آمَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِ وَالْمُؤْمِنُونَ كُلٌّ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَمَلَائِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّن رُّسُلِهِ وَقَالُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ
We hear and we obey [Your commands]. Your forgiveness [we seek], O our Lord. To You shall be our ultimate return1
Note: The last part of Surah Al-Baqarah is, in fact, the expression and declaration of our covenant with God, which was inherent in our accepting faith. This covenant requires us to abide by His laws and statutes, to the best of our abilities.
The cited words are an expression of this covenant, on the one hand, and a prayer for forgiveness for our mistakes in fulfilling this covenant, on the other. Finally, the last phrase serves as reminder of our ultimate return to the court of our King.
In short, the cited supplication means: Our Lord, at being blessed with Your guidance, we commit ourselves to abide by it. However, if we err in understanding or in following Your guidance, we call upon Your abounding forgiveness. For soon, We shall all be returned to You and shall have to face the fruits of our doings.
- Al Baqarah 2:285 [↩]