Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

10. The Whispered Prayer of those Asking for Mediation

العاشرة : مناجاة المتوسّلين

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

1. إلهِي لَيْسَ لِي وَسِيلَةٌ إلَيْكَ

إلاَّ عَواطِفُ رَأفَتِكَ،

وَلا لِي ذَرِيعَةٌ إلَيْكَ

إلاَّ عَوارِفُ رَحْمَتِكَ،

وَشَفاعَةُ نَبِيِّكَ نَبِيِّ الرَّحْمَةِ،

وَمُنْقِذِ الأُمَّةِ مِنَ الْغُمَّةِ،

فَاجْعَلْهُما لِي سَبَباً إلى نَيْلِ غُفْرانِكَ،

وَصَيِّرْهُمَا لِي وُصْلَةً إلَى الْفَوْزِ بِرِضْوانِكَ،

وَقَدْ حَلَّ رَجآئِي بِحَرَمِ كَرَمِكَ،

وَحَطَّ طَمَعِي بِفِنآءِ جُودِكَ.

فَحَقِّقْ فِيكَ أَمَلِيْ وَاخْتِمْ بِالْخَيْرِ عَمَلِي،

وَاجْعَلْنِي مِنْ صَفْوَتِكَ الَّذِينَ أَحْلَلْتَهُمْ

بُحْبُوحَةَ جَنَّتِكَ،

وَبَوَّأْتَهُمْ دارَ كَرامَتِكَ

وَأَقْرَرْتَ أَعْيُنَهُمْ بِالنَّظَرِ إلَيْكَ يَوْمَ لِقآئِكَ،

وَأَوْرَثْتَهُمْ مَنازِلَ الصِّدْقِ فِي جِوارِكَ.

2. يا مَنْ لا يَفِدُ الْوافِدُونَ عَلى أَكْرَمَ مِنْهُ،

وَلا يَجِدُ الْقاصِدُونَ أَرْحَمَ مِنْهُ،

يا خَيْرَ مَنْ خَلا بِهِ وَحِيدٌ،

وَيا أَعْطَفَ مَنْ أَوى إلَيْهِ طَرِيدٌ،

إلى سَعَةِ عَفْوِكَ مَدَدْتُ يَدِي

وَبِذَيْلِ كَرَمِكَ أَعْلَقْتُ كَفِّي،

فَلا تُولِنِي الْحِرْمانَ،

وَلا تُبْلِنِي بِالْخَيْبَةِ وَالْخُسْرانِ،

يا سَمِيعَ الدُّعآءِ

يا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ.

In the Name of God, the All-merciful,

the All-compassionate

1- My God, I have no mediation with Thee

but the tender acts of Thy clemency,

nor any way to come to Thee

but the gentle favours of Thy mercy

and the intercession of Thy Prophet,

the prophet of mercy,

who rescued the community from confusion.

Make these two my tie to attaining Thy forgiveness

and let them take me to triumph through Thy good pleasure!

My hope has dismounted

in the sacred precinct of Thy generosity,

my craving has alighted in the courtyard of Thy munificence.

So actualize my expectation from Thee,

seal my works with good,

and place me among Thy selected friends, those

whom Thou hast set down

in the midst of Thy Garden,

and settled in the abode of Thy honour,

whose eyes Thou hast gladdened by gazing upon Thee on the day of meeting Thee,

and whom Thou hast made heirs to the sure stations in Thy neighbourhood!

2- O He none more generous than whom is reached by the reachers

and none more merciful than whom is found by the aimers!

O Best of those with whom the lonely are alone,

O Tenderest of those with whom outcasts seek haven!

Toward the expanse of Thy pardon have I extended my hand,

upon the skirt of Thy generosity have I fastened my grasp!

Show me no deprivation

and afflict me not with disappointment and loss!

O Hearer of supplications!

O Most Merciful of the merciful!

