Surah Al Isra Tafseer

The Command to Worship Allah Alone and to be Dutiful to One's Parents

Allah says,

وَقَضَى رَبُّكَ أَلاَّ تَعْبُدُواْ إِلاَّ إِيَّاهُ

And your Lord has Qada (decreed) that you worship none but Him.

Allah commands us to worship Him alone, with no partner or associate.

The word Qada (normally having the meaning of decree) here means "commanded".

Mujahid said that;

وَقَضَى

(And He has Qada) means enjoined.

This is also how Ubayy bin Ka`b, Ibn Mas`ud and Ad-Dahhak bin Muzahim recited the Ayah as:

وَوَصَّي رَبُّكَ أَلاَّ تَعْبُدُواْ إِلاَّ إِيَّاهُ

"And your Lord has Wassa (enjoined) that you worship none but Him."

The idea of worshipping Allah is connected to the idea of honoring one's parents.

Allah says:

وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا

And that you be dutiful to your parents.

Here He commands good treatment of parents, as He says elsewhere:

أَنِ اشْكُرْ لِى وَلِوَلِدَيْكَ إِلَىَّ الْمَصِيرُ

give thanks to Me and to your parents. Unto Me is the final destination. (31:14)

إِمَّا يَبْلُغَنَّ عِندَكَ الْكِبَرَ أَحَدُهُمَا أَوْ كِلَهُمَا فَلَ تَقُل لَّهُمَأ أُفٍّ

If one of them or both of them attain old age in your life, say not to them a word of disrespect,

means, do not let them hear anything offensive from you, not even say "Uff!" which is the mildest word of disrespect,

وَلَا تَنْهَرْهُمَا

and do not reprimand them,

means, do not do anything horrible to them.

Ata' bin Rabah said that it meant,

"Do not raise your hand against them."

When Allah forbids speaking and behaving in an obnoxious manner, He commands speaking and behaving in a good manner, so He says:

وَقُل لَّهُمَا قَوْلاً كَرِيمًا

but address them in terms of honor.

meaning gently, kindly, politely, and with respect and appreciation