Rabbana Amanna faghfir Lana

Allah the Exalted said, "There was a group of My servants who used to say, 'Our Lord! We have believed, so forgive us and have mercy on us. You are the best of those who show mercy.' But you took them in mockery, so much so that they made you forget My remembrance, and you used to laugh at them" (Al-Mu'minun 109-110). These verses describe the dua of the sincere believers and the mockery of the hypocrites toward them.

In this short dua the confession of faith (amanna), the request for forgiveness (faghfir lana) and the plea for mercy (warhamna) come together. The phrase "Wa-anta khayru r-rāḥimīn" (You are the best of those who show mercy) stresses that Allah's mercy surpasses all mercy.

This dua is the affirmation of faith followed by a request for forgiveness. Faith by itself is not enough; the deeds that faith requires must be performed and sins must be guarded against. Since a person may fall short in this, after saying that he has believed he should immediately say, "forgive us."

The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Whoever says, 'Our Lord! We have believed, so forgive us and have mercy on us,' Allah will give him a palace in Paradise." This hadith expresses the virtue of this short dua in the finest way.