11. The Whispered Prayer of the Utterly Poor

الحادية عشرة : مناجاة المفتقرين

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

1. إلهِي كَسْرِي لا يَجْبُرُهُ إلاَّ لُطْفُكَ وَحَنانُكَ،

وَفَقْرِي لا يُغْنِيهِ إلاَّ عَطْفُكَ وَإحْسانُكَ،

وَرَوْعَتِي لا يُسَكِّنُهَا إلاَّ أَمانُكَ،

وَذِلَّتِي لا يُعِزُّها إلاَّ سُلْطانُكَ،

وَأُمْنِيَّتِي لا يُبَلِّغُنِيها إلاَّ فَضْلُكَ،

وَخَلَّتِي لا يَسُدُّها إلاَّ طَوْلُكَ،

وَحاجَتِي لا يَقْضِيها غَيْرُكَ،

وَكَرْبِي لاَ يُفَرِّجُهُ سِوى رَحْمَتِكَ،

وَضُرِّي لا يَكْشِفُهُ غَيْرُ رَأْفَتِكَ،

وَغُلَّتِي لا يُبَرِّدُها إلاَّ وَصْلُكَ،

وَلَوْعَتِي لا يُطْفِيها إلاَّ لِقآؤُكَ،

وَشَوْقِي إلَيْكَ لا يَبُلُّهُ إلاَّ النَّظَرُ إلى وَجْهِكَ،

وَقَرارِي لا يَقِرُّ دُونَ دُنُوِّي مِنْكَ،

وَلَهْفَتِي لاَ يَرُدُّها إلاَّ رَوْحُكَ،

وَسُقْمِي لا يَشْفِيهِ إلاَّ طِبُّكَ،

وَغَمِّي لا يُزِيلُهُ إلاَّ قُرْبُكَ،

وَجُرْحِي لا يُبْرِئُهُ إلاَّ صَفْحُكَ،

وَرَيْنُ قَلْبِي لا يَجْلُوهُ إلاَّ عَفْوُكَ،

وَوَسْواسُ صَدْرِي لا يُزِيحُهُ إلاَّ أَمْرُكَ.

2. فَيا مُنْتَهى أَمَلِ الآمِلِينَ،

وَيا غايَةَ سُؤْلِ السَّآئِلِينَ،

وَيا أَقْصى طَلِبَةِ الطَّالِبِينَ،

وَيا أَعْلَى رَغْبَةِ الرَّاغِبِينَ،

وَيا وَلِيَّ الصَّالِحِينَ،

وَيا أَمانَ الْخآئِفِينَ،

وَيا مُجِيبَ دَعْوَةِ الْمُضْطَرِّينَ،

وَيا ذُخْرَ الْمُعْدِمِينَ،

وَيا كَنْزَ الْبآئِسِينَ،

وَيا غِياثَ الْمُسْتَغيثِينَ،

وَيا قَاضِيَ حَوائِجَ الْفُقَرآءِ وَالْمَساكِينِ،

وَيا أَكْرَمَ الأَكْرَمِينَ،

وَيا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ،

لَكَ تَخَضُّعِي وَسُؤالِي،

وَإلَيْكَ تَضَرُّعِي وَابْتِهالِيْ،

أَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تُنِيلَنِي مِنْ رَوْحِ رِضْوانِكَ،

وَتُدِيمَ عَلَيَّ نِعَمَ امْتِنانِكَ،

وَها أَنَا بِبابِ كَرَمِكَ واقِفٌ،

وَلِنَفَحاتِ بِرِّكَ مُتَعَرِّضٌ،

وَبِحَبْلِكَ الشَّدِيدِ مُعْتَصِمٌ،

وَبِعُرْوَتِكَ الْوُثْقى مُتَمَسِّكٌ.

3. إلهِي ارْحَمْ عَبْدَكَ الذَّلِيلَ،

ذَا اللِّسانِ الْكَلِيلِ وَالْعَمَلِ الْقَلِيلِ،

وَامْنُنْ عَلَيْهِ بِطَوْلِكَ الْجَزِيلِ،

وَاكْنُفْهُ تَحْتَ ظِلِّكَ الظَّلِيلِ

يا كَرِيمُ يا جَمِيلُ،

يا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ.

In the Name of God, the All-merciful,

the All-compassionate

1- My God,

nothing will

mend my fracture but Thy gentleness and loving care,

free me of my poverty but Thy affection and beneficence,

still my fright but Thy security,

exalt my abasement but Thy sovereignty,

take me to my hope but Thy bounty,

remedy my lack but Thy graciousness,

accomplish my need other than Thou,

relieve my distress other than Thy mercy,

remove my injury other than Thy clemency,

cool my burning thirst but reaching Thee,

quench my ardour but meeting Thee,

damp my yearning but gazing upon Thy face,

settle my settling place without closeness to Thee,

allay my worry but Thy repose,

cure my illness but Thy medicine,

eliminate my grief but Thy nearness,

heal my wound but Thy forgiveness,

remove the rust on my heart but Thy pardon,

banish the confusing thoughts from my breast but Thy command!

2- O Utmost Hope of the hopers!

O Ultimate Demand of the askers!

O Furthest Request of the requesters!

O Highest Desire of the desirers!

O Patron of the righteous!

O Security of the fearful!

O Responder to the supplication of the distressed!

O Storehouse of the destitute!

O Treasure of the pitiful!

O Help of the help-seekers!

O Accomplisher of the needs of the poor and the miserable!

O Most Generous of the most generous!

O Most Merciful of the merciful!

