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.