Prayer, Offspring and Forgiveness
رَبِّ اجْعَلْ هَٰذَا الْبَلَدَ آمِنًا، وَاجْنُبْنِي، وَبَنِيَّ، أَنْ نَعْبُدَ الْأَصْنَامَ. رَبِّ إِنَّهُنَّ أَضْلَلْنَ كَثِيرًا مِنَ النَّاسِ، فَمَنْ تَبِعَنِي، فَإِنَّهُ مِنِّي، وَمَنْ عَصَانِي، فَإِنَّكَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ. رَبَّنَا إِنِّي أَسْكَنْتُ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِي بِوَادٍ غَيْرِ ذِي زَرْعٍ عِنْدَ بَيْتِكَ الْمُحَرَّمِ. رَبَّنَا لِيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ، فَاجْعَلْ أَفْئِدَةً مِنَ النَّاسِ تَهْوِي إِلَيْهِمْ، وَارْزُقْهُمْ مِنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَشْكُرُونَ. رَبَّنَا، إِنَّكَ تَعْلَمُ مَا نُخْفِي، وَمَا نُعْلِنُ، وَمَا يَخْفَىٰ عَلَى اللَّهِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ، وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي، وَهَبَ لِي عَلَى الْكِبَرِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ، وَإِسْحَاقَ، إِنَّ رَبِّي لَسَمِيعُ الدُّعَاءِ. رَبِّ اجْعَلْنِي مُقِيمَ الصَّلَاةِ، وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِي. رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَاءِ. رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِي، وَلِوَالِدَيَّ، وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْحِسَابُ.
رَبِّ اجْعَلْ هَٰذَا الْبَلَدَ آمِنًا وَاجْنُبْنِي وَبَنِيَّ أَنْ نَعْبُدَ الْأَصْنَامَ رَبِّ إِنَّهُنَّ أَضْلَلْنَ كَثِيرًا مِنَ النَّاسِ فَمَنْ تَبِعَنِي فَإِنَّهُ مِنِّي وَمَنْ عَصَانِي فَإِنَّكَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ رَبَّنَا إِنِّي أَسْكَنْتُ مِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِي بِوَادٍ غَيْرِ ذِي زَرْعٍ عِنْدَ بَيْتِكَ الْمُحَرَّمِ رَبَّنَا لِيُقِيمُوا الصَّلَاةَ فَاجْعَلْ أَفْئِدَةً مِنَ النَّاسِ تَهْوِي إِلَيْهِمْ وَارْزُقْهُمْ مِنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَشْكُرُونَ رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ تَعْلَمُ مَا نُخْفِي وَمَا نُعْلِنُ وَمَا يَخْفَىٰ عَلَى اللَّهِ مِنْ شَيْءٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي وَهَبَ لِي عَلَى الْكِبَرِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ إِنَّ رَبِّي لَسَمِيعُ الدُّعَاءِ رَبِّ اجْعَلْنِي مُقِيمَ الصَّلَاةِ وَمِنْ ذُرِّيَّتِي رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَاءِ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْحِسَابُ
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My Lord, make this city secure and keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols. My Lord, they have led many people astray. So whoever follows me, he is of me; and whoever disobeys me, then indeed You are Forgiving, Merciful. Our Lord, I have settled some of my descendants in an uncultivated valley near Your sacred House. Our Lord, that they may establish prayer. So make hearts among the people incline toward them and provide them with fruits, that they may be grateful. Our Lord, indeed You know what we conceal and what we declare, and nothing is hidden from Allah on earth or in heaven. All praise is due to Allah, who has granted me in old age Ishmael and Isaac. Indeed, my Lord is the Hearer of supplication. My Lord, make me an establisher of prayer, and from my descendants. Our Lord, and accept my supplication. Our Lord, forgive me and my parents and the believers on the Day when the account is established.
Forms: A powerful complex of supplications by Ibrahim: “ijnubni” (اجْنُبْنِي — keep away), “ij‘alni” (اجْعَلْنِي — make) and the petition “ighfir li” (اغْفِرْ لِي — forgive me). It includes a request for protection from shirk, steadfastness in prayer, and forgiveness for the believers.
Tafsir of Sheikh Abd al-Rahman al-Saadi
Sheikh as-Saadi explains: “Ibrahim is the father of the prophets and the imam of the monotheists, yet he fears shirk for himself and for his children! This indicates that no one should feel completely safe from error.”
Tafsir of Imam Ibn Kathir
Ibn Kathir emphasizes: “Prayer is the foundation of the religion, and so Ibrahim prayed for constancy in prayer for himself and for his descendants. The supplication for the forgiveness of his parents was made before it became clear to him that his father had died a polytheist.”