To Thee is my humble subjection and request,

to Thee my pleading and imploring!

I ask Thee

to let me attain

the repose of Thy good pleasure,

and to make constant toward me

the favours of Thy kindness!

Here am I,

standing before the gate of Thy generosity,

opening myself up to the breezes of Thy goodness,

holding fast to Thy strong cord,

clinging to Thy firm handle!

3- My God,

have mercy upon Thy lowly slave

of silent tongue and few good works,

obligate him through Thy plentiful graciousness,

shelter him under Thy plenteous shade!

O Generous, O Beautiful,

O Most Merciful of the merciful!

12. The Whispered Prayer of the Knowers

الثانية عشرة : مناجاة العارفين

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

1. إلهِي قَصُرَتِ الأَلْسُنُ عَنْ بُلُوغِ ثَنآئِكَ،

كَما يَلِيقُ بِجَلالِكَ،

وَعَجَزَتِ الْعُقُولُ عَنْ إدْراكِ كُنْهِ جَمالِكَ،

وَانْحَسَرَتِ الأَبْصارُ دُونَ النَّظَرِ

إلى سُبُحاتِ وَجْهِكَ،

وَلَمْ تَجْعَلْ لِلْخَلْقِ طَرِيقاً إلى مَعْرِفَتِكَ

إلاَّ بِالْعَجْزِ عَنْ مَعْرِفَتِكَ.

2. إلهِي فَاجْعَلْنا مِنَ الَّذِينَ

تَرَسَّخَتْ أَشْجارُ الشَّوقِ إلَيْكَ

فِي حَدآئِقِ صُدُورِهِمْ،

وَأَخَذَتْ لَوْعَةُ مَحَبَّتِكَ بِمَجامِعِ قُلُوبِهِمْ،

فَهُمْ إلَى أَوْكارِ الأَفْكارِ يَأْوُونَ،

وَفِي رِياضِ الْقُرْبِ وَالْمُكاشَفَةِ يَرْتَعُونَ،

وَمِنْ حِياضِ الْمَحَبَّةِ بِكَأْسِ الْمُلاطَفَةِ يَكْرَعُونَ،

وَشَرايعَ الْمُصافاةِ يَرِدُونَ،

قَدْ كُشِفَ الْغِطآءُ عَنْ أَبْصَارِهِمْ،

وَانْجَلَتْ ظُلْمَةُ الرَّيْبِ عَنْ عَقآئِدِهِمْ،

وَانْتَفَتْ مُخالَجَةُ الشَّكِّ

عَنْ قُلُوبِهِمْ وَسَرآئِرِهِمْ،

وَانْشَرَحَتْ بِتَحْقِيقِ الْمَعْرِفَةِ صُدُورُهُمْ،

وَعَلَتْ لِسَبْقِ السَّعادَةِ فِي الزَّهادَةِ هِمَمُهُمْ،

وَعَذُبَ فِي مَعِينِ الْمُعامَلَةِ شِرْبُهُمْ

وَطابَ فِي مَجْلِسِ الأُنْسِ سِرُّهُمْ،

وَأَمِنَ فِي مَوْطِنِ الْمَخافَةِ سِرْبُهُمْ،

وَاطْمَأَنَّتْ بِالرُّجُوْعِ إلى رَبِّ الأَرْبابِ أَنْفُسُهُمْ،

وَتَيَقَّنَتْ بِالْفَوْزِ وَالْفَلاحِ أَرْواحُهُمْ،

وَقَرَّتْ بِالنَّظَرِ إلى مَحْبُوبِهِمْ أَعْيُنُهُمْ،

وَاسْتَقَرَّ بِإدْراكِ السُّؤْلِ وَنَيْلِ الْمَأْمُولِ قَرَارُهُمْ،

وَرَبِحَتْ فِي بَيْعِ الدُّنْيَا بِالآخِرَةِ تِجارَتُهُمْ.

3 ـ إلهِي ما أَلَذَّ خَواطِرَ الإِلْهامِ بِذِكْرِكَ عَلَى الْقُلُوبِ،

وَما أَحْلَى الْمَسِيرَ إلَيْكَ

بِالأَوْهامِ فِي مَسالِكِ الْغُيُوبِ،

وَما أَطْيَبَ طَعْمَ حُبِّكَ،

وَما أَعْذَبَ شِرْبَ قُرْبِكَ،

فَأَعِذْنا مِنْ طَرْدِكَ وَإبْعادِكَ،

وَاجْعَلْنا مِنْ أَخَصِّ عارِفِيكَ،

وَأَصْلَحِ عِبادِكَ،

وَأَصْدَقِ طآئِعِيكَ

وَأَخْلَصِ عُبَّادِكَ،

يا عَظِيمُ، يا جَلِيلُ،

يا كَرِيمُ، يا مُنِيلُ،

بِرَحْمَتِكَ وَمَنِّكَ يا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ.

