Protection from Error and Repentance
رَبِّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ، أَنْ أَسْأَلَكَ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِهِ عِلْمٌ، وَإِلَّا تَغْفِرْ لِي، وَتَرْحَمْنِي أَكُنْ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ.
رَبِّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَسْأَلَكَ مَا لَيْسَ لِي بِهِ عِلْمٌ وَإِلَّا تَغْفِرْ لِي وَتَرْحَمْنِي أَكُنْ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ
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My Lord, I seek refuge with You from asking You that of which I have no knowledge. And unless You forgive me and have mercy upon me, I will be among the losers.
Form: Seeking refuge with “a‘oodhu bika” (بِكَ أَعُوذُ) and a humble acknowledgment of one’s own weakness. This is the prayer of Nuh after Allah reproached him for his request to save his disbelieving son.
Tafsir of Sheikh Abd al-Rahman al-Saadi
Sheikh as-Saadi explains: “This verse teaches prophetic etiquette: a person should not ask in prayer for that of which he has no knowledge and no permission. Nuh repented before his Lord at once.”
Tafsir of Imam Ibn Kathir
Ibn Kathir points out: “Nuh sought refuge with Allah from inappropriate requests and asked forgiveness for the human compassion he had shown toward his drowned disbelieving son.”
Tafsir al-Baghawi
“He said: …” Noah
“…My Lord, indeed, I seek refuge in You from asking You about that of which I have no knowledge. And if You do not forgive me and have mercy on me, then I will be among the losers.”
Sahih al-Bukhari (No. 4712) describes the event of the great intercession (Shafa‘a) on the Day of Judgement, where Nuh will recall this very request of his.