Protect my sons (14:35)
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Abraham (14:35)
وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَٰهِيمُ رَبِّ ٱجْعَلْ هَـٰذَا ٱلْبَلَدَ ءَامِنًۭا وَٱجْنُبْنِى وَبَنِىَّ أَن نَّعْبُدَ ٱلْأَصْنَامَ ٣٥
[https://quran.com/ibrahim/35]
The Quran, Surah Ibrahim, quotes the dua of Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام) from ayat 35 to ayat 41.
Beginning with ayat 35, translating it phrase by phrase:
وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَٰهِيمُ
and said Abraham
رَبِّ
my Lord-Sustainer
ٱجْعَلْ
make
هَـٰذَا ٱلْبَلَدَ
this land/country
ءَامِنًۭا
peaceful/safe
وَٱجْنُبْنِى وَبَنِىَّ
and prevent me and my sons
أَن نَّعْبُدَ ٱلْأَصْنَامَ
from the worship of idols
Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام) prayer for protection from the worship of idols includes his sons (plural).
He first prays for safety/peace. It seems a prerequisite for protection from the worship of idols.
So, it seems, has he already secured the land for monotheist worship, at the time he is making this dua.
He goes on to state that they (the polytheists) have misguided many people, so whoever follows me (Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام)) is from me, and whoever doesn't, You are Forgiving, Merciful (ayat 36).
So, it follows that though the land has been secured, and The House purified, there is no compulsion in religion, and people are free to privately follow whatever they want to worship.
He states that he is settling some of his offsprings near The Lord (Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى )'s House. He states that this is uncultivable land, therefore he prays that people be inclined towards them, and that they may be provided with fruits, so that they are grateful (ayat 37).
He acknowledges that The Lord (Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى ) knows everything, revealed and hidden, everything in the Earth and Skies, nothing is hidden from Him (ayat 38).
Towards the end of his invocation, he praises The Lord (Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى ), lists Ishmael and Issac, acknowledging with gratitude, the favour of being granted these two sons in old age, as a response to his request, as 'Indeed, My Lord listens to the Dua' (ayat 39).
Then, he prays that he is made of those who establish prayer, and also from his offsprings, as 'My Lord accept my Dua' (ayat 40).
He concludes his dua praying for forgiveness for himself, his parents, and the believers, the Day when the accounts will be reckoned.
So, the dua which begins with protection from the worship of idols, concludes with the dua for forgiveness on the Day of Reckoning.
The distinction between the sin and the sinner is quite clear. He hates the sin of polytheism, abstains from it, purifies The Lord (Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى )'s House for monotheism, yet does not impose his will upon their private worship, and in ayat 36, he states so whoever follows me (Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام)) is from me, and whoever doesn't, You are Forgiving, Merciful.
The clarity that protection comes from Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى is amply clear throughout the dua. The monotheist worship of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى is a special blessing. Not everyone is blessed with the honour. Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى chooses who to have Mercy upon, whom to Forgive.
Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام) saw many forms of polytheism throughout his life. His father, and his nation, used to build and worship idols. The Bible states that he travelled and saw the religion in ancient Egypt. The Quran relates key events of his life: in his father's home and country, his exchanges with the King and his nation, him being thrown in a fire, him being thrown out of his home by his father; him being blessed with land, wealth, and sons; and his complete submission to Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى , and his extreme concern to save people from hellfire. He purified The Lord (Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى )'s House in Makkah (old name: Bakkah) in the Arabian Peninsula, raised its foundation, and announced the Pilgrimage (Hajj).
We need to keep invoking protection of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى.
We need protection from the misguidance being spread by the polytheists.
We need the peace and security to practice monotheism freely.
We need Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى to protect our children and their children, all our progeny, from the worship of idols.
It is not enough to not worship false gods, it is also absolutely important to worship the True God. We do not want to become secular atheists. We need to worship Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى .
We need Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى to provide for us, and to make us grateful, and to make us of those who establish prayer (the special connection with our Lord), pay zakat, spend in charity, gratefully, and sincerely adhere to the Deen of Allah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى. The Deen is the Law of Recompense.
We need to be forgiven on the Day of Judgment, the Day when all deeds will be reckoned, all accounts examined and settled. It is a fearful day, a day believers worry about, praying for forgiveness and mercy.
The Quran, Surah Ibrahim, quotes the dua of Abraham (Ibrahim عليه السلام) from ayat 35 to ayat 41, as follows:
Abraham (14:35-41)
14:35
وَإِذْ قَالَ إِبْرَٰهِيمُ رَبِّ ٱجْعَلْ هَـٰذَا ٱلْبَلَدَ ءَامِنًۭا وَٱجْنُبْنِى وَبَنِىَّ أَن نَّعْبُدَ ٱلْأَصْنَامَ ٣٥
(Recall) when Ibrāhīm said, “My Lord, make this city peaceful, and keep me and my children away from worshiping idols.
— T. Usmani
And when Abraham said: My Lord! Make safe this territory, and preserve me and my sons from serving idols.
— M. Pickthall
اور یاد کرو جب کہا ابراہیم نے کہ اے میرے رب اس شہر (مکہ) کو بنا دے امن کی جگہ اور بچائے رکھ مجھے اور میری اولاد کو اس سے کہ ہم بتوں کی پرستش کریں
— بیان القرآن (ڈاکٹر اسرار احمد)
14:36
رَبِّ إِنَّهُنَّ أَضْلَلْنَ كَثِيرًۭا مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ ۖ فَمَن تَبِعَنِى فَإِنَّهُۥ مِنِّى ۖ وَمَنْ عَصَانِى فَإِنَّكَ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ ٣٦
My Lord, they have misled many a people. So, the one who follows me does surely belong to me. As for the one who disobeys me, then You are Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful.
— T. Usmani
My Lord! Lo! they have led many of mankind astray. But whoso followeth me, he verily is of me. And whoso disobeyeth me - Still Thou art Forgiving, Merciful.
— M. Pickthall
اے میرے پروردگار ! ان بتوں نے (پہلے بھی) بہت سے لوگوں کو گمراہ کیا ہے۔ تو جو کوئی میری پیروی کرے وہ تو بلاشبہ مجھ سے ہے اور جو میری نافرمانی کرے تو بلاشبہ تو بخشنے والا مہربان ہے
— بیان القرآن (ڈاکٹر اسرار احمد)
14:37
رَّبَّنَآ إِنِّىٓ أَسْكَنتُ مِن ذُرِّيَّتِى بِوَادٍ غَيْرِ ذِى زَرْعٍ عِندَ بَيْتِكَ ٱلْمُحَرَّمِ رَبَّنَا لِيُقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ فَٱجْعَلْ أَفْـِٔدَةًۭ مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ تَهْوِىٓ إِلَيْهِمْ وَٱرْزُقْهُم مِّنَ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَشْكُرُونَ ٣٧
Our Lord, I have settled some of my children in a valley of no vegetation, close to Your sanctified House, so that, Our Lord, they may establish Salāh. So, make hearts of people yearn towards them, and provide them with fruits, so that they may be grateful.
— T. Usmani
Our Lord! Lo! I have settled some of my posterity in an uncultivable valley near unto Thy holy House, our Lord! that they may establish proper worship; so incline some hearts of men that they may yearn toward them, and provide Thou them with fruits in order that they may be thankful.
— M. Pickthall
اے ہمارے رب ! میں نے اپنی اولاد (کی ایک شاخ) کو آباد کردیا ہے اس بےآب وگیاہ وادی میں تیرے محترم گھر کے پاس اے ہمارے پروردگار ! تاکہ یہ نماز قائم کریں تو تو لوگوں کے دلوں کو ان کی طرف مائل کر دے اور ان کو رزق عطا کر پھلوں سے تاکہ وہ شکر ادا کریں
— بیان القرآن (ڈاکٹر اسرار احمد)
14:38
رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ تَعْلَمُ مَا نُخْفِى وَمَا نُعْلِنُ ۗ وَمَا يَخْفَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍۢ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ ٣٨
Our Lord, surely You know what we conceal and what we reveal.-Hidden from Allah is nothing whatsoever, neither in the earth nor in the heavens.
— T. Usmani
Our Lord! Lo! Thou knowest that which we hide and that which we proclaim. Nothing in the earth or in the heaven is hidden from Allah.
— M. Pickthall
اے ہمارے پروردگار ! تو خوب جانتا ہے جو کچھ ہم چھپاتے ہیں اور جو کچھ ہم ظاہر کرتے ہیں اور اللہ پر تو کوئی شے مخفی نہیں زمین میں اور نہ آسمان میں
— بیان القرآن (ڈاکٹر اسرار احمد)
14:39
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى وَهَبَ لِى عَلَى ٱلْكِبَرِ إِسْمَـٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَـٰقَ ۚ إِنَّ رَبِّى لَسَمِيعُ ٱلدُّعَآءِ ٣٩
Praise be to Allah who, despite my old age, blessed me with Ismā‘īl (Ishmael) and IsHāq (Isaac). Surely, my Lord is the One who listens to the prayer.
— T. Usmani
Praise be to Allah Who hath given me, in my old age, Ishmael and Isaac! Lo! my Lord is indeed the Hearer of Prayer.
— M. Pickthall
کل شکر اور کل ثنا اس اللہ کے لیے ہے جس نے مجھے عطا فرمائے باوجود بڑھاپے کے اسماعیل اور اسحاق (جیسے بیٹے) یقیناً میرا پروردگار دعاؤں کا سننے والا ہے
— بیان القرآن (ڈاکٹر اسرار احمد)
14:40
رَبِّ ٱجْعَلْنِى مُقِيمَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةِ وَمِن ذُرِّيَّتِى ۚ رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَآءِ ٤٠
My Lord, make me steadfast in Salāh, and my offspring as well. And, Our Lord, grant my prayer.
— T. Usmani
My Lord! Make me to establish proper worship, and some of my posterity (also); our Lord! and accept my prayer.
— M. Pickthall
اے میرے پروردگار ! مجھے بنا دے نماز قائم کرنے والا اور میری اولاد میں سے بھی اے ہمارے پروردگار ! میری اس دعا کو قبول فرما
— بیان القرآن (ڈاکٹر اسرار احمد)
14:41
رَبَّنَا ٱغْفِرْ لِى وَلِوَٰلِدَىَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ ٱلْحِسَابُ ٤١
Our Lord, forgive me and my parents and all believers on the day when reckoning shall take place.”
— T. Usmani
Our Lord! Forgive me and my parents and believers on the day when the account is cast.
— M. Pickthall
اے ہمارے پروردگار ! مجھے میرے والدین اور تمام مؤمنین کو بخش دے جس دن حساب قائم ہو
— بیان القرآن (ڈاکٹر اسرار احمد)
[https://quran.com/ibrahim/35-41]
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Last updated on: August 19, 2026
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