بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
فَمِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِي ٱلدُّنۡيَا وَمَا لَهُۥ فِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ مِنۡ خَلَٰقٖ ٢٠٠ وَمِنۡهُم مَّن يَقُولُ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِي ٱلدُّنۡيَا حَسَنَةٗ وَفِي ٱلۡأٓخِرَةِ حَسَنَةٗ وَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ ٢٠١
And among the people are some who say: “Our Lord, grant us good in the world”, and they will have no share in the Hereafter. And of them are those who say: “Our Lord, grant us the good in this world and good in the Hereafter and save us from the torment of Fire (Rabbanā ātinā fī dunyā hasanah, wa fil-ākhirati hasanah, wa qinā ‘adhāb an-nār) .”
Al-Baqarah 2:200-201
Reason for revelation of the verse
Ibn ‘Abbās said, “Some bedouins used to come to the standing area (‘Arafat – during Hajj) and supplicate saying,’ Oh Allāh! Make it a rainy year, a fertile year and a year of good child bearing.’ They would not mention any of the affairs of the Hereafter. Thus, Allāh revealed about them:
﴿فَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَقُولُ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِى الدُّنْيَا وَمَا لَهُ فِى الاٌّخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلَـقٍ﴾
And among the people are some who say: “Our Lord, grant us good in the world”, and they will have no share in the Hereafter. (Umdatul Tafsir 1/251)
Explanation of the verse
Ibn Kathīr said: The supplication mentioned and praised in the verse includes all good things of this life, and seeks refuge from all types of evil. The good of this life concerns every material request of well-being, spacious dwelling, good wife, sufficient provision, beneficial knowledge, good actions, comfortable means of transportation and good praise, all of which the scholars of Tafsīr have mentioned regarding this subject. All of these are but a part of the good that is sought in this life. As for the good of the Hereafter, the best of this includes admittance to Paradise, which also means acquiring safety from the greatest horror at the gathering place. It also refers to being questioned lightly and the other favors in the Hereafter.
As for acquiring safety from the Fire, it includes being directed to what leads to this good end in this world, such as avoiding the prohibitions, sins of all kinds and doubtful matters. (Umdatul Tafsīr 1/251)
Ibn ‘Attiyah said (regarding the good of the dunya): Qatādah said: (it means) wellness in health and sufficiency in provision. Hasan ibn Abī al-Hasan: (it means) knowledge and worship. Suddī said: (it means) provision. And it is also said: the good of the dunya is a good wife.
The statement includes all of this and all the desired (i.e. good) things of this world. The good of the hereafter is Paradise, as unanimously agreed upon. (Tafsīr Ibn ‘Attiyah 1/735)
On saying this dua frequently
عَنْ أَنَسٍ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم عَادَ رَجُلاً مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ قَدْ خَفَتَ فَصَارَ مِثْلَ الْفَرْخِ فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” هَلْ كُنْتَ تَدْعُو بِشَىْءٍ أَوْ تَسْأَلُهُ إِيَّاهُ ” . قَالَ نَعَمْ كُنْتُ أَقُولُ اللَّهُمَّ مَا كُنْتَ مُعَاقِبِي بِهِ فِي الآخِرَةِ فَعَجِّلْهُ لِي فِي الدُّنْيَا . فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم ” سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ لاَ تُطِيقُهُ – أَوْ لاَ تَسْتَطِيعُهُ – أَفَلاَ قُلْتَ اللَّهُمَّ آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ ” . قَالَ فَدَعَا اللَّهَ لَهُ فَشَفَاهُ
Anas reported that Allāhs Messenger (ﷺ) visited a person from amongst the Muslims in order to inquire (about his health) who had grown feeble like a chicken. Allāh’s Messenger (ﷺ) said:
Did you supplicate for anything or ask for it? He said: Yes. I used to say: ‘Oh Allāh, whatever punishment You would give me in the Hereafter, bring it forward in this world’. Thereupon Allāhs Messenger (ﷺ) said: Subhan-Allāh! You have neither the power nor forbearance to take upon yourself (the burden of His Punishment). Why did you not say: ‘Oh Allāh, grant us good in the world and good in the Hereafter, and save us from the torment of Fire. He (ﷺ) made a supplication (for him) and he was cured. (Sahīh Muslim 2688)
عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَزِيزِ، – وَهُوَ ابْنُ صُهَيْبٍ – قَالَ سَأَلَ قَتَادَةُ أَنَسًا أَىُّ دَعْوَةٍ كَانَ يَدْعُو بِهَا النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَكْثَرَ قَالَ كَانَ أَكْثَرُ دَعْوَةٍ يَدْعُو بِهَا يَقُولُ “ اللَّهُمَّ آتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِي الآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ ” . قَالَ وَكَانَ أَنَسٌ إِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَدْعُوَ بِدَعْوَةٍ دَعَا بِهَا فَإِذَا أَرَادَ أَنْ يَدْعُوَ بِدُعَاءٍ دَعَا بِهَا فِيهِ
Qatādah asked Anas which supplication Allāh’s prophet (ﷺ) made most. He said:
The supplication that he (ﷺ) made most was :”Oh Allāh, grant us the good in this world and good in the Hereafter and save us from the torment of Fire.” He (Qatādah) said that whenever Anas had to supplicate he made this very supplication, and when he had a specific need he would make another supplication and include these words in his supplication. (Sahīh Muslim 2690)
عَنْ أَنَسِ بْنِ مَالِكٍ قَالَ: قِيلَ لَهُ: إِنَّ إِخْوَانَكَ أَتَوْكَ مِنَ الْبَصْرَةِ، وَهُوَ يَوْمَئِذٍ بِالزَّاوِيَةِ، لِتَدْعُوَ اللَّهَ لَهُمْ، قَالَ: اللَّهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لَنَا، وَارْحَمْنَا، وَآتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً، وَفِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً، وَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ، فَاسْتَزَادُوهُ، فَقَالَ مِثْلَهَا، فَقَالَ: إِنْ أُوتِيتُمْ هَذَا، فَقَدْ أُوتِيتُمْ خَيْرَ الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ
Anas ibn Mālik was told: Your brothers have come to you from Basrah – and that day he was at the zāwiyyah – wanting for you to make supplication to Allāh for them. He said, “Oh Allāh, forgive us and have mercy on us. Grant us good in this world and good in the hereafter and save us from the torment of the Fire.” They asked him to say more and he said the same thing. He said: If you are given this, you have been given the good of this world and the Hereafter.
In a variant wording he said:
إذا آتاكم الله في الدنيا حسنة، و في الآخرة حسنة، ووقاكم عذاب النار فقد آتاكم الخير كله
If Allāh gives you good in this world, and good in the hereafter, and protects you from the torment of the Fire, then He has given you all the good. (Adab al-Mufrad 633. Declared Sahīh by Al-Albānī. Umdatul Tafsīr 1/251. Declared Sahīh by Ahmad Shākir)
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