Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Footnotes

1. A case can be made for translating the word dhalim (wrongdoer) in the context of the present supplication as 'oppressor' or 'tyrant', especially if we read the text as expressing the Imam's relationships with the Umayyad authorities. However, the word dhulm along with its derivatives is an important and frequently used term in the Qur'an, and only the Qur'anic context can provide us with a reliable insight into the way the word must have been understood by Zayn al-'Abidin and his contemporaries.

In the Qur'an, it is obvious that terms like 'oppression' and 'tyranny', with their narrow political connotations, cannot begin to do justice to the wide range of meanings included in the primary Qur'anic significance, since oppression is merely one of many forms of human 'wrongdoing', an English term which is sufficiently vague and concrete to render the Qur'anic idea rather closely.

According to the Qur'an, the basic meaning of dhulm is to deny the reality of God and the truth of His revelation and then to transgress the bounds, limits, laws, and statutes He has set down. This Qur'anic concept can clearly be perceived in such typical verses as the following:

Who does greater wrong than he who bars God's places of worship, so that His Name be not rehearsed in them, and strives to destroy them? (2:114);

Who does greater wrong than he who conceals a testimony received from God? (2:140);

Whosoever transgresses the bounds of God - those are the wrongdoers (2:229);

And the unbelievers - they are the wrongdoers (2:254);

Whoso judges not according to what God has sent down - they are the wrongdoers (5:45);

Who does greater wrong than he who forges against God a lie, or cries lies to His signs? (7:37, 10:17);

Who does greater wrong than he who, being reminded of the signs of his Lord, turns away from them? (18:57, 32:22);

None denies Our signs but the wrongdoers (29:49);

Do not associate others with God; to associate others with God is a mighty wrong (31:13);

And whoso repents not, those - they are the wrongdoers (49:1l);

Whoso trespasses the bounds of God has done wrong to himself (65:1).

In most of the cases in which the Imam employs the term in the Sahifa, the Qur'anic context is clear, and this is sufficient reason to maintain consistency of translation in the present supplication, where 'oppression' might also be a valid translation. (For uses of the term in obvious Qur'anic contexts, cf. 1.12, 4.8, 8.4, 12.7, 12.11, 16.31, 24.11, 31.7, 37.8, 39.9, 42.16, 45.9, 45.47, 47.62, 47.132, 48.15, 51.14, 60.3, 63.8, 71.5; contexts which suggest 'oppression' as a valid rendering include 20.7, 51.4, 68.1). The term dhulm is often used as the opposite of 'adl or 'justice'; the Sahifa also provides a few instances where 'injustice' would translate the term well, such as 22.13 (where it is used as a synonym for jawr, translated there as 'injustice'), 25.11, 44.l0.

2. Some editions read yuhadirani for yuhasirani. The translation then becomes: 'and overcome me in my rights.'

3. Allusion to such Qur'anic verses as: We shall surely destroy the wrongdoers (14:13); We have prepared for the wrongdoers a painful chastisement (25:37)

4. Again reference to 27:62: He who responds to the distressed when he supplicates Him, and removes the evil.

15) His Supplication when Sick

( 15 ) وَ كَانَ مِنْ دُعَائِهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ إِذَا مَرِضَ أَوْ نَزَلَ بِهِ كَرْبٌ أَوْ بَلِيَّةٌ

His Supplication when Sick or Visited by Distress or an Affliction

1. اللَّهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ

عَلَى مَا لَمْ أَزَلْ أَتَصَرَّفُ فِيهِ مِنْ سَلَامَةِ بَدَنِي ،

وَ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ

عَلَى مَا أَحْدَثْتَ بِي مِنْ عِلَّةٍ فِي جَسَدِي

2. فَمَا أَدْرِي ، يَا إِلَهِي ،

أَيُّ الْحَالَيْنِ أَحَقُّ بِالشُّكْرِ لَكَ ،

وَ أَيُّ الْوَقْتَيْنِ أَوْلَى بِالْحَمْدِ لَكَ

3. أَ وَقْتُ الصِّحَّةِ

الَّتِي هَنَّأْتَنِي فِيهَا طَيِّبَاتِ رِزْقِكَ ،

وَ نَشَّطْتَنِي بِهَا لِابْتِغَاءِ مَرْضَاتِكَ وَ فَضْلِكَ ،

وَ قَوَّيْتَنِي مَعَهَا

عَلَى مَا وَفَّقْتَنِي لَهُ مِنْ طَاعَتِكَ

4. أَمْ وَقْتُ الْعِلَّةِ

الَّتِي مَحَّصْتَنِي بِهَا ،

وَ النِّعَمِ الَّتِي أَتْحَفْتَنِي بِهَا ،

تَخْفِيفاً لِمَا ثَقُلَ بِهِ عَلَيَّ ظَهْرِي مِنَ الْخَطِيئَاتِ ،

وَ تَطْهِيراً لِمَا انْغَمَسْتُ فِيهِ مِنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ ،

