دار محمد Daar Muhammed

أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم
فَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَّقًوْلُ رَبَّنآ ءَاتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَ مَا لَهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلاقٍ
وَ مِنْهُمْ مَن يَّقُوْلُ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةُ وَ قِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ.
أًوْلَآئِكَ لَهُمْ نَصِيْبٌ مِّمَّا كَسَبُوْا وَ اللهُ سَرِيْعُ الْحِسَابِ.
الآية 200-202 : سورة البقرة

But of mankind there are some who say: ‘Our Lord! Give us (Your Bounties) in this world!’ and for such there will be no portion in the Hereafter.
And of them there are some who say: ‘O Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!’
Those for them there will be allotted a share for what they have earned. And Allah is Swift at reckoning.
Surat ul Baqarah: 200-202

These verses hold a very special du’a taught directly by the Creator to His slaves:
رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةُ وَ قِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ

This du’a comprises of all the good of this world and averts every evil. It concludes seeking salvation from the Fire which necessitates protection from the doubtful and prohibited in the lifetime.

The Prophet صلى الله عليه و سلم would pray using this du’a as narrated by Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with him). He would say:
اللَّهُمَّ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةُ وَ قِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
O Allah, O Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire.
(Bukhari)

And Anas رضي الله عنه narrates that once Rasoolullah صلى الله عليه و سلم visited a Muslim who had become like a small bird (due to severe illness).
‘Is there anything (particular) you ask Allah for? ’ Rasoolullah صلى الله عليه و سلم asked him.

‘Yes’, the sick man said, ‘I used to say: O Allah, hasten for me in this world the punishment you have for me in the next.’
‘Subhanallah! You are not able to bear that! Why don’t you say
رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةُ وَ قِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
The man prayed with these words and was cured.
(Muslim/Tirmithi/Ahmad)

The cause of the revelation of these verses was that when the Bedouin Arabs reached the plains of Arafah in Hajj, they would restrict their dua to the matters of this life. ‘O Allah, make it a year full of rainfall and herbs and abundant goodness’ they would say. So Allah revealed to His Prophet:

فَمِنَ النَّاسِ مَن يَّقًوْلُ رَبَّنآ ءَاتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَ مَا لَهُ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنْ خَلاقٍ
(But of mankind there are some who say: ‘Our Lord! Give us (Your Bounties) in this world!’ and for such there will be no portion in the Hereafter.)

Later there came a group of believers who would say:
وَ مِنْهُمْ مَن يَّقُوْلُ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا فِي الدُّنْيَا حَسَنَةً وَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ حَسَنَةُ وَ قِنَا عَذَابَ النَّارِ
(And of them there are some who say: ‘O Lord! Give us in this world that which is good and in the Hereafter that which is good, and save us from the torment of the Fire!’)

Allah then revealed to His Prophet:
أًوْلَآئِكَ لَهُمْ نَصِيْبٌ مِّمَّا كَسَبُوْا وَ اللهُ سَرِيْعُ الْحِسَاب
Those for them there will be allotted a share for what they have earned. And Allah is Swift at reckoning.

In these verses Allah encourages the Muslim to pursue for the best of the two worlds (dunya and akhirah) rather than simply worrying about the affairs of the first and neglecting the eternal home.

References:
>Interpretations of the meanings of the Noble Qur’an
>Tafsir ibn u Kathir
>Tafsir ul Jalalain