10 prayers of forgiveness from the quran

In the name of Allah, most gracious, most merciful
Below is a list of ten prayers of forgivness taken from the Qur’an. Each du’a [prayer] is followed by its transliteration and English translation.

1. رَبَّنَا ظَلَمۡنَآ أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمۡ تَغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَتَرۡحَمۡنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلۡخَـٰسِرِينَ

Rabbanā Žalamnā Anfusanā Wa ‘In Lam Taghfir Lanā Wa Tarĥamnā Lanakūnanna Mina l-Khāsirīn

Our Lord! We have wronged ourselves. If thou forgive us not and have not mercy on us, surely we are of the lost! (Qur’an 7:23)

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2.
رَّبِّ ٱغۡفِرۡ وَٱرۡحَمۡ وَأَنتَ خَيۡرُ ٱلرَّٲحِمِين

Rabbigh-fir Warĥam Wa Anta Khayrur-Rāĥimīn



My Lord! Forgive and have mercy, for Thou art Best of all who show mercy. (Qur’an 23:118)
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3.

َبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذۡنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوۡ أَخۡطَأۡنَا*ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحۡمِلۡ عَلَيۡنَآ إِصۡرً۬ا كَمَا حَمَلۡتَهُ ۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِنَا*ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلۡنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦ*ۖ وَٱعۡفُ عَنَّا وَٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَٱرۡحَمۡنَآ*ۚ أَنتَ مَوۡلَٮٰنَا فَٱنصُرۡنَا عَلَى ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلۡڪَـٰفِرِين

Rabbanā Lā Tu’uākhidhnā ‘In Nasīnā ‘Aw ‘Akhţa’nā Rabbanā Wa Lā Taĥmil `Alaynā ‘Işran Kamā Ĥamaltahu `Alá l-Ladhīna Min Qablinā Rabbanā Wa Lā Tuĥammilnā Mā Lā Ţāqata Lanā Bihi Wa`fu `Annā Waghfir Lanā Warĥamnā ‘Anta Mawlānā Fānşurnā `Alál-Qawmi l-Kāfirīn

Our Lord! Condemn us not if we forget, or miss the mark! Our Lord! Lay not on us such a burden as thou didst lay on those before us! Our Lord! Impose not on us that which we have not the strength to bear! Pardon us, absolve us and have mercy on us, Thou, our Protector, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk. (Qur’an 2:286)

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4.

رَبَّنَا ٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَإِسۡرَافَنَا فِىٓ أَمۡرِنَا وَثَبِّتۡ أَقۡدَامَنَا وَٱنصُرۡنَا عَلَى ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلۡڪَـٰفِرِين

Rabbanāgh-fir Lanā Dhunūbanā Wa ‘Isrāfanā Fī Amrinā Wa Thabbit ‘Aqdāmanā Wanşurnā `Alá l-Qawmi l-Kāfirīn
Our Lord! forgive us for our sins and wasted efforts, make our foothold sure, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk. (Qur’an 3:147)

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5.

رَبَّنَا فَٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَڪَفِّرۡ عَنَّا سَيِّـَٔاتِنَا وَتَوَفَّنَا مَعَ ٱلۡأَبۡرَارِ

Rabbanā Fāghfir Lanā Dhunūbanā Wa Kaffir `Annā Sayyi’ātinā Wa Tawaffanā Ma`al-’Abrār

Our Lord! Therefore forgive us our sins, and remit from us our evil deeds, and make us die the death of the righteous. (Qur’an 3:193)

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6.

أَنتَ وَلِيُّنَا فَٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَٱرۡحَمۡنَا*ۖ وَأَنتَ خَيۡرُ ٱلۡغَـٰفِرِينَ

Anta Walīyunā Fāghfir Lanā Warĥamnā Wa Anta Khayrul-Ghāfirīn

Thou art our Protecting Friend, therefore forgive us and have mercy on us, Thou, the Best of all who show forgiveness. (Qur’an 7:155)

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7.

َبَّنَا ٱغۡفِرۡ لِى وَلِوَٲلِدَىَّ وَلِلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ يَوۡمَ يَقُومُ ٱلۡحِسَابُ


Rabbanā ghfir Lī Wa Liwālidayya Wa Lilmu’uminīna Yawma Yaqūmul-Ĥisāb

Our Lord! Forgive me and my parents and believers on the day when the account is cast. (Qur’an 14:41)

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8.