وَ تَنْبِيهاً لِتَنَاوُلِ التَّوْبَةِ ،

وَ تَذْكِيراً لِمَحْوِ الْحَوْبَةِ بِقَدِيمِ النِّعْمَةِ

5. وَ فِي خِلَالِ ذَلِكَ مَا كَتَبَ لِيَ الْكَاتِبَانِ

مِنْ زَكِيِّ الْأَعْمَالِ ،

مَا لَا قَلْبٌ فَكَّرَ فِيهِ ،

وَ لَا لِسَانٌ نَطَقَ بِهِ ،

وَ لَا جَارِحَةٌ تَكَلَّفَتْهُ ،

بَلْ إِفْضَالًا مِنْكَ عَلَيَّ ،

وَ إِحْسَاناً مِنْ صَنِيعِكَ إِلَيَّ .

6. اللَّهُمَّ فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

وَ حَبِّبْ إِلَيَّ مَا رَضِيتَ لِي ،

وَ يَسِّرْ لِي مَا أَحْلَلْتَ بِي ،

وَ طَهِّرْنِي مِنْ دَنَسِ مَا أَسْلَفْتُ ،

وَ امْحُ عَنِّي شَرَّ مَا قَدَّمْتُ ،

وَ أَوْجِدْنِي حَلَاوَةَ الْعَافِيَةِ ،

وَ أَذِقْنِي بَرْدَ السَّلَامَةِ ،

وَ اجْعَلْ مَخْرَجِي عَنْ عِلَّتِي إِلَى عَفْوِكَ ،

وَ مُتَحَوَّلِي عَنْ صَرْعَتِي إِلَى تَجَاوُزِكَ ،

وَ خَلَاصِي مِنْ كَرْبِي إِلَى رَوْحِكَ ،

وَ سَلَامَتِي مِنْ هَذِهِ الشِّدَّةِ إِلَى فَرَجِكَ

7. إِنَّكَ الْمُتَفَضِّلُ بِالْإِحْسَانِ ، الْمُتَطَوِّلُ بِالِامْتِنَانِ ،

الْوَهَّابُ الْكَرِيمُ ،

ذُو الْجَلَالِ وَ الْإِكْرَامِ .

1- O God, to Thee belongs praise

for the good health of my body

which lets me move about,

and to Thee belongs praise,

for the ailments

which Thou causest to arise in my flesh!

2- For I know not, my God,

which of the two states deserves more my thanking Thee

and which of the two times is more worthy for my praise of Thee:

3- the time of health,

within which Thou makest me delight in the agreeable things of Thy provision,

through which Thou givest me the joy to seek

the means to Thy good pleasure and bounty,

and by which Thou strengthenest me

for the acts of obedience

which Thou hast given me success to accomplish;

4- or the time of illness

through which Thou puttest me to the test

and bestowest upon me favours:

lightening of the offenses

that weigh down my back,

purification of the evil deeds

into which I have plunged,

incitement to reach for repentance,

reminder of the erasure of misdeeds through ancient favour;

5- and, through all that, what the two writers write for me:

blameless acts,

which no heart had thought,

no tongue had uttered,

and no limb had undertaken,

rather, as Thy bestowal of bounty upon me

and the beneficence of Thy benefaction toward me.1

6- O God,

bless Muhammad and his Household,

make me love what Thou hast approved for me,

make easy for me what Thou hast sent down upon me,

purify me of the defilement of what I have sent ahead,

erase the evil of what I have done beforehand,

let me find the sweetness of well-being,

let me taste the coolness of safety,

and appoint for me

a way out from my illness to Thy pardon,

transformation of my infirmity into Thy forbearance,

escape from my distress to Thy refreshment,

and safety from this hardship in Thy relief!

