سُوْرَةُ الْمُؤْمِنُوْنَ
Surah Al-Muminoon (23) — Ayah 118
وَقُل رَّبِّ ٱغْفِرْ وَٱرْحَمْ وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ ٱلرَّٰحِمِينَ ﴿118﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم): "My Lord! Forgive and have mercy, for You are the Best of those who show mercy!"
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَقُل
waqul
And say
رَّبِّ
rabbi
My Lord
ٱغْفِرْ
igh'fir
Forgive
وَٱرْحَمْ
wa-ir'ḥam
and have mercy
وَأَنتَ
wa-anta
and You
خَيْرُ
khayru
(are the) Best
ٱلرَّٰحِمِينَ
l-rāḥimīna
(of) those who show mercy
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 118) ➊ { وَ قُلْ رَّبِّ اغْفِرْ وَ ارْحَمْ …:} Earlier in verse (109), Allah Almighty described one quality of His successful servants as that they make this supplication {’’ رَبِّنَااٰمَنَّا فَاغْفِرْلَنَا وَارْحَمْنَا وَ اَنْتَ خَيْرُ الرّٰحِمِيْنَ ‘‘}, and at the end of the Surah, He commanded to seek refuge in the forgiveness and mercy of their Lord, cutting themselves off from the disbelievers and polytheists, just like those servants. All the supplications in the Noble Qur’an that Allah Almighty has commanded with the word {’’ قُلْ ‘‘} are extremely comprehensive supplications and possess amazing and unique secrets. When the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) is commanded to make this supplication, even though all his past and future sins have been forgiven by Allah (see Fath: 2), then the Ummah is all the more required to make this supplication.
➋ Ibn Kathir said: When the word {’’اَلْغَفْرُ‘‘} comes in an absolute sense, it means to erase the sin and to cover it from the people, and “mercy” means that Allah Almighty keeps one upright in all words and deeds and bestows His special success (Tawfiq).
➌ {وَ اَنْتَ خَيْرُ الرّٰحِمِيْنَ:} This is a brief phrase; the complete sentence is: {’’رَبِّ اغْفِرْ وَ ارْحَمْ فَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الْغَافِرِيْنَ وَ أَنْتَ خَيْرُ الرَّاحِمِيْنَ ‘‘} For its explanation, see the commentary of verse (109). Allah Almighty is the best of all those who show mercy because all other merciful ones show mercy only by what He has granted them, and even that is from their share of the hundredth part of His mercy.
➍ It is narrated from Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): “Teach me a supplication that I may say in my prayer.” He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Say: [ اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِيْ ظُلْمًا كَثِيْرًا وَّلَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوْبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ فَاغْفِرْلِيْ مَغْفِرَةً مِّنْ عِنْدِكَ وَارْحَمْنِيْ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْغَفُوْرُ الرَّحِيْمُ ] [ بخاري، الأذان، باب الدعاء قبل السلام : ۸۳۴ ] “O Allah! Indeed, I have wronged myself greatly, and none forgives sins except You, so forgive me with a great forgiveness from Yourself, and have mercy on me, for surely You are the greatest of all, Most Merciful.”
➋ Ibn Kathir said: When the word {’’اَلْغَفْرُ‘‘} comes in an absolute sense, it means to erase the sin and to cover it from the people, and “mercy” means that Allah Almighty keeps one upright in all words and deeds and bestows His special success (Tawfiq).
➌ {وَ اَنْتَ خَيْرُ الرّٰحِمِيْنَ:} This is a brief phrase; the complete sentence is: {’’رَبِّ اغْفِرْ وَ ارْحَمْ فَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الْغَافِرِيْنَ وَ أَنْتَ خَيْرُ الرَّاحِمِيْنَ ‘‘} For its explanation, see the commentary of verse (109). Allah Almighty is the best of all those who show mercy because all other merciful ones show mercy only by what He has granted them, and even that is from their share of the hundredth part of His mercy.
➍ It is narrated from Abu Bakr al-Siddiq (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said to the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him): “Teach me a supplication that I may say in my prayer.” He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: Say: [ اَللّٰهُمَّ إِنِّيْ ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِيْ ظُلْمًا كَثِيْرًا وَّلَا يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوْبَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ فَاغْفِرْلِيْ مَغْفِرَةً مِّنْ عِنْدِكَ وَارْحَمْنِيْ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الْغَفُوْرُ الرَّحِيْمُ ] [ بخاري، الأذان، باب الدعاء قبل السلام : ۸۳۴ ] “O Allah! Indeed, I have wronged myself greatly, and none forgives sins except You, so forgive me with a great forgiveness from Yourself, and have mercy on me, for surely You are the greatest of all, Most Merciful.”
