Parents are the people closest to a child in life. One of the most beautiful ways to show them love, respect and gratitude is to pray for them. In the Holy Quran, Almighty Allah commands kindness to parents and also teaches us to pray especially for them.
Whether they are living or dead, praying for parents’ wellbeing, forgiveness and mercy is an important duty of a child. The Holy Quran and the hadith mention a number of prayers for parents. Three important ones are given below.
1. A prayer for parents’ forgiveness
We should regularly ask Allah to forgive them. One prayer found in the Quran is:
رَبَّنَا ٱغْفِرْ لِى وَلِوَٲلِدَىَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ ٱلْحِسَاب
Transliteration: Rabbanaghfir li wa liwalidayya wa lil mu’minina yawma yaqumul hisab. (Surah Ibrahim: 41)
Meaning: Our Lord, forgive me, my parents and all the believers on the day the reckoning is established.
2. Forgiveness for parents along with all believers
Another fine prayer asking forgiveness for parents is found in the Quran:
رَّبِّ ٱغْفِرْ لِى وَلِوَٲلِدَىَّ وَلِمَن دَخَلَ بَيْتِىَ مُؤْمِنًا وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ وَلَا تَزِدِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ إِلَّا تَبَارَۢا
Transliteration: Rabbighfir li wa liwalidayya wa liman dakhala baytiya mu’minan wa lil mu’minina wal mu’minati, wa la tazididh dhalimina illa tabara. (Surah Nuh: 28)
Meaning: My Lord! Forgive me, my parents, those who enter my house as believers, and the believing men and believing women.
3. A prayer for Allah’s mercy on them
It is important to make this prayer to Allah for the tenderness with which our parents raised us in childhood:
رَّبِّ ٱرْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِى صَغِيرًا
Transliteration: Rabbirhamhuma kama rabbayani saghira. (Surah Bani Israil: 24)
Meaning: My Lord! Have mercy on them both, as they raised me when I was small.
Our parents were our shelter in childhood, when we were most helpless. Their contribution cannot be put into words. By reading these prayers regularly, we can ask Allah for their wellbeing and at the same time secure Allah’s mercy for ourselves.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report