Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Footnotes

1. In other words, Thou art kind without the servants having done anything to deserve it. Cf. 12.3.

2. 66:8

3. 6:160

4. 2:261

5. 2:245

6. 2:152

7. 14:7

8. 40:60

9. 97:3

10. 97:3

11. That is, the Ramadan of the year that has just passed and that of the coming year.

12. That is, we have been afflicted by the hardship of having to fast. This interpretation follows Sayyid ''Alikhan's reading; the Persian translators interpret the sentence to mean: 'our being afflicted by grief at the passing of our month', a reading which Sayyid ''Alikhan rejects.

13. i.e., that good pleasure and mercy.

14. Allusion to Qur'anic verses such as:

Truly God loves the repenters (2:222) and

God is He who accepts repentance from His servants (9:104; cf. 42:25).

15. 3:26

46) His Supplication on the Day of Fast-Breaking and on Friday

(46) وَ كَانَ مِنْ دُعَائِهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فِي يَوْمِ الْفِطْرِ إِذَا انْصَرَفَ مِنْ صَلَاتِهِ قَامَ قَائِماً ثُمَّ اسْتَقْبَلَ الْقِبْلَةَ ، وَ فِي يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ ، فَقَالَ :

When he finished his prayer, he would stand in place, face the qibla, and say:

1. يَا مَنْ يَرْحَمُ مَنْ لَا يَرْحَمُهُ الْعِبَادُ

2. وَ يَا مَنْ يَقْبَلُ مَنْ لَا تَقْبَلُهُ الْبِلَادُ

3. وَ يَا مَنْ لَا يَحْتَقِرُ أَهْلَ الْحَاجَةِ إِلَيْهِ

4. وَ يَا مَنْ لَا يُخَيِّبُ الْمُلِحِّينَ عَلَيْهِ .

5. وَ يَا مَنْ لَا يَجْبَهُ بِالرَّدِّ أَهْلَ الدَّالَّةِ عَلَيْهِ

6. وَ يَا مَنْ يَجْتَبِي صَغِيرَ مَا يُتْحَفُ بِهِ ،

وَ يَشْكُرُ يَسِيرَ مَا يُعْمَلُ لَهُ .

7. وَ يَا مَنْ يَشْكُرُ عَلَى الْقَلِيلِ وَ يُجَازِي بِالْجَلِيلِ

8. وَ يَا مَنْ يَدْنُو إِلَى مَنْ دَنَا مِنْهُ .

9. وَ يَا مَنْ يَدْعُو إِلَى نَفْسِهِ مَنْ أَدْبَرَ عَنْهُ .

10. وَ يَا مَنْ لَا يُغَيِّرُ النِّعْمَةَ ،

وَ لَا يُبَادِرُ بِالنَّقِمَةِ .

11. وَ يَا مَنْ يُثْمِرُ الْحَسَنَةَ حَتَّى يُنْمِيَهَا ،

وَ يَتَجَاوَزُ عَنِ السَّيِّئَةِ حَتَّى يُعَفِّيَهَا .

12. انْصَرَفَتِ الْآمَالُ دُونَ مَدَى كَرَمِكَ بِالْحَاجَاتِ ،

وَ امْتَلَأَتْ بِفَيْضِ جُودِكَ أَوْعِيَةُ الطَّلِبَاتِ ،

وَ تَفَسَّخَتْ دُونَ بُلُوغِ نَعْتِكَ الصِّفَاتُ ،

فَلَكَ الْعُلُوُّ الْأَعْلَى

فَوْقَ كُلِّ عَالٍ ،

وَ الْجَلَالُ الْأَمْجَدُ

فَوْقَ كُلِّ جَلَالٍ .

