From the Qur'an
رَبِّ ارْحَمْهُمَا كَمَا رَبَّيَانِي صَغِيرًا
Rabbi irhamhuma kama rabbayani saghira.
My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up when I was small.
Plain text (no diacritics)
رب ارحمهما كما ربياني صغيرا
Dua for Parents
Allah commanded you in the Qur'an itself to supplicate for your parents, pairing it with lowering the wing of humility: 'And say: My Lord, have mercy upon them as they brought me up when I was small.'
That verse is itself the supplication. You need not look for a better one — it is the one Allah taught you.
If they have died, supplication is what remains of your dutifulness to them, and it is among the three things by which a person's deeds continue. Let no day pass without it.
The supplication of Ibrahim
رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْحِسَابُ
Rabbana ighfir li wa liwalidayya wa lil-mu'minina yawma yaqumul-hisab.
Our Lord, forgive me, my parents and the believers on the Day the account is established.
Plain text (no diacritics)
ربنا اغفر لي ولوالدي وللمؤمنين يوم يقوم الحساب
For deceased parents
اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَهُمَا وَارْحَمْهُمَا، وَعَافِهِمَا وَاعْفُ عَنْهُمَا، وَأَكْرِمْ نُزُلَهُمَا، وَوَسِّعْ مُدْخَلَهُمَا، وَاجْعَلِ الْجَنَّةَ مَثْوَاهُمَا
Allahumma ighfir lahuma warhamhuma, wa 'afihima wa'fu 'anhuma, wa akrim nuzulahuma, wa wassi' mudkhalahuma, waj'alil-jannata mathwahuma.
O Allah, forgive them both and have mercy on them, grant them well-being and pardon them, honour their resting place, widen their entry, and make Paradise their abode.
Plain text (no diacritics)
اللهم اغفر لهما وارحمهما، وعافهما واعف عنهما، وأكرم نزلهما، ووسع مدخلهما، واجعل الجنة مثواهما
When
- At any time, especially in prostration, in the last part of the night, and between the adhan and iqamah.
- After the five prayers.
- For deceased parents, add seeking forgiveness for them and giving charity on their behalf.
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Common questions
What is the best dua for parents?
'Rabbi irhamhuma kama rabbayani saghira' (al-Isra' 24) — because Allah Himself taught it in His Book.
Is supplication for parents part of dutifulness after their death?
Yes, and it is the greatest of what reaches them: 'a righteous child who supplicates for him' (Muslim).