[46]. Surah Al-Ahqaf [The Curved Sand Hills]: Ayat 017

১৭. আর যে ব্যক্তি তার পিতা-মাতাকে বলে, ধিক তোমাদেরকে, তোমরা কি আমাকে খবর দাও যে, আমি পুনরুত্থিত হব, অথচ আমার পূর্বে বহু লোক গত হয়ে গেছে?  আর পিতা-মাতা আল্লাহর কাছে ফরিযাদ করে বলে, দুর্ভোগ তোমার তুমি বিশ্বাস স্থাপন কর। নিশ্চয় আল্লাহর ওয়াদা সত্য। তখন সে বলে, এটা তো পূর্ববর্তীদের উপকথা বৈ নয়।

Ayat 17. But he who says to his parents: "Fie upon you both! Do you hold out the promise to me that I shall be raised up (again) when generations before me have passed away (without rising)?" While they (father and mother) invoke Allah for help (and rebuke their son): "Woe to you! Believe! Verily, the Promise of Allah is true." But he says: "This is nothing but the tales of the ancient."

Tafseer of Surah Al-Ahqaf Ayat 17. A godly man often has an ungodly son, who flouts all that the father held sacred, and looks upon his father himself as old-fashioned and unworthy of respect or regard. The contrast in an individual family may be matched by the contrast in the passing and the rising generations of mankind. All this happens as a passing phase in the normal evolution of mankind, and there is nothing in this to be despondent about. What we have to do is for the mature generations to bring up their successors in godly ways, and for the younger generations to realize that age and experience count for something, especially in the understanding of spiritual matters and other matters of the highest moment to man. 

Hazrat Abu Hurairah (May Allah be pleased with him) reported: The Messenger of Allah [SAWW](PBUH) said,  ,"Allah created all the creatures and when He finished the task of His creation, Ar-Rahm (ties of relationship) said: `(O Allah) at this place I seek refuge with You against severing my ties.' Allah said: `That I treat with kindness those who treat you with kindness and sever ties with those who sever ties with you.' It said: `I am satisfied.' Allah said: `Then this is yours". Then Messenger of Allah [SAWW](PBUH) said, "Recite this Ayah if you like: `Would you then, if you were given the authority, do mischief in the land, and sever your ties of kinship? Such are they whom Allah has cursed, so that He has made them deaf and blinded their sight". (47:22,23).  [Al-Bukhari Book 08, Chapter 73, Hadith # 16].

The words in Al-Bukhari are: Messenger of Allah (PBUH) said, "Allah (SWT) says: `He who maintains good ties with you, I maintain good ties with him; and he who severs your ties, I sever ties with him". [Al-Bukhari Book 08, Chapter 73, Hadith # 17]

Lesson: as mentioned above in Surah Al-Ahqaf Ayat 017. “While they (father and mother) invoke Allah for help (and rebuke their son): "Woe to you! Believe! Verily, the Promise of Allah is true." This Hadith also stresses the importance of proper treatment with relatives for the reason that this is a special means of attaining the nearness and Mercy of Allah. A conduct contrary to it, that is to say, devouring the rights of relatives and continuation of estrangement with them, is the cause of displeasure and Wrath of Allah.