Rabbana Duas in the Quran: References and Meanings

Rabbana's one of the most repeated words in the Quranic duas. It means "Our Lord," and the prayers that begin with it are some of the most direct requests in the Quran. Here's a practical guide to them, with the references and what each one asks for.

Where to start

If you're new to these duas, begin with the ones that are short and easy to remember. This one from Surah Al-Baqara is a good first choice:

وَمِنْهُم مَّن يَقُولُ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِى ٱلدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَفِى ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ حَسَنَةً وَقِنَا عَذَابَ ٱلنَّارِ ﴿٢٠١﴾

But among them is he who says, "Our Lord, give us in this world [that which is] good and in the Hereafter [that which is] good and protect us from the punishment of the Fire."

Another short and widely used prayer comes from Aal-i-Imraan:

رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْوَهَّابُ ﴿٨﴾

[Who say], "Our Lord, let not our hearts deviate after You have guided us and grant us from Yourself mercy. Indeed, You are the Bestower.

Rabbana duas in the Quran, by surah

The list below is in the order of the surahs. Each row gives the reference and a plain summary of the request. Use the reference to find the full verse in your Quran or translation.

Reference	What the dua asks for
2:127	Abraham and Ishmael ask Allah to accept their work while building the foundations of the House
2:128	Asking to be made Muslims in submission to Allah, and for their descendants too, and for their repentance to be accepted
2:201	Good in this world and in the Hereafter, and protection from the Fire
2:250	Patience, steady feet and victory, said by believers facing a strong army
2:286	Forgiveness and mercy, and not being burdened beyond what one can bear. This verse closes Surah Al-Baqara
3:8	Not letting the heart turn away after guidance, and asking for mercy
3:16	Forgiveness of sins and protection from the punishment of the Fire
3:53	Faith and following the messenger, and being counted among the witnesses
3:147	Forgiveness, firm feet and victory
3:191 to 3:194	Reflection on creation, protection from the Fire, and not being disgraced on the Day of Resurrection
5:83	Believers who ask to be counted among the witnesses
7:23	Admitting wrongdoing, and asking for forgiveness and mercy
7:47	Asking not to be placed with the wrongdoing people
7:126	Patience, and dying as Muslims
10:85	Asking not to be a trial for the wrongdoing people
14:38	Allah knows what is hidden and what is shown
14:40	Making the believer establish prayer, and accepting the supplication
14:41	Forgiveness for oneself, one's parents and the believers on the Day of Account
18:10	Mercy and right guidance, asked by the youths in the cave
25:65	Asking that the punishment of Hell be turned away
25:74	Spouses and children who bring comfort, and being a leader for the righteous
40:7 to 40:9	Angels asking Allah to forgive the believers and protect them from evil
59:10	Forgiveness for those who came before, and no resentment in the heart
60:4 to 60:5	Trust in Allah and not being a trial for those who disbelieve
66:8	Sincere repentance, forgiveness and a light that goes before the believers

Duas for forgiveness and mercy

Many Rabbana duas ask for forgiveness. Surah Aal-i-Imraan and Surah Al-A'raaf both contain short prayers that ask Allah to forgive sins and show mercy. This one is about Adam and his wife after they made a mistake, and it shows how a person can admit a fault and ask for mercy in the same breath:

قَالَا رَبَّنَا ظَلَمْنَآ أَنفُسَنَا وَإِن لَّمْ تَغْفِرْ لَنَا وَتَرْحَمْنَا لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلْخَٰسِرِينَ ﴿٢٣﴾

They said, "Our Lord, we have wronged ourselves, and if You do not forgive us and have mercy upon us, we will surely be among the losers."

Duas for patience and steady hearts

Some duas ask for steadiness in a hard moment. The believers in Surah Al-Baqara ask for patience and firm feet when they face an enemy. The same request is in Surah Aal-i-Imraan. These verses are useful when you feel shaken and need to ask Allah to steady you.

Duas for family and the future

Surah Al-Furqaan has a dua asking for spouses and children who bring comfort to the eyes. It's also a request to be a good example for the righteous:

وَٱلَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا هَبْ لَنَا مِنْ أَزْوَٰجِنَا وَذُرِّيَّٰتِنَا قُرَّةَ أَعْيُنٍ وَٱجْعَلْنَا لِلْمُتَّقِينَ إِمَامًا ﴿٧٤﴾

And those who say, "Our Lord, grant us from among our wives and offspring comfort to our eyes and make us a leader [i.e., example] for the righteous."

Surah Ibrahim includes the dua of Abraham for his parents and for the believers. It's one of the most personal of the Rabbana duas.

رَبَّنَا ٱغْفِرْ لِى وَلِوَٰلِدَىَّ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ ٱلْحِسَابُ ﴿٤١﴾

Our Lord, forgive me and my parents and the believers the Day the account is established."

Reading these duas in daily life

You don't need to memorize every rabbana dua. Pick two or three that speak to your situation and read them after your prayers or when you need them. Many people keep a short list on their phone or on a card. If you want a reminder of a short verse each day, the Ayanur iPhone app has a home screen widget that shows one short ayah from its curated list of 550 short ayat, and that list includes some Rabbana duas that fit a widget.