih al-Bukhari]
This is something that us children can do for our parents when they are going through similar ailments at any stage of their life.
The door to earning Allah’s pleasure through your parents
Most of us growing up take our parent’s for granted. And often as we grow up we get annoyed, embarrassed or outright angry at times by what they do. However, many of us receive a wake-up call when we become parents ourselves. Suddenly all of the actions of our parent’s make sense. One begins to realize the trials we go through as parents are the same ones faced by our own parents for us.
But sometimes the realization comes too late. The door to earning Allah’s pleasure through the service of our parents are only open to us for as long as they are around. After that, even their Duas for us to stop.
However, what is still available to us is the ability to continue making Dua for them. Just as the Dua of a parent for their children get accepted unconditionally by Allah, so does the Dua of a child for their parents. May Allah grant our parents, children, siblings and relatives the best in this life and in the Hereafter.
