Qur’anic supplication · meaning, pronunciation and practice
This passage connects care for parents, gratitude, good action, concern for descendants and repentance. It is a longer verse, so learn it in manageable portions while preserving its complete meaning and distinguishing the narrative from the prayer.
Read the complete Qur’anic source
Qur’an study · Al-Ahqaf
Ayah 46:15
A full learner transliteration is not displayed here. Listen to the complete ayah and use the Arabic with a capable teacher rather than guessing its sounds from English letters.
Transliteration can help you begin, but it cannot reproduce every Arabic sound or replace listening, tajwid study, or correction from a capable teacher.Read from right to left. Each column keeps one Arabic word, its reading aid and its contextual gloss together. Select a word to hear it.
Each word card: Arabic · reading aid · contextual gloss
Saheeh International is the primary reading. The two named comparisons make translation choices visible; none is presented as the Arabic Qur’an itself.
And We have enjoined upon man, to his parents, good treatment. His mother carried him with hardship and gave birth to him with hardship, and his gestation and weaning [period] is thirty months. [He grows] until, when he reaches maturity and reaches [the age of] forty years, he says, "My Lord, enable me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents and to work righteousness 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."
And We have commended unto man kindness toward parents. His mother beareth him with reluctance, and bringeth him forth with reluctance, and the bearing of him and the weaning of him is thirty months, till, when he attaineth full strength and reacheth forty years, he saith: My Lord! Arouse me that I may give thanks for the favour wherewith Thou hast favoured me and my parents, and that I may do right acceptable unto Thee. And be gracious unto me in the matter of my seed. Lo! I have turned unto Thee repentant, and lo! I am of those who surrender (unto Thee).
We have enjoined on man kindness to his parents: In pain did his mother bear him, and in pain did she give him birth. The carrying of the (child) to his weaning is (a period of) thirty months. At length, when he reaches the age of full strength and attains forty years, he says, "O my Lord! Grant me that I may be grateful for Thy favour which Thou has bestowed upon me, and upon both my parents, and that I may work righteousness such as Thou mayest approve; and be gracious to me in my issue. Truly have I turned to Thee and truly do I bow (to Thee) in Islam."
Sources used for this ayah panelOpen the Arabic, audio and translation notes
- Arabic and word segmentation
- Quran Foundation Quran.com Content API snapshot for Qur’an 46:15. The selected riwayah and Mushaf text field are recorded with the source data.
- Reading aids
- A full learner transliteration is not displayed; use the recitation and Arabic with a capable teacher. Transliteration is not Qur’an.
- Word audio and contextual glosses
- Quran Foundation word data. Glosses help align words; they are not presented as a complete translation.
- Named translations
- Saheeh International (resource 20), M. Pickthall (resource 19), and A. Yusuf Ali (resource 22).
- Complete recitation
- Mishari Rashid al-‘Afasy, Quran Foundation recitation resource 7.
The verse begins with the command concerning parents and describes the hardship of bearing and delivering a child. It then speaks of maturity and the age of forty before introducing a supplication. The whole passage belongs in view; the opening statements are not words to silently merge into a shortened personal prayer.
The Arabic source, named translations and learning aids have different roles. The explanation below is an educational guide, not additional revelation. Bring any uncertainty about the wording back to the source panel and a capable teacher.
Understand what you are asking
The prayer asks for grateful response to favours received by the speaker and parents, action pleasing to the Lord and righteousness among descendants. It ends with repentance and submission. That ending matters. Learning only the first familiar phrase would miss the prayer’s movement towards turning back and submitting.
The One being addressed is اللّٰه (ALLAH). Keep your attention on the meaning rather than the appearance of a progress badge. Learning a sacred text calls for care, but a beginner should be supported patiently, not embarrassed for needing help.
Learn the pronunciation with care
Begin by listening to the complete verse through the verified recitation control, once it is available, or with a capable Qur’an reader. Follow the Arabic from right to left. Listen to a short phrase, point to the same words and repeat after the reader. A transliteration can help you find your place, but English letters cannot represent every Arabic sound.
Use the word meanings as reading support, then return to a full named translation. Arabic grammar does not always divide into one English word for each Arabic word. Do not combine fragments from different translations and label the result as the original text. Ask a qualified reader about sounds and stopping places you are unsure of. A sensible amount of practice is a teaching choice, not a newly prescribed devotional count.
Bring the meaning into ordinary life
An adult might use the passage for a thoughtful review of how they spend their time and care for others. Keep this as a personal application rather than calling it a religiously prescribed birthday ceremony. The mention of forty does not establish an anniversary ritual in this resource. Nor should the verse be used to make speculative medical claims from the description of pregnancy and weaning.
The supplication is not a guarantee that a descendant’s conduct can be controlled. Its similar opening to Sulayman’s prayer must not lead you to substitute one ending for the other. Learn this verse from its own panel, and clearly label comparisons as comparisons rather than a combined Qur’anic text.
Teach a younger learner gently
A younger learner need not memorise this long verse in one sitting. Start by identifying gratitude and good action in the displayed meaning, then add the later requests when ready. Do not imply that they must be forty to learn from the passage. Let children with difficult family circumstances answer through a fictional example without being required to praise harmful behaviour or disclose distress.
Give the learner time to explain in their own words before correcting them. Focus on one point at a time: recognising the addressee, finding a request or distinguishing source text from an example. Let them answer by speaking, pointing or writing. These are suggested teaching methods, not claims about a guaranteed learning result. Keep private family information out of shared classroom notes.
Check understanding and keep a useful record
Where does the supplication begin? Which later requests would be missed if you only learned its opening? Why should similar Qur’anic phrases not be spliced into a new verse?
Keep three learning aims separate: reading the page, explaining the meaning and reciting accurately. Reaching the end of a page does not prove memorisation or establish a person’s spiritual standing. In your own notes, record the phrase you reached and one question to return to; use the site’s save or assignment controls where they are available and working.
If you print the verse, select only what you need and avoid wasting paper. Keep Qur’anic text clean and handle it respectfully. Do not scatter or casually discard it. Ask a knowledgeable local teacher about suitable handling when a printed copy is no longer needed. The paper, screen and audio device are ways to access the words, not objects with independent protective power.