The last two verses of Surah al-Baqarah
A prayer from the Quran: 2:285-286. The Arabic, the transliteration, the English meaning and a note on the context.
ءَامَنَ ٱلرَّسُولُ بِمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِۦ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ ۚ كُلٌّ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَمَلَٰٓئِكَتِهِۦ وَكُتُبِهِۦ وَرُسُلِهِۦ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍۢ مِّن رُّسُلِهِۦ ۚ وَقَالُوا۟ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا ۖ غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ
Amana alrrasoolu bima onzila ilayhi min rabbihi waalmuminoona kullun amana biAllahi wamalaikatihi wakutubihi warusulihi la nufarriqu bayna ahadin min rusulihi waqaloo samiAAna waataAAna ghufranaka rabbana wailayka almaseeru
The messenger believeth in that which hath been revealed unto him from his Lord and (so do) believers. Each one believeth in Allah and His angels and His scriptures and His messengers - We make no distinction between any of His messengers - and they say: We hear, and we obey. (Grant us) Thy forgiveness, our Lord. Unto Thee is the journeying.
لَا يُكَلِّفُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ۚ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا ٱكْتَسَبَتْ ۗ رَبَّنَا لَا تُؤَاخِذْنَآ إِن نَّسِينَآ أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَآ إِصْرًۭا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُۥ عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا ۚ رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِۦ ۖ وَٱعْفُ عَنَّا وَٱغْفِرْ لَنَا وَٱرْحَمْنَآ ۚ أَنتَ مَوْلَىٰنَا فَٱنصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ
La yukallifu Allahu nafsan illa wusAAaha laha ma kasabat waAAalayha ma iktasabat rabbana la tuakhithna in naseena aw akhtana rabbana wala tahmil AAalayna isran kama hamaltahu AAala allatheena min qablina rabbana wala tuhammilna ma la taqata lana bihi waoAAfu AAanna waighfir lana wairhamna anta mawlana faonsurna AAala alqawmi alkafireena
Allah tasketh not a soul beyond its scope. For it (is only) that which it hath earned, and against it (only) that which it hath deserved. 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.
Context
These are the last two verses of the second surah. The first states the belief of the Messenger and of the believers; the second ends with a long prayer.
Explanation
The second verse says that Allah does not burden a soul beyond its capacity, and then gives a prayer asking not to be held to account for forgetfulness or mistakes, not to be given a burden like those before, and for pardon, forgiveness and mercy. It is one of the most beloved prayers because it is both a statement of ease and a request for it.
How to use this page
Read the Arabic if you can, and use the letters beneath it to follow the sounds. The sentence under the transliteration is the English of Pickthall, in the English of 1930; the explanation above is ours. A dua does not need a special time or place, and you can make it in any language as well. What is a dua?
Related prayers
- Rabbana ighfir lana dhunubana
- Rabbana ma khalaqta hadha batilan
- Rabbana zalamna anfusana
- Rabbana la taj'alna fitnatan lil-qawmi z-zalimin
- Rabbi j'alni muqimas-salati
Questions people ask
Where is this prayer in the Quran?
It is in Al-Baqarah 2:285-286.
Do I have to say it in Arabic?
Many Muslims recite the Arabic of the Quran as it is revealed and also pray in their own language. A dua can be made in any language, in your own words, at any time.
The notes on this page are in our own words and are not a ruling or a commentary (tafsir). For questions of practice, please ask a trusted scholar or your local imam.