1
O God, to Thee belongs praise for Thy excellent accomplishment and for Thy trial which Thou hast turned away from me! But make not my share of Thy mercy the well-being which Thou hast quickly granted to me, lest I become wretched through what I have loved and someone else gain felicity through what I have disliked!96
2
If this well-being in which 1 pass the day or night should precede a trial that does not cease and a burden that does not pass away, then set before me what Thou hadst set behind and set behind me what Thou hadst set before!
3
For that which ends in annihilation is not great and that which ends in subsistence is not little. And bless Muhammad and his Household!
http://www.al-islam.org/sahifa/dua18.html
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Dua-17 His Supplication Against Satan
1
O God, we seek refuge in Thee from the instigations of the accursed Satan, his trickery, and his traps, from trust in his false hopes, his promises, his delusions, and his snares,
2
and lest he should make himself crave to lead us away from Thy obedience and to degrade us through our disobeying Thee, and lest what he has shown us as beautiful be beautiful for us and what he has shown us as detestable weigh down upon us.
3
O God, drive him away from us through Thy worship, throw him down through our perseverance in Thy love, and place between him and us a covering that he cannot tear away and a solid barrier that he cannot cut through!
4
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, distract Satan from us with some of Thy enemies, preserve us from him through Thy good guarding, spare us his treachery, turn his back toward us, and cut off from us his trace!
5
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, give us to enjoy guidance the like of his misguidance, increase us in piety against his seduction, and make us walk in reverential fear contrary to his path of ruin!
6
O God, assign him no place of entrance into our hearts and do not allow him to make his home in that which is with us!
7
O God, cause us to recognize the falsehood with which he tempts us, and once Thou hast caused us to recognize it, protect us from it! Make us see what will allow us to outwit him, inspire us with all that we can make ready for him, awaken us from the heedless slumber of relying upon him, and help us well, through Thy giving success, against him!
8
O God, saturate our hearts with the rejection of his works and be gentle to us by destroying his stratagems!
9
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, turn his authority away from us, cut off his hope from us, and keep him from craving for us!
10
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, and place our fathers, our mothers, our children, our wives, our siblings, our relatives, and the faithful among our neighbours, male and female, in a sanctuary impregnable to him, a guarding fortress, a defending cave! Clothe them in shields protective against him and give them arms that will cut him down!
11
O God, include in that everyone who witnesses to Thee as Lord, devotes himself sincerely to Thy Unity, shows enmity toward him through the reality of servanthood, and seeks help from Thee against him through knowledge of the divine sciences!
12
O God, undo what he ties, unstitch what he sews up, dislocate what he devises, frustrate him when he makes up his mind, and destroy what he establishes!
13
O God, rout his troops, nullify his trickery, make his cave collapse, and rub his nose in the ground!
14
O God, place us in the ranks of his enemies and remove us from the number of his friends, that we obey him not when he entices us and answer him not when he calls to us! We command everyone who obeys our command to be his enemy and we admonish everyone who follows our prohibition not to follow him!
15
O God, bless Muhammad, the Seal of the prophets and lord of the emissaries, and the folk of his house, the good, the pure! Give refuge to us, our families, our brothers, and all the faithful, male and female, from that from which we seek refuge, and grant us sanctuary from that through fear of which we seek sanctuary in Thee!
16
Hear our supplication to Thee, bestow upon us that of which we have been heedless, and safeguard for us what we have forgotten! Through all this bring us into the ranks of the righteous and the degrees of the faithful! Amen, Lord of the worlds!
http://www.al-islam.org/sahifa/dua17.html
O God, we seek refuge in Thee from the instigations of the accursed Satan, his trickery, and his traps, from trust in his false hopes, his promises, his delusions, and his snares,
2
and lest he should make himself crave to lead us away from Thy obedience and to degrade us through our disobeying Thee, and lest what he has shown us as beautiful be beautiful for us and what he has shown us as detestable weigh down upon us.
3
O God, drive him away from us through Thy worship, throw him down through our perseverance in Thy love, and place between him and us a covering that he cannot tear away and a solid barrier that he cannot cut through!
4
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, distract Satan from us with some of Thy enemies, preserve us from him through Thy good guarding, spare us his treachery, turn his back toward us, and cut off from us his trace!
5
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, give us to enjoy guidance the like of his misguidance, increase us in piety against his seduction, and make us walk in reverential fear contrary to his path of ruin!
6
O God, assign him no place of entrance into our hearts and do not allow him to make his home in that which is with us!
7
O God, cause us to recognize the falsehood with which he tempts us, and once Thou hast caused us to recognize it, protect us from it! Make us see what will allow us to outwit him, inspire us with all that we can make ready for him, awaken us from the heedless slumber of relying upon him, and help us well, through Thy giving success, against him!
8
O God, saturate our hearts with the rejection of his works and be gentle to us by destroying his stratagems!
9
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, turn his authority away from us, cut off his hope from us, and keep him from craving for us!
10
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, and place our fathers, our mothers, our children, our wives, our siblings, our relatives, and the faithful among our neighbours, male and female, in a sanctuary impregnable to him, a guarding fortress, a defending cave! Clothe them in shields protective against him and give them arms that will cut him down!
11
O God, include in that everyone who witnesses to Thee as Lord, devotes himself sincerely to Thy Unity, shows enmity toward him through the reality of servanthood, and seeks help from Thee against him through knowledge of the divine sciences!
12
O God, undo what he ties, unstitch what he sews up, dislocate what he devises, frustrate him when he makes up his mind, and destroy what he establishes!
13
O God, rout his troops, nullify his trickery, make his cave collapse, and rub his nose in the ground!
14
O God, place us in the ranks of his enemies and remove us from the number of his friends, that we obey him not when he entices us and answer him not when he calls to us! We command everyone who obeys our command to be his enemy and we admonish everyone who follows our prohibition not to follow him!
15
O God, bless Muhammad, the Seal of the prophets and lord of the emissaries, and the folk of his house, the good, the pure! Give refuge to us, our families, our brothers, and all the faithful, male and female, from that from which we seek refuge, and grant us sanctuary from that through fear of which we seek sanctuary in Thee!
16
Hear our supplication to Thee, bestow upon us that of which we have been heedless, and safeguard for us what we have forgotten! Through all this bring us into the ranks of the righteous and the degrees of the faithful! Amen, Lord of the worlds!
http://www.al-islam.org/sahifa/dua17.html
Dua-16 His Supplication in Asking Release
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!94
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 haws 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.95
http://www.al-islam.org/sahifa/dua16.html
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!94
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 haws 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.95
http://www.al-islam.org/sahifa/dua16.html
Dua-15 His Supplication when Sick
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.93
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!
http://www.al-islam.org/sahifa/dua15.html
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.93
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!
http://www.al-islam.org/sahifa/dua15.html
Dua-14 His Supplication in Acts of Wrongdoing
1
O He from whom is not concealed news of the aggrieved!
2
O He who has no need to be told about them by the witnessing of the witnesses!
3
O He who whose help is near to the wronged!
4
O He whose aid is far from the wrongdoers!
5
Thou knowest, my God, how so-and-so, son of so-and-so, has harmed me in that which Thou hast forbidden, and how he has violated me in that which Thou hast prohibited, showing thereby ingratitude toward Thy favour upon him and delusion concerning what Thou hast denied him.
6
O God, so bless Muhammad and his Household, keep my wrongdoing enemy from wronging me through Thy strength, blunt his blade toward me through Thy power, and assign to him a diversion in that which is close to him and the inability to reach his enemy!
7
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, let the wrongdoer not find it easy to wrong me, give me good help against him, preserve me from the like of his acts, and place me not in the like of his situation!
8
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, and assist me with an immediate assistance that will heal my rage toward him and redeem my fury toward him!
9
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, compensate me for his wronging me with Thy pardon and replace his evil action toward me with Thy mercy, for every detested thing less than Thy anger is slight and every disaster next to Thy rancour indifferent!
10
O God, just as Thou hast made me detest being wronged, so also protect me from doing wrong!
11
O God, I complain to no one but Thee, and I seek help from no ruler other than Thee - how could I? So bless Muhammad and his Household, join my supplication to response, and unite my complaint with change!
12
O God, tempt me not with despair of Thy just treatment and tempt him not with feeling secure from Thy disapproval, lest he persist in wronging me and constrain me in my rights.90 Let him soon recognize what Thou hast promised the wrongdoers91 and let me recognize Thy promised response to the distressed!92
13
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, give me success in accepting Thy decrees for me and against me, make me pleased with what Thou takest for me and from me, guide me to that which is most upright and employ me in that which is safest!
14
O God, if the best for me with Thee lies in delaying the taking to task for my sake of him who has wronged me and in refraining from vengeance toward him until the Day of Decision and the Gathering of Disputants, then bless Muhammad and his Household, strengthen me from Thee with true intention and lasting patience,
15
give me refuge from evil desire and the impatience of the greedy, and form in my heart the image of Thy reward which Thou hast stored away for me and the repayment and punishment which Thou has prepared for my disputant! Make this a cause of my contentment with what Thou hast decreed and my trust in what Thou hast chosen!
16
Amen, Lord of the worlds! Thou art of bounty abounding and Thou art powerful over everything.
http://www.al-islam.org/sahifa/dua14.html
O He from whom is not concealed news of the aggrieved!
2
O He who has no need to be told about them by the witnessing of the witnesses!
3
O He who whose help is near to the wronged!
4
O He whose aid is far from the wrongdoers!
5
Thou knowest, my God, how so-and-so, son of so-and-so, has harmed me in that which Thou hast forbidden, and how he has violated me in that which Thou hast prohibited, showing thereby ingratitude toward Thy favour upon him and delusion concerning what Thou hast denied him.
6
O God, so bless Muhammad and his Household, keep my wrongdoing enemy from wronging me through Thy strength, blunt his blade toward me through Thy power, and assign to him a diversion in that which is close to him and the inability to reach his enemy!
7
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, let the wrongdoer not find it easy to wrong me, give me good help against him, preserve me from the like of his acts, and place me not in the like of his situation!
8
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, and assist me with an immediate assistance that will heal my rage toward him and redeem my fury toward him!
9
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, compensate me for his wronging me with Thy pardon and replace his evil action toward me with Thy mercy, for every detested thing less than Thy anger is slight and every disaster next to Thy rancour indifferent!
10
O God, just as Thou hast made me detest being wronged, so also protect me from doing wrong!
11
O God, I complain to no one but Thee, and I seek help from no ruler other than Thee - how could I? So bless Muhammad and his Household, join my supplication to response, and unite my complaint with change!
12
O God, tempt me not with despair of Thy just treatment and tempt him not with feeling secure from Thy disapproval, lest he persist in wronging me and constrain me in my rights.90 Let him soon recognize what Thou hast promised the wrongdoers91 and let me recognize Thy promised response to the distressed!92
13
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, give me success in accepting Thy decrees for me and against me, make me pleased with what Thou takest for me and from me, guide me to that which is most upright and employ me in that which is safest!
14
O God, if the best for me with Thee lies in delaying the taking to task for my sake of him who has wronged me and in refraining from vengeance toward him until the Day of Decision and the Gathering of Disputants, then bless Muhammad and his Household, strengthen me from Thee with true intention and lasting patience,
15
give me refuge from evil desire and the impatience of the greedy, and form in my heart the image of Thy reward which Thou hast stored away for me and the repayment and punishment which Thou has prepared for my disputant! Make this a cause of my contentment with what Thou hast decreed and my trust in what Thou hast chosen!
16
Amen, Lord of the worlds! Thou art of bounty abounding and Thou art powerful over everything.
http://www.al-islam.org/sahifa/dua14.html
Dua-13 His Supplication in Seeking Needs from God
1
O God, O ultimate object of needs!
2
O He through whom requests are attained!
3
O He whose favours are not bought by prices!
4
O He who does not muddy His gifts by the imposition of obligations!
5
O He along with whom nothing is needed and without whom nothing can be done!
6
O He toward whom desire is ever directed and never turned away!
7
O He whose treasuries cannot be exhausted by demands!
8
O He whose wisdom cannot be altered by any means!
9
O He from whom the needs of the needy are never cut off!
10
O He who is not distressed by the supplications of the supplicators!
11
Thou hast lauded Thyself for having no need for Thy creatures, and it suits Thee to have no need for them,
12
and Thou hast attributed to them poverty, and it suits them to be poor toward Thee.88
13
So he who strives to remedy his lack through what is with Thee and wishes to turn poverty away from himself through Thee has sought his need in the most likely place and come to his request from the right quarter.
14
But he who turns in his need toward one of Thy creatures or assigns the cause of its being granted to other than Thee, has exposed himself to deprivation and deserves to miss Thy beneficence.
15
O God, I have a need of Thee: My exertion has fallen short of it and my stratagems have been cut back before reaching it. My soul induced me to present it to him who presents his needs to Thee and can do nothing without Thee in his requests, but this is one of the slips of the offenders, one of the stumbles of the sinners!
16
Then through Thy reminding me, I was aroused from my heedlessness, through Thy giving success, I stood up from my slip, and through Thy pointing the way, I returned and withdrew from my stumble.
17
I said: Glory to my Lord! How can the needy ask from the needy? How can the destitute beseech the destitute?
18
So I went straight to Thee, my God, in beseeching, and I sent Thee my hope with trust in Thee.
19
I came to know that the many I request from Thee are few before Thy wealth, the weighty I ask from Thee is vile before Thy plenty; Thy generosity is not constrained by anyone's asking, Thy hand is higher in bestowing gifts than every hand!
20
O God, so bless Muhammad and his Household, take me through Thy generosity to Thy gratuitous bounty and take me not through Thy justice to what I deserve! I am not the first beseecher to beseech Thee and Thou bestowed upon him while he deserved withholding, nor am I the first to ask from Thee and Thou wast bounteous toward him while he merited deprivation.
21
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, respond to my supplication, come near my call, have mercy on my pleading, listen to my voice,
22
cut not short my hope for Thee, sever not my thread to Thee, turn not my face in this my need, and other needs, away from Thee,
23
attend for my sake to the fulfilment of my request, the granting of my need, and the attainment of what I have asked before I leave this place through Thy making easy for me the difficult and Thy excellent ordainment for me in all affairs!
24
Bless Muhammad and his Household with a permanent, ever-growing blessing, whose perpetuity has no cutting off and whose term knows no limit, and make that a help to me and a cause for the granting of my request! Thou art Boundless, Generous!
25
And of my needs, My Lord, are such and such.
HERE YOU SHOULD STATE YOUR NEEDS,THEN PROSTRATE YOURSELF,AND SAY IN YOUR PROSTRATION
26
Thy bounty has comforted me and Thy beneficence has shown the way, So I ask Thee by Thee and by Muhammad and his Household (Thy blessings be upon them) that Thou sendest me not back in disappointment!
O God, O ultimate object of needs!
2
O He through whom requests are attained!
3
O He whose favours are not bought by prices!
4
O He who does not muddy His gifts by the imposition of obligations!
5
O He along with whom nothing is needed and without whom nothing can be done!
6
O He toward whom desire is ever directed and never turned away!
7
O He whose treasuries cannot be exhausted by demands!
8
O He whose wisdom cannot be altered by any means!
9
O He from whom the needs of the needy are never cut off!
10
O He who is not distressed by the supplications of the supplicators!
11
Thou hast lauded Thyself for having no need for Thy creatures, and it suits Thee to have no need for them,
12
and Thou hast attributed to them poverty, and it suits them to be poor toward Thee.88
13
So he who strives to remedy his lack through what is with Thee and wishes to turn poverty away from himself through Thee has sought his need in the most likely place and come to his request from the right quarter.
14
But he who turns in his need toward one of Thy creatures or assigns the cause of its being granted to other than Thee, has exposed himself to deprivation and deserves to miss Thy beneficence.
15
O God, I have a need of Thee: My exertion has fallen short of it and my stratagems have been cut back before reaching it. My soul induced me to present it to him who presents his needs to Thee and can do nothing without Thee in his requests, but this is one of the slips of the offenders, one of the stumbles of the sinners!
16
Then through Thy reminding me, I was aroused from my heedlessness, through Thy giving success, I stood up from my slip, and through Thy pointing the way, I returned and withdrew from my stumble.
17
I said: Glory to my Lord! How can the needy ask from the needy? How can the destitute beseech the destitute?
18
So I went straight to Thee, my God, in beseeching, and I sent Thee my hope with trust in Thee.
19
I came to know that the many I request from Thee are few before Thy wealth, the weighty I ask from Thee is vile before Thy plenty; Thy generosity is not constrained by anyone's asking, Thy hand is higher in bestowing gifts than every hand!
20
O God, so bless Muhammad and his Household, take me through Thy generosity to Thy gratuitous bounty and take me not through Thy justice to what I deserve! I am not the first beseecher to beseech Thee and Thou bestowed upon him while he deserved withholding, nor am I the first to ask from Thee and Thou wast bounteous toward him while he merited deprivation.
21
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, respond to my supplication, come near my call, have mercy on my pleading, listen to my voice,
22
cut not short my hope for Thee, sever not my thread to Thee, turn not my face in this my need, and other needs, away from Thee,
23
attend for my sake to the fulfilment of my request, the granting of my need, and the attainment of what I have asked before I leave this place through Thy making easy for me the difficult and Thy excellent ordainment for me in all affairs!
24
Bless Muhammad and his Household with a permanent, ever-growing blessing, whose perpetuity has no cutting off and whose term knows no limit, and make that a help to me and a cause for the granting of my request! Thou art Boundless, Generous!
25
And of my needs, My Lord, are such and such.
HERE YOU SHOULD STATE YOUR NEEDS,THEN PROSTRATE YOURSELF,AND SAY IN YOUR PROSTRATION
26
Thy bounty has comforted me and Thy beneficence has shown the way, So I ask Thee by Thee and by Muhammad and his Household (Thy blessings be upon them) that Thou sendest me not back in disappointment!
Dua-12 His Supplication in Confession
1
O God, three traits have prevented me from asking Thee and one trait has urged me on:
2
I am prevented by a command Thou hast commanded in which I have been slow, a prohibition Thou hast prohibited toward which I have hurried, and a favour through which Thou hast favoured for which I have not given sufficient thanks.
3
I am urged to ask Thee by Thy gratuitous bounty upon him who turns his face toward Thee and comes to Thee with a good opinion, since all Thy beneficence is gratuitous bounty and every one of Thy favours a new beginning!
4
So here I am, my God, standing at the gate of Thy might, the standing of the lowly, the surrendered, asking Thee in my shame, the asking of the destitute, the pitiful,
5
admitting to Thee that at the time of Thy beneficence I surrendered not save through abstaining from disobedience toward Thee and in none of my states was I ever without Thy Kindness.
6
Will it profit me, my God, to admit to Thee the evil of what I have earned? Will it save me from Thee to confess the ugliness of what I have done? Or wilt Thou impose upon me in this my station Thy displeasure? Will Thy hate hold fast to me in the time of my supplication?
7
Glory be to Thee! I do not despair of Thee, for Thou hast opened the door of repentance toward Thyself. Rather, I say, the words of a lowly servant, having wronged himself and made light of his Lord's inviolability,
8
and whose sins are dreadful, great, whose days have parted, fled, until, when he sees the term of his works expired and the limit of his lifetime reached and knows with certainty that he has no escape from Thee, no place to flee from Thee, he turns his face toward Thee in repeated turning, makes his repentance toward Thee sincere, stands before Thee with a pure and purified heart, then supplicates Thee with a feeble, quiet voice.
9
He is bowed before Thee, bent, his head lowered, thrown down, his legs shaking in fear, his tears flooding his cheeks. He supplicates Thee: O Most Merciful of the merciful! O Most Merciful of those toward whom seekers of mercy keep on turning! O Tenderest of those around whom run seekers of forgiveness! O He whose pardon is greater than His vengeance! O He whose good pleasure is more abundant than His anger!82
10
O He who seeks His creatures' praise with excellent forbearance! O He who has accustomed His servants to the acceptance of their repeated turning!83 O He who seeks to heal their corruption through repentance! O He who is pleased with the easy of their acts! O He who recompenses with the much their little! O He who has made himself accountable to them to respond to supplication!84 O He who pledged Himself by His gratuitous bounty to give them excellent repayment!
11
I am not the most disobedient of those who have disobeyed Thee and whom Thou hast forgiven, nor am I the most blameworthy to offer excuses which Thou hast accepted, nor am I the most wrongdoing of those who have repented to Thee, and to whom Thou hast returned
12
I repent to Thee in this my station, the repentance of one remorseful over what preceded from him hastily, apprehensive of what has gathered around him, pure in shame for that into which he has fallen,
13
knowing that pardoning great sins is nothing great for Thee.85 overlooking enormous misdeeds is not difficult for Thee, putting up with indecent crimes does not trouble Thee, and the most beloved of Thy servants to Thee is he who refrains from arrogance before Thee, pulls aside from persistence, and holds fast to praying forgiveness!
14
I am clear before Thee of arrogance, I seek refuge in Thee from persistence, I pray forgiveness from Thee for shortcomings, I seek help from Thee in incapacity!
15
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, dispense with what is incumbent upon me toward Thee, release me from what I merit from Thee, and grant me sanctuary from what the evildoers fear! For Thou art full of pardon, the hoped-for source of forgiveness, well known for Thy forbearance. My need has no object but Thee, my sin no forgiver other than Thee - could that be possible?
16
I have no fear for myself except from Thee; Thou art worthy of reverential fear, and worthy to forgive!86 Bless Muhammad and his Household, grant my need, answer my request favourably, forgive my sin, and give me security from fear for myself! Thou art powerful over everything,87 and that is easy for Thee.Amen, Lord of the worlds!
http://www.al-islam.org/sahifa/dua12.html
O God, three traits have prevented me from asking Thee and one trait has urged me on:
2
I am prevented by a command Thou hast commanded in which I have been slow, a prohibition Thou hast prohibited toward which I have hurried, and a favour through which Thou hast favoured for which I have not given sufficient thanks.
3
I am urged to ask Thee by Thy gratuitous bounty upon him who turns his face toward Thee and comes to Thee with a good opinion, since all Thy beneficence is gratuitous bounty and every one of Thy favours a new beginning!
4
So here I am, my God, standing at the gate of Thy might, the standing of the lowly, the surrendered, asking Thee in my shame, the asking of the destitute, the pitiful,
5
admitting to Thee that at the time of Thy beneficence I surrendered not save through abstaining from disobedience toward Thee and in none of my states was I ever without Thy Kindness.
6
Will it profit me, my God, to admit to Thee the evil of what I have earned? Will it save me from Thee to confess the ugliness of what I have done? Or wilt Thou impose upon me in this my station Thy displeasure? Will Thy hate hold fast to me in the time of my supplication?
7
Glory be to Thee! I do not despair of Thee, for Thou hast opened the door of repentance toward Thyself. Rather, I say, the words of a lowly servant, having wronged himself and made light of his Lord's inviolability,
8
and whose sins are dreadful, great, whose days have parted, fled, until, when he sees the term of his works expired and the limit of his lifetime reached and knows with certainty that he has no escape from Thee, no place to flee from Thee, he turns his face toward Thee in repeated turning, makes his repentance toward Thee sincere, stands before Thee with a pure and purified heart, then supplicates Thee with a feeble, quiet voice.
9
He is bowed before Thee, bent, his head lowered, thrown down, his legs shaking in fear, his tears flooding his cheeks. He supplicates Thee: O Most Merciful of the merciful! O Most Merciful of those toward whom seekers of mercy keep on turning! O Tenderest of those around whom run seekers of forgiveness! O He whose pardon is greater than His vengeance! O He whose good pleasure is more abundant than His anger!82
10
O He who seeks His creatures' praise with excellent forbearance! O He who has accustomed His servants to the acceptance of their repeated turning!83 O He who seeks to heal their corruption through repentance! O He who is pleased with the easy of their acts! O He who recompenses with the much their little! O He who has made himself accountable to them to respond to supplication!84 O He who pledged Himself by His gratuitous bounty to give them excellent repayment!
11
I am not the most disobedient of those who have disobeyed Thee and whom Thou hast forgiven, nor am I the most blameworthy to offer excuses which Thou hast accepted, nor am I the most wrongdoing of those who have repented to Thee, and to whom Thou hast returned
12
I repent to Thee in this my station, the repentance of one remorseful over what preceded from him hastily, apprehensive of what has gathered around him, pure in shame for that into which he has fallen,
13
knowing that pardoning great sins is nothing great for Thee.85 overlooking enormous misdeeds is not difficult for Thee, putting up with indecent crimes does not trouble Thee, and the most beloved of Thy servants to Thee is he who refrains from arrogance before Thee, pulls aside from persistence, and holds fast to praying forgiveness!
14
I am clear before Thee of arrogance, I seek refuge in Thee from persistence, I pray forgiveness from Thee for shortcomings, I seek help from Thee in incapacity!
15
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, dispense with what is incumbent upon me toward Thee, release me from what I merit from Thee, and grant me sanctuary from what the evildoers fear! For Thou art full of pardon, the hoped-for source of forgiveness, well known for Thy forbearance. My need has no object but Thee, my sin no forgiver other than Thee - could that be possible?
16
I have no fear for myself except from Thee; Thou art worthy of reverential fear, and worthy to forgive!86 Bless Muhammad and his Household, grant my need, answer my request favourably, forgive my sin, and give me security from fear for myself! Thou art powerful over everything,87 and that is easy for Thee.Amen, Lord of the worlds!
http://www.al-islam.org/sahifa/dua12.html
Dua-11 His Supplication for Good Outcomes
1
O He remembering whom brings honour to those who remember! O He thanking whom brings triumph to those who give thanks! O He obeying whom brings deliverance to those who obey! Bless Muhammad and his Household, and divert our hearts through remembering Thee from every act of remembrance, our tongues through thanking Thee from every act of thanksgiving, our limbs through obeying Thee from every act of obedience!
2
If Thou hast ordained for us idleness from these occupations, make it an idleness of safety, within which no ill consequence visits us or weariness overtakes us! Then the writers of evil deeds may depart from us with a page empty of the mention of our evil deeds, and the writers of good deeds may turn away from us happy with the good deeds of ours which they have written.
3
And when the days of our life have passed by, the terms of our lifetimes have elapsed, and Thy call, which must come and be answered, summons us forth, then bless Muhammad and his Household and make the outcome of what the writers of our works count against us an accepted repentance, which afterwards gave us no rest in a sin that we committed or an act of disobedience that we performed!
4
Remove not from us any covering with which Thou hast covered over the heads of the witnesses on the day when the records of Thy servants are tried!
5
Verily Thou art compassionate to him who supplicates Thee, the responder to him who calls upon Thee!
http://www.al-islam.org/sahifa/dua11.html
O He remembering whom brings honour to those who remember! O He thanking whom brings triumph to those who give thanks! O He obeying whom brings deliverance to those who obey! Bless Muhammad and his Household, and divert our hearts through remembering Thee from every act of remembrance, our tongues through thanking Thee from every act of thanksgiving, our limbs through obeying Thee from every act of obedience!
2
If Thou hast ordained for us idleness from these occupations, make it an idleness of safety, within which no ill consequence visits us or weariness overtakes us! Then the writers of evil deeds may depart from us with a page empty of the mention of our evil deeds, and the writers of good deeds may turn away from us happy with the good deeds of ours which they have written.
3
And when the days of our life have passed by, the terms of our lifetimes have elapsed, and Thy call, which must come and be answered, summons us forth, then bless Muhammad and his Household and make the outcome of what the writers of our works count against us an accepted repentance, which afterwards gave us no rest in a sin that we committed or an act of disobedience that we performed!
4
Remove not from us any covering with which Thou hast covered over the heads of the witnesses on the day when the records of Thy servants are tried!
5
Verily Thou art compassionate to him who supplicates Thee, the responder to him who calls upon Thee!
http://www.al-islam.org/sahifa/dua11.html
Dua-10 His Supplication in Seeking Asylum with God
1
O God, if Thou willest, Thou wilt pardon us through Thy bounty and if Thou willest, Thou wilt chastise us through Thy justice.
2
So make our ways smooth to Thy pardon through Thy kindness and grant us sanctuary from Thy chastisement through Thy forbearance, for none of us has the endurance for Thy justice and none of us can reach deliverance without Thy pardon!
3
O Richest of the rich! Here we are, Thy servants, before Thee. I am the neediest of the needy toward Thee, so redress our neediness through Thy plenty and cut us not off from our hopes through Thy withholding, lest Thou makest wretched him who seeks felicity through Thee and deprivest him who seeks help from Thy bounty!
4
Then to whom would we return after Thee? Where would we go from Thy gate? Glory be to Thee! We are the distressed, the response to whom Thou hast made incumbent, the people from whom Thou hast promised to remove the evil.81
5
That thing most resembling Thy will and that affair most worthy for Thee in Thy mightiness is showing mercy to him who asks Thee for mercy and helping him who seeks help from Thee. So show mercy upon our pleading with Thee and free us from need when we throw ourselves before Thee!
6
O God, Satan will gloat over us if we follow him in disobeying Thee, so bless Muhammad and his Household and let him not gloat over us after we have renounced him for Thee and beseeched Thee against him!
http://www.al-islam.org/sahifa/dua10.html
O God, if Thou willest, Thou wilt pardon us through Thy bounty and if Thou willest, Thou wilt chastise us through Thy justice.
2
So make our ways smooth to Thy pardon through Thy kindness and grant us sanctuary from Thy chastisement through Thy forbearance, for none of us has the endurance for Thy justice and none of us can reach deliverance without Thy pardon!
3
O Richest of the rich! Here we are, Thy servants, before Thee. I am the neediest of the needy toward Thee, so redress our neediness through Thy plenty and cut us not off from our hopes through Thy withholding, lest Thou makest wretched him who seeks felicity through Thee and deprivest him who seeks help from Thy bounty!
4
Then to whom would we return after Thee? Where would we go from Thy gate? Glory be to Thee! We are the distressed, the response to whom Thou hast made incumbent, the people from whom Thou hast promised to remove the evil.81
5
That thing most resembling Thy will and that affair most worthy for Thee in Thy mightiness is showing mercy to him who asks Thee for mercy and helping him who seeks help from Thee. So show mercy upon our pleading with Thee and free us from need when we throw ourselves before Thee!
6
O God, Satan will gloat over us if we follow him in disobeying Thee, so bless Muhammad and his Household and let him not gloat over us after we have renounced him for Thee and beseeched Thee against him!
http://www.al-islam.org/sahifa/dua10.html
Dua-09 His Supplication in Yearning
1
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, make us go to the repentance that Thou lovest and make us leave the persistence that Thou hatest!
2
O God, when we halt before two decreases, in religion or in this world, let the decrease fall upon that which passes quickly and relent in that which lasts the longer!
3
When we set out after two concerns, one of which makes Thee pleased with us and the other of which displeases Thee, incline us toward that which makes Thee pleased and weaken our strength in that which displeases Thee!
4
Leave not our souls alone to choose in that, for they choose falsehood except inasmuch as Thou givest success, and they command to evil except inasmuch as Thou hast mercy!78
5
O God, thou created us from frailty,79 built us up from feebleness, and began us from a mean water;80 we have no force except through Thy strength and no strength except through Thy help.
6
So confirm us by giving us success, point us the right way by Thy pointing, blind the eyes of our hearts toward everything opposed to Thy love, and set not in any of our limbs passage to disobeying Thee!
7
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household and assign the whisperings of our hearts, the movements of our members, the glances of our eyes, and the idioms of our tongues, to that which makes incumbent Thy reward, lest a good deed slip by us, through which we might deserve Thy repayment, or an evil deed remain with us, by which we might merit Thy punishment!
http://www.al-islam.org/sahifa/dua9.html
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, make us go to the repentance that Thou lovest and make us leave the persistence that Thou hatest!
2
O God, when we halt before two decreases, in religion or in this world, let the decrease fall upon that which passes quickly and relent in that which lasts the longer!
3
When we set out after two concerns, one of which makes Thee pleased with us and the other of which displeases Thee, incline us toward that which makes Thee pleased and weaken our strength in that which displeases Thee!
4
Leave not our souls alone to choose in that, for they choose falsehood except inasmuch as Thou givest success, and they command to evil except inasmuch as Thou hast mercy!78
5
O God, thou created us from frailty,79 built us up from feebleness, and began us from a mean water;80 we have no force except through Thy strength and no strength except through Thy help.
6
So confirm us by giving us success, point us the right way by Thy pointing, blind the eyes of our hearts toward everything opposed to Thy love, and set not in any of our limbs passage to disobeying Thee!
7
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household and assign the whisperings of our hearts, the movements of our members, the glances of our eyes, and the idioms of our tongues, to that which makes incumbent Thy reward, lest a good deed slip by us, through which we might deserve Thy repayment, or an evil deed remain with us, by which we might merit Thy punishment!
http://www.al-islam.org/sahifa/dua9.html
Dua-8 His Supplication in Seeking Refuge
1
O God, I seek refuge in Thee from the agitation of craving, the violence of wrath, the domination of envy, the frailty of patience, the lack of contentment, surliness of character, urgency of passion, the disposition to vehemence,
2
following caprice,77 opposing guidance, the sleep of heedlessness, undertaking the toilsome, preferring falsehood over truth, persisting in sin, making little of disobedience, making much of obedience,
3
vying with the wealthy, disparaging the poor, guarding badly over those in our hands, failing to thank those who have done good to us,
4
aiding a wrongdoer, abandoning someone troubled, wanting what is not rightfully ours, and speaking about knowledge without knowing.
5
We seek refuge in Thee from harbouring dishonesty toward anyone, being pleased with our works, and stretching out our expectations.
6
We seek refuge in Thee from ill-mindedness, looking down on the small, Satan's gaining mastery over us, time's afflicting us, and the sovereign's oppressing us.
7
We seek refuge in Thee from acting with prodigality and not having sufficiency.
8
We seek refuge in Thee from the gloating of enemies, indigent need for equals, living in hardship, and dying without readiness.
9
We seek refuge in Thee from the most dreadful remorse, the greatest affliction, the most wretched wretchedness, the evil end to the journey, the deprivation of reward, and the advent of punishment.
10
O God,bless Muhammad and his Household and through Thy mercy, give to me refuge from all of that, and to all the faithful, both men and women! O Most Merciful of the merciful!
http://www.al-islam.org/sahifa/dua8.html
O God, I seek refuge in Thee from the agitation of craving, the violence of wrath, the domination of envy, the frailty of patience, the lack of contentment, surliness of character, urgency of passion, the disposition to vehemence,
2
following caprice,77 opposing guidance, the sleep of heedlessness, undertaking the toilsome, preferring falsehood over truth, persisting in sin, making little of disobedience, making much of obedience,
3
vying with the wealthy, disparaging the poor, guarding badly over those in our hands, failing to thank those who have done good to us,
4
aiding a wrongdoer, abandoning someone troubled, wanting what is not rightfully ours, and speaking about knowledge without knowing.
5
We seek refuge in Thee from harbouring dishonesty toward anyone, being pleased with our works, and stretching out our expectations.
6
We seek refuge in Thee from ill-mindedness, looking down on the small, Satan's gaining mastery over us, time's afflicting us, and the sovereign's oppressing us.
7
We seek refuge in Thee from acting with prodigality and not having sufficiency.
8
We seek refuge in Thee from the gloating of enemies, indigent need for equals, living in hardship, and dying without readiness.
9
We seek refuge in Thee from the most dreadful remorse, the greatest affliction, the most wretched wretchedness, the evil end to the journey, the deprivation of reward, and the advent of punishment.
10
O God,bless Muhammad and his Household and through Thy mercy, give to me refuge from all of that, and to all the faithful, both men and women! O Most Merciful of the merciful!
http://www.al-islam.org/sahifa/dua8.html
Dua-7 His Supplication in Worrisome Tasks
1
O He through whom the knots of detested things are untied! O He through whom the cutting edge of hardships is blunted! O He from whom is begged the outlet to the freshness of relief!
2
Intractable affairs yield to Thy power, means are made ready by Thy gentleness, the decree goes into effect through Thy power, and all things proceed according to Thy desire.
3
By Thy desire they follow Thy command without Thy word and by Thy will they obey Thy bans without Thy prohibition.
4
Thou art the supplicated in worries and the place of flight in misfortunes; none of them is repelled unless Thou repellest, none is removed unless Thou removest.
5
Upon me has come down, My Lord, something whose weight burdens me and upon me has fallen something whose carrying oppresses me.
6
Through Thy power Thou hast brought it down upon me and through Thy authority Thou hast turned it toward me.
7
None can send away what Thou hast brought, none can deflect what Thou hast turned, none can open what Thou hast closed, none can close what Thou hast opened, none can make easy what Thou hast made difficult, none can help him whom Thou hast abandoned.
8
So bless Muhammad and his Household, open for me, my Lord, the door of relief through Thy graciousness, break from me the authority of worry by Thy strength, confer the beauty of Thy gaze upon my complaint, let me taste the sweetness of benefaction in what I ask, give me from Thyself mercy and wholesome relief, and appoint for me from Thyself a quick way out!
9
Distract me not through worry from observing Thy obligations and acting in accordance with Thy prescriptions.
10
My capacity has been straitened, my Lord, by what has come down on me, and I am filled with worry by carrying what has happened to me, while Thou hast power to remove what has afflicted me and to repel that into which I have fallen. So do that for me though I merit it not from Thee, O Possessor of the Mighty Throne!
http://www.al-islam.org/sahifa/dua7.html
O He through whom the knots of detested things are untied! O He through whom the cutting edge of hardships is blunted! O He from whom is begged the outlet to the freshness of relief!
2
Intractable affairs yield to Thy power, means are made ready by Thy gentleness, the decree goes into effect through Thy power, and all things proceed according to Thy desire.
3
By Thy desire they follow Thy command without Thy word and by Thy will they obey Thy bans without Thy prohibition.
4
Thou art the supplicated in worries and the place of flight in misfortunes; none of them is repelled unless Thou repellest, none is removed unless Thou removest.
5
Upon me has come down, My Lord, something whose weight burdens me and upon me has fallen something whose carrying oppresses me.
6
Through Thy power Thou hast brought it down upon me and through Thy authority Thou hast turned it toward me.
7
None can send away what Thou hast brought, none can deflect what Thou hast turned, none can open what Thou hast closed, none can close what Thou hast opened, none can make easy what Thou hast made difficult, none can help him whom Thou hast abandoned.
8
So bless Muhammad and his Household, open for me, my Lord, the door of relief through Thy graciousness, break from me the authority of worry by Thy strength, confer the beauty of Thy gaze upon my complaint, let me taste the sweetness of benefaction in what I ask, give me from Thyself mercy and wholesome relief, and appoint for me from Thyself a quick way out!
9
Distract me not through worry from observing Thy obligations and acting in accordance with Thy prescriptions.
10
My capacity has been straitened, my Lord, by what has come down on me, and I am filled with worry by carrying what has happened to me, while Thou hast power to remove what has afflicted me and to repel that into which I have fallen. So do that for me though I merit it not from Thee, O Possessor of the Mighty Throne!
http://www.al-islam.org/sahifa/dua7.html
Dua-6 His Supplication in the Morning and Evening
1
Praise belongs to God, who created night and day through His strength,
2
set them apart through His power,
3
and appointed for each a determined limit and a drawn-out period.
4
He makes each of the two enter into its companion, and makes its companion enter into it, as an ordainment from Him for His servants in that through which He feeds them and with which He makes them grow.
5
He created for them the night, that they might rest in it68 from tiring movements and wearisome exertions and He made it a garment for them that they might be clothed in its ease and its sleep, that it might be for them refreshment and strength, that they might reach therein pleasure and passion.
6
He created for them the daytime, giving sight, that they might seek within it of His bounty,69 find the means to His provision, and roam freely in His earth, searching for that through which to attain the immediate in their life in this world and to achieve the deferred in their life to come.
7
Through all of this He sets right their situation, tries their records,70 and watches their state in the times for obeying Him, the waystations of His obligations, and the places of His ordinances, that He may repay those who do evil with what they have done and repay those who do good with goodness.71
8
O God, to Thee belongs praise for the sky Thou hast split into dawn for us,72 giving us to enjoy thereby the brightness of daytime, showing us sought-after nourishments, and protecting us from the striking of blights.
9
In the morning we and all things, every one, rise for Thee, the heaven and the earth and what Thou hast scattered in each, the still and the moving, the resident and the journeying, what towers up in the air and what hides under the ground.
10
We rise in the morning in Thy grasp: Thy kingdom and authority contain us and Thy will embraces us. We move about by Thy command and turn this way and that through Thy governing.
11
We own nothing of the affair except what Thou hast decreed and nothing of the good except what Thou hast given.
12
This is a fresh, new day, over us a ready witness. If we do good, it will take leave from us with praise, and if we do evil, it will part from us in blame.
13
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, provide us with the day's good companionship and preserve us against parting from it badly by doing a misdeed or committing a sin, whether small or great!
14
Make our good deeds within it plentiful empty us therein of evil deeds, and fill what lies between its two sides for us with praise and thanksgiving, wages and stores, bounty and beneficence!
15
O God, ease our burden on the Noble Writers,73 fill our pages for us with our good deeds, and degrade us not before them with our evil works!
16
O God, appoint for us in each of the day's hours a share from Thy servants, a portion of giving thanks to Thee, and a truthful witness among Thy angels!
17
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household and safeguard us from before us and behind us, from our right hands and our left hands and from all our directions,74 a safeguarding that will preserve from disobeying Thee, guide to obeying Thee, and be employed for Thy love!
18
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household and give us success in this day of ours, this night of ours, and in all our days, to employ the good, stay away from the evil, give thanks for favours, follow the Sunna's norms, avoid innovations, enjoin good behaviour, forbid the disapproved, defend Islam, diminish falsehood and abase it, help the truth and exalt it, guide the misguided, assist the weak, and reach out to the troubled!
19
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household and make this the most fortunate day we have known, the most excellent companion we have accompanied, and the best time in which we have lingered!
20
Place us among the most satisfied of all Thy creatures whom night and day have passed by, the most thankful of them for the favours Thou hast done, the firmest of them in the laws Thou hast set down in the Shari'a, and the most unyielding of them toward the prohibited acts against which Thou hast cautioned!
21
O God, I call Thee to witness - and Thou art sufficient witness - and I call Thy heaven and Thy earth to witness and Thy angels and Thy other creatures who inhabit them in this my day, this my hour, this my night, and this my resting place, that I bear witness that Thou art God, other than whom there is no god, Upholding justice, Equitable in judgement, Clement to the servants,75 Master of the kingdom,76 Compassionate to the creatures,
22
and that Muhammad is Thy servant and Thy messenger, Thy chosen from among Thy creatures. Thou didst charge him with Thy message and he delivered it; Thou didst command him to counsel his community and he counselled it.
23
O God, so bless Muhammad and his Household more than Thou hast blessed any of Thy creatures! Give him for our sake the best Thou hast given any of Thy servants, and repay him on our behalf better and more generously than Thou hast repaid any of Thy prophets on behalf of his community!
24
Thou art All-kind with immensity, the Forgiver of the great, and Thou art more merciful than every possessor of mercy! So bless Muhammad and his Household, the good, the pure, the chosen, the most distinguished!
http://www.al-islam.org/sahifa/dua6.html
Praise belongs to God, who created night and day through His strength,
2
set them apart through His power,
3
and appointed for each a determined limit and a drawn-out period.
4
He makes each of the two enter into its companion, and makes its companion enter into it, as an ordainment from Him for His servants in that through which He feeds them and with which He makes them grow.
5
He created for them the night, that they might rest in it68 from tiring movements and wearisome exertions and He made it a garment for them that they might be clothed in its ease and its sleep, that it might be for them refreshment and strength, that they might reach therein pleasure and passion.
6
He created for them the daytime, giving sight, that they might seek within it of His bounty,69 find the means to His provision, and roam freely in His earth, searching for that through which to attain the immediate in their life in this world and to achieve the deferred in their life to come.
7
Through all of this He sets right their situation, tries their records,70 and watches their state in the times for obeying Him, the waystations of His obligations, and the places of His ordinances, that He may repay those who do evil with what they have done and repay those who do good with goodness.71
8
O God, to Thee belongs praise for the sky Thou hast split into dawn for us,72 giving us to enjoy thereby the brightness of daytime, showing us sought-after nourishments, and protecting us from the striking of blights.
9
In the morning we and all things, every one, rise for Thee, the heaven and the earth and what Thou hast scattered in each, the still and the moving, the resident and the journeying, what towers up in the air and what hides under the ground.
10
We rise in the morning in Thy grasp: Thy kingdom and authority contain us and Thy will embraces us. We move about by Thy command and turn this way and that through Thy governing.
11
We own nothing of the affair except what Thou hast decreed and nothing of the good except what Thou hast given.
12
This is a fresh, new day, over us a ready witness. If we do good, it will take leave from us with praise, and if we do evil, it will part from us in blame.
13
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, provide us with the day's good companionship and preserve us against parting from it badly by doing a misdeed or committing a sin, whether small or great!
14
Make our good deeds within it plentiful empty us therein of evil deeds, and fill what lies between its two sides for us with praise and thanksgiving, wages and stores, bounty and beneficence!
15
O God, ease our burden on the Noble Writers,73 fill our pages for us with our good deeds, and degrade us not before them with our evil works!
16
O God, appoint for us in each of the day's hours a share from Thy servants, a portion of giving thanks to Thee, and a truthful witness among Thy angels!
17
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household and safeguard us from before us and behind us, from our right hands and our left hands and from all our directions,74 a safeguarding that will preserve from disobeying Thee, guide to obeying Thee, and be employed for Thy love!
18
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household and give us success in this day of ours, this night of ours, and in all our days, to employ the good, stay away from the evil, give thanks for favours, follow the Sunna's norms, avoid innovations, enjoin good behaviour, forbid the disapproved, defend Islam, diminish falsehood and abase it, help the truth and exalt it, guide the misguided, assist the weak, and reach out to the troubled!
19
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household and make this the most fortunate day we have known, the most excellent companion we have accompanied, and the best time in which we have lingered!
20
Place us among the most satisfied of all Thy creatures whom night and day have passed by, the most thankful of them for the favours Thou hast done, the firmest of them in the laws Thou hast set down in the Shari'a, and the most unyielding of them toward the prohibited acts against which Thou hast cautioned!
21
O God, I call Thee to witness - and Thou art sufficient witness - and I call Thy heaven and Thy earth to witness and Thy angels and Thy other creatures who inhabit them in this my day, this my hour, this my night, and this my resting place, that I bear witness that Thou art God, other than whom there is no god, Upholding justice, Equitable in judgement, Clement to the servants,75 Master of the kingdom,76 Compassionate to the creatures,
22
and that Muhammad is Thy servant and Thy messenger, Thy chosen from among Thy creatures. Thou didst charge him with Thy message and he delivered it; Thou didst command him to counsel his community and he counselled it.
23
O God, so bless Muhammad and his Household more than Thou hast blessed any of Thy creatures! Give him for our sake the best Thou hast given any of Thy servants, and repay him on our behalf better and more generously than Thou hast repaid any of Thy prophets on behalf of his community!
24
Thou art All-kind with immensity, the Forgiver of the great, and Thou art more merciful than every possessor of mercy! So bless Muhammad and his Household, the good, the pure, the chosen, the most distinguished!
http://www.al-islam.org/sahifa/dua6.html
Dua-5 His Supplication for himself and the People under his Guardianship
1
O He the wonders of whose mightiness will never end! Bless Muhammad and his Household and prevent us from deviation concerning Thy mightiness!
2
O He the term of whose kingdom will never cease! Bless Muhammad and his Household and release our necks from Thy vengeance!
3
O He the treasuries of whose mercy will never be exhausted! Bless Muhammad and his Household and appoint for us a portion of Thy mercy!
4
O He whom eyes fall short of seeing! Bless Muhammad and his Household and bring us close to Thy nearness!
5
O He before whose greatness all great things are small! Bless Muhammad and his Household and give us honour with Thee!
6
O He to whom all hidden tidings are manifest! Bless Muhammad and his Household and expose us not before Thee!
7
O God, remove our need for the gifts of the givers through Thy gift, spare us the loneliness of those who break off through Thy joining, that we may beseech no one along with Thy free giving, that we may feel lonely at no one's absence along with Thy bounty!
8
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, scheme for us, not against us, devise to our benefit, not to our loss,66 give the turn to prevail to us, not to others!
9
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, protect us from Thyself, safeguard us through Thyself, guide us to Thyself, and take us not far from Thyself!67 he whom Thou protectest stays safe, he whom Thou guidest knows, and he whom Thou bringest near Thyself takes the spoils.
10
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household and spare us the cutting edge of time's turning changes, the evil of Satan's snares, and the bitterness of the sovereign's aggression!
11
O God, the spared are spared only through the bounty of Thy strength, so bless Muhammad and his Household and spare us! The givers give only through the bounty of Thy wealth, so bless Muhammad and his Household and give to us! The guided are guided only by the light of Thy face, so bless Muhammad and his Household and guide us!
12
O God, he whom Thou befriendest will not be injured by the abandonment of the abandoners, he to whom Thou givest will not be diminished by the withholding of the withholders, he whom Thou guidest will not be misled by the misguidance of the misguiders.
13
So bless Muhammad and his Household, defend us from Thy servants through Thy might, free us from need for other than Thee through Thy support, and make us travel the path of the Truth through Thy right guidance!
14
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household and put the soundness of our hearts into the remembrance of Thy mightiness, the idleness of our bodies into giving thanks for Thy favour, and the flow of our tongues into the description of Thy kindness!
15
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household and make us one of Thy summoners who summon to Thee, Thy guiders who direct to Thee, and Thy special friends whom Thou hast singled out! O Most Merciful of the merciful!
O He the wonders of whose mightiness will never end! Bless Muhammad and his Household and prevent us from deviation concerning Thy mightiness!
2
O He the term of whose kingdom will never cease! Bless Muhammad and his Household and release our necks from Thy vengeance!
3
O He the treasuries of whose mercy will never be exhausted! Bless Muhammad and his Household and appoint for us a portion of Thy mercy!
4
O He whom eyes fall short of seeing! Bless Muhammad and his Household and bring us close to Thy nearness!
5
O He before whose greatness all great things are small! Bless Muhammad and his Household and give us honour with Thee!
6
O He to whom all hidden tidings are manifest! Bless Muhammad and his Household and expose us not before Thee!
7
O God, remove our need for the gifts of the givers through Thy gift, spare us the loneliness of those who break off through Thy joining, that we may beseech no one along with Thy free giving, that we may feel lonely at no one's absence along with Thy bounty!
8
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, scheme for us, not against us, devise to our benefit, not to our loss,66 give the turn to prevail to us, not to others!
9
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, protect us from Thyself, safeguard us through Thyself, guide us to Thyself, and take us not far from Thyself!67 he whom Thou protectest stays safe, he whom Thou guidest knows, and he whom Thou bringest near Thyself takes the spoils.
10
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household and spare us the cutting edge of time's turning changes, the evil of Satan's snares, and the bitterness of the sovereign's aggression!
11
O God, the spared are spared only through the bounty of Thy strength, so bless Muhammad and his Household and spare us! The givers give only through the bounty of Thy wealth, so bless Muhammad and his Household and give to us! The guided are guided only by the light of Thy face, so bless Muhammad and his Household and guide us!
12
O God, he whom Thou befriendest will not be injured by the abandonment of the abandoners, he to whom Thou givest will not be diminished by the withholding of the withholders, he whom Thou guidest will not be misled by the misguidance of the misguiders.
13
So bless Muhammad and his Household, defend us from Thy servants through Thy might, free us from need for other than Thee through Thy support, and make us travel the path of the Truth through Thy right guidance!
14
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household and put the soundness of our hearts into the remembrance of Thy mightiness, the idleness of our bodies into giving thanks for Thy favour, and the flow of our tongues into the description of Thy kindness!
15
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household and make us one of Thy summoners who summon to Thee, Thy guiders who direct to Thee, and Thy special friends whom Thou hast singled out! O Most Merciful of the merciful!
Dua-4 Blessing upon the Attesters to the Messengers
1
O God, as for the followers of the messengers and those of the people of the earth who attested to them unseen (while the obstinate resisted them through crying lies) - they yearned for the emissaries through the realities of faith,
2
in every era and time in which Thou didst send a messenger and set up for the people a director from the period of Adam down to Muhammad (God bless him and his Household) from among the imams of guidance and the leaders of the godfearing (upon them all be peace) - remember them with forgiveness and good pleasure!
3
O God, and as for the Companions of Muhammad specifically, those who did well in companionship, who stood the good test in helping him, responded to him when he made them hear his messages' argument,
4
separated from mates and children in manifesting his word, fought against fathers and sons in strengthening his prophecy, and through him gained victory;
5
those who were wrapped in affection for him, hoping for a commerce that comes not to naught64 in love for him;
6
those who were left by their clans when they clung to his handhold and denied by their kinsfolk when they rested in the shadow of his kinship;
7
forget not, O God, what they abandoned for Thee and in Thee, and make them pleased with Thy good pleasure for the sake of the creatures they drove to Thee while they were with Thy Messenger, summoners to Thee for Thee.
8
Show gratitude to them for leaving the abodes of their people for Thy sake and going out from a plentiful livelihood to a narrow one, and [show gratitude to] those of them who became objects of wrongdoing and whom Thou multiplied in exalting Thy religion.
9
O God, and give to those who have done well in following the Companions, who say, Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who went before us in faith,65 Thy best reward;
10
those who went straight to the Companions' road, sought out their course, and proceeded in their manner.
11
No doubt concerning their sure insight diverted them and no uncertainty shook them from following in their tracks and being led by the guidance of their light.
12
As their assistants and supporters, they professed their religion, gained guidance through their guidance, came to agreement with them, and never accused them in what they passed on to them.
13
O God, and bless the Followers, from this day of ours to the Day of Doom, their wives, their offspring, and those among them who obey Thee,
14
with a blessing through which Thou wilt preserve them from disobeying Thee, make room for them in the plots of Thy Garden, defend them from the trickery of Satan, help them in the piety in which they seek help from Thee, protect them from sudden events that come by night and day - except the events which come with good -
15
and incite them to tie firmly the knot of good hope in Thee, what is with Thee, and refrain from ill thoughts [toward Thee] because of what the hands of Thy servants' hold.
16
Thus Thou mayest restore them to beseeching Thee and fearing Thee, induce them to renounce the plenty of the immediate, make them love to work for the sake of the deferred and prepare for what comes after death,
17
make easy for them every distress that comes to them on the day when souls take leave from bodies,
18
release them from that which brings about the perils of temptation and being thrown down in the Fire and staying forever within it,
19
and take them to security, the resting place of the godfearing.
http://www.al-islam.org/sahifa/dua4.html
O God, as for the followers of the messengers and those of the people of the earth who attested to them unseen (while the obstinate resisted them through crying lies) - they yearned for the emissaries through the realities of faith,
2
in every era and time in which Thou didst send a messenger and set up for the people a director from the period of Adam down to Muhammad (God bless him and his Household) from among the imams of guidance and the leaders of the godfearing (upon them all be peace) - remember them with forgiveness and good pleasure!
3
O God, and as for the Companions of Muhammad specifically, those who did well in companionship, who stood the good test in helping him, responded to him when he made them hear his messages' argument,
4
separated from mates and children in manifesting his word, fought against fathers and sons in strengthening his prophecy, and through him gained victory;
5
those who were wrapped in affection for him, hoping for a commerce that comes not to naught64 in love for him;
6
those who were left by their clans when they clung to his handhold and denied by their kinsfolk when they rested in the shadow of his kinship;
7
forget not, O God, what they abandoned for Thee and in Thee, and make them pleased with Thy good pleasure for the sake of the creatures they drove to Thee while they were with Thy Messenger, summoners to Thee for Thee.
8
Show gratitude to them for leaving the abodes of their people for Thy sake and going out from a plentiful livelihood to a narrow one, and [show gratitude to] those of them who became objects of wrongdoing and whom Thou multiplied in exalting Thy religion.
9
O God, and give to those who have done well in following the Companions, who say, Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who went before us in faith,65 Thy best reward;
10
those who went straight to the Companions' road, sought out their course, and proceeded in their manner.
11
No doubt concerning their sure insight diverted them and no uncertainty shook them from following in their tracks and being led by the guidance of their light.
12
As their assistants and supporters, they professed their religion, gained guidance through their guidance, came to agreement with them, and never accused them in what they passed on to them.
13
O God, and bless the Followers, from this day of ours to the Day of Doom, their wives, their offspring, and those among them who obey Thee,
14
with a blessing through which Thou wilt preserve them from disobeying Thee, make room for them in the plots of Thy Garden, defend them from the trickery of Satan, help them in the piety in which they seek help from Thee, protect them from sudden events that come by night and day - except the events which come with good -
15
and incite them to tie firmly the knot of good hope in Thee, what is with Thee, and refrain from ill thoughts [toward Thee] because of what the hands of Thy servants' hold.
16
Thus Thou mayest restore them to beseeching Thee and fearing Thee, induce them to renounce the plenty of the immediate, make them love to work for the sake of the deferred and prepare for what comes after death,
17
make easy for them every distress that comes to them on the day when souls take leave from bodies,
18
release them from that which brings about the perils of temptation and being thrown down in the Fire and staying forever within it,
19
and take them to security, the resting place of the godfearing.
http://www.al-islam.org/sahifa/dua4.html
Dua-3 Blessing upon the Bearers of the Throne
1
O God, as for the Bearers of Thy Throne,47 who never flag in glorifying Thee, never become weary of calling Thee holy, never tire of worshipping Thee, never prefer curtailment over diligence in Thy command, and are never heedless of passionate love for Thee;
2
Seraphiel, the Owner of the Trumpet, fixed in his gaze, awaiting Thy permission and the descent of the Command, that he may arouse through the Blast the hostages thrown down in the graves;
3
Michael, possessor of standing with Thee and a raised up place in Thy obedience;
4
Gabriel, entrusted with Thy revelation, obeyed by the inhabitants of Thy heavens, distinguished in Thy Presence,48 brought nigh to Thee;
5
the spirit who is over the angels of the veils;49
6
and the spirit who is of Thy command50 - bless them and the angels below them: the residents in Thy heavens, those entrusted with Thy messages,
7
those who become not wearied by perseverance, or exhausted and flagged by toil, whom passions distract not from glorifying Thee, and whose magnification of Thee is never cut off by the inattention of heedless moments;
8
their eyes lowered, they do not attempt to look at Thee; their chins bowed, they have long desired what is with Thee; unrestrained in mentioning Thy boons, they remain humble before Thy mightiness and the majesty of Thy magnificence;
9
those who say when they look upon Gehenna roaring over the people who disobeyed Thee: 'Glory be to Thee, we have not worshipped Thee with the worship Thou deservest!'
10
Bless them, and Thy angels who are the Reposeful, those of proximity to Thee, those who carry the unseen to Thy messengers, those entrusted with Thy revelation,
11
the tribes of angels whom Thou hast singled out for Thyself, freed from need for food and drink by their calling Thee holy, and made to dwell inside Thy heavens' layers,
12
those who will stand upon the heavens' borders51 when the Command descends to complete Thy promise,
13
the keepers of the rain, the drivers of the clouds,
14
him at whose driving's sound is heard the rolling of thunder, and when the reverberating clouds swim before his driving, bolts of lightning flash;
15
the escorts of snow and hail, the descenders with the drops of rain when they fall, the watchers over the treasuries of the winds, those charged with the mountains lest they disappear,
16
those whom Thou hast taught the weights of the waters and the measures contained by torrents and masses of rain;
17
the angels who are Thy messengers to the people of the earth with the disliked affliction that comes down and the beloved ease;
18
the devoted, noble scribes,52 the watchers, noble writers,53 the angel of death and his helpers, Munkar and Nakir,54 Rumaan, the tester in the graves,55 the circlers of the Inhabited House,56 Malik57 and the guardians, Ridwan58 and the gatekeepers of the gardens,
19
those who disobey not God in What He commands them and do What they are commanded;59
20
those who say, Peace be upon you, for that you were patient - and fair is the Ultimate Abode;60
21
the Zabaniya, who, when it is said to them, take him, and fetