Dua for Parents from Quran: Verses and Prayers for Mother and Father

Somewhere between childhood and adulthood, you realize how much your parents gave — and how little time you had to thank them. Islam does not leave that debt unpaid. The Quran itself gives you exact words to turn that gratitude into something that reaches them, whether they are with you now or have already passed.

What makes these duas different from any other prayer is their source: they are directly from the words of Allah, given to us as a permanent form of ihsan (excellence in goodness) toward our parents.

What Is the Dua for Parents from the Quran?

The primary Quranic dua for parents comes from Surah Al-Isra (17:24). The Quran instructs every believer to lower the wing of humility to parents and to make this supplication: Rabbi irhamhuma kama rabbayani sagheera — "My Lord, have mercy upon them both as they raised me when I was small." This verse contains one of only four places in the Quran where a specific dua for another person is directly prescribed. The Quran also contains Prophet Ibrahim's dua for his parents (14:41) and a comprehensive supplication in Surah Al-Ahqaf (46:15).

The Primary Dua: Surah Al-Isra 17:24

The main dua for parents comes from a passage in Surah Al-Isra that begins with the command to honor parents — ranked immediately after tawhid (worshipping Allah alone).

رَبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا

Rabbi irhamhuma kama rabbayani sagheera

"My Lord, have mercy upon them both as they raised me when I was small."

— (Surah Al-Isra, 17:24)

The opening verb — irham, "have mercy" — calls on one of Allah's most comprehensive attributes. You are not asking for something small. You are asking the Most Merciful to apply His mercy specifically to the two people who invested their lives in yours.

The phrase kama rabbayani sagheera — "as they raised me when I was small" — is a reminder of the debt that can never be fully repaid. The Prophet ﷺ said: "A son cannot repay his father unless he finds him enslaved, buys him, and sets him free." (Sahih Muslim 1510). This dua acknowledges that reality and places the matter entirely in Allah's hands.

When to recite it: After every salah. Many scholars include it in the post-prayer adhkar. It takes seconds and earns what no gift could match.

Prophet Ibrahim's Dua for His Parents (Surah Ibrahim 14:41)

Prophet Ibrahim (AS) is the model of tawhid in the Quran — and he made dua for his parents even when it was deeply complicated. The Quran records his supplication:

رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْحِسَابُ

Rabbana ighfir li wa liwalidayya wa lil-mu'mineena yawma yaqumul hisab

"Our Lord, forgive me and my parents and the believers on the Day when the account is established."

— (Surah Ibrahim, 14:41)

This dua is remarkable for three reasons: it begins with asking forgiveness for oneself before others, it includes all the believers alongside parents, and it specifically looks ahead to the Day of Judgment. It is a dua of intercession — asking that your parents' account go well on the Day when it matters most.

When to recite it: Especially for parents who have passed away, or during Ramadan, where the acceptance of duas is heightened.

The Gratitude Dua: Surah Al-Ahqaf 46:15

At age forty, Muslims are advised to recite this Quranic dua, which weaves together gratitude to Allah, gratitude to parents, and a prayer for righteous offspring:

رَبِّ أَوْزِعْنِي أَنْ أَشْكُرَ نِعْمَتَكَ الَّتِي أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ وَعَلَى وَالِدَيَّ وَأَنْ أَعْمَلَ صَالِحًا تَرْضَاهُ وَأَصْلِحْ لِي فِي ذُرِّيَّتِي

Rabbi awzi'ni an ashkura ni'mataka allati an'amta 'alayya wa 'ala walidayya wa an a'mala salihan tardahu wa aslih li fi dhurriyyati

"My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to work righteousness of which You will approve and make righteous for me my offspring."

— (Surah Al-Ahqaf, 46:15)

This supplication acknowledges that the blessings you received came through your parents, and that what you want most for your own children is righteousness — not just worldly success. It is a multigenerational dua: thanking Allah for what came through your parents and asking Him to make your children a blessing too.