Tafsir al-Baghawi
The words of Allah, the Exalted: “...And (remember) when Ibrahim said: ‘My Lord! Make this city...’” that is, Makkah, “...safe...” where everyone will be safe, “...and keep me...” protect me
“...and my sons from worshipping idols...” The expressions “jannaba ash-shay’a,” “ajnaba ash-shay’a,” and “ijt anaba ash-shay’a” have the same meaning.
Someone might ask: “The Prophet Ibrahim was protected from his children worshipping idols, so how appropriate was this supplication? And was his supplication answered, given that many people among his descendants worshipped idols?”
The answer: This supplication for increased protection and steadfastness concerned Ibrahim. As for his supplication for his descendants, it meant his children, none of whom worshipped idols. There is also an opinion that his supplication was for those among his descendants who were believers.
“... My Lord! Indeed, they have led many people astray...” that is, they became a cause of many people straying from the true path, so that they began worshipping them. This expression has an inverted meaning. Similar to this are the words of Allah, the Exalted: “That is only Satan, who frightens (you) with his allies...”
(Surah Al ‘Imran, verse 175), that is, he frightens them with his allies. It is also said that misguidance is attributed to the idols because they are its cause. This is like someone saying: “The life of this world tempted me.” Temptation is attributed to the life of this world because it is the cause of the trial.
“...Whoever follows me is indeed of me...” that is, of the same faith and on the same path.
“...But whoever disobeys me... indeed, You are Forgiving, Merciful!...” Al-Suddi said: The meaning is, “But whoever disobeys Me, and then repents...”
Maqatil ibn Hayyan said: “But whoever disobeys Me by committing sins lesser than associating partners with Allah...”
It is also said that he said this before Allah informed him that He does not forgive associating partners with Him.
The words of Allah, the Exalted: “...Our Lord! Indeed, I have settled some of my offspring...” The preposition “min” indicates that the action concerns a part. The meaning of the verse is: I have settled one son of my offspring.
“...in a valley without any cultivated fields (and without water)...” This is Makkah, because Makkah is a valley between two mountains.
“...near Your Sacred House...” He called it sacred because what is forbidden in the vicinity of this House is not forbidden near other houses.
“...Our Lord! (I have done this at Your command) so that they may establish prayer. So make the hearts of (some) people...” The word “af’ida” is the plural form of the word “fu’ad.”
“...incline toward them...” yearning for them and drawn toward them. Al-Suddi said: Make their hearts incline toward this place.
Mujahid said: Had he said “the hearts of the people,” the Persians, Romans, Turks, and Indians would have crowded in among you there.
Sa‘id ibn Jubayr said: The Jews, Christians, and fire-worshippers are in error, but he said “the hearts of (some) people,” meaning the Muslims.
“...and provide them with fruits...” just as You provide fruits for the inhabitants of those settlements where there is water, “...so that they may give thanks (to You)!”
“...Our Lord! Indeed, You know what we conceal (in our hearts) and what we make known...” of our deeds.
Ibn ‘Abbas and Maqatil said: He meant that Isma‘il and his mother were where I had settled them, in a valley without cultivated fields.
“...And nothing on earth or in heaven is hidden from Allah!...” It is said that all of this consists of Ibrahim’s words, continuing from his speech.
Most commentators hold that the words “...And nothing on earth or in heaven is hidden from Allah!...” are the words of Allah, the Exalted.
“...Praise be to Allah, Who granted me in my old age...” gave me [children] when I had already grown old,
“...Isma‘il and Ishaq! Indeed, my Lord surely hears supplication!...” Ibn ‘Abbas said: Isma‘il was born when Ibrahim was ninety-nine years old, and Ishaq was born when Ibrahim was one hundred and twelve years old.
Sa‘id ibn Jubayr said: Ibrahim was given the glad tidings of Ishaq’s birth when he was one hundred and seventeen years old.
“...My Lord! Make me one who establishes prayer...” that is, among those who perform prayer with all its pillars and at its appointed time,
“...and some of my offspring...” that is, make some of my offspring those who establish prayer.
“...Our Lord! And accept my supplication...” that is, my deed and my worship. Here worship is called supplication. It is also said: And answer my supplication. “...Our Lord! Forgive me and my parents...”
Someone might ask: How did he ask forgiveness for his parents when they were not believers? The answer: It has been said that his mother believed. It is also said that he meant, “if they submit to Allah and repent.” It is also said that he said this before the situation of his father had become clear to him.
Allah explained the excuse of His close friend for asking forgiveness for his father in Surah at-Tawbah.
“...and the believers...” that is, forgive all the believers,
“...on the Day when the reckoning is established...” that is, when it appears and becomes manifest.
It is also said that he meant the Day of Reckoning, that is, the day when people will be brought forth for the reckoning. Allah did not mention the word “people” in this expression, because it is already clear what is meant by the Day of Reckoning.
Sahih Muslim (No. 2697) reports from Abu Hurayrah that the supplication of the believer for his parents and for his brothers in faith is accepted by the Most High.