Making du’aa’ for parents when one is not sure whether they became Muslim or not

 

A person became Muslim,
and his parents were kaafirs. He was taken prisoner (or enslaved) as a young child, and
his parents died without him ever knowing whether they became Muslim or not. He thinks his
mother most likely became Muslim, but not his father. Can he pray for forgiveness for them
and make du’aa’ asking Allaah to show mercy towards them?

Praise be to Allaah.

It is not permissible for him to make du’aa’ for
them by name, because all he knows for sure is that they remained kaafirs, and it is
haraam to make du’aa’ for a kaafir.

Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“It is not proper for the Prophet and those who
believe to ask Allaah’s Forgiveness for the mushrikeen (polytheists, idolaters,
pagans, disbelievers in the Oneness of Allaah) even though they be of kin, after it has
become clear to them that they are the dwellers of the Fire.”

[al-Tawbah 9:113]

But it is mustahabb to make ask Allaah to forgive and show
mercy to every Muslim, which includes whoever became Muslim from among his father, mother,
grandfathers and grandmothers, all the way back to Adam and Hawwa, peace be upon them. And
Allaah knows best.