7- Thou art gratuitously bountiful in beneficence,

ever gracious in kindness,

the Generous, the Giver,

Possessor of majesty and munificence!

Footnote

1. A believer who cannot perform the obligatory acts of worship because of illness is credited with them in any case. The commentator cites a number of hadith to this effect, e.g.: 'When the believer becomes sick, God says to the angel charged with him: "Write for him what you used to write when he was healthy".'

16) His Supplication in Asking Release

(16) وَ كَانَ مِنْ دُعَائِهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ إِذَا اسْتَقَالَ مِنْ ذُنُوبِهِ ، أَوْ تَضَرَّعَ فِي طَلَبِ الْعَفْوِ عَنْ عُيُوبِهِ

His Supplication when he Asked Release from his Sins or Pleaded in Seeking Pardon for his Defects

1. اللَّهُمَّ يَا مَنْ بِرَحْمَتِهِ يَسْتَغيثُ الْمُذْنِبُونَ

2. وَ يَا مَنْ إِلَى ذِكْرِ إِحْسَانِهِ يَفْزَعُ الْمُضْطَرُّونَ

3. وَ يَا مَنْ لِخِيفَتِهِ يَنْتَحِبُ الْخَاطِئُونَ

4. يَا أُنْسَ كُلِّ مُسْتَوْحِشٍ غَرِيبٍ ،

وَ يَا فَرَجَ كُلِّ مَكْرُوبٍ كَئِيبٍ ،

وَ يَا غَوْثَ كُلِّ مَخْذُولٍ فَرِيدٍ ،

وَ يَا عَضُدَ كُلِّ مُحْتَاجٍ طَرِيدٍ

5. أَنْتَ الَّذِي وَسِعْتَ كُلَّ شَيْ‏ءٍ رَحْمَةً وَ عِلْماً

6. وَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي جَعَلْتَ لِكُلِّ مَخْلُوقٍ

فِي نِعَمِكَ سَهْماً

7. وَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي عَفْوُهُ أَعْلَى مِنْ عِقَابِهِ

8. وَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي تَسْعَى رَحْمَتُهُ أَمَامَ غَضَبِهِ .

9. وَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي عَطَاؤُهُ أَكْثَرُ مِنْ مَنْعِهِ .

10. وَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي اتَّسَعَ الْخَلَائِقُ كُلُّهُمْ فِي وُسْعِهِ .

11. وَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي لَا يَرْغَبُ فِي جَزَاءِ مَنْ أَعْطَاهُ .

12. وَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي لَا يُفْرِطُ فِي عِقَابِ مَنْ عَصَاهُ .

13. وَ أَنَا ، يَا إِلَهِي ، عَبْدُكَ

الَّذِي أَمَرْتَهُ بِالدُّعَاءِ

فَقَالَ لَبَّيْكَ وَ سَعْدَيْكَ ،

هَا أَنَا ذَا ، يَا رَبِّ ، مَطْرُوحٌ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ .

14. أَنَا الَّذِي أَوْقَرَتِ الْخَطَايَا ظَهْرَهُ ،

وَ أَنَا الَّذِي أَفْنَتِ الذُّنُوبُ عُمُرَهُ ،

وَ أَنَا الَّذِي بِجَهْلِهِ عَصَاكَ ،

وَ لَمْ تَكُنْ أَهْلًا مِنْهُ لِذَاكَ .

15. هَلْ أَنْتَ ، يَا إِلَهِي ،

رَاحِمٌ مَنْ دَعَاكَ

فَأُبْلِغَ فِي الدُّعَاءِ

أَمْ أَنْتَ غَافِرٌ لِمَنْ بَكَاكَ

فَأُسْرِعَ فِي الْبُكَاءِ

أَمْ أَنْتَ مُتَجَاوِزٌ عَمَّنْ عَفَّرَ لَكَ وَجْهَهُ تَذَلُّلًا

أَمْ أَنْتَ مُغْنٍ مَنْ شَكَا إِلَيْكَ ، فَقْرَهُ تَوَكُّلًا

16. إِلَهِي لَا تُخَيِّبْ مَنْ لَا يَجِدُ

مُعْطِياً غَيْرَكَ ،

وَ لَا تَخْذُلْ مَنْ لَا يَسْتَغْنِي عَنْكَ بِأَحَدٍ دُونَكَ .

