Tafsir Surat Al-Ankabut Ayat 8
“And We have enjoined on man to be good and dutiful to his parents; but if they strive to make you join with Me (in worship) anything (as a partner) of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not. Unto Me is your return and I shall tell you what you used to do” [Al-‘Ankabut :8]
Here Allah (Exalted be He) is commanding His slaves to treat parents kindly, after urging them to adhere to Tawhid (belief in His Oneness), because the parents are the reason why a person exists and he is obliged to treat them with the utmost kindness. But despite this injunction to be kind, compassionate and good towards them in return for their previous kind treatment, He says “but if they strive to make you join with Me (in worship) anything (as a partner) of which you have no knowledge, then obey them not”, meaning: If they try to make you follow them in their religion, if they are mushrikeen, then beware of doing so and do not obey them in that, for you will all return to Me on the Day of Resurrection, and I will reward you for your kindness towards them and your patience in adhering to your religion, and I will gather you with the righteous, not with the group of your parents, even if you were the closest of people to them in this world, because on the Day of Resurrection, each person will be gathered with those whom he loves, namely spiritual love. Hence Allah Ta’ala says: “And for those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah and the other articles of Faith) and do righteous good deeds, surely, We shall make them enter with (in the entrance of) the righteous (in Paradise)” [Al-‘Ankabut :9].
