Parents are the greatest blessing from Allah Almighty for which there is no substitute. If there is any best example of selfless love and sincere sacrifice in the world, it is parents.
When a child is born, he is completely helpless. It is the parents who take him in their arms. They endure hardships for the sake of their children.
The mother sacrifices her sleep to provide comfort to the child, while the father fulfills the needs of his children after a hard day’s work. There is no motive in their love; they just want to see their children flourish.
The importance of parents can be gauged from the fact that heaven is at the feet of the mother and the father is declared to be the gate of heaven.
In the Holy Quran, Allah Almighty, immediately after the command to worship Him, has commanded good behavior towards parents. Allah Almighty says:
“And your Lord has said: Worship none but Him, and be good to parents.” (Surah Bani Israel: 23)
It was narrated from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“May the nose be dusty, may the nose be dusty, may the nose be dusty.” It was asked: Whose, O Messenger of Allah? He (ﷺ) said:
“Whoever sees one or both of his parents in old age, and yet he does not enter Paradise.” (Sahih Muslim: 4627)
Dua for parents not only brings peace to their lives, but it is also a sign of happiness for their children.
In this article, we will present authentic Quranic duas and hadiths of the Prophet (ﷺ) for the health, well-being, and longevity of parents.
Quranic Dua for Mercy on Parents
The greatness of parents and their selfless love require us to always pray to Allah Almighty for them. The Holy Quran has taught us to pray for them in this way:
رَّبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا
Transliteration: Rabbi irhamhuma kama rabbayani sagheera.
Translation: “My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up [when I was] small.”
Praying for our parents is not only part of good behavior (ihsan) towards them, but it is also a sign of our own happiness. We should pray after every prayer, especially during prostrations and during the hours of acceptance, for their health, longevity, faith, and high ranks in the hereafter.
Dua for Forgiveness for Parents
If parents are alive, then pray for peace of heart for them along with serving them, and if they have passed away, then be a continuous charity for them and continue to pray for forgiveness, because the prayers of children become a valuable gift for parents in the grave and a means of elevation of ranks.
رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْحِسَابُ
Transliteration: Rabbana-ghfir li wa liwalidayya wa lil-mu’minina yawma yaqumul-hisab.
Translation: “Our Lord, forgive me and my parents and the believers the Day the account is established.”
The illness of a parent is a time of great trial and worry for any child, and in such a situation, turning to Allah Almighty and resorting to Sunnah supplications is the best source of peace of mind and healing. This comprehensive supplication, taught by the Holy Prophet (ﷺ),
Dua Shifa (Prayer for Cure)
اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّ النَّاسِ أَذْهِبِ الْبَأْسَ اشْفِ أَنْتَ الشَّافِي لَا شِفَاءَ إِلَّا شِفَاؤُكَ شِفَاءً لَا يُغَادِرُ سَقَمًا
Transliteration: Allahumma Rabban-nas, adhhibil-ba’s, ishfi Antash-Shafi, la shifa’a illa shifa’uka, shifa’an la yughadiru saqama.
Translation: “O Allah, Lord of mankind, remove the harm. Heal them, for You are the Healer. There is no healing but Your healing; a healing that leaves no disease behind.”
It is a very comprehensive and powerful dua that the Prophet (ﷺ) used to recite when visiting the sick.
Hadith:
Hazrat Aisha Siddiqa (RA) narrated that when the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) visited a sick person from his family, he would place his right hand on the sick person and recite the following supplication:
(Sahih Bukhari: 5743, Sahih Muslim: 2191)
The life of parents is a great favor from Allah. We should value them in our lives, consider their service as a source of our salvation, and constantly pray for their health and long life.
May Allah Almighty make us obedient to our parents and keep their shadow over us forever. Amen.