In the Name of God, the All-merciful,

the All-compassionate

1- My God,

tongues fall short of attaining praise of Thee proper to Thy majesty,

intellects are incapable of grasping the core of Thy beauty,

eyes fail before gazing

upon the glories of Thy face,

and Thou hast assigned to Thy creatures

no way to know Thee

save incapacity to know Thee!

2- My God, place us among those

within the gardens of whose breasts

the trees of yearning for Thee have taken firm root

and the assemblies of whose hearts

have been seized by the ardour of Thy love!

They seek shelter in the nests of meditation,

feed upon the gardens of nearness and disclosure,

drink from the pools of love with the cup of gentle favour,

and enter into the watering-places of warm affection.

The covering has been lifted from their eyes,13

the darkness of disquiet has been dispelled

from their beliefs and their innermost minds,

the contention of doubt has been negated

from their hearts and their secret thoughts,

their breasts have expanded through the verification of true knowledge,

their aspirations have ascended through precedent good fortune in renunciation,

their drinking is sweet from the spring of devotion to good works,

their secret thoughts are delicious in the sitting-place of intimacy,

their minds are secure in the place of terror,

their souls are serene through the return to the Lord of lords,14

their spirits have reached certitude through triumph and prosperity,

their eyes have been gladdened through gazing upon their Beloved,

their settling place has been settled through reaching the request and attaining the expectation,

and their commerce has profited through the sale of this world for the next!

3- My God, how agreeable for hearts are the thoughts inspiring Thy remembrance,

how sweet travelling to Thee

through imagination upon the roads of the unseen worlds,

how pleasant the taste of Thy love,

how delightful the drink of Thy nearness!

So give us refuge from Thy casting out and Thy sending far,

and place us among the most elect of Thy knowers,

the most righteous of Thy servants,

the most truthful of Thy obeyers,

the most sincere of Thy worshipers!

O All-mighty, O Majestic,

O Generous, O Endower!

By Thy mercy and kindness, O Most Merciful of the merciful!

13. The Whispered Prayer of the Rememberers

الثالثة عشرة : مناجاة الذاكرين

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

1. إلهِي لَوْلا الْواجِبُ مِنْ قَبُولِ أمْرِكَ

لَنَزَّهْتُكَ مِنْ ذِكْرِي إيَّاكَ،

عَلى أَنَّ ذِكْرِي لَكَ بِقَدْرِي، لا بِقَدْرِكَ،

وَما عَسى أَنْ يَبْلُغَ مِقْدارِي،

حَتّى أُجْعَلَ مَحَلاًّ لِتَقْدِيسِكَ،

وَمِنْ أَعْظَمِ النِّعَمِ عَلَيْنا

جَرَيانُ ذِكْرِكَ عَلى أَلْسِنَتِنَا،

وَإذْنُكَ لَنا بِدُعآئِكَ،

وَتَنْزِيهِكَ وَتَسْبِيحِكَ.

2. إلهِي فَأَلْهِمْنا ذِكْرَكَ

فِي الْخَلاءِ وَالْمَلاءِ،

وَاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهارِ،

وَالإِعْلانِ وَالإِسْرارِ،

وَفِي السَّرَّآءِ وَالضَّرَّآءِ

وَآنِسْنا بِالذِّكْرِ الْخَفِيِّ،

وَاسْتَعْمِلْنا بِالْعَمَلِ الزَّكِيِّ، وَالسَّعْي الْمَرْضِيِّ،

وَجازِنا بِالْمِيزانِ الَوَفِيِّ.

3. إلهِي بِكَ هامَتِ الْقُلُوبُ الْوالِهَةُ،

وَعَلى مَعْرِفَتِكَ جُمِعَتِ الْعُقُولُ الْمُتَبايِنَةُ،

فَلا تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ إلاَّ بِذِكْراكَ،

وَلا تَسْكُنُ النُّفُوسُ إلاّ عِنْدَ رُؤْياكَ،

أَنْتَ الْمُسَبَّحُ فِي كُلِّ مَكان،

وَالْمَعْبُودُ فِي كُلِّ زَمان،

وَالْمَوْجُودُ فِي كُلِّ أَوان،

وَالْمَدْعُوُّ بِكُلِّ لِسان،

وَالْمُعَظَّمُ فِي كُلِّ جَنان،

وَأَسْتَغْفِرُكَ مِنْ كُلِّ لَذَّة بِغَيْرِ ذِكْرِكَ،

وَمِنْ كُلِّ راحَة بِغَيْرِ أُنْسِكَ،

وَمِنْ كُلِّ سُرُور بِغَيْرِ قُرْبِكَ،

وَمِنْ كُلِّ شُغْل بِغَيْرِ طاعَتِكَ.

