وَبَرًّۢا بِوَٰلِدَيْهِ وَلَمْ يَكُن جَبَّارًا عَصِيًّا 14
Translations
And dutiful to his parents, and he was not a disobedient tyrant.
Transliteration
Wa barran bi-waalidayhi wa lam yakun jabbaran asiyya
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes Yahya (John the Baptist) as dutiful and kind to his parents, and free from arrogance and disobedience. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, 'barran' (dutiful) emphasizes his excellent character and obedience, while the negation of being 'jabbaran asiyya' (arrogant and disobedient) highlights his humility and submission to Allah's will. This verse presents Yahya as an exemplar of filial piety combined with spiritual righteousness.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Maryam's account of Yahya's birth and upbringing as a specially chosen servant of Allah. The surah was revealed in Mecca and focuses on the stories of righteous individuals chosen by Allah, establishing the theme that true greatness lies in obedience to Allah and virtuous character rather than worldly power.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) said: 'The best of you are those who are best to their families, and I am the best among you to my family' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi). Also relevant is the hadith emphasizing kindness to parents as second only to monotheism in importance (Sahih Muslim).
Themes
Key Lesson
True nobility and honor come not from power or arrogance, but from gentleness, obedience to Allah, and kindness to parents. This ayah teaches that the greatest human achievement is combining spiritual devotion with moral excellence and respect for one's family.