Duas from the QuranRabbana ighfir lana dhunubana
A prayer from the Quran: 3:147. The Arabic, the transliteration, the English meaning and a note on the context.
وَمَا كَانَ قَوْلَهُمْ إِلَّآ أَن قَالُوا۟ رَبَّنَا ٱغْفِرْ لَنَا ذُنُوبَنَا وَإِسْرَافَنَا فِىٓ أَمْرِنَا وَثَبِّتْ أَقْدَامَنَا وَٱنصُرْنَا عَلَى ٱلْقَوْمِ ٱلْكَٰفِرِينَ
Wama kana qawlahum illa an qaloo rabbana ighfir lana thunoobana waisrafana fee amrina wathabbit aqdamana waonsurna AAala alqawmi alkafireena
Their cry was only that they said: Our Lord! forgive us for our sins and wasted efforts, make our foothold sure, and give us victory over the disbelieving folk.
Context
The verse speaks of people who fought alongside earlier prophets and says that their only cry was this prayer.
Explanation
The prayer joins forgiveness with strength: before asking for victory, the people ask forgiveness for their sins and for going beyond limits in their affairs. It is often read as a lesson that before asking for help one should first set oneself right. The phrase "our wasted efforts" (israfana) is sometimes understood as excess or extravagance in one's dealings.
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 afrigh alayna sabran
- Rabbana ma khalaqta hadha batilan
- Rabbana zalamna anfusana
- Rabbana afrigh alayna sabran wa tawaffana muslimin
- Rabbana la taj'alna fitnatan lil-qawmi z-zalimin
Questions people ask
Where is this prayer in the Quran?
It is in Al-Imran 3:147.
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.