4. إلهِي أَنْتَ قُلْتَ وَقَوْلُكَ الْحَقُّ:

يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا

اذْكُرُوا اللهَ ذِكْراً كَثِيراً وَسَبِّحُوهُ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلاً

وَقُلْتَ وَقَوْلُكَ الْحَقُّ:

فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ

فَأَمَرْتَنا بِذِكْرِكَ،

وَوَعَدْتَنا عَلَيْهِ أَنْ تَذْكُرَنا

تَشْرِيفاً لَنا وَتَفْخِيمَاً وَإعْظامَاً،

وَها نَحْنُ ذاكِرُوكَ كَما أَمَرْتَنا،

فَأَنْجِزْ لَنا مَا وَعَدْتَنا

يا ذاكِرَ الذَّاكِرِينَ،

وَيا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ.

In the Name of God, the All-merciful,

the All-compassionate

1- My God, were it not incumbent to accept Thy command,

I would declare Thee far too exalted for me to remember Thee,

for I remember Thee in my measure, not in Thy measure,

and my scope can hardly reach the point

where I may be a locus for calling Thee holy!

Among Thy greatest favours to us

is the running of Thy remembrance across our tongues

and Thy permission to us to supplicate Thee,

declare Thee exalted, and call Thee holy!

2- My God,

inspire us with Thy remembrance

alone and in assemblies,

by night and day,

publicly and secretly,

in prosperity and adversity!

Make us intimate with silent remembrance,

employ us in purified works and effort pleasing to Thee,

and reward us with the full balance!

3- My God,

love-mad hearts are enraptured by Thee,

disparate intellects are brought together by knowing Thee,

hearts find no serenity except in remembering Thee,15

souls find no rest except in seeing Thee.

Thou art the glorified in every place,

the worshipped at every time,

the found at every moment,

the called by every tongue,

the magnified in every heart!

I pray forgiveness from Thee for

every pleasure but remembering Thee,

every ease but intimacy with Thee,

every happiness but nearness to Thee,

every occupation but obeying Thee!

4- My God, Thou hast said

- and Thy word is true -

O you who have faith,

remember God with much remembrance

and glorify Him at dawn and in the evening!16

Thou hast said - and Thy word is true -

Remember Me, and I will remember you!17

Thou hast commanded us to remember Thee,

and promised us that Thou wilt remember us thereby,

in order to ennoble, respect, and honour us.

Here we are, remembering Thee as Thou hast commanded us!

So accomplish what Thou hast promised,

O Rememberer of the rememberers!

O Most Merciful of the merciful!

14. The Whispered Prayer of those who Hold Fast

الرابعة عشرة : مناجاة المعتصمين

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

أَللَّهُمَّ يا مَلاَذَ اللائِذِينَ،

وَيا مَعاذَ الْعآئِذِينَ،

وَيا مُنْجِيَ الْهالِكِينَ،

وَيا عاصِمَ الْبآئِسِينَ،

وَيا راحِمَ الْمَساكِينِ،

وَيا مُجِيبَ الْمُضْطَرِّينَ،

وَيا كَنْزَ الْمُفْتَقِرِينَ

وَيا جابِـرَ الْمُنْكَسِرِينَ،

وَيا مَأْوَى الْمُنْقَطِعِينَ،

وَيا ناصِرَ الْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ،

وَيا مُجِيرَ الْخآئِفِينَ،

وَيا مُغِيثَ الْمَكْرُوبِينَ

وَيا حِصْنَ اللاَّجِينَ،

إنْ لَمْ أَعُذْ بِعِزَّتِكَ فَبِمَنْ أَعُوذُ ؟

وَإنْ لَمْ أَلُذْ بِقُدْرَتِكَ فَبِمَنْ أَلُوذُ ؟

وَقَدْ أَلْجَأَتْنِي الذُّنُـوبُ إلَى التَّشَبُّثِ بِأَذْيالِ عَفْوِكَ،

وَأَحْوَجَتْنِي الْخَطايا إلَى اسْتِفْتاحِ أَبْـوابِ صَفْحِكَ،

وَدَعَتْنِي الإِسآءَةُ إلَى الإِنـاخَةِ بِفِنآءِ عِزِّكَ،

وَحَمَلَتْنِي الْمَخافَةُ مِنْ نِقْمَتِكَ

عَلَى التَّمَسُّكِ بِعُرْوَةِ عَطْفِكَ،

وَما حَقُّ مَنِ اعْتَصَمَ بِحَبْلِكَ أَنْ يُخْذَلَ،

وَلا يَلِيقُ بِمَنِ اسْتَجَـارَ بِعِزِّكَ أَنْ يُسْلَمَ أَوْ يُهْمَلَ.

إلهِي فَلا تُخْلِنا مِنْ حِمايَتِكَ،

وَلاَ تُعْرِنَا مِنْ رِعَايَتِكَ،

وَذُدْنا عَنْ مَـوارِدِ الْهَلَكَةِ،

فَإنَّا بِعَيْنِكَ وَفِي كَنَفِكَ،

وَلَكَ أَسْأَلُـكَ بِأَهْـل خاصَّتِكَ

مِنْ مَلائِكَتِكَ ، وَالصَّالِحِينَ مِنْ بَرِيَّتِكَ،

أَنْ تَجْعَلَ عَلَيْنا واقِيَةً تُنْجِينا مِنَ الْهَلَكاتِ،

وَتُجَنِّبُنا مِنَ الآفاتِ،

وَتُكِنُّنا مِنْ دَواهِي الْمُصِيباتِ،

وَأَنْ تُنْزِلَ عَلَيْنا مِنْ سِكَيْنَتِكَ،

وَأَنْ تُغَشِّيَ وُجُوهَنا بِأَنْوارِ مَحَبَّتِكَ،

وَأَنْ تُؤْوِيَنا إلى شَدِيدِ رُكْنِكَ،

وَأَنْ تَحْوِيَنا فِي أَكْنافِ عِصْمَتِكَ

بِرأْفَتِكَ وَرَحْمَتِكَ

يا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ.

In the Name of God, the All-merciful,

the All-compassionate

O God,

O Shelter of the shelter-seekers!

O Refuge of the refuge-seekers!

O Deliverer of the perishing!

O Preserver of the pitiful!

O Merciful toward the miserable!

O Responder to the distressed!

O Treasure of the utterly poor!

O Mender of the broken!

O Haven of the cut off!

O Helper of the abased!

O Granter of sanctuary to the fearful!

O Aider of the troubled!

O Fortress of the refugees!

If I seek not refuge in Thy might,

in whom shall I seek refuge?

If I seek not shelter in Thy power,

in whom shall I seek shelter?

Sins have made me seek asylum in laying hold

on the skirts of Thy pardon,

offenses have compelled me to beg the opening

of the doors of Thy forgiveness,

evildoing has summoned me to dismount

in the courtyard of Thy might,

fear of Thy vengeance has prompted me

to cling to the handhold of Thy tenderness!

It is not right for him who holds fast to Thy cord

to be abandoned,

nor proper for him who seeks the sanctuary of Thy might to be surrendered or disregarded.

My God,

empty us not of Thy defending,

strip us not of Thy guarding,

and protect us from the roads of destruction,

for we are in Thy eye and under Thy wing!

I ask Thee

by those whom Thou hast singled out,

Thy angels and the righteous among Thy creatures,

to assign over us a protector through which Thou wilt

deliver us from destructions,

turn aside from us blights,

and hide us from the striking of great afflictions,

to send down upon us some of Thy tranquillity,

to wrap our faces in the lights of love for Thee,

to give us haven in Thy strong pillar,18

and to gather us under the wings of Thy preservation!

By Thy clemency and Thy mercy,

O Most Merciful of the merciful!

15. The Whispered Prayer of the Abstainers

الخامسة عشرة : مناجاة الزاهدين

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

1. إلهِي أَسْكَنْتَنا داراً

حَفَرَتْ لَنا حُفَرَ مَكْرِها

وَعَلَّقَتْنا بِأَيْدِي الْمَنايا

فِي حَبائِلِ غَدْرِها،

فَإلَيْكَ نَلْتَجِئُ مِنْ مَكآئِدِ خُدَعِها،

وَبِكَ نَعْتَصِمُ مِنَ الاغْتِرارِ

بِزَخارِفِ زِيْنَتِهَا،

فَإنَّهَا الْمُهْلِكَةُ طُلاَّبَهَا،

الْمُتْلِفَةُ حُلاَّلَهَا،

الْمَحْشُوَّةُ بِالافاتِ،

الْمَشْحُونَةُ بِالنَّكَباتِ.

2. إلهِي فَزَهِّدْنا فِيها،

وَسَلِّمْنا مِنْها بِتَوْفِيقِكَ وَعِصْمَتِكَ،

وَانْزَعْ عَنَّا جَلابِيبَ مُخالَفَتِكَ،

وَتَوَلَّ أُمُورَنا بِحُسْنِ كِفايَتِكَ،

وَأَوْفِرْ مَزِيدَنا مِنْ سَعَةِ رَحْمَتِكَ،

وَأَجْمِلْ صِلاتِنا مِنْ فَيْضِ مَواهِبِكَ،

وَاغْرِسْ فِي أَفْئِدَتِنا أَشْجارَ مَحَبَّتِكَ،

وَأَتْمِمْ لَنا أَنْوارَ مَعْرِفَتِكَ،

وَأَذِقْنا حَلاوَةَ عَفْوِكَ، وَلَذَّةَ مَغْفِرَتِكَ،

وَأَقْرِرْ أَعْيُنَنا يَوْمَ لِقآئِكَ بِرُؤْيَتِكَ،

وَأَخْرِجْ حُبَّ الدُّنْيا مِنْ قُلُوبِنا

كَما فَعَلْتَ بِالصَّالِحِينَ مِنْ صَفْوَتِكَ،

وَالأَبْرارِ مِنْ خاصَّتِكَ

بِرَحْمَتِكَ يا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ،

وَيا أَكْرَمَ الأَكْرَمِينَ.

In the Name of God, the All-merciful,

the All-compassionate

1- My God,

Thou hast settled us in an abode

which has dug for us pits of deception,

and Thou hast fastened us by the hands of death

in the snares of that abode's treachery!

In Thee we seek asylum

from the tricks of its guile,

and to Thee we hold fast, lest we be deluded

by the glitter of its ornaments!

It destroys its pursuers

and ruins its settlers,

it is stuffed with blights

and loaded with calamities.

2- My God,

induce us to renounce it

and keep us safe from it by Thy giving success and Thy preservation from sin.

Strip from us the robes of opposing Thee,

attend to our affairs through Thy good sufficiency,

amplify our increase from the boundless plenty of Thy mercy,

be liberal in our gifts from the overflow of Thy grants,

plant in our hearts the trees of Thy love,

complete for us the lights of Thy knowledge,

give us to taste the sweetness of Thy pardon

and the pleasure of Thy forgiveness,

gladden our eyes on the day of meeting Thee

with the vision of Thee,

dislodge the love of this world from our spirits,

just as Thou hast done for the righteous, Thy selected friends,

and for the pious, those whom Thou hast singled out!

O Most Merciful of the merciful,

O Most Generous of the most generous!

Footnotes

1. Allusion to the saying of the Prophet: 'Remorse is a repentance.' Cf. note 131.

2. 66:8

3. Reference to 12:53

4. Allusion to 70:19-21: Surely man was created fretful, when evil touches him, anxious, when good visits him, grudging.

5. Allusion to the Qur'anic verse: No indeed, but what they were earning has rusted upon the hearts (83:14), as well as to the several instances where the Qur'an refers to the sealing of the unbelievers' hearts, e.g.: God has set a seal on their hearts, so they know not (9:93).

6. 3:25

7. Allusion to a well known formula found in many hadith; in one version, the Prophet says in supplication: 'The good - all of it - is in Thy hands, and evil does not return to Thee' (Muslim, Musafirin 201; Nasa'i, Iftitah 17).

8. Allusion to 7:54: Verily His are the creation and the command.

9. Cf. 59.8 and note 281.

10. Cf. note 256.

11. Allusion to 29:69.

12. 3:26

13. Allusion to the clarity of vision that the soul experiences at death: Thou wast heedless of this; therefore We have now removed from thee thy covering, and so thy sight today is piercing (50:22).

14. Allusion to 89:28: O soul serene, return to thy Lord, well-pleased, well-pleasing!

15. Allusion to 13:28: In remembering God find serenity the hearts of those who have faith and do righteous deeds.

16. 33:41

17. 2:152

18. Allusion to the words of Lot in 11:80, Would that I had power against you, or might take shelter in a strong pillar!

Treatise On Rights (Risalat al-Huquq)

Translator’s Introduction

Imam Zayn al-'Abidin's `Treatise on Rights' is the only work attributed to him other than supplications or relatively short sayings and letters. The fact that it was a written document from the first may support the suggestion that at least some of the supplications were originally written compositions.

The `Treatise on Rights' elaborates on a well-known saying of the Prophet, which has been transmitted in a rather large number of versions, no doubt because he repeated it in many different contexts. A typical version can be rendered as follows: `Surely your Lord has a right against you, your self has a right against you, and your wife has a right against you.'

