وَٱلَّذِى قَالَ لِوَٰلِدَيْهِ أُفٍّ لَّكُمَآ أَتَعِدَانِنِىٓ أَنْ أُخْرَجَ وَقَدْ خَلَتِ ٱلْقُرُونُ مِن قَبْلِى وَهُمَا يَسْتَغِيثَانِ ٱللَّهَ وَيْلَكَ ءَامِنْ إِنَّ وَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقٌّ فَيَقُولُ مَا هَـٰذَآ إِلَّآ أَسَـٰطِيرُ ٱلْأَوَّلِينَ 17
Translations
But one who says to his parents, "Uff to you; do you promise me that I will be brought forth [from the earth] when generations before me have already passed on [into oblivion]?" while they call to Allāh for help [and to their son], "Woe to you! Believe! Indeed, the promise of Allāh is truth." But he says, "This is not but legends of the former peoples" -
Transliteration
Wa-alladhee qala li-waalidayhi uffin lakuma ata'idaani an ukhraja wa qad khalat al-qurunu min qabli wa huma yasthaghithan Allaha waylaka amun inna wa'da Allahi haqqun fa-yaqolu ma hadha illa asatiru al-awwaleena
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah depicts a disrespectful son who arrogantly rejects his believing parents' call to faith in resurrection and the Day of Judgment, dismissing their warnings with contempt by saying 'Uff' (an expression of disgust) and claiming past nations have perished with no resurrection. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this exemplifies the height of ingratitude and disbelief, as the son not only denies Allah's promise but does so while his righteous parents desperately call upon Allah to guide him. The ayah serves as a stark warning against arrogance toward parents and rejection of divine truth.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan surah Al-Ahqaf, which emphasizes belief in resurrection and the consequences of denying it. The surah was revealed to the pagan Meccans who mocked the concept of resurrection and the Day of Judgment. This particular ayah illustrates the spiritual state of disbelievers through a family scenario, highlighting how disbelief corrupts even familial relationships and respect for parents.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The greatest sin is to associate partners with Allah, and to be ungrateful and disobedient to parents' (Sunan Ibn Majah). Additionally, there are numerous hadiths emphasizing the importance of treating parents with kindness, such as 'Paradise lies at the feet of your mother' (Sunan An-Nasa'i).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah warns believers against arrogance and disrespect toward parents, regardless of differences in faith, and demonstrates how spiritual blindness can harden one's heart against truth even when presented by those who love us most. For modern readers, it underscores the critical importance of honoring parents and remaining humble and receptive to divine guidance, while also reminding parents to continue making dua for wayward children with patience and hope.
Related Ayahs
قَالُوا۟ يَـٰقَوْمَنَآ إِنَّا سَمِعْنَا كِتَـٰبًا أُنزِلَ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مُوسَىٰ مُصَدِّقًا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ يَهْدِىٓ إِلَى ٱلْحَقِّ وَإِلَىٰ طَرِيقٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ
They said, "O our people, indeed we have heard a [recited] Book revealed after Moses confirming what was before it which guides to the truth and to a straight path.
يَـٰقَوْمَنَآ أَجِيبُوا۟ دَاعِىَ ٱللَّهِ وَءَامِنُوا۟ بِهِۦ يَغْفِرْ لَكُم مِّن ذُنُوبِكُمْ وَيُجِرْكُم مِّنْ عَذَابٍ أَلِيمٍ
O our people, respond to the Caller [i.e., Messenger] of Allāh and believe in him; He [i.e., Allāh] will forgive for you your sins and protect you from a painful punishment.
وَيَوْمَ يُعْرَضُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ عَلَى ٱلنَّارِ أَذْهَبْتُمْ طَيِّبَـٰتِكُمْ فِى حَيَاتِكُمُ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱسْتَمْتَعْتُم بِهَا فَٱلْيَوْمَ تُجْزَوْنَ عَذَابَ ٱلْهُونِ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَسْتَكْبِرُونَ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ بِغَيْرِ ٱلْحَقِّ وَبِمَا كُنتُمْ تَفْسُقُونَ
And the Day those who disbelieved are exposed to the Fire [it will be said], "You exhausted your pleasures during your worldly life and enjoyed them, so this Day you will be awarded the punishment of [extreme] humiliation because you were arrogant upon the earth without right and because you were defiantly disobedient."
تَنزِيلُ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْحَكِيمِ
The revelation of the Book is from Allāh, the Exalted in Might, the Wise.