َبَّنَآ ءَامَنَّا فَٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَٱرۡحَمۡنَا وَأَنتَ خَيۡرُ ٱلرَّٲحِمِين

Rabbanā ‘Āmannā Fāghfir Lanā Wa-rĥamnā Wa Anta Khayru-r-Rāĥimīn

Our Lord! We believe, therefor forgive us and have mercy on us for Thou art Best of all who show mercy (Qur’an 23:109)
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9.

َبَّنَا ٱغۡفِرۡ لَنَا وَلِإِخۡوَٲنِنَا ٱلَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِٱلۡإِيمَـٰنِ وَلَا تَجۡعَلۡ فِى قُلُوبِنَا غِلاًّ۬ لِّلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ رَءُوفٌ۬ رَّحِيم

Rabbanagh-fir Lanā Wa Li-ikhwāninalLadhīna Sabaqūnā Bil-’Īmāni Wa Lā Taj`al Fī Qulūbinā GhillaLilladhīna ‘Āmanū Rabbanā ‘Innaka Ra’ūfun Raĥīm

Our Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who were before us in the faith, and place not in our hearts any rancour toward those who believe. Our Lord! Thou art Full of Pity, Merciful. (Qur’an 59:10)
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10.

رَّبِّ ٱغۡفِرۡ لِى وَلِوَٲلِدَىَّ وَلِمَن دَخَلَ بَيۡتِىَ مُؤۡمِنً۬ا وَلِلۡمُؤۡمِنِينَ وَٱلۡمُؤۡمِنَـٰتِ وَلَا تَزِدِ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ إِلَّا تَبَارَۢا

Rabbigh-fir Lī Wa Liwālidayya Wa Liman Dakhala Baytiya Mu’uminaw Wa Lilmu’uminīna Wal-Mu’umināti Wa Lā Tazidiž-Žālimīna Illā Tabārā

My Lord! Forgive me and my parents and him who entereth my house believing, and believing men and believing women, and increase not the wrong-doers in aught save ruin. (Qur’an 71:28)

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Āmīn ! Ya Rabb al-’Ālamīn.

Backbiting & Slander - an Islamic view

And why did you not, when you heard it, say? "It is not right of us to speak of this: Glory to God, this is a most serious slander" (Quran 24:16)

In a modern world, backbiting and slander are becoming more and more widespread. People express themselves in forms of anger, misgivings and jealousy. For anyone choosing to act in such a manner, you are only hurting yourself. On the Day of Judgment, we will stand in front of Allah and account for actions including backbiting.

Speaking about others exists only in the form of justice. For example, if we must contact the police for someone committing a crime, then backbiting is justified. Islam also allows seeking advice in a wise manner where our confidence will stay in tact. In any other form, speaking about others is backbiting.

Islam teaches us to defend a person’s honor if they are being spoken badly against. If we do not do so, then we deprive ourselves of Allah’s mercy. The choice is up to us to decide how our teachings will benefit us.

God has forbidden backbiting

O you who believe! Avoid much suspicion, in deeds some suspicions are sins. And spy not neither backbite one another. Would one of you like to eat the flesh of his dead brother? You would hate it (so hate backbiting). And fear God, verily, God is the one who accepts repentance, Most Merciful. (49: 12)

Do not treat his issue with ignorance.

Behold, you received it on your tongues, and said out of your mouths things which you had no knowledge; and you thought it to be a light matter, while it was most serious in the sight of God (24: 15)

God teaches us to speak out against backbiting.

And why did you not, when you heard it, say? "It is not right of us to speak of this: Glory to God, this is a most serious slander" (24:16)

Shaitan (Satan) wants us to be hateful and spiteful.

Say to My servants that they should only say those things that are best, for Satan does sow dissensions among them, for Satan is to man an avowed enemy. (17:53)

Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings upon him) was reported to have said said :"Do you know what backbiting is?" They said, "God and His Messenger know best." He then said, "It is to say something about your brother that he would dislike." Someone asked him, "But what if what I say is true?" The Messenger of God(peace and blessings upon him) said, "If what you say about him is true, you are backbiting him, but if it is not true then you have slandered him." (Muslim)

Never forget Allah

My apologies for not blogging in quite a while, but my life a bit busy right now mostly because of my health. I guess I should heed my own advice in this title. Alhamdulillah, Allah is the most forgiving and most merciful.

