Say: My Lord Have Mercy on Them as They Raised Me When Small — A Prayer That Never Loses Its Need
tadabbur
Level: basic
ibada-dhikr
td-238
وَقُل رَّبِّ ٱرۡحَمۡهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرٗا
— الإسراء 24
Verse: "Say: My Lord have mercy on them as they raised me when I was small." (17:24) — A supplication Allah taught His Prophet. "As they raised me when small" — recalling the upbringing reminds of gratitude and stirs emotion. When a person remembers themselves as a child crying for their mother during illness while she stayed up — they pray from the heart, not just the tongue. The prayer for parents continues for the living and dead: whoever's parents died must intensify prayers as their good deeds reaching them have stopped — and sincere prayer never stops. Lesson: dedicate a moment daily to recall your parents' upbringing then pray for them — that is the prayer accepted from a full heart.
Source: Ibn Kathir (5/62); Al-Sadi
Question: Why did Allah add "as they raised me when I was small" in the parents' supplication?
Answer: So the Muslim recalls their parents' sacrifices in upbringing and prays from a heart full of emotion and gratitude, not just the tongue.