There has already been for you an excellent pattern1 in Abraham and those with him, when they said to their people, "Indeed, we are disassociated from you and from whatever you worship other than Allāh. We have denied you, and there has appeared between us and you animosity and hatred forever until you believe in Allāh alone" - except for the saying of Abraham to his father, "I will surely ask forgiveness for you, but I have not [power to do] for you anything against Allāh. Our Lord, upon You we have relied, and to You we have returned, and to You is the destination.
لَأَسۡتَغۡفِرَنَّSurely I ask forgivenessla-astaghfiranna
لَكَfor youlaka
وَمَآbut notwamā
أَمۡلِكُI have poweramliku
لَكَfor youlaka
مِنَfrommina
ٱللَّهِAllahl-lahi
مِنofmin
شَيۡءٖۖanythingshayin
رَّبَّنَاOur Lordrabbanā
عَلَيۡكَupon Youʿalayka
تَوَكَّلۡنَاwe put our trusttawakkalnā
وَإِلَيۡكَand to Youwa-ilayka
أَنَبۡنَاwe turnanabnā
وَإِلَيۡكَand to Youwa-ilayka
ٱلۡمَصِيرُ(is) the final returnl-maṣīru
Tafsir
O believers! You have a beautiful example to follow in Abraham (peace be upon him) and the believers who were with him, when they said to their disbelieving people: “We have nothing to do with you and the idols you worship instead of Allah. We have disbelieved in the religion you are upon; enmity and dislike has become apparent between us and you until you bring faith in Allah alone and do not ascribe anyone as partner to Him.” So it is necessary for you to proclaim innocence from your disbelieving nation just like they did, except for the statement Abraham (peace be upon him) made to his father: “I will definitely seek forgiveness on your behalf from Allah”: do not follow him in that because it was before Abraham lost hope in his father bringing faith. It is therefore not allowed for a believer to seek forgiveness on behalf of an idolater. Neither can you prevent any punishment of Allah coming upon yourself. O our Lord! Upon You we rely in all our affairs, to You we return in repentance, and to you is our return on the Day of Judgement.