Prayers from the Quran for Parents
The Holy Quran contains verses that discuss the significance of parents, the favor they hold, their rights, and the manner in which we should honor them. Among these, there are several specific prayers that we are encouraged to recite for our parents, including:
- (Our Lord, forgive me, my parents, and the believers on the Day the account is established).
- (My Lord, have mercy on them as they raised me when I was small).
- (My Lord, inspire me to be grateful for Your blessing which You bestowed upon me and my parents, and to perform righteous deeds of which You will approve; and make righteous for me my offspring. Indeed, I have repented to You, and indeed, I am of the Muslims).
- (My Lord, forgive me, my parents, and whoever enters my house a believer and the believers and believing women; and do not increase the wrongdoers except in destruction).
Forgiveness Prayers from the Quran for Parents
The Quran also includes prayers that seek forgiveness and mercy, which a Muslim can recite for themselves and their loved ones. Among those most deserving of such prayers are one’s parents. Some of these prayers are:
- (Our Lord, we have believed, so forgive us and have mercy upon us, and You are the best of the merciful).
- (Our Lord, indeed, we have heard a caller calling to faith, saying, ‘Believe in your Lord,’ and we have believed. Our Lord, forgive us our sins and remove from us our misdeeds and cause us to die among the righteous. Our Lord, and grant us what You promised us through Your messengers, and do not disgrace us on the Day of Resurrection. Indeed, You do not fail in Your promise).
- (Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who preceded us in faith, and do not put in our hearts any resentment toward those who have believed. Our Lord, indeed, You are Kind and Merciful).
- (Our Lord, complete for us our light and forgive us. Indeed, You are over all things competent).
Prayers from the Quran for Parents in This World
The Quran also includes supplications for seeking goodness in this life, guidance, and benefits in the hereafter. It is commendable to invoke these prayers for our parents, such as:
- (Our Lord, grant us in this world goodness and in the Hereafter goodness and protect us from the punishment of the Fire).
- (Our Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or made a mistake. Our Lord, and lay not upon us a burden like that which You laid upon those before us. Our Lord, and burden us not with that which we have no ability to bear. And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy upon us. You are our protector, so give us victory over the disbelieving people).
- (Our Lord, do not let our hearts deviate after You have guided us, and grant us from Yourself mercy. Indeed, You are the Bestower).
- (My Lord, expand for me my breast; and make easy for me my task; and untie the knot from my tongue).
Supplications from the Prophetic Tradition for Parents After Death
The honor and worship of praying for one’s parents do not cease even after they have passed away. After their loss, parents are in greater need of our prayers. Some of the supplications found in the prophetic tradition for the deceased are:
- (O Allah, forgive him, and have mercy upon him, and grant him ease, and pardon him. Honor his guest, and make spacious his entrance. Wash him with water, snow, and hail, and purify him from sins as a white garment is purified from dirt. Replace his house with a better house than his, and a better family than his, and a better spouse than his. Enter him into Paradise and protect him from the punishment of the grave, or the punishment of the Fire).
- (O Allah, so-and-so, son of so-and-so, is under Your protection and in the refuge of Your neighborhood. So protect him from the trial of the grave and the punishment of the Fire. You are the Most Faithful in fulfilling promises and the Truthful. O Allah, forgive him and have mercy upon him; indeed, You are the Forgiving, the Merciful).
- (O Allah, forgive our living and our dead, our young and our old, our male and our female, and our present and absent ones. O Allah, whomever You grant life among us, grant him life upon faith; and whomever You take from us, take him upon Islam. O Allah, do not deprive us of his reward, nor lead us astray after him).