All the achievements of parents who came to this beautiful world and grew up from children to come to this day. So we are forever indebted to mom and dad. It is not at all possible for us to repay their debt in this short life. We can only thank them for life. A good way to thank them is to pray for them. Rabbir hamhuma kama rabbayani sagheera, this prayer is unique in this regard.
Here we are discussing in detail about the Arabic pronunciation, meaning and significance of this dua. Also, I will explain it according to the hadith and quote from the Imams. Hope this will encourage you to pray for life with full knowledge.
Rabbir hamhuma kama Rabbayani sagheera । Arabic and Meaning
The original Arabic of the Dua for Mother and Father is –
رَّبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا
Pronunciation: Rabbir hamhuma kama rabbayani sagheera.
Meaning: O my Lord, have mercy (kindness) on them (mother and father), as they brought me up (with kindness and loving-kindness) as a child.
The source of the prayer
To understand the explanation of this prayer, it is necessary to understand from the previous verse. The previous verse is –
وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعْبُدُوا إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا ۚ إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ الْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُل لَّهُمَا أُفٍّ وَلَا تَنْهَرْهُمَا وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوْلًا كَرِيمًا
Meaning: And your Lord has commanded that you worship only Him and be kind to your parents. If one or both of them reach old age with you, do not say hurtful words to them and do not rebuke them. And talk to them respectfully. (Surah Bani Israel:23)
In this verse, Allah Ta’ala has taught us how we should behave towards our parents. The next verse says:
[ الإسراء: 24] وَاخْفِضْ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ الذُّلِّ مِنَ الرَّحْمَةِ وَقُل رَّبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا
Meaning: And bow down the wings of humility in mercy for them and say, O my Lord, show mercy (kindness) to them (mother and father), as they brought me up (with tenderness and loving-kindness) as a child. (Surah Bani Israel:24)
Explanation of the prayer
In these two verses, Allah Ta’ala directs the people of all classes of the society and says, O honorable person in the society, possessed of knowledge, rich in wealth, O people of the society, you show modesty to your parents. You maintain the highest propriety before your parents – in your words, your deeds, your conduct and actions, you are nothing but their image tree.
Tafsirbid Alusi said
وقل في الدعاء لهما: يا رب ارحمهما برحمتك الواسعة، واشملهما بمغفرتك الغامرة،جزاء ما بذلا من رعاية لي في صغرى، فأنت القادر على مثوبتهما ومكافأتهما
Meaning: And supplicate for them, O my Lord, cover them with Your abundant mercy. Cover them in your abundant forgiveness. As a reward for the hard work they put into my childhood. Because you are able to repay and repay.
Significance
In Islam, respecting parents and obeying them is very important. This is one of the fundamental duties of a Muslim. This dua we ask for mercy on our parents reminds us of our childhood. They showed us their sacrifice, love and care while raising us when we were naive. It reflects the acknowledgment of debt of gratitude for parents’ efforts in raising children and in general.
This prayer is a way of expressing kindness, respect and gratitude to parents. It emphasizes the value of mercy and compassion in family relationships. At the same time, it inspires us to follow the commands of Allah Ta’ala. Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said:
الوالد أوسط أبواب الجنة فحافظ إن شئت أو ضيع
Father is the door between Paradise, preserve or destroy this door if you wish. (Tirmidhi: 1900)
A few questions answered
If the parents are infidels, can you pray for them?
Yes, if the parents are infidels, they can be prayed for guidance. And if they die in the state of disbelief, then there is no opportunity to pray for them. Ibn Abbas Radiyallahu Anhu said:
هذا منسوخ بقوله : ” ما كان للنبي والذين آمنوا أن يستغفروا للمشركين ” ( التوبة – 13 )
Translation: This (supplication for the parents of the disbelievers) is abrogated by this verse of Allah Ta’ala: ‘It is not befitting for the Prophet and the believers that they should intercede for the polytheists. (Surah Tawba, verse 13)
What kind of sin to disobey parents?
Disobedience to parents is a sin. Rasulullah Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam said:
رضا الله في رضا الوالدين، وسخط الله في سخط الوالدين
Translation: Allah’s pleasure lies in the parents’ pleasure. And the displeasure of Allah lies in the displeasure of parents. (Tirimizi: 1899)
Is it possible to disobey parents with good intentions?
If the parents give any command against the Quran and Sunnah, it cannot be obeyed. But always maintain good manners with them. Both parents and children should remember that ‘disobedience to God is no obedience to creation’. Moreover, there may be disagreements about how to be sure that your good intentions are good.
