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alladhīna yaqūlūna rabbanā ʾinnanā ʾāmannā fa-ghfir lanā dhunūbanā wa-qinā ʿadhāba n-nāri
Those who say, ‘Our Lord! Indeed, we have faith. So forgive us our sins, and save us from the punishment of the Fire.’
— Ali Quli Qarai
3Āl ʿImrānآل عمرانVerse 16 of 200
The Family of Imran3. Āl ʿImrānآل عمران
Āl ‘Imrān
Family of Imran
MedinanVerse 16 of 200
Surah 'Ali-Imran, Verses 16-17
16. "Those who say: ' Our Lord! Verily we believe, so forgive us our sin and save us from the torment of the Fire."
17. "The patient, and the truthful, and the obedient, and those who spend (benevolently), and those who seek forgiveness before dawn (times)."
The characteristics of the pious ones, who were hinted out in the previous verse, are stated here in this verse with more details. At first it says about them:
That is: we believe in You and Your Apostle. Then, they continue saying:
After that, the Qur'an has stated some other characteristics of the pious ones where it has praised them. It says the pious are the same as:
Thus, the pious have the following qualities:
1. Patience in tolerating the difficulties, the prohibitions, and the Divine services.
2. To be truthful in speech and manner.
3. Humility and submission without pride and self -admiration.
4. Giving in charity from what Allah has provided them as sustenance.
5. Supplications and seeking forgiveness from their Lord during the time before dawn.
The term /munfiqin / (those who spend out), in the verse, refers to those who spend out their wealth benevolently in righteous deeds, when it consists of giving obligatory alms and recommended charity. Opinions are divided as to the meaning of the Qur'anic phrase /wal mustaqfirina bil ashar/ (and those who seek forgiveness before dawn times). They are four varieties as follows:
1. To establish prayer at midnight, (said by Qattadah). This very meaning has been cited by Imam Rida (as) who narrated from his father (as) from Imam Ja'far Sadiq (as). 4
2. Those who seek forgiveness before dawn, (said by 'Anas).
3. Those who keep the morning prayer in congregation, (said by Ziyd-ibn 'Aslam).
4. Those who continue keeping prayers until before dawn and then ask Allah to forgive them their sins, (said by Hassan).
It is narrated from Imam -Sadiq (as) who has said:
"Whosoever, at midnight, seeks forgiveness seventy times is involved in the people of this verse..." 5
In a tradition it is narrated from the Prophet (S) who said:
"Verily Allah, Almighty and Glorious, says: ' Whenever I will to punish the people of the earth, I restrain it from them when I observe the constructors of mosques, the performers of the night prayers, those who make friends with each other in My way, and those who seek forgiveness before dawn (times)..." 6
In Islamic literature, it is cited that if a person continuously recites /astaghfirullaha rabbi wa 'atiibu 'ilayh/ seventy times in his personal prayer of odd prayer at midnight for one year, the one will be involved of the people of this verse.7
Footnotes