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The Qur'an

In the name of Allah, the Most Merciful and the Most Beneficial.

These section contain references from the Quran for matters related to pregnancy and parenting. In all instances, we have stated the source so that you can refer back to them to corroborate what we have said.

Our intention to provide such information in a readily available manner for potential parents/parents so that we know what Islam says on these matters. This is NOT intended to be a comprehensive list but we are simply listing what we know of. We encourage ourselves and others to continually seek knowledge on all matters of the Deen, and we aim to update these sections with anything else that we have become aware of, Inshallah.

Please also note that these are English translations of the original Arabic text and may not fully convey the original message. For a better understanding, please consult the original Arabic text and ask an Arabic speaker or better still, a scholar for a more comprehensive understanding of the ayat/hadith. Ultimately, these texts can only be properly appreciated in their original language, and this section is simply to present English translations.

Responsibilities of parents

Protecting your family from the Hellfire: 

يَـٰٓأَيُّہَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ قُوٓاْ أَنفُسَكُمۡ وَأَهۡلِيكُمۡ نَارً۬ا وَقُودُهَا ٱلنَّاسُ وَٱلۡحِجَارَةُ عَلَيۡہَا مَلَـٰٓٮِٕكَةٌ غِلَاظٌ۬ شِدَادٌ۬ لَّا يَعۡصُونَ ٱللَّهَ مَآ أَمَرَهُمۡ وَيَفۡعَلُونَ مَا يُؤۡمَرُونَ 

“O you who believe! Ward off from yourselves and your families a Fire whose fuel is men and stones, over which are set angels strong, severe, who resist not Allah in that which He commands them, but do that which they are commanded.” - (Qur’an Surah 66:6)

Responsibilities of children

Being good to parents, relatives and others: 

۞ وَٱعۡبُدُواْ ٱللَّهَ وَلَا تُشۡرِكُواْ بِهِۦ شَيۡـًٔ۬ا‌ۖ وَبِٱلۡوَٲلِدَيۡنِ إِحۡسَـٰنً۬ا وَبِذِى ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ وَٱلۡيَتَـٰمَىٰ وَٱلۡمَسَـٰكِينِ وَٱلۡجَارِ ذِى ٱلۡقُرۡبَىٰ وَٱلۡجَارِ ٱلۡجُنُبِ وَٱلصَّاحِبِ بِٱلۡجَنۢبِ وَٱبۡنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَمَا مَلَكَتۡ أَيۡمَـٰنُكُمۡ‌ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ مَن ڪَانَ مُخۡتَالاً۬ فَخُورًا

“And worship Allah and do not ascribe any partner to Him, and be good to parents, and to relatives, and orphans, and the needy, and the related neighbour and the unrelated neighbour, and the close companion and the traveller; and your bondwomen; indeed Allah does not like any boastful, proud person.” - (Qur’an Surah 4:36)

Being good to parents and not killing your children through fear of poverty:

۞ قُلۡ تَعَالَوۡاْ أَتۡلُ مَا حَرَّمَ رَبُّڪُمۡ عَلَيۡڪُمۡ‌ۖ أَلَّا تُشۡرِكُواْ بِهِۦ شَيۡـًٔ۬ا‌ۖ وَبِٱلۡوَٲلِدَيۡنِ إِحۡسَـٰنً۬ا‌ۖ وَلَا تَقۡتُلُوٓاْ أَوۡلَـٰدَڪُم مِّنۡ إِمۡلَـٰقٍ۬‌ۖ نَّحۡنُ نَرۡزُقُڪُمۡ وَإِيَّاهُمۡ‌ۖ وَلَا تَقۡرَبُواْ ٱلۡفَوَٲحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنۡهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ‌ۖ وَلَا تَقۡتُلُواْ ٱلنَّفۡسَ ٱلَّتِى حَرَّمَ ٱللَّهُ إِلَّا بِٱلۡحَقِّ‌ۚ ذَٲلِكُمۡ وَصَّٮٰكُم بِهِۦ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَعۡقِلُونَ 