17. إِلَهِي فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

وَ لَا تُعْرِضْ عَنِّي وَ قَدْ أَقْبَلْتُ عَلَيْكَ ،

وَ لَا تَحْرِمْنِي وَ قَدْ رَغِبْتُ إِلَيْكَ ،

وَ لَا تَجْبَهْنِي بِالرَّدِّ وَ قَدِ انْتَصَبْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ .

18. أَنْتَ الَّذِي وَصَفْتَ نَفْسَكَ بِالرَّحْمَةِ ،

فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ، وَ ارْحَمْنِي ،

وَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي سَمَّيْتَ نَفْسَكَ بِالْعَفْوِ

فَاعْفُ عَنِّي

19. قَدْ تَرَى يَا إِلَهِي ،

فَيْضَ دَمْعِي مِنْ خِيفَتِكَ ،

وَ وَجِيبَ قَلْبِي مِنْ خَشْيَتِكَ ،

وَ انْتِقَاضَ جَوَارِحِي مِنْ هَيْبَتِكَ

20. كُلُّ ذَلِكَ حَيَاءٌ مِنْكَ لِسُوءِ عَمَلِي ،

وَ لِذَاكَ خَمَدَ صَوْتِي عَنِ الْجَأْرِ إِلَيْكَ ،

وَ كَلَّ لِسَانِي عَنْ مُنَاجَاتِكَ .

21. يَا إِلَهِي فَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ

فَكَمْ مِنْ عَائِبَةٍ سَتَرْتَهَا عَلَيَّ فَلَمْ تَفْضَحْنِي ،

وَ كَمْ مِنْ ذَنْبٍ غَطَّيْتَهُ عَلَيَّ فَلَمْ تَشْهَرْنِي ،

وَ كَمْ مِنْ شَائِبَةٍ أَلْمَمْتُ بِهَا فَلَمْ تَهْتِكْ عَنِّي سِتْرَهَا ،

وَ لَمْ تُقَلِّدْنِي مَكْرُوهَ شَنَارِهَا ،

وَ لَمْ تُبْدِ سَوْءَاتِهَا

لِمَنْ يَلْتَمِسُ مَعَايِبِي مِنْ جِيرَتِي ،

وَ حَسَدَةِ نِعْمَتِكَ عِنْدِي

22. ثُمَّ لَمْ يَنْهَنِي ذَلِكَ عَنْ أَنْ جَرَيْتُ

إِلَى سُوءِ مَا عَهِدْتَ مِنِّي

23. فَمَنْ أَجْهَلُ مِنِّي ، يَا إِلَهِي بِرُشْدِهِ

وَ مَنْ أَغْفَلُ مِنِّي عَنْ حَظِّهِ

وَ مَنْ أَبْعَدُ مِنِّي مِنِ اسْتِصْلَاحِ نَفْسِهِ

حِينَ أُنْفِقُ مَا أَجْرَيْتَ عَلَيَّ مِنْ رِزْقِكَ

فِيمَا نَهَيْتَنِي عَنْهُ مِنْ مَعْصِيَتِكَ

وَ مَنْ أَبْعَدُ غَوْراً فِي الْبَاطِلِ ،

وَ أَشَدُّ إِقْدَاماً عَلَى السُّوءِ مِنِّي

حِينَ أَقِفُ بَيْنَ دَعْوَتِكَ وَ دَعْوَةِ الشَّيْطَانِ

فَأَتَّبِعُ دَعْوَتَهُ عَلَى غَيْرِ عَمًى مِنِّي

فِي مَعْرِفَةٍ بِهِ وَ لَا نِسْيَانٍ مِنْ حِفْظِي لَهُ

24. وَ أَنَا حِينَئِذٍ مُوقِنٌ بِأَنَّ مُنْتَهَى دَعْوَتِكَ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ ،

وَ مُنْتَهَى دَعْوَتِهِ إِلَي النَّارِ .

25. سُبْحَانَكَ مَا أَعْجَبَ مَا أَشْهَدُ بِهِ عَلَى نَفْسِي ،

وَ أُعَدِّدُهُ مِنْ مَكْتُومِ أَمْرِي .

26. وَ أَعْجَبُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ أَنَاتُكَ عَنِّي ،

وَ إِبْطَاؤُكَ عَنْ مُعَاجَلَتِي ،

وَ لَيْسَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ كَرَمِي عَلَيْكَ ،

بَلْ تَأَنِّياً مِنْكَ لِي ،

وَ تَفَضُّلًا مِنْكَ عَلَيَّ

لِأَنْ أَرْتَدِعَ عَنْ مَعْصِيَتِكَ الْمُسْخِطَةِ ،

وَ أُقْلِعَ عَنْ سَيِّئَاتِيَ الْمُخْلِقَةِ ،

وَ لِأَنَّ عَفْوَكَ عَنِّي أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ عُقُوبَتِي

27. بَلْ أَنَا ، يَا إِلَهِي ، أَكْثَرُ ذُنُوباً ،

وَ أَقْبَحُ آثَاراً ، وَ أَشْنَعُ أَفْعَالًا ،

وَ أَشَدُّ فِي الْبَاطِلِ تَهَوُّراً ،

وَ أَضْعَفُ عِنْدَ طَاعَتِكَ تَيَقُّظاً ،

وَ أَقَلُّ لِوَعِيدِكَ انْتِبَاهاً وَ ارْتِقَاباً

مِنْ أَنْ أُحْصِيَ لَكَ عُيُوبِي ،

أَوْ أَقْدِرَ عَلَى ذِكْرِ ذُنُوبِي .

28. وَ إِنَّمَا أُوَبِّخُ بِهَذَا نَفْسِي طَمَعاً فِي رَأْفَتِكَ

الَّتِي بِهَا صَلَاحُ أَمْرِ الْمُذْنِبِينَ ،

وَ رَجَاءً لِرَحْمَتِكَ الَّتِي بِهَا فَكَاكُ رِقَابِ الْخَاطِئِينَ .

29. اللَّهُمَّ وَ هَذِهِ رَقَبَتِي قَدْ أَرَقَّتْهَا الذُّنُوبُ ،

فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

وَ أَعْتِقْهَا بِعَفْوِكَ ،

وَ هَذَا ظَهْرِي قَدْ أَثْقَلَتْهُ الْخَطَايَا ،

فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

وَ خَفِّفْ عَنْهُ بِمَنِّكَ

30. يَا إِلَهِي لَوْ بَكَيْتُ إِلَيْكَ حَتَّى تَسْقُطَ أَشْفَارُ عَيْنَيَّ ،

وَ انْتَحَبْتُ حَتَّى يَنْقَطِعَ صَوْتِي ،

وَ قُمْتُ لَكَ حَتَّى تَتَنَشَّرَ قَدَمَايَ ،

وَ رَكَعْتُ لَكَ حَتَّى يَنْخَلِعَ صُلْبِي ،

وَ سَجَدْتُ لَكَ حَتَّى تَتَفَقَّأَ حَدَقَتَايَ ،

وَ أَكَلْتُ تُرَابَ الْأَرْضِ طُولَ عُمُرِي ،

وَ شَرِبْتُ مَاءَ الرَّمَادِ آخِرَ دَهْرِي ،

وَ ذَكَرْتُكَ فِي خِلَالِ ذَلِكَ حَتَّى يَكِلَّ لِسَانِي ،

ثُمَّ لَمْ أَرْفَعْ طَرْفِي إِلَى آفَاقِ السَّمَاءِ اسْتِحْيَاءً مِنْكَ

مَا اسْتَوْجَبْتُ بِذَلِكَ

مَحْوَ سَيِّئَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْ سَيِّئَاتِي .

31. وَ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَغْفِرُ لِي حِينَ أَسْتَوْجِبُ مَغْفِرَتَكَ ،

وَ تَعْفُو عَنِّي حِينَ أَسْتَحِقُّ عَفْوَكَ

فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ غَيْرُ وَاجِبٍ لِي بِاسْتِحْقَاقٍ ،

وَ لَا أَنَا أَهْلٌ لَهُ بِاسْتِيجَابٍ ،

إِذْ كَانَ جَزَائِي مِنْكَ فِي أَوَّلِ مَا عَصَيْتُكَ النَّارَ ،

فَإِنْ تُعَذِّبْنِي فَأَنْتَ غَيْرُ ظَالِمٍ لِي .

32. إِلَهِي فَإِذْ قَدْ تَغَمَّدْتَنِي بِسِتْرِكَ

فَلَمْ تَفْضَحْنِي ،

وَ تَأَنَّيْتَنِي بِكَرَمِكَ فَلَمْ تُعَاجِلْنِي ،

وَ حَلُمْتَ عَنِّي بِتَفَضُّلِكَ فَلَمْ تُغَيِّرْ نِعْمَتَكَ عَلَيَّ ،

وَ لَمْ تُكَدِّرْ مَعْرُوفَكَ عِنْدِي ،

فَارْحَمْ طُولَ تَضَرُّعِي وَ شِدَّةَ مَسْكَنَتِي ،

وَ سُوءَ مَوْقِفِي .

33. اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

وَ قِنِي مِنَ الْمَعَاصِي ،

وَ اسْتَعْمِلْنِي بِالطَّاعَةِ ،

وَ ارْزُقْنِي حُسْنَ الْإِنَابَةِ ،

وَ طَهِّرْنِي بِالتَّوْبَةِ ، وَ أَيِّدْنِي بِالْعِصْمَةِ ،

وَ اسْتَصْلِحْنِي بِالْعَافِيَةِ ،

وَ أَذِقْنِي حَلَاوَةَ الْمَغْفِرَةِ ،

وَ اجْعَلْنِي طَلِيقَ عَفْوِكَ ، وَ عَتِيقَ رَحْمَتِكَ ،

وَ اكْتُبْ لِي أَمَاناً مِنْ سُخْطِكَ ،

وَ بَشِّرْنِي بِذَلِكَ فِي الْعَاجِلِ دُونَ الْآجِلِ ،

بُشْرَى أَعْرِفُهَا ،

وَ عَرِّفْنِي فِيهِ عَلَامَةً أَتَبَيَّنُهَا .

34. إِنَّ ذَلِكَ لَا يَضِيقُ عَلَيْكَ فِي وُسْعِكَ ،

وَ لَا يَتَكَأَّدُكَ فِي قُدْرَتِكَ ،

وَ لَا يَتَصَعَّدُكَ فِي أَنَاتِكَ ،

وَ لَا يَئُودُكَ فِي جَزِيلِ هِبَاتِكَ الَّتِي دَلَّتْ عَلَيْهَا آيَاتُكَ ،

إِنَّكَ تَفْعَلُ مَا تَشَاءُ ، وَ تَحْكُمُ مَا تُرِيدُ ،

إِنَّكَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ قَدِيرٌ .

1- O God,

O He through whose Mercy sinners seek aid!

2- O He to the remembrance of whose beneficence the distressed flee!

3- O He in fear of whom the offenders weep!

4- O Comfort of every lonely stranger!

O Relief of all who are downcast and distressed!

O Aid of everyone abandoned and alone!

O Support of every needy outcast!

5- Thou art He

who embracest everything in mercy and knowledge!1

6- Thou art He

who hast appointed for each creature a share of Thy favours!

7- Thou art He

whose pardon is higher than His punishment!

8- Thou art He

whose mercy runs before His wrath!

9- Thou art He

whose bestowal is greater than His withholding!

10- Thou art He

by whose mercy all creatures are embraced!

11- Thou art He

who desires no repayment by him upon whom He bestows!

12- Thou art He

who does not overdo the punishment of him who disobeys Thee!

13- And I, my God, am Thy servant

whom Thou commanded to supplicate

and who said:

I am at Thy service and disposal!

Here am I, my Lord,

thrown down before Thee.

14- I am he

whose back offenses have weighed down!

I am he

whose lifetime sins have consumed!

I am he

who was disobedient in his ignorance,

while Thou didst not deserve that from him!

15- Wilt Thou, my God,

be merciful toward him who supplicates Thee,

that I should bring my supplication before Thee?

Wilt Thou forgive him who weeps to Thee

that I should hurry to weep?

Wilt Thou show forbearance toward

him who puts his face in the dust before Thee in lowliness?

Wilt Thou free from need him who complains to Thee of his indigent need with confidence?

16- My God,

disappoint not him who finds no bestower

other than Thee,

and abandon not him who cannot be freed from his need for Thee through less than Thee!

17- My God,

so bless Muhammad and his Household,

turn not away from me

when I have turned my face toward Thee,

deprive me not

when 1 have besought Thee,

and slap not my brow with rejection

when I have stood before Thee!

18- Thou art He who has described Himself by mercy,

so bless Muhammad and his Household

and have mercy upon me!

Thou art He who has named Himself by pardon,

so pardon me!

19- Thou hast seen, my God,

the flow of my tears

in fear of Thee,

the throbbing of my heart in dread of Thee,

and the infirmity of my limbs in awe of Thee.

20- All this from my shame before Thee

because of my evil works!

So my voice has become silent,

no longer crying to Thee,

and my tongue has gone dumb,

no longer whispering in prayer.

21- My God, so to Thee belongs praise!

How many of my flaws Thou hast covered over

without exposing me!

How many of my sins Thou hast cloaked

without making me notorious!

How many faults I have committed, yet Thou didst not

tear away from me their covering,

collar me with their detested disgrace,

or make their dishonour plain

to those of my neighbours who search for my defects

and to those who envy Thy favour toward me!

22- But that did not prevent me from passing on

to the evil that Thou knowest from me!

23- So who is more ignorant than I, my God,

of his own right conduct?

Who is more heedless than I

of his own good fortune?

Who is further than I

from seeking to set himself right?

For I spend the provision Thou deliverest to me

in the disobedience Thou hast prohibited to me!

Who sinks more deeply into falsehood

and is more intensely audacious in evil than I?

For I hesitate between Thy call and the call of Satan

and then follow his call

without being blind in my knowledge of him

or forgetful in my memory of him,

24- while I am certain that Thy call takes to the Garden

and his call takes to the Fire!

25- Glory be to Thee!

How marvellous the witness I bear against my own soul

and the enumeration of my own hidden affairs!

26- And more marvellous than that is Thy lack of haste with me,

Thy slowness in attending to me!

That is not because I possess honour with Thee,

but because Thou waitest patiently for me

and art bountiful toward me

that I may refrain from disobedience displeasing to Thee

and abstain from evil deeds that disgrace me,

and because Thou lovest to pardon me more than to punish!

27- But I, my God, am more numerous in sins,

uglier in footsteps, more repulsive in acts,

more reckless in rushing into falsehood,

weaker in awakening to Thy obedience,

and less attentive and heedful toward Thy threats,

than that I could number for Thee my faults

or have the power to recount my sins.

28- I only scold my own soul,

craving Thy gentleness,

through which the affairs of sinners are set right,

and hoping for Thy mercy,

through which the necks of the offenders are freed.

29- O God,

this is my neck,

enslaved by sins,

bless Muhammad and his Household

and release it through Thy pardon!

This is my back,

weighed down by offenses,

bless Muhammad and his Household

and lighten it through Thy kindness!

30- My God,

were I to weep to Thee until my eyelids drop off,

wail until my voice wears out,

stand before Thee until my feet swell up,

bow to Thee until my backbone is thrown out of joint,

prostrate to Thee until my eyeballs fall out,

eat the dirt of the earth for my whole life,

drink the water of ashes till the end of my days,

mention Thee through all of that until my tongue fails,

and not lift my glance to the sky's horizons in shame before Thee,

yet would I not merit through all of that

the erasing of a single one of my evil deeds!

31- Though Thou forgivest me when I merit Thy forgiveness

and pardonest me when I deserve Thy pardon,

yet I have no title to that through what I deserve,

nor am I worthy of it through merit,

since my repayment from Thee

from the first that I disobeyed Thee

is the Fire!

So if Thou punishest me,

Thou dost me no wrong.

32- My God, since Thou hast

shielded me with Thy covering

and not exposed me,

waited patiently for me through Thy generosity,

and not hurried me to punishment,

and shown me clemency through Thy bounty,

and not changed Thy favour upon me

or muddied Thy kindly acts toward me,

have mercy on my drawn out pleading,

my intense misery,

and my evil situation!

33- O God,

bless Muhammad and his Household,

protect me from acts of disobedience,

employ me in obedience,

provide me with excellent turning back [to Thee],

purify me through repentance,

strengthen me through preservation from sin,

set me right through well being,

let me taste the sweetness of forgiveness,

make me the freedman of Thy pardon

and the slave released by Thy mercy,

and write for me a security

from Thy displeasure!

Give me the good news of that

in the immediate, not the deferred

- a good news I recognize -

and make known to me therein a sign

which I may clearly see!

34- That will not constrain Thee in Thy plenty,

distress Thee in Thy power,

ascend beyond Thy lack of haste,

or tire Thee in Thy great gifts,

which are pointed to by Thy signs.

Verily Thou dost what Thou wilt,

Thou decreest what Thou desirest.

Thou art powerful over everything.2

Footnotes

1. 40:7

2. 3:26