| Al 'Imran: (194) Our Lord, and grant us what...

There are several issues concerning this verse:

There is an omission of a word (the mudaf).

1. Interpretation 1: "And grant us what You promised us through the tongues of Your Messengers."
2. Interpretation 2: "And grant us what You promised us upon the verification/affirmation of Your Messengers." The evidence for this is that this verse follows the mention of the one who calls to faith—the Messenger—and follows the mention of affirming him (من - referring to belief/affirmation).

Since God's promise is immutable (it is impossible for it not to occur), why did they ask for it through supplication when they knew it would inevitably happen?

Answers to this question (in several ways):

1. First Answer: The purpose of the supplication is not to request the action itself, but rather to demonstrate humility, submission, and servitude. We are commanded to supplicate for things we are certain will occur, such as His saying: "Say, 'My Lord, judge with truth'" (Al-Anbiya: 112), and "So forgive those who have repented and followed Your path" (Ghafir: 7).
2. Second Answer: God's promise does not apply to every individual member of the community specifically, but rather applies to them according to their descriptions. Indeed, the Exalted granted the Pious the reward, and threatened the transgressors with punishment. Therefore, the meaning of "Our Lord, and grant us what..." is: "Guide us to the deeds by which we become worthy of Your promise, and protect us from the deeds by which we become worthy of punishment and disgrace." Under this interpretation, the purpose of the verse is to request guidance toward obedience and protection from disobedience.
3. Third Answer: God Almighty promised the believers that He would grant them victory in this world and overcome their enemy. They requested the hastening of that outcome. Under this interpretation, the difficulty is resolved.

The verse indicates that they requested the benefits of the Hereafter based on the promise (الوعد), not based on merit/deserving (الاستحقاق). This is because they said, "Our Lord, and grant us what You promised us through Your Messengers," and at the end of the discourse, they said, "Indeed, You do not fail the promise" (إنك لا تخلف الميعاد). This shows that the cause for obtaining the benefits of the Hereafter is the promise, not merit.

When the reward is attained, the repulsion of punishment is necessarily implied. Therefore, asking for "what You promised us through Your Messengers" is a request for reward. After requesting the reward, why did they then ask for the cessation of punishment, which is "and do not disgrace us on the Day of Resurrection" (ولا تخزنا يوم القيامة)? Rather, it would have been more coherent if they had first requested the removal of punishment and then requested the attainment of reward.

Answers to this question (in two ways):

1. First Answer: The reward requires being accompanied by honor and delight. Thus, "grant us what You promised us through Your Messengers" refers to the benefits, while "and do not disgrace us" refers to the honor/dignity.
2. Second Answer: We have already explained that the intent of this verse is to request guidance toward obedience and protection from disobedience. Under this interpretation, the structure is sound, as if they were saying: "Guide us to obedience, and if You guide us to it, then protect us from what nullifies and removes it, leading us to disgrace and ruin." The essence is as if they said: "Guide us to Your obedience, for we are incapable of any obedience except through Your guidance. And once You have guided us to perform it, then guide us to preserve it, for we are incapable of preserving and sustaining it except through Your guidance." This points to the fact that the servant cannot perform any deed, nor any action, nor even a glance or a movement, except through God's assistance and guidance.

The phrase "and do not disgrace us on the Day of Resurrection" (ولا تخزنا يوم القيامة) is similar to His saying: "And there will appear to them from God that which they had not anticipated" (Az-Zumar: 47). Sometimes a person thinks he is upon the true belief and righteous deeds, but on the Day of Resurrection, it becomes clear to him that his belief was misguidance and his deed was a sin. At that point, immense shame, complete regret, and intense sorrow occur.

The wise scholars of Islam stated that this is the spiritual torment (العذاب الروحاني). They said this torment is more severe than the physical torment. Evidence for this is that the Exalted narrated that these believing servants requested several things in this supplication. The first of their requests was protection from physical torment, which is His saying: "So protect us from the punishment of the Fire" (Al 'Imran: 191). The last of their requests was protection from spiritual torment, which is His saying: "and do not disgrace us on the Day of Resurrection." This indicates that the spiritual torment is more severe than the physical torment.

7 < { So their Lord responded to them, "Never will I allow to be lost the work of any who works, whether male or female. Some of you are from others. So those who emigrated or were driven out from their homes or were harmed in My cause or who fought and were killed - I will certainly remove from them their sins and will admit them into Gardens beneath which rivers flow - a reward from Allah. And with Allah is the best of rewards." } 7 !

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