قَالَ رَبِّ ٱغْفِرْ لِى وَلِأَخِى وَأَدْخِلْنَا فِى رَحْمَتِكَ ۖ وَأَنتَ أَرْحَمُ ٱلرَّٰحِمِينَ 151
Translations
[Moses] said, "My Lord, forgive me and my brother and admit us into Your mercy, for You are the most merciful of the merciful."
Transliteration
Qala rabbi ighfir li wa li-akhee wa adkhilna fee rahmatika wa anta arhamu ar-rahimeen
Tafsir (Explanation)
This is the supplication of Prophet Musa (Moses) after witnessing the grave sin of his people worshipping the golden calf. Musa asks Allah to forgive both himself and his brother Harun (Aaron), and to admit them both into His mercy, addressing Allah as 'the Most Merciful of the merciful ones.' Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note that Musa's inclusion of his brother in this du'a reflects his compassion and brotherhood, while his acknowledgment of Allah's supreme mercy (Arham ar-rahimeen) demonstrates complete reliance on divine clemency rather than human merit.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs in the narrative of Surah Al-A'raf describing the events after the Israelites' exodus from Egypt. Musa had left his people for 40 nights to receive the Torah, and upon his return, he found them worshipping the golden calf made by Samiri. This du'a represents Musa's response to this crisis—seeking forgiveness not only for his people's transgression but also for himself and his brother, demonstrating prophetic mercy and intercession.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The du'a (supplication) is the essence of worship' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi). Additionally, the principle of seeking forgiveness for oneself and family is reflected in the hadith: 'The best du'a is asking for forgiveness' (Sunan Ibn Majah).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches us that sincere supplication combined with recognition of Allah's infinite mercy is the pathway to forgiveness, and that true believers should extend compassion to others by including them in their prayers. It reminds us that no sin is too great for Allah's mercy when we turn to Him with a humble heart, and that our words should reflect both accountability for our actions and trust in the Divine's boundless clemency.