Right after building the Kaaba and asking Allah to accept their work, Prophet Ibrahim and Prophet Ismail (peace be upon them) made another beautiful dua. It is in Surah Al-Baqarah, verse 128. In this dua they ask Allah to keep them in submission, to give them righteous descendants, to teach them how to worship, and to accept their repentance.
The dua just before this one is Rabbana Taqabbal Minna (Quran 2:127).
رَبَّنَا وَٱجْعَلْنَا مُسْلِمَيْنِ لَكَ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِنَآ أُمَّةً مُّسْلِمَةً لَّكَ وَأَرِنَا مَنَاسِكَنَا وَتُبْ عَلَيْنَآ ۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلتَّوَّابُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ
Roman English
Rabbanaa waj’alnaa muslimayni laka wa min dhurriyyatinaa ummatan muslimatan laka wa arinaa manaasikanaa wa tub ‘alaynaa innaka antat-Tawwaabur-Raheem.
Hindi (हिन्दी)
रब्बना वज्अल्ना मुस्लिमैनि लका व मिन ज़ुर्रिय्यतिना उम्मतम्-मुस्लिमतल्लका व अरिना मनासिकना व तुब अलैना, इन्नका अन्तत्-तव्वाबुर्-रहीम।
ऐ हमारे रब! हम दोनों को अपना फ़रमाबरदार (मुस्लिम) बना दे, और हमारी औलाद में से भी एक ऐसी उम्मत बना जो तेरी फ़रमाबरदार हो। और हमें हमारी इबादत (हज) के तरीक़े दिखा, और हमारी तौबा क़ुबूल कर। बेशक तू ही बहुत तौबा क़ुबूल करने वाला, बड़ा मेहरबान है।
Urdu (اردو)
اے ہمارے رب! ہم دونوں کو اپنا فرمانبردار (مسلم) بنا دے اور ہماری اولاد میں سے بھی ایک ایسی امت بنا جو تیری فرمانبردار ہو۔ اور ہمیں ہماری عبادت (حج) کے طریقے دکھا اور ہماری توبہ قبول فرما۔ بے شک تو ہی بہت توبہ قبول کرنے والا، نہایت مہربان ہے۔
Meaning in English
Our Lord, make us both Muslims (submitting) to You, and from our descendants a Muslim nation (submitting) to You. Show us our rites of worship and accept our repentance. Indeed, You are the Accepter of repentance, the Merciful.
Quran Reference
- Surah: Al-Baqarah (Chapter 2), verse 128
- Who made this dua: Prophet Ibrahim and Prophet Ismail (peace be upon them)
- Read online: Quran 2:128 on Quran.com
- Comes right after: Quran 2:127, their dua for acceptance of their work
Word-by-Word Meaning
- Rabbana – our Lord
- Wa-j’alna – and make us
- Muslimayni laka – two who submit to You (the ending ‘ayni’ means two people)
- Wa min dhurriyyatina – and from our descendants
- Ummatan muslimatan laka – a nation that submits to You
- Wa arina manasikana – and show us our rites of worship
- Wa tub ‘alayna – and accept our repentance
- Innaka anta at-Tawwab – indeed You are the One who accepts repentance again and again
- Ar-Rahim – the Most Merciful
What Does ‘Muslim’ Mean Here?
A Muslim is one who submits to Allah. Ibrahim and Ismail were already Prophets, but they still asked Allah to make them Muslims. Tafheem-ul-Quran explains this request as: ‘Lord, make us Your submissive servants.’ This teaches us to keep asking Allah to keep us firm in our faith.
Their Requests in This Dua
- Submission for themselves: make us Muslims who submit to You.
- A Muslim nation from their children: a community from their descendants who submit to Allah.
- To learn how to worship: ‘manasik’ means the rites of worship, especially the rites of Hajj.
- Forgiveness: accept our repentance.
Then they praise Allah with two of His names: At-Tawwab (the One who accepts repentance again and again) and Ar-Rahim (the Most Merciful).
What Does the Authentic Hadith Say?
The Hadith below is about very similar words of repentance. It is not an explanation of this verse itself.
In Sunan Ibn Majah 3814, Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said that the Companions used to count that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, in one sitting, one hundred times: ‘My Lord, forgive me and accept my repentance. Indeed, You are the Accepter of repentance, the Merciful.’ Al-Albani graded this Hadith Sahih. The same Hadith is also reported in Sunan Abu Dawud 1516 and Jami at-Tirmidhi 3434, with small differences in wording.
If the Prophet ﷺ asked for forgiveness so often, we need to do it even more.
Reference: Sunan Ibn Majah 3814
Benefits and Lessons
- Ask Allah to keep you firm. Even two Prophets asked Allah to make them Muslims.
- Think about the next generations. Ibrahim and Ismail asked for a Muslim community from their descendants.
- Ask Allah to teach you how to worship. Right worship needs knowledge, so we should learn and ask Allah to guide us.
- Repentance is part of dua. They ended with ‘accept our repentance’.
- Know Allah’s names. At-Tawwab and Ar-Rahim remind us that Allah’s mercy is always near.
Can I Make This Dua for My Children?
The verse is the dua of Ibrahim and Ismail for themselves and their descendants. Many Muslims make it for their own children and families, because it asks for a Muslim community from one’s own family. Allah also invites us to ask Him (Quran 40:60). For other Quranic duas about family, see Quran 25:74 and Quran 46:15.
Common Questions
Is there a fixed reward for reciting it? We have not found an authentic Hadith that gives this verse a fixed reward or a fixed time of recitation.
Can anyone make this dua? Yes. It was made by a father and son together, and every believer can ask Allah for firm faith, righteous family and forgiveness.
Are the Hindi and Urdu lines the Quran? No. The Arabic is the word of Allah. The other lines are only to help you read and understand. Please learn the correct pronunciation from a qualified teacher.
References
- Quran 2:128 – quran.com/2/128
- Quran 40:60 – quran.com/40/60
- Sunan Ibn Majah 3814 – en.tohed.com
- Tafheem-ul-Quran (Maududi) on 2:128 – surahquran.com
Conclusion
In one short dua, Ibrahim and Ismail asked for firm faith, a righteous family, correct worship and forgiveness. These are the things every believer needs.
May Allah keep us and our families firm on Islam and accept our repentance. Ameen.
