Deliverance from Oppression
رَبَّنَا أَخْرِجْنَا مِنْ هَٰذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ الظَّالِمِ أَهْلُهَا، وَاجْعَلْ لَنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ، وَلِيًّا، وَاجْعَلْ لَنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ نَصِيرًا.
رَبَّنَا أَخْرِجْنَا مِنْ هَٰذِهِ الْقَرْيَةِ الظَّالِمِ أَهْلُهَا وَاجْعَلْ لَنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ وَلِيًّا وَاجْعَلْ لَنَا مِنْ لَدُنْكَ نَصِيرًا
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“Our Lord, bring us out of this city whose inhabitants are wrongdoers, and appoint for us from Yourself a protector, and appoint for us from Yourself a helper.”
Forms: the verbs “akhrijna” (أَخْرِجْنَا) and “ij‘al” (اجْعَلْ). The dua of the oppressed — weak men, women and children — who were held under the yoke of tyranny in Mecca.
Tafsir of Sheikh Abd al-Rahman al-Saadi
Shaykh as-Saadi writes: “Allah urges the believers to fight for the liberation of weak men, women and children who found themselves defenceless before the oppressors and implored Allah for deliverance and a protector.”
Tafsir of Imam Ibn Kathir
Ibn Kathir cites the words of Ibn Abbas: “I and my mother were among these weak, oppressed people in Mecca, for whom the believers prayed.”
Tafsir al-Baghawi
The words of Allah, the Exalted: «…And what is the matter with you (O believers), (that) you do not fight…»—you do not strive
«…in the way of Allah…»—in obedience to Allah. Allah, the Exalted, rebukes them for abandoning striving in His way.
«…and (for) the weak…»—that is, why do you not fight in defense of the weak? Ibn Shihab said: on behalf of the weak, in order to free them. It is also said: in order to free the weak from the hands of the polytheists, for in Mecca there was a group
«…of men, women, and children…» who endured severe torment at the hands of the polytheists. «…who…» call upon Allah, and
«…say: “(O) our Lord! Bring us out of this town whose inhabitants are wrongdoers…”»—that is, out of Mecca. Here, the word “wrongdoers” means “polytheists.” The expression “whose inhabitants” refers to a town distinguished by the fact that its inhabitants are polytheists.
The word “ẓālim” (wrongdoer) is in the genitive because it qualifies the word “ahluhā” (whose inhabitants). And since “ahluhā” (whose inhabitants) refers in meaning to the word “qaryah” (town), the expression becomes as though the action were being done in relation to the town. This is like the expression: “I passed by a man whose beauty is his eyes.”
«…and appoint for us from You a protector…»—one who would take care of our affairs
«…and appoint for us from You a helper”…»—one who would defend us against our enemy. And Allah answered their supplication: when the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) conquered Mecca, He appointed ‘Itab ibn Usayd as governor over them, and Allah made him a helper for them—one who upheld justice between the oppressed and the oppressors.
In Sahih al-Bukhari (No. 4587) it is reported from Ibn Abbas that he said: “I and my mother were among those weak ones whom Allah mentioned…”