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Ayah
Word by Word
رَبِّ
My Lord!
إِنَّهُنَّ
Indeed they
أَضۡلَلۡنَ
have led astray
كَثِيرٗا
many
مِّنَ
among
ٱلنَّاسِۖ
the mankind
فَمَن
So whoever
تَبِعَنِي
follows me
فَإِنَّهُۥ
then indeed he
مِنِّيۖ
(is) of me
وَمَنۡ
and whoever
عَصَانِي
disobeys me
فَإِنَّكَ
then indeed You
غَفُورٞ
(are) Oft-Forgiving
رَّحِيمٞ
Most Merciful
رَبِّ
My Lord!
إِنَّهُنَّ
Indeed they
أَضۡلَلۡنَ
have led astray
كَثِيرٗا
many
مِّنَ
among
ٱلنَّاسِۖ
the mankind
فَمَن
So whoever
تَبِعَنِي
follows me
فَإِنَّهُۥ
then indeed he
مِنِّيۖ
(is) of me
وَمَنۡ
and whoever
عَصَانِي
disobeys me
فَإِنَّكَ
then indeed You
غَفُورٞ
(are) Oft-Forgiving
رَّحِيمٞ
Most Merciful
Translation
My Lord, indeed they have led astray many among the people. So whoever follows me - then he is of me;1 and whoever disobeys me - indeed, You are [yet] Forgiving and Merciful.
Footnotes
1 - i.e., of my religion.
Tafsir
My Lord, truly they, idols, have led many of mankind astray, because of their [mankind's] worship of them. So whoever follows me, believing in the Oneness of God, verily belongs with me, belongs with those who follow my religion; and whoever disobeys me, truly You are Forgiving, Merciful: this was before he was aware of the fact that God does not forgive idolatry.
"Ibrahim's Supplication to Allah when He brought Isma`il to Makkah
Allah tells:
وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَاهِيمُ
And (remember) when Ibrahim said:
Allah mentions here, while bringing forth more evidences against Arab polytheists, that the Sacred House in Makkah was established on the worship of Allah alone, without partners. He also states that Ibrahim, who established the city, has disowned those who worship others besides Allah, and that he begged Allah to make Makkah peaceful and secure,
رَبِّ اجْعَلْ هَـذَا الْبَلَدَ امِنًا
O my Lord! Make this city (Makkah) of peace and security,
and Allah accepted his supplication.
Allah said in other Ayat,
أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْاْ أَنَّا جَعَلْنَا حَرَماً ءامِناً
Have they not seen that We have made (Makkah) a secure sanctuary. (29:67)
and,
إِنَّ أَوَّلَ بَيْتٍ وُضِعَ لِلنَّاسِ لَلَّذِى بِبَكَّةَ مُبَارَكاً وَهُدًى لِّلْعَـلَمِينَ فِيهِ ءَايَـتٌ بَيِّـنَـتٌ مَّقَامُ إِبْرَهِيمَ وَمَن دَخَلَهُ كَانَ ءَامِناً
Verily, the first House (of worship) appointed for mankind was that at Bakkah (Makkah), full of blessing, and a guidance for Al-'Alamin. In it are manifest signs, the Maqam of Ibrahim; whosoever enters it, he attains security. (3:96)
Allah said here that Ibrahim supplicated,
رَبِّ اجْعَلْ هَـذَا الْبَلَدَ امِنًا
(O my Lord! Make this city (Makkah) a of peace and security), saying, ""this city,"" after he established it, and this is why he said afterwards,
الْحَمْدُ للَّهِ الَّذِى وَهَبَ لِى عَلَى الْكِبَرِ إِسْمَـعِيلَ وَإِسْحَـقَ
All praise is due to Allah, Who has given me in old age Ismail and Ishaq. (14:39)
It is well-known that Ismail was thirteen years older than Ishaq. When Ibrahim took Ismail and his mother to Makkah, while Ismail was still young enough to nurse, he supplicated to Allah,
رَبِّ اجْعَلْ هَـذَا بَلَدًا امِنًا
O my Lord! Make this city (Makkah) a place of peace and security. (2:126) as we in explained in Surah Al-Baqarah.
