Explanation

The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) invoked Allah with a supplication in which he combined the principles of the noble morals that he was sent to perfect, namely the soundness of the religion, the worldly life, and the Hereafter. With such brief wording, he sought the soundness of these three comprehensive meanings. He started with the soundness of the religion that guarantees the soundness of the conditions of both abodes, as he said: (O Allah, set right for me my religion) by guiding me to fulfill its manners most perfectly and completely. (That is the safeguard of my affairs) and the protector of all my matters. If my religion is corrupted, my affairs will be corrupted, and I shall fail and lose. Given that the required soundness of the religion cannot be fulfilled except through the soundness of this worldly life, he said: (And set right for me my world) by granting me physical health, security, sustenance, a righteous wife, a virtuous offspring, and whatever I need, making it lawful and support for obeying You. Then he mentioned the reason behind asking Him to set it right, saying: (Wherein my living is), my residence, and my lifetime. (And set right for me my Hereafter, wherein my return is) to meet You, and this could be attained through righteous deeds and Allah's guidance of His slave to worship, sincerity, and a good end. The Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) mentioned the Hereafter after the world, since the first is the means of reforming the second. In other words, whoever remains upright in his worldly life in compliance with Allah's wish, his Hereafter will be set right for him, and he will be happy therein. (And make life) and longevity (an increase for me in every good) to increase my righteous deeds; (and make death) and hastening it (a relief for me from every evil), trial, adversity, and affliction caused by sins and negligence, a release from worldly hardships and sorrows, and attainment of comfort.