“Say, ‘Come - so that I may recite to you what your Lord has forbidden for you that’: Do not ascribe any partner to Him and be good to parents; and do not kill your children because of poverty; We shall provide sustenance for all - you and them; and do not approach lewd things, the open among them or concealed; and do not unjustly kill any life which Allah has made sacred; this is the command to you, so that you may have sense.” - (Qur’an Surah 6:151)

Looking after your parents when they are old and treating them with respect:

۞ وَقَضَىٰ رَبُّكَ أَلَّا تَعۡبُدُوٓاْ إِلَّآ إِيَّاهُ وَبِٱلۡوَٲلِدَيۡنِ إِحۡسَـٰنًا‌ۚ إِمَّا يَبۡلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ ٱلۡڪِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَآ أَوۡ كِلَاهُمَا فَلَا تَقُل لَّهُمَآ أُفٍّ۬ وَلَا تَنۡہَرۡهُمَا وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوۡلاً۬ ڪَرِيمً۬ا (٢٣) وَٱخۡفِضۡ لَهُمَا جَنَاحَ ٱلذُّلِّ مِنَ ٱلرَّحۡمَةِ وَقُل رَّبِّ ٱرۡحَمۡهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِى صَغِيرً۬ا (٢٤)

“And your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him. And that you must be dutiful to your parents. If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect, nor shout at them but address them in terms of honour. (23)

And lower unto them the wing of submission and humility through mercy, and say: ‘My Lord! Bestow on them Mercy as they did bring me up when I was young’” (24) - (Qur’an Surah 17:23-24)

Being obedient to your parents and not arrogant, as per the example of Yahya ibn Zakariyya (AS): 

يَـٰيَحۡيَىٰ خُذِ ٱلۡڪِتَـٰبَ بِقُوَّةٍ۬‌ۖ وَءَاتَيۡنَـٰهُ ٱلۡحُكۡمَ صَبِيًّ۬ا (١٢) وَحَنَانً۬ا مِّن لَّدُنَّا وَزَكَوٰةً۬‌ۖ وَكَانَ تَقِيًّ۬ا (١٣) وَبَرَّۢا بِوَٲلِدَيۡهِ وَلَمۡ يَكُن جَبَّارًا عَصِيًّ۬ا (١٤) وَسَلَـٰمٌ عَلَيۡهِ يَوۡمَ وُلِدَ وَيَوۡمَ يَمُوتُ وَيَوۡمَ يُبۡعَثُ حَيًّ۬ا (١٥)

“(And it was said to his son): O Yahya (John)! ‘Hold fast the Scripture (the Torah)’. And we gave him wisdom when a child, (12) And compassion from Our presence, and purity; and he was devout, (13) And dutiful toward his parents. And he was not arrogant, rebellious (to Allah (SWT) or to his parents). (14) Peace on him the day he was born, and the day he dies and the day he shall be raised alive (again)! (15)” - (Qur’an Surah 19:12-15)

Being obedient to your parents and not arrogant, as per the example of Eesa ibn Maryam (AS):

قَالَ إِنِّى عَبۡدُ ٱللَّهِ ءَاتَٮٰنِىَ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبَ وَجَعَلَنِى نَبِيًّ۬ا (٣٠) وَجَعَلَنِى مُبَارَكًا أَيۡنَ مَا ڪُنتُ وَأَوۡصَـٰنِى بِٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَٱلزَّڪَوٰةِ مَا دُمۡتُ حَيًّ۬ا (٣١) وَبَرَّۢا بِوَٲلِدَتِى وَلَمۡ يَجۡعَلۡنِى جَبَّارً۬ا شَقِيًّ۬ا (٣٢) 

“He (Eesa) said: ‘Verily, I am a slave of Allah, He has given me the Scripture and made me a Prophet; And He has made me blessed wheresoever’s I be, and has enjoined on me Salaah, and Takaah, as long as I live. And (has made me) dutiful to my mother, and made me not arrogant, humblest’” – (Qur’an Surah 19:30-32)

Being kind to your parents: 

وَوَصَّيۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ بِوَٲلِدَيۡهِ حُسۡنً۬ا‌ۖ وَإِن جَـٰهَدَاكَ لِتُشۡرِكَ بِى مَا لَيۡسَ لَكَ بِهِۦ عِلۡمٌ۬ فَلَا تُطِعۡهُمَآ‌ۚ إِلَىَّ مَرۡجِعُكُمۡ فَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ

"We have enjoined on man and woman kindness to parents; but if they (either of them) strive (to force) you to join with Me anything of which you have no knowledge, obey them not.” - (Qur’an Surah 29:8)

Being grateful to your parents: 

وَوَصَّيۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ بِوَٲلِدَيۡهِ حَمَلَتۡهُ أُمُّهُ ۥ وَهۡنًا عَلَىٰ وَهۡنٍ۬ وَفِصَـٰلُهُ ۥ فِى عَامَيۡنِ أَنِ ٱشۡڪُرۡ لِى وَلِوَٲلِدَيۡكَ إِلَىَّ ٱلۡمَصِيرُ

“And We have enjoined upon man concerning his parents - His mother bears him in weakness upon weakness, and his weaning is in two years - Give thanks unto Me and unto thy parents. Unto Me is the journeying.” - (Qur’an Surah 31:14)

Do not obey them if they ask you to disobey Allah, and treat them kindly:

وَإِن جَـٰهَدَاكَ عَلَىٰٓ أَن تُشۡرِكَ بِى مَا لَيۡسَ لَكَ بِهِۦ عِلۡمٌ۬ فَلَا تُطِعۡهُمَا‌ۖ وَصَاحِبۡهُمَا فِى ٱلدُّنۡيَا مَعۡرُوفً۬ا‌ۖ وَٱتَّبِعۡ سَبِيلَ مَنۡ أَنَابَ إِلَىَّ‌ۚ ثُمَّ إِلَىَّ مَرۡجِعُكُمۡ فَأُنَبِّئُڪُم بِمَا كُنتُمۡ تَعۡمَلُونَ

“But if they strive with you to make you ascribe unto Me as partner that of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not. Consort with them in the world kindly, and follow the path of him who repents unto Me. Then unto Me will be your return, and I shall tell you what you used to do.” - (Qur’an Surah 31:15) 

Be kind to your parents 

وَوَصَّيۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ بِوَٲلِدَيۡهِ إِحۡسَـٰنًا‌ۖ

“And We have enjoined on man to be dutiful and kind to his parents” - (part of Qur’an Surah 46:15)

Duas ( Supplications)

Supplication to protect children from Shaytan (dua of Maryam’s (AS) mother):

إِنِّىٓ أُعِيذُهَا بِكَ وَذُرِّيَّتَهَا مِنَ ٱلشَّيۡطَـٰنِ ٱلرَّجِيمِ (٣٦) 

“Allahumma inni u-idhuha [hu] bika wa dhurriyyataha [hu] mina’sha-shaytani’r-rajiim(i).” 

“O Allah, I put her [him], and her [his] progeny under Your protection from Satan, the accursed”

- (part of Qur’an Surah 3:36). 

Supplication to have children (dua of Zakariyya (AS)):

رَبِّ لَا تَذَرۡنِى فَرۡدً۬ا وَأَنتَ خَيۡرُ ٱلۡوَٲرِثِينَ (٨٩)

“Rabbi laa tadharnii fardaw wa Anta Kharu ‘l-waarithin(a).”

“O my Lord! Leave me not without offspring, though You are the best of inheritors” - (part of Qur’an Surah 21:89)

 Supplication to have a blessed family:

رَبَّنَا هَبۡ لَنَا مِنۡ أَزۡوَٲجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّـٰتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعۡيُنٍ۬ وَٱجۡعَلۡنَا لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا

“Rabbanaa hablanaa min azwaajinaa wa dhurriyyatina qurrata a’yun(iw), wa ‘j’alnaa li’l muttaqiina imaaman.”

“And who say: Our Lord! Bestow on us from our wives and our offspring, the comfort of our eyes, and make us leaders for the Muttaquun (pious).” - (part of Qur’an Surah 25:74)