(16–17) “Our Lord, we have indeed believed, so forgive us our sins and protect us from the punishment of the Fire.”

They appealed to Allah by the favor He had bestowed upon them in granting them faith, asking Him to forgive their sins and protect them from their evil consequences—namely, the punishment of the Fire. He then detailed the qualities of those who fear Him.

He says: “Those who are patient”—restraining themselves in the obedience Allah loves, from disobedience to Him, and through His painful decrees; “those who are truthful” in their faith, words, and conduct; “those who spend” from what Allah has provided them, giving in various ways to needy relatives and others; and “those who seek forgiveness before dawn.” After setting forth their praiseworthy qualities, He mentions their humble view of themselves: they do not consider themselves to possess any worthy standing or rank. Rather, they regard themselves as sinful and deficient, so they seek their Lord’s forgiveness and choose the times when supplications are most likely to be answered—namely, the hours before dawn. Al-Hasan said, “They prolonged their prayer until the time before dawn, then sat and sought their Lord’s forgiveness.”

These verses thus describe people’s condition in worldly life and show that its pleasures soon pass away. They then describe Paradise and the bliss it contains, compare the two, and show the superiority of the Hereafter over this world, thereby emphasizing that it must be preferred and that one must labor for it. They also describe the people of Paradise—those who fear Allah—and then detail the qualities of such fear. By these qualities, a servant may weigh himself and ask: Is he among the people of Paradise or not?