Other versions of the hadith add guest, body, eye, and friend to those who have rights. In some of the versions, another clause is added: ‘So give to everyone who possesses a right (kull dhi haqq) his right’.1 Another hadith tells us that `God has given to everyone who possesses a right his right.'2

Shi'ite sources provide many relevant hadith. For example, the Prophet said:

God has made seven rights incumbent upon the person of faith (al-mu'min) toward the person of faith: To respect him in his person, love him in his breast, share with him in his property, consider backbiting against him unlawful, visit him in his illness, escort his coffin, and say nothing but good about him after his death.3

Zayn al-'Abidin's `Treatise on Rights' seems to have been written at the request of a disciple, since, in one of its two versions, it is prefaced by the words: `This is the treatise of 'Ali ibn al-Husayn to one of his companions.' In it the Imam explains in more or less exhaustive fashion what is meant by `everyone who possesses a right' as mentioned in the above hadith. Throughout he provides specific examples, basing himself upon the Qur'an, the sunna, and the actions and sayings of the earlier Imams.

Though in the present context the word haqq translates best as `right', it has a number of closely related meanings which should be kept in mind, such as suitableness, justice, truth, reality, correctness, properness, appropriateness, necessity, incumbency, obligation, due, and duty.

A glance at the `Treatise on Rights' will quickly show that the word `rights' might better have been translated as duties, obligations, or responsibilities, since the treatise is not directly concerned with the rights of the individual, but rather with the rights of others which the individual must observe. Nevertheless, I think it is important to preserve the term `rights', if only to show that in considering human rights primarily in terms of responsibilities, Islam diverges profoundly from most modern Western views, though it has deep kinships with other religious traditions of East and West.

Islam views the individual in his total context, which means that it considers first his relationship with God, then his relationship with God's creatures. What is important for the individual in his relationship with God is that he attain to salvation, or in other words, that he follow God's guidance, which is based upon mercy and directed toward his own best interest.

In short, Islam devalues the individual's perspective, since human beings on their own can see no further than their immediate interests during life. But this devaluation of individualism is not a devaluation of the individual; on the contrary, it raises him to the ultimate pinnacle of importance, since everything is directed toward his happiness in the next world.

Islam merely recognizes the ignorance of human beings and their inability to perceive their own ultimate good without divine guidance. Then it sets about to undermine and destroy individual ignorance, a process which involves deflating the ego and eliminating all self-centred desires. As a result, the human self or soul (nafs) has few `rights', but many duties and responsibilities. Or rather, the soul has only one true right - the right to salvation.

The individual's right to salvation follows naturally upon God's right, which is to be worshiped without any partner (i.e., tawhid). The way to salvation is to obey God, and hence it is the soul's right to be employed in obedience toward Him. By His very nature since `His mercy precedes His wrath' - God displays compassion and guidance, and through obedience the servant opens himself up to the full range of this compassion.

In other words, partaking of God's mercy and compassion depends upon following His guidance, and following His guidance means following the Shari'a as revealed through the Qur'an and the sunna. Hence the Imam speaks of `being employed in obedience' as the self's key right, since only that can bring about its deliverance.

As soon as this wide context for attaining to the right of the self is envisaged, dozens of duties become obligatory upon the individual. The Imam makes clear that the primary duties are toward the various organs and activities of the self, since these determine man's relationship to God. The organs have `rights' because they share in the individual's destiny; the `resurrection of the body' is taken for granted (cf. Supplication 31.22).

Activities have rights because they shape the destiny of the soul. And other human beings have rights because they form the context within which activity occurs. Human actions can only be correct if the rights of all of God's creatures are observed. This, in short, is the theme of the `Treatise on Rights', a theme which is reinforced by many of the supplications of the Sahifa, number 24 being a prime example.

The treatise has been transmitted in two versions, one in Al-Khisal and Al-Amali, both by Shaykh al-Saduq (d. 581/991), and the other in Tuhaf al-`uqul, by his contemporary Ibn Shu'ba. Perhaps one half of the text of the two versions is identical, but Ibn Shu'ba's version adds a good deal of material that shows it to be a later recension, perhaps by the Imam himself, or more likely by a later author trying to clarify the meaning. The translation follows the earlier version, with a minor addition from the second version which seems to be demanded by the context.4

Footnotes

1. Bukhari, Sawm 51. Cf. Wensinck, Concordance, I, 487, under inna ‘alayka haqqan.

2. Abu Dawud, Wasaya 6, Buyu’ 88; Tirmidhi, Wasaya 5; Ibn Maja, Wasaya 6, etc.

3. Shaykh Saduq, Al-Khisal, II, 6; and Al-Amali, p.20 (quoted in Bihar, LXXI, 222). For other relevant hadith, see Bihar, LXXI.

4. Both versions are provided in Bihar, LXXI, 2-21 (where they have been collated against the printed versions in Al-Khisal and Tuhaf al-‘uqul). A far less satisfactory edition, with a number of errors and with a mixing of the two texts so that neither is complete nor clearly separated from the other, is given by al-Amin in A’yan al-Shi’a, V, 215-30.