All Quranic Duas and Commands About Parents at a Glance

Making These Duas Part of Your Daily Life

The simplest habit is this: after every salah, before you get up from your prayer mat, say Rabbi irhamhuma kama rabbayani sagheera three times. It takes under ten seconds. Over a lifetime of prayer, that is tens of thousands of times you will have asked Allah's mercy on your parents.

If your parents have passed, these duas become even more precious. The Prophet ﷺ said that one of the three things that continues to benefit a person after death is "a righteous child who makes dua for them" (Sahih Muslim 1631). Every time you recite Rabbana ighfir li wa liwalidayya, you are sending a gift to their grave — one that arrived from Allah's Messenger.

For living parents, you can also add a daily habit of reciting Surah Al-Isra 17:23-24 in full, reflecting on both the command and the dua. Many Muslims keep a note in their phone as a reminder. Small, consistent acts of worship sustained across years carry more weight than large gestures done once.

Do you feel your duas are unanswered?

Have you read the dua properly? Learn authentic duas, understand their meanings, and call upon Allah with greater confidence through DeenUp.

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What These Duas Tell Us About Islamic Parenting Values

The Quran places the command to honor parents immediately after tawhid — not as a secondary obligation but as a near-equal companion to worshipping Allah. In Surah Al-Isra, the verse says: "Your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him, and that you be good to parents." (17:23) The word used for the command is qada — a decisive decree. This is not a suggestion.

The prohibition is detailed: do not say uff (even a word of dismissal or frustration), do not scold them, speak only with kindness, and lower the wing of humility (janahal-dhull) out of mercy. Then comes the dua — not as an afterthought, but as the spiritual completion of the behavioral commands.

When you recite these duas, you are not just fulfilling an obligation. You are participating in a tradition that began with Prophet Ibrahim, continued through the Companions, and has connected every generation of Muslims to their parents through the same words.

For resources on the scholarly discussion of these verses, see SeekersGuidance on honoring parents and Yaqeen Institute's research on family in Islam. For internal DeenUp discussions, see our articles on duas for parents who have passed away, Islamic duas for parents, and hadith about parents.

Also see the companion articles on duas for parents still alive and parenting in Islam for the broader picture of Islamic family values.

For information on the broader topic of Quranic duas, deenback.com's Islamic resources offer additional context, as do the practical guides at demimanifest.com on Islamic parenting.

Common Questions About Quranic Duas for Parents

Can I recite these duas if I have a difficult relationship with my parents?

The Quran does not make honoring parents conditional on having a perfect relationship with them. Surah Luqman (31:14-15) acknowledges that parents can be wrong — even commanding shirk (associating partners with Allah) — and still commands respectful treatment in worldly matters. Making dua for them is always permissible and recommended, regardless of the complexity of your relationship.

Do these duas apply to stepparents or guardians?

Scholars generally extend the principle of honoring parents to those who raised you as their own. Making dua for a stepparent, grandparent who raised you, or guardian who cared for you is encouraged, even if the specific Quranic wording refers to biological parents.

What if my parents were not Muslim?

Ibrahim (AS) made dua for his father even though his father actively rejected tawhid, until Allah clarified that such a dua was not permissible once a non-Muslim dies in a state of disbelief (Surah Al-Tawbah 9:113-114). For a non-Muslim parent who is still alive, Muslims may make dua that Allah guides them to Islam. For a deceased non-Muslim parent, most scholars hold that intercession dua is not prescribed, but one can ask Allah's mercy in general.

How many times should I repeat the dua for parents daily?

There is no fixed prescription. Rabbi irhamhuma kama rabbayani sagheera can be recited three times after each prayer — that is fifteen times daily across the five prayers — or incorporated into your personal supplication as often as it arises in your heart. Consistency matters more than quantity.

Do you feel your duas are unanswered?

Have you read the dua properly? Learn authentic duas, understand their meanings, and call upon Allah with greater confidence through DeenUp.

Take the Dua Quiz