Ibrahim then said,
وَاجْنُبْنِي وَبَنِيَّ أَن نَّعْبُدَ الَاصْنَامَ
and keep me and my sons away from worshipping idols.
It is proper for whoever supplicates to Allah to also ask for the benefit of his parents and offspring, as well as himself.
Ibrahim then said;
رَبِّ إِنَّهُنَّ أَضْلَلْنَ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ النَّاسِ فَمَن تَبِعَنِي فَإِنَّهُ مِنِّي وَمَنْ عَصَانِي فَإِنَّكَ غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ
""O my Lord! They have indeed led astray many among mankind. But whoso follows me, he verily, is of me. And whoso disobeys me, still You are indeed Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
Ibrahim next mentioned that many among mankind were led astray because of idols, and he disowned those who worship them and referred their matter to Allah; if Allah wills, He will punish them, and if He wills, He will forgive them.
Isa, peace be upon him, said similar words,
إِن تُعَذِّبْهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ عِبَادُكَ وَإِن تَغْفِرْ لَهُمْ فَإِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ
If You punish them, they are Your servants, and if You forgive them, verily, You, only You are the Almighty, the All-Wise. (5:118)
This supplication refers this and all matters to Allah, not that it is actually going to happen.
Abdullah bin Amr narrated that the Messenger of Allah recited Ibrahim's supplication,
رَبِّ إِنَّهُنَّ أَضْلَلْنَ كَثِيرًا مِّنَ النَّاسِ
O my Lord! They have indeed led astray many among mankind.,
and the supplication of Isa,
إِن تُعَذِّبْهُمْ فَإِنَّهُمْ عِبَادُكَ
If You punish them, they are Your servants. (5:118)
then raised his hands and said,
اللَّهُمَّ أُمَّتِي
اللَّهُمَّ أُمَّتِي
اللَّهُمَّ أُمَّتِي
O Allah, Save my Ummah!
O, Allah, Save my Ummah!
O, Allah, Save my Ummah!
and cried.
Allah said to the angel Jibril, ""O Jibril, go to Muhammad, and Your Lord has more knowledge, and ask him what makes him cry.""
Jibril came to the Prophet and asked him, and he repeated to him what he said (in his supplication).
Allah said, ""Go to Muhammad and tell him this;
`We will make you pleased with your Ummah, O Muhammad, and will not treat them in a way you dislike.""
Allah tells:
رَّبَّنَا إِنِّي أَسْكَنتُ مِن ذُرِّيَّتِي بِوَادٍ غَيْرِ ذِي زَرْعٍ عِندَ بَيْتِكَ الْمُحَرَّمِ رَبَّنَا لِيُقِيمُواْ الصَّلَةَ
""O our Lord! I have made some of my offspring dwell in an uncultivable valley by Your Sacred House in order, O our Lord, that they may perform Salah.
This Ayah indicates that this was different supplication than the first one that Ibrahim said when he left Hajar and her son Ismail in Makkah, before the Sacred House was built.
This prayer, it appears, was said after the House was built, begging Allah and seeking His favor, and He is the Exalted and Most Honored.
Ibrahim said here,
عِندَ بَيْتِكَ الْمُحَرَّمِ
by Your Sacred House... then he said,
رَبَّنَا لِيُقِيمُواْ الصَّلَةَ
(O our Lord, that they may perform Salah),
Ibn Jarir At-Tabari commented that this,
""Refers to his earlier statement,
الْمُحَرَّمِ
(the Sacred...),""
meaning, `You have made this House Sacred so that people establish the prayer next to it,'
.
