Key Verses

1. 6:42Al-Anam
   وَلَقَدۡ أَرۡسَلۡنَآ إِلَىٰٓ أُمَمٖ مِّن قَبۡلِكَ فَأَخَذۡنَٰهُم بِٱلۡبَأۡسَآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ لَعَلَّهُمۡ يَتَضَرَّعُونَ
   We have sent already unto peoples that were before thee, and We visited them with tribulation and adversity, in order that they might grow humble.
   In context

   I sent messengers to many communities before you, O Messenger, but those communities denied their messengers and turned away from what they brought. I then tried them with poverty and sickness in order for them to submit and humble themselves before their Lord.

2. 6:43Al-Anam
   فَلَوۡلَآ إِذۡ جَآءَهُم بَأۡسُنَا تَضَرَّعُواْ وَلَٰكِن قَسَتۡ قُلُوبُهُمۡ وَزَيَّنَ لَهُمُ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ مَا كَانُواْ يَعۡمَلُونَ
   If only, when Our disaster came on them, they had been humble! But their hearts were hardened and the devil made all that they used to do seem fair unto them!
   In context

   If only they had humbled themselves before Allah, when His calamity came to them, and begged Allah to remove the calamity, then He would have shown them mercy. But they did not do that. Instead, their hearts became hard and they did not take notice and learn a lesson. Satan made the disbelief and sins that they were committing seem good to them, so they continued with those actions.

3. 6:63Al-Anam
   قُلۡ مَن يُنَجِّيكُم مِّن ظُلُمَٰتِ ٱلۡبَرِّ وَٱلۡبَحۡرِ تَدۡعُونَهُۥ تَضَرُّعٗا وَخُفۡيَةٗ لَّئِنۡ أَنجَىٰنَا مِنۡ هَٰذِهِۦ لَنَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلشَّـٰكِرِينَ
   Say: Who delivereth you from the darkness of the land and the sea? Ye call upon Him humbly and in secret, (saying): If we are delivered from this (fear) we truly will be of the thankful.
   In context

   Say, O Messenger, to these idolaters: Who rescues you and saves you from the calamity? You call on Him alone, humbling yourselves in secret and in public saying: If our Lord delivers us from this destruction we will certainly be of those who show thanks for His favours on us and we will not worship anyone besides Him.

4. 7:55Al-ArafWarning
   ٱدۡعُواْ رَبَّكُمۡ تَضَرُّعٗا وَخُفۡيَةًۚ إِنَّهُۥ لَا يُحِبُّ ٱلۡمُعۡتَدِينَ
   (O mankind!) Call upon your Lord humbly and in secret. Lo! He loveth not aggressors.
   In context

   O believers, call on your Lord with complete humility, silently and in private, sincere in your prayer, not showing off, and not worshipping others along with Allah in your prayers. He does not love those who overstep the limits in their prayers; and one of the worst ways someone can do this is by invoking others besides Him, as the idolaters do.

5. 7:205Al-ArafWarning
   وَٱذۡكُر رَّبَّكَ فِي نَفۡسِكَ تَضَرُّعٗا وَخِيفَةٗ وَدُونَ ٱلۡجَهۡرِ مِنَ ٱلۡقَوۡلِ بِٱلۡغُدُوِّ وَٱلۡأٓصَالِ وَلَا تَكُن مِّنَ ٱلۡغَٰفِلِينَ
   And do thou (O Muhammad) remember thy Lord within thyself humbly and with awe, below thy breath, at morn and evening. And be not thou of the neglectful.
   In context

   And remember Allah your Lord, humbly, with lowliness before Him, and with fear and awe. Call upon him in a moderate manner, not too loudly, at the beginning and end of the day, because of the special qualities of these times, and do not be among those who neglect the remembrance of Allah the Exalted.

6. 23:76Al-MuminunWarning
   وَلَقَدۡ أَخَذۡنَٰهُم بِٱلۡعَذَابِ فَمَا ٱسۡتَكَانُواْ لِرَبِّهِمۡ وَمَا يَتَضَرَّعُونَ
   Already have We grasped them with punishment, but they humble not themselves unto their Lord, nor do they pray,
   In context

   I tested them through different afflictions, but neither did they humble before their Lord or submit to Him nor did they pray to Him submissively so that He lifts the afflictions from them when they befall.