Introduction of prayer:
This prayer refers to the great prophet Sayyidna Ibrahim (as). The Qur’an admires him for his unwavering faith in the Oneness of Allah. Allah Kareem states him as a true believer, a model, an exemplar, and obedient to Him Almighty. In the previous verses of this prayer, Allah Kareem describes a good example of Sayyidna Ibrahim (as) and his followers when they were commanded to disown the disbelievers to be enemies with them, to distance themselves, and separate from them. At the end of this verse, the Qur’an reports their invoke to Allah in humility and submission.
Explanation of prayer:
1- رَّبَّنَا عَلَيْكَ تَوَكَّلْنَا: Our Lord! In You we trust
This prayer is one of the most beautiful prayers of Sayyidna Ibrahim (as) which starts from the phrase ‘Rabbana’. This phrase shows the humility of a servant to His Lord. The name of Rabbana has been mentioned at several places in Quran. They have their own importance and endless benefits and virtues in Islam. It has been proved that if one recites these Rabbana with consolidation, obedience, and decency he will surely get the benefits what he seeks for.
تَوَكَّلَ means in Islam “to put trust” or “to rely on Allah”. After calling his Lord, Sayyidna Ibrahim declares his full trust in Allah. This supplication is an affirmation and reaffirmation of different aspects of Tawheed. To rely on Allah and no one or nothing else is Tawheed.
Allah says He is enough for those who have tawakkul in Him:
وَمَن يَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُۥٓ ۚ
Whoever puts his trust in Allah, He shall suffice him. (65: 3)
From the root word و ک ل there is a Blessed Name of Allah Al-Wakeel الوکیل which can be loosely translated as ‘The Guardian’ or ‘The Disposer of Affairs.’
وَتَوَكَّلْ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ ۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ وَكِيلًۭا
Put your trust in Allah: Allah is sufficient as Guardian. (33: 3)
In the Holy Quran, Allah Almighty clearly states that Tawakkul is not an option but rather a requirement. He Almighty commands the believers to put their trust in Him;
وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ فَتَوَكَّلُوٓا۟ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ ٢٣
And put your trust in Allah if indeed you are men of faith. (5: 23)
2- وَإِلَيْكَ أَنَبْنَا: and to You have we turned
أَنَبْنَا Is derived from the root word ن و ب which means to turn to one direction and to turn to the same again and again. And ‘Muneeb’ is a person who always turns to his Lord. To return to Allah through repentance and to acknowledge that no one is capable of forgiving sins but Allah is also Tawheed.
Allah Kareem says about the People of Paradise on the Day of Judgement;
وَأُزْلِفَتِ ٱلْجَنَّةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ غَيْرَ بَعِيدٍ ٣١ هَـٰذَا مَا تُوعَدُونَ لِكُلِّ أَوَّابٍ حَفِيظٍۢ ٣٢ مَّنْ خَشِىَ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنَ بِٱلْغَيْبِ وَجَآءَ بِقَلْبٍۢ مُّنِيبٍ ٣٣
it will be said: “This is what you were promised, a promise made to everyone who turned much (to Allah)1 and was watchful of his conduct. who were in awe of the Most Compassionate without seeing ˹Him˺, and have come with a heart turning ˹only to Him˺. (Al-Qur’an: 50: 31-33)
3- وَإِلَيْكَ ٱلْمَصِيرُ: and to You is our ultimate return
The meaning of Masir is Destiny, Fate, Goal, A man who is going after his ultimate goal. This word has been used in the Qur’an to describe the ultimate end of man.
وَيُحَذِّرُكُمُ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسَهُۥ ۗ وَإِلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْمَصِيرُ ٢٨
And Allah warns you about Himself. And to Allah is the final return. (Al-Quran: 3: 28)
ٱللَّهُ يَجْمَعُ بَيْنَنَا ۖ وَإِلَيْهِ ٱلْمَصِيرُ ١٥
Allah will bring us all together. To Him all are destined to return.”(Al-Qur’an: 42: 15)
خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ بِٱلْحَقِّ وَصَوَّرَكُمْ فَأَحْسَنَ صُوَرَكُمْ ۖ وَإِلَيْهِ ٱلْمَصِيرُ
He created the heavens and the earth with Truth and shaped you, giving you excellent shapes. And to Him is your ultimate return. (Al-Qur’an: 64: 3)
The ultimate destination of mankind is with Allah Kareem. He will decide the fate of every man according to his deeds.
So the exposition of the prayer is that Our Lord! In You we put our trust, and to You we turn in repentance, and to You is the final Return. we trust in You for all matters, we surrender all of our affairs to You, and to You is the final Return in the Hereafter.
When this prayer should be recited?
This prayer should be recited after every obligatory prayer and in the morning and evening Azkar.
