“We have enjoined upon man kindness to his parents. His mother carried him with hardship and gave birth to him with hardship, and his gestation and weaning are thirty months. Then, when he reaches his full strength and reaches forty years of age, he says, ‘My Lord, inspire me to be grateful for Your favor which You have bestowed upon me and upon my parents, and to do righteous deeds that please You; and make my offspring righteous for me. Indeed, I have repented to You, and I am among those who submit.’ (15) Those are the ones from whom We shall accept the best of what they did and overlook their misdeeds, among the people of Paradise—a true promise which they were promised. (16) But as for the one who says to his parents, ‘Fie upon you both! Do you promise me that I shall be brought forth, when generations have passed before me?’ while they appeal to Allah for help, saying, ‘Woe to you! Believe: indeed, Allah’s promise is true.’ Yet he says, ‘This is nothing but tales of the former peoples.’ (17)”

Concerning the words of Allah, Exalted is He, “We have enjoined upon man goodness toward his parents”: the Kufan reciters recited it as ihsanan (kindness), as in His saying, “And show kindness to parents” (al-Baqarah 2:83). (1)

“His mother carried him with hardship and gave birth to him with hardship”: this refers to the severity of labor pains. The reciters of the Hijaz and Abu Amr read both occurrences as karhan, with an a-vowel on the kaf, whereas the others read them with a u-vowel.

“And his gestation and weaning”: that is, his being weaned. Yaqub recited it as fasluhu, without an alif. “Thirty months”: this indicates that the shortest duration of pregnancy is six months, while the longest period of breastfeeding is twenty-four months.

Ikrimah narrated from Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him: If a woman carries her child for nine months, she breastfeeds him for twenty-one months; and if she carries him for six months, she breastfeeds him for twenty-four months. (2)

“Then, when he reaches his full strength”: that is, the completion of his strength, the height of his youth, and his full maturity. This is between eighteen and forty years of age. Thus comes His saying: “and reaches forty years of age.”

Al-Suddi and al-Dahhak said: It was revealed concerning Sad ibn Abi Waqqas; and the account has already been mentioned. (3)

Others said: It was revealed concerning Abu Bakr al-Siddiq; his father, Abu Quhafah Uthman ibn Amr; and his mother, Umm al-Khayr bint Sakhr ibn Amr.

Ali ibn Abi Talib said: This verse was revealed concerning Abu Bakr. Both his parents embraced Islam, and no other Emigrant had both parents besides him. Allah enjoined him to be dutiful to them, and he continued to be so thereafter. (4)

Abu Bakr accompanied the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, when he was eighteen years old and the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, was twenty, on a trading journey to Syria. When the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him, reached forty years of age and was commissioned as a prophet, Abu Bakr believed in him and supplicated his Lord. (5) Thus he said: “My Lord, inspire me