13. كُلُّ جَلِيلٍ عِنْدَكَ صَغِيرٌ ،

وَ كُلُّ شَرِيفٍ فِي جَنْبِ شَرَفِكَ حَقِيرٌ ،

خَابَ الْوَافِدُونَ عَلَى غَيْرِكَ ،

وَ خَسِرَ الْمُتَعَرِّضُونَ إِلَّا لَكَ ،

وَ ضَاعَ الْمُلِمُّونَ إِلَّا بِكَ ،

وَ أَجْدَبَ الْمُنْتَجِعُونَ إِلَّا مَنِ انْتَجَعَ فَضْلَكَ

14. بَابُكَ مَفْتُوحٌ لِلرَّاغِبِينَ ،

وَ جُودُكَ مُبَاحٌ لِلسَّائِلِينَ ،

وَ إِغَاثَتُكَ قَرِيبَةٌ مِنَ الْمُسْتَغِيثِينَ .

15. لَا يَخِيبُ مِنْكَ الْآمِلُونَ ،

وَ لَا يَيْأَسُ مِنْ عَطَائِكَ الْمُتَعَرِّضُونَ ،

وَ لا يَشْقَى بِنَقِمَتِكَ الْمُسْتَغْفِرُونَ .

16. رِزْقُكَ مَبْسُوطٌ لِمَنْ عَصَاكَ ،

وَ حِلْمُكَ مُعْتَرِضٌ لِمَنْ نَاوَاكَ ،

عَادَتُكَ الْإِحْسَانُ إِلَى الْمُسِيئِينَ ،

وَ سُنَّتُكَ الْإِبْقَاءُ عَلَى الْمُعْتَدِينَ

حَتَّى لَقَدْ غَرَّتْهُمْ أَنَاتُكَ عَنِ الرُّجُوعِ ،

وَ صَدَّهُمْ إِمْهَالُكَ عَنِ النُّزُوعِ .

17, وَ إِنَّمَا تَأَنَّيْتَ بِهِمْ لِيَفِيئُوا إِلَى أَمْرِكَ ،

وَ أَمْهَلْتَهُمْ ثِقَةً بِدَوَامِ مُلْكِكَ ،

فَمَنْ كَانَ مِنْ أَهْلِ السَّعَادَةِ خَتَمْتَ لَهُ بِهَا ،

وَ مَنْ كَانَ مِنْ أَهْلِ الشَّقَاوَةِ خَذَلْتَهُ لَهَا .

18. كُلُّهُمْ صَائِرُونَ ، إِلَى حُكْمِكَ ،

وَ أَمُورُهُمْ آئِلَةٌ إِلَى أَمْرِكَ ،

لَمْ يَهِنْ عَلَى طُولِ مُدَّتِهِمْ سُلْطَانُكَ ،

وَ لَمْ يَدْحَضْ لِتَرْكِ مُعَاجَلَتِهِمْ بُرْهَانُكَ .

19. حُجَّتُكَ قَائِمَةٌ لَا تُدْحَضُ ،

وَ سُلْطَانُكَ ثَابِتٌ لَا يَزُولُ ،

فَالْوَيْلُ الدَّائِمُ

لِمَنْ جَنَحَ عَنْكَ ،

وَ الْخَيْبَةُ الْخَاذِلَةُ

لِمَنْ خَابَ مِنْكَ ،

وَ الشَّقَاءُ الْأَشْقَى

لِمَنِ اغْتَرَّ بِكَ .

20. مَا أَكْثَرَ تَصَرُّفَهُ فِي عَذَابِكَ ،

وَ مَا أَطْوَلَ تَرَدُّدَهُ فِي عِقَابِكَ ،

وَ مَا أَبْعَدَ غَايَتَهُ مِنَ الْفَرَجِ ،

وَ مَا أَقْنَطَهُ مِنْ سُهُولَةِ الْمَخْرَجِ

عَدْلًا مِنْ قَضَائِكَ لَا تَجُورُ فِيهِ ،

وَ إِنْصَافاً مِنْ حُكْمِكَ لَا تَحِيفُ عَلَيْهِ .