فَاجْعَلْ أَفْيِدَةً مِّنَ النَّاسِ تَهْوِي إِلَيْهِمْ
So fill some hearts among men with love towards them,
Ibn Abbas, Mujahid and Sa'id bin Jubayr said,
""Had Ibrahim said, `The hearts of mankind', Persians, Romans, the Jews, the Christians and all other people would have gathered around it.""
However, Ibrahim said,
مِّنَ النَّاسِ
(among men), thus making it exclusive to Muslims only.
He said next,
وَارْزُقْهُم مِّنَ الثَّمَرَاتِ
and (O Allah) provide them with fruits
in order that they may be helped in obeying You, and because this is a barren valley; bring to them fruits that they might eat.
لَعَلَّهُمْ يَشْكُرُونَ
so that they may give thanks.
Allah accepted Ibrahim's supplication,
أَوَلَمْ نُمَكِّن لَّهُمْ حَرَماً ءَامِناً يُجْبَى إِلَيْهِ ثَمَرَاتُ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ رِّزْقاً مِّن لَّدُنَّا
Have We not established for them a secure sanctuary (Makkah), to which are brought fruits of all kinds, a provision from Ourselves. (28:57)
This only indicates Allah's compassion, kindness, mercy and blessing, in that there are no fruit producing trees in the Sacred City, Makkah, yet all kinds of fruits are being brought to it from all around; this is how Allah accepted the supplication of the Khalil - Allah's intimate friend, Prophet Ibrahim, peace be upon him
Allah tells;
رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ تَعْلَمُ مَا نُخْفِي وَمَا نُعْلِنُ وَمَا يَخْفَى عَلَى اللّهِ مِن شَيْءٍ فَي الَارْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاء
""O our Lord! Certainly, You know what we conceal and what we reveal. Nothing on the earth or in the heaven is hidden from Allah.""
Ibn Jarir At-Tabari said about the ayah,
رَبَّنَا إِنَّكَ تَعْلَمُ مَا نُخْفِي وَمَا نُعْلِنُ
(O our Lord! Certainly, You know what we conceal and what we reveal),
""meaning, `You know the intention behind my supplication for the people of this town, seeking Your pleasure in sincerity to You. You know all things, apparent and hidden, and nothing escapes Your knowledge on the earth or in heaven.""'
He next praised and thanked his Lord the Exalted and Most Honored for granting him offspring after he became old,
الْحَمْدُ لِلّهِ الَّذِي وَهَبَ لِي عَلَى الْكِبَرِ إِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَقَ إِنَّ رَبِّي لَسَمِيعُ الدُّعَاء
All praise is due to Allah, Who has given me in old age Ismail (Ishmael) and Ishaq (Isaac). Verily, my Lord is indeed the All-Hearer of invocations.
`He accepts the supplication of those who invoke Him, and has accepted my invocation when I asked Him to grant me offspring.'
رَبِّ اجْعَلْنِي مُقِيمَ الصَّلَةِ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِي رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَاء
رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ وَلِلْمُوْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْحِسَابُ
""O my Lord!
Make me one who performs Salah, and (also) from my offspring, our Lord! And accept my invocation.""
""Our Lord!
Forgive me and my parents, and (all) the believers on the Day when the reckoning will be established.""
Ibrahim said next
رَبِّ اجْعَلْنِي مُقِيمَ الصَّلَةِ
O my Lord! Make me one who performs Salah,
preserving its obligations and limits,
وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِي
and (also) from my offspring,
make them among those who establish the prayer, as well,
رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَاء
our Lord! And accept my invocation.
all of my invocation which I invoked You with herein
رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لِي وَلِوَالِدَيَّ
Our Lord! Forgive me and my parents,
Ibrahim said this before he declared himself innocent from his father, after he became sure that he was an enemy of Allah,
وَلِلْمُوْمِنِينَ
and the believers,
all of them,
يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الْحِسَابُ
on the Day when the reckoning will be established.
on the Day when You will reckon Your servants and recompense or reward them for their deeds - good for good and evil for evil."
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