...You are not to blame for any honest mistake you make but only for what your
hearts premeditate. Allah is Ever-Forgiving, Most Merciful. (Surat al-Ahzab:
5)

Islam is founded on the basis that we fear Allah. To be devout is to fear Allah. Our Glorious Quran tells us, sincerity is characteristic of those who have a strong fear the Almighty Allah. Fear means that we only engage in deeds that would please Allah. Every action we take should be that we can be accountable for on the day of Judgment and Allah asks us to be accountable.

Who is better: someone who founds his building on fear of Allah and His good
pleasure, or someone who founds his building on the brink of a crumbling
precipice so that it collapses with him into the Fire of Hell? Allah does not
love wrongdoers. (Surat at-Tawba: 109)

Believers are those who do not commit evil deeds and if for some reason we err, we should repent immediately and ask for Allah’s forgiveness. For every breath we take and every moment in our lives, we should be Allah by behaving appropriately in a manner that we can account for on the Day of Judgment.

With Islam, we know how to behave and good behavior should be something that we practice regardless of Islam. People will make mistakes, but if we are devout, we can recognize those and immediately repent and ask for Allah’s forgiveness.

Those who, when they act indecently or wrong themselves, remember Allah and ask
forgiveness for their bad actions-for who can forgive bad actions except
Allah?-and do not knowingly persist in what they were doing. (Surah Al 'Imran:
135)

Our Prophet Muhammad (May Allah bless them and grant him peace) is reported to have said “the religion is sincerity and good will.” Islam gives us a lifestyle of moral right and all we have to do is fear Allah and look to Islam for guidance in how we should behave.

Your Lord knows best what is in your selves. If you are true believers, He is
Ever-Forgiving to the remorseful. (Surat al-Isra': 25)

Further, Allah will not place on burden on you that you cannot bear. He promises his sincere and devoted servants forgiveness.

Allah does not impose on any self any more than it can stand. For it is what it
has earned; against it, what it has merited. "Our Lord, do not take us to task
if we forget or make a mistake! Our Lord, do not place on us a load like the one
You placed on those before us! Our Lord, do not place on us a load we have not
the strength to bear! And pardon us; and forgive us; and have mercy on us. You
are our Master, so help us against the people of the disbelievers." (Surat
al-Baqara: 286)

We need to remember to Allah is one who we must be dedicated to. We should not be ignorant and we should knowledgeable about pleasing Allah. And even if we not knowledgeable, we should trust that Allah will guide us in the most righteous manner and our devotion will allow such guidance.

Those who submit themselves completely to Allah and do good have grasped the
Firmest Handhold. The end result of all affairs is with Allah. (Surah Luqman:
22)

There is reminders all round of Allah’s existence and power and we should never ignore those. In order us to attain salvation, in this world and the afterlife, we need Allah to guide us.

Turn to Allah

"O you who believe! Seek help in patience and the Prayer."
[Surah al-Baqarah; 2:153.]

Anytime you feel yourself full of fear or anxiety – pray and pray with a wakeful heart.

It has been reported that whenever our Prophet (Peace and Blessings Upon Him) found himself dealing with difficult issues, he turned to Bilal (Radhiallahu Anhu) and say
'O Bilal! Give us comfort and call for the prayer.'

In the many stories I have read, our Prophet (Peace and Blessings Upon Him) relied on the prayer in times of hardship and difficulty in addition to the obligatory prayers. There are some many righteous persons in the history of Islam who, when surrounded by difficulty, turn to prayer with all their strength, will and resolution. Thus, putting their despairs in the hands of our Almighty Allah.

We live in a different kind of generation and the type of despair we face is different and stronger than that faced by generations before us. In order to heal, we must return to our mosques (or even in the privacy of our homes) and seek Allah’s pleasure in prayer. The five required daily prayers allow us to achieve the greatest of Allah’s blessings: atonement for our sins and an increase in rank with our creator, the Almighty Allah. For those of us who choose to forget our prayers, Allah will not be pleased as He cannot help us if we do not put our trust and faith in Him.

"For them is destruction, and Allah will make their deeds vain."
[Surah Muhammad – Ayah 8.]

By allowing Allah to see our concerns and our fears, we depend on Him, we trust in Him, and we think highly of Him, and by patiently waiting for His guidance, we show we are true believers. Moreover, we should incorporate this in our actions and in our everyday lives so that Allah will care for us and protect us.

None of us can completely fight misfortunates alone nor can we fend off the disaster when it strikes. Allah did not create us with power that only exists in Greek mythology. In times of difficulty, Allah can give us that power and that strength if we trust in Him and seek His guidance through prayer.

"And put your trust in Allah if you are believers indeed."
[Surah Al-Ma’idah – Ayah 23.]

Islamic Recipes from Medieval Times:Jazariyyah

Ibn al-Mabrad p. 18

Meat is boiled with a little water. Carrots, garlic cloves and peeled onions are put with it, then crushed garlic is put with it. Some people put spinach with it also; some make it without spinach. Walnuts and parsley are put in.

2 lb meat (lamb)
4 carrots
6 whole garlic cloves (about .6 oz)
4 small onions (5 ounces)2 cloves crushed garlic
2 c spinach
1/4 c walnuts
1/4 c parsley
[1/2 t cinnamon]
[1/4 t pepper]
[1/4 t coriander]
[1/4 t salt]

Cut the lamb up small and put it in 1 1/2 c water with cinnamon, pepper, coriander and salt. Simmer 10 minutes. Add carrots cut up, whole garlic cloves, and small onions. Simmer 10 minutes. Add crushed garlic. Simmer 20 minutes. Add spinach. Simmer 10 minutes. Garnish with walnuts and parsley. The spices are based on similar recipes in al-Bagdadi.

Source: Badinjan Muhassa. Cariadoc's Miscellany, The Miscellany is Copyright (c) by David Friedman and Elizabeth Cook, 1988, 1990, 1992.

Ayat Al-Kursi #3: The Meaning

Ayat Al-Kursi is named because of the world “Kursi”. However, many people do not know the significance or meaning of the term “Kursi.” Iman Tabari wrote that the Companions (May Allah be pleased with them)of our Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings Upon Him) and the students of the Companions (May Allah be pleased with them) held strong and different opinions about the meaning of the word “Kursi” and many scholars feel that no one knows the actual meaning except for Allah Ta’Ala. Other scholars believe that the word “Kursi” refers to the Knowledge of Allah Ta’Ala and that his knowledge encompasses all that is the heavens and the earth. Some of the Companions (May Allah be pleased with them) and their students (May Allah be pleased with them) held the opinion that the word “Kursi” is another name for “throne” and the verse refers to the “Thorne of Allah the Most High.” Moreover, the Throne comprises the heavens and the earth.

Hafiz Ibn Kathir writes that ‘Abdullah bin ‘Abbas (Allah be well pleased with him) narrates that the meaning of the word Kursi in this verse is the Knowledge of Allah Most High, and His Knowledge encompasses the earth. Another opinion is that the Kursi is a creation of Allah Most High whose magnitude makes that of the heavens and the earth insignificant. Another opinion is, that due to the Throne praising Allah Most High it makes a “creaking” sound. This hadith has been recorded in many books, but in the chain of narrators, a narrator is unknown and therefore this narration cannot be authentic.

[Tafsir Ibn Kathir: Under Ayat al-Kursi. Hafiz Ibn Kathir]

Qadi Shawkani writes that the hadith, which mentions the creaking of the Throne, contains, in its chain of transmission, a narrator called ‘Abdullah bin Khalifah. He is unknown, and has heard nothing from ‘Umar (Allah be well pleased with him). The chain of narration does not even reach back to ‘Umar (Allah be well pleased with him). The hadith, which mentions a “Resting place of the two feet”, contains a narrator called al-Hakam al-Kufi, in its chain of transmission, who has been rejected (by the scholars of hadith).

[Fath al-Qadir: Under Ayat al-Kursi. Qadi Shawkani]

Allamah al-Allusi al-Hanafi writes that no one knows the true meaning of the word Kursi in this verse, except Allah Most High. Matters such as these are known as the mutashabihat.

[Ruh al-Mani: Under Ayat al-Kursi. Allamah al-Allusi al-Hanafi]

Source: Islamic Information Online

Ayat al-Kursi #2: The translation

In the name of Allah the Most Merciful, and Compassionate Allah

There is no god but He,
The Living, the Everlasting,
Slumber seizes Him not, neither sleep,
To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth.
Who is there that can intercede with His, except by His leave?
He knows what lies before them and what is after them,
And they comprehend not anything of His Knowledge save as He wills.
His throne comprises the heavens and the earth,
The preserving of them fatigues Him not,
And He is the All-High, All-Glorious.

[Al-Quran: Surat al-Baqarah, Ayah 255]