This is the supplication of the believers. Allah says that His pious servants supplicate to Him with this prayer,
“Our Lord! Avert from us the torment of Hell. Verily, its torment is ever an inseparable punishment.”) meaning, ever-present and never ending.
Al-Hasan said concerning the Ayah,
(Verily, its torment is ever an inseparable, permanent punishment.) Everything that strikes the son of Adam, then disappears, does not constitute an inseparable, permanent punishment. The inseparable, permanent punishment is that which lasts as long as heaven and earth. This was also the view of Sulayman At-Taymi.
(Evil indeed it is as an abode and as a place to rest in.) means, how evil it looks as a place to dwell and how evil it is as a place to rest.
”For those who fear Allah will be gardens in the presence of their Lord beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally, and purified spouses and approval from Allah . And Allah is Seeing of [His] servants” (3:14-15)
Those who say, “Our Lord, indeed we have believed, so forgive us our sins and protect us from the punishment of the Fire,”
Allah describes the Muttaqin, His pious servants, whom He promised tremendous rewards.
Those who say: “Our Lord! We have indeed believed” in You, Your Book and Your Messenger.
“so forgive us our sins” because of our faith in You and in what You legislated for us. Therefore, forgive us our errors and shortcomings, with Your bounty and mercy,
“and save us from the punishment of the Fire.”
Allah then said,
They are the patient, the true, the obedient, those who spend [in the way of Allah ], and those who seek forgiveness before dawn.(3:17)
O Allah, I seek Your protection from miserliness, I seek Your protection from cowardice, and I seek Your protection from being returned to feeble old age.
I seek Your protection from the trials of this world and from the torment of the grave.
Allaahumma ‘innee ‘a’oothu bika minal-bukhli, wa ‘a’oothu bika minal-jubni, wa ‘a’oothu bika min ‘an ‘uradda ‘ilaa ‘arthalil-‘umuri, wa ‘a’oothu bika min fitnatid-dunyaa wa ‘athaabil-qabr
(190. Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the Earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding.) (191. Those who remember Allah standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth, (saying): “Our Lord! You have not created this without purpose for You never break (Your) Promise.”) (190-194)
Here Allah mntions the proofs of Tawhid for people of understanding, their characteristics, speech, and supplications.
Allah said,
(Verily, in the creation of the heavens and the Earth,) ﴿3:190﴾, referring to the sky in its height and spaciousness, the earth in its expanse and density, the tremendous features they have of rotating planets, seas, mountains, deserts, trees, plants, fruits, animals, metals and various beneficial colors, scents, tastes and elements.
(And in the alternation of night and day), as one follows and takes from the length of the other. For instance, at times one of them becomes longer than the other, shorter than the other at times and equal to the other at other times, and the same is repeated again and again, and all this occurs by the decision of the Almighty, Most Wise.
This is why Allah said,
(there are indeed signs for men of understanding), referring to the intelligent and sound minds that contemplate about the true reality of things, unlike the deaf and mute who do not have sound comprehension.
Allah then describes and praises His believing servants,
(Those who remember Allah standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth), supplicating;
(“Our Lord! You have not created this without purpose,”)
You did not create all this in jest and play. Rather, You created it in truth, so that You recompense those who do evil in kind, and reward those who do righteous deeds with what is better.
The faithful believers praise Allah and deny that He does anything in jest and without purpose, saying,
(“glory to You,”), for You would never create anything without purpose,
(“Give us salvation from the torment of the Fire.”), meaning, “O You Who created the creation in truth and justice, Who is far from any shortcomings, or doing things without purpose or with jest, save us from the torment of the Fire with Your power and strength. Direct us to perform the deeds that make You pleased with us. Guide us to righteous work from which You admit us into the delightful Paradise, and save us from Your painful torment.”