Overview  (Verses 40 - 41)
 
A Prayer for All Time
 
Abraham follows his thanksgiving with a supplication to God to make him always thankful. His thanks take the form of prayer, worship and obedience to God. Thus he declares his determination to always be a devout worshipper, but fears that something may divert him from it. Hence, he prays that God may help him to carry out his intention: “My Lord, cause me and [some of] my offspring to establish regular prayers. My Lord, accept my prayer.” (Verse 40)
 
Abraham’s supplication shows the irony in the Quraysh’s attitude, the Arab tribe which had custody of the Ka`bah. Abraham is appealing to God for help to attend to his prayers, and to enable him to perform these at all times. They, however, turn away from it, denying the truth of what God’s Messenger tells them of how Abraham prayed for himself and his offspring. Now, Abraham concludes his humble supplication by appealing to God to forgive him and forgive his parents and all believers. He prays for that forgiveness to be forthcoming on the Day of Judgement when nothing is of benefit to anyone except the good works he or she may have done in life and God’s forgiveness for what they might have committed or omitted to do: “Our Lord, grant Your forgiveness to me and my parents, and all the believers on the Day when the reckoning will come to pass.” (Verse 41)
 
Abraham’s long and humble supplication, which also mentions a number of God’s blessings and expresses gratitude and thanks for them, employing a fine musical rhythm, now comes to a close. It imparts an air of gentle tenderness and care which makes people’s hearts long to be with God, and remember His grace and blessings. Abraham, the father of a long line of prophets, is seen as a pious servant who does not forget His Lord’s grace, or his duty to be thankful for it. He is given as an example to be followed by God’s servants who truly believe in Him, for, just before relating Abraham’s supplication, the sūrah addressed them. We note how Abraham repeats several times the addressing phrase, “My Lord” or “Our Lord”. This repeated acknowledgement of God’s Lordship over him and his offspring is significant. He does not mention God by His attribute of Godhead, but instead by His Lordship. Godhead has rarely been subject to controversy even in jāhiliyyah societies. Nor was it so in the ignorant society of Arabia at the advent of Islam. What people have always argued about is the Lordship of God, and the need to submit to Him in everyday life on earth.
 
This is in fact the central point between submission to God, and believing in His oneness on the one hand, and the association of partners with Him on the other. People either submit to God, and this means that they acknowledge Him as their Lord, or they submit to others who would become their lords. This makes all the difference in life. The Qur’ān relates Abraham’s supplication to the Arab idolaters, emphasizing his acknowledgement of God’s Lordship to draw their attention to the fact that their own way of life was in complete contrast with what this supplication truly signifies.