21. فَقَدْ ظَاهَرْتَ الْحُجَجَ ،

وَ أَبْلَيْتَ الْأَعْذَارَ ،

وَ قَدْ تَقَدَّمْتَ بِالْوَعِيدِ ،

وَ تَلَطَّفْتَ فِي التَّرْغِيبِ ،

وَ ضَرَبْتَ الْأَمْثَالَ ،

وَ أَطَلْتَ الْإِمْهَالَ ،

وَ أَخَّرْتَ وَ أَنْتَ مُسْتَطِيعٌ لِلمُعَاجَلَةِ ،

وَ تَأَنَّيْتَ وَ أَنْتَ مَلِي‏ءٌ بِالْمُبَادَرَةِ

22. لَمْ تَكُنْ أَنَاتُكَ عَجْزاً ،

وَ لَا إِمْهَالُكَ وَهْناً ،

وَ لَا إِمْسَاكُكَ غَفْلَةً ،

وَ لَا انْتِظَارُكَ مُدَارَاةً ،

بَلْ لِتَكُونَ حُجَّتُكَ أَبْلَغَ ،

وَ كَرَمُكَ أَكْمَلَ ،

وَ إِحْسَانُكَ أَوْفَى ،

وَ نِعْمَتُكَ أَتَمَّ ،

كُلُّ ذَلِكَ كَانَ وَ لَمْ تَزَلْ ، وَ هُوَ كَائِنٌ وَ لَا تَزَالُ .

23. حُجَّتُكَ أَجَلُّ مِنْ أَنْ تُوصَفَ بِكُلِّهَا ،

وَ مَجْدُكَ أَرْفَعُ مِنْ أَنْ يُحَدَّ بِكُنْهِهِ ،

وَ نِعْمَتُكَ أَكْثَرُ مِنْ أَنْ تُحْصَى بِأَسْرِهَا ،

وَ إِحْسَانُكَ أَكْثَرُ مِنْ أَنْ تُشْكَرَ عَلَى أَقَلِّهِ

24. وَ قَدْ قَصَّرَ بِيَ السُّكُوتُ عَنْ تَحْمِيدِكَ ،

وَ فَهَّهَنِيَ الْإِمْسَاكُ عَنْ تَمْجِيدِكَ ،

وَ قُصَارَايَ الْإِقْرَارُ بِالْحُسُورِ ،

لَا رَغْبَةً يَا إِلَهِي بَلْ عَجْزاً .

25. فَهَا أَنَا ذَا أَؤُمُّكَ بِالْوِفَادَةِ ،

وَ أَسْأَلُكَ حُسْنَ الرِّفَادَةِ ،

فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

وَ اسْمَعْ نَجْوَايَ ،

وَ اسْتَجِبْ دُعَائِي ،

وَ لَا تَخْتِمْ يَوْمِي بِخَيْبَتِي ،

وَ لَا تَجْبَهْنِي بِالرَّدِّ فِي مَسْأَلَتِي ،

وَ أَكْرِمْ مِنْ عِنْدِكَ مُنْصَرَفِي ، وَ إِلَيْكَ مُنْقَلَبِي ،

إِنَّكَ غَيْرُ ضَائِقٍ بِمَا تُرِيدُ ، وَ لَا عَاجِزٍ عَمَّا تُسْأَلُ ،

وَ أَنْتَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ قَدِيرٌ ،

وَ لَا حَوْلَ وَ لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ .

1- O He who has mercy upon him toward whom the servants show no mercy!

2- O He who accepts him whom the cities will not accept!

3- O He who looks not down upon those who have need of Him!

4- O He who disappoints not those who implore Him!

5- O He who slaps not the brow of the people of boldness toward Him with rejection!

6- O He who collects the little that is given to Him

and shows gratitude for the paltry that is done for Him!

7- O He who shows gratitude for the small and rewards with the great!

8- O He who comes close to him who comes close to Him!

9- O He who invites to Himself him who turns his back on Him!

10- O He who changes not favour1 and rushes not to vengeance!

11- O He who causes the good deed to bear fruit

so that He may make it grow,

and overlooks the evil deed so that He may efface it!

12- Hopes turn back with needs fulfilled short of the extent of Thy generosity,

the cups of requests fill up with the overflow of Thy munificence,

and attributes fall apart without reaching Thy description.

For to Thee belongs the highest highness

above everything high,

and the most glorious majesty

beyond every majesty!

13- Everything majestic before Thee is small,

everything eminent beside Thy eminence vile!

Those who reach other than Thee are disappointed,

those who present themselves to other than Thee

have lost,

those who stay with other than Thee have perished,

and those who retreat - except those who retreat to Thy bounty - are desolate!

14- Thy door is open to the beseechers,

Thy munificence free to the askers,

Thy help near to the help-seekers!

15- The expectant are not disappointed by Thee,

those who present themselves

despair not of Thy bestowal,

the forgiveness-seekers

become not wretched through Thy vengeance!

16- Thy provision is spread among those who disobey Thee,

Thy clemency presents itself to those hostile toward Thee,

Thy habit is beneficence toward the evildoers,

and Thy wont is to spare the transgressors,

so much so that Thy lack of haste deludes them from returning,

and Thy disregard bars them from desisting!

17- Thou actest without haste toward them

so that they will come back to Thy command

and Thou disregardest them confident in the permanence of Thy kingdom,

so Thou sealest him who is worthy of it with felicity,

and Thou abandonest him who is worthy of it to wretchedness!

18- All of them come home to Thy decree,

their affairs revert to Thy command;

Thy authority grows not feeble through their drawn out term,

Thy proof is not refuted by the failure to hurry after them.

19- Thy argument is established, never refuted,

Thy authority fixed, never removed.

Permanent woe belongs

to him who inclines away from Thee,

forsaking disappointment

to him who is disappointed by Thee,

and the most wretched wretchedness

to him who is deluded about Thee!

20- How much he will move about in Thy chastisement!

How long he will frequent Thy punishment!

How far his utmost end from relief!

How he will despair of an easy exit!

[All of this] as justice from Thy decree

(Thou art not unjust in it!),

and equity from Thy judgement

(Thou dost not act wrongfully against him!).

21- Thou supported the arguments,

tested the excuses,

began with threats,

showed gentleness with encouragement,

struck similitudes,

made long the respite,

delayed,

while Thou art able to hurry,

and acted without haste,

while Thou art full of quick accomplishment!

22- Not because of

incapacity is Thy slowness,

feebleness Thy giving respite,

heedlessness Thy showing restraint,

dissemblance Thy waiting!

But that Thy argument be more conclusive,

Thy generosity more perfect,

Thy beneficence more exhaustive,

Thy favour more complete!

All of this has been and always was,

is and ever will be.

23- Thy argument is greater

than that its totality be described,

Thy glory more elevated

than that it be limited in its core,

Thy favour more abundant

than that its entirety be counted,

Thy beneficence more abundant

than that thanks be given for its least amount!

24- Speechlessness has made me fall short of praising Thee,

restraint has made me powerless to glorify Thee,

and the most I can do is admit to inability,

not out of desire, my God, but out of incapacity.

25- So here I am:

I repair to Thee by coming forward,

and I ask from Thee good support

So bless Muhammad and his Household,

hear my whispered words, grant my supplication,

seal not my day with disappointment,

slap not my brow by rejecting my request,

and make noble my coming from Thee and my going back to Thee!

Surely Thou art not constrained by what Thou desirest,

nor incapable of what Thou art asked!

Thou art powerful over everything,2

and 'There is no force and no strength save in God, the All-high, the All-mighty!3 '

Footnotes

1. Allusion to 8:53: God would never change His favour that He conferred on a people until they changed what was within themselves.

2. 3:26

3. An oft-repeated formula found in many hadith.