In the Sahih hadith (as graded by Sheikh Al-Albani) from Sunan Abu Dawud, Book 8, Hadith 64, it was narrated by An-Nu’man ibn Bashir: The Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Supplication (du’a’) is itself the worship.” (He then recited:) “And your Lord said: Call on Me, I will answer you.”
The Quran also mentions in Surah Ghafir, Ayat 40: “And your Lord says, ‘Call upon Me; I will respond to you.’ Indeed, those who disdain My worship will enter Hell [rendered] contemptible.”
Without Allah, nothing is possible. We must take the time and effort to remember Him and call upon Him.
There are many duas and ways to worship Allah, and in this text, we will cover one of the simplest. It consists of only four words: the Rabbana Wa Taqabbal dua.
Meaning of Rabbana Wa Taqabbal and Arabic Text:
Here is the ayat in Arabic, along with its transliteration and English meaning:
رَبَّنَا وَتَقَبَّلْ دُعَاء
Rabbana Wa Taqabbal Dua
English Meaning: Our Lord, and accept my supplication.
It does not get any simpler than this dua.
Here are different translations of this ayat:
Our Lord! And accept my prayer.
Our Lord! And accept my invocation.
O our Lord! And accept Thou my Prayer.
Our Lord, grant my prayer.
Do accept, our Lord, this prayer of mine.
Our Lord! Accept my prayers.
A fool lives to eat, whereas a wise man eats to live. But this leaves an unanswered question: for what purpose? Simply living is not the end in itself; there must be a purpose to live for.
To a non-believer, human existence can seem ironic: we have one instinct—to survive—and there’s only one guarantee in life—we won’t.
For those who read the Quran and strive to understand it, clarity, guidance, and purpose will follow. For instance, in the Quran, Surah Imran, Ayat 185:
“Every soul will taste death, and you will only be given your [full] compensation on the Day of Resurrection. So he who is drawn away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise has attained [his desire]. And what is the life of this world except the enjoyment of delusion.”
It becomes clear: this life should be spent living righteously. The Quran and Hadith provide us with complete guidance—a blueprint for how we ought to conduct our lives. They offer insight into the moral character we should embody if we wish to attain Paradise. They teach us to care, to love, to give charity to the poor, to pray, to fast, to be humble, and to be grateful.
This world was not created by accident, and we were not sent here without a purpose—and it is for this reason that this rabbana dua was revealed.
Rabbana ma khalaqta haza bathila full dua with translation:
رَبَّنَا مَا خَلَقْتَ هَذا بَاطِلاً سُبْحَانَكَ فَقِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
Rabbana ma khalaqa haza bathila subhanaka faqina adhaban-Naar
Meaning: Our Lord! You have not created this in vain. Glory to You! Save us, then, from the chastisement of the Fire.
Surah Imran 191
The full translation of Surah Imran, Ayah 191 is:
[1] Who remember Allah while standing or sitting or on their sides and give thought to the creation of the heavens and the earth, [saying], [2] “Our Lord, You did not create this aimlessly; exalted are You [above such a thing]; [3] then protect us from the punishment of the Fire.”
[1] Allah mentions those who constantly remember Him in all their deeds—whether standing, sitting, or lying down (the “on their sides” referenced here). Standing might refer to remembering Allah while traveling to work, school, or going about daily errands. When finally able to rest by sitting, they still keep Allah in mind; and at the end of the day, before falling asleep, they remember Him.
This ayah depicts individuals for whom everything becomes a reminder of Allah. If you take a moment to pause, look out the window at the sky, the clouds, or nature, you can’t help but be amazed. Even the complexity of human civilization serves as a reminder to worship Allah.
[2] Through all these signs of the Creator, one can arrive at the truth. Merely being an observer allows you to recognize that there must be something greater. The phenomena of the universe could not exist without a God.
[3] Once a person sees the order of the universe, they realize that the Creator would not have bestowed wisdom, moral conscience, and free will upon humans only to let them roam without repercussions for their actions. This deep reflection leads them to understand that they will be accountable for their deeds in the Hereafter. This conviction drives them to seek refuge in Allah, asking for protection from “the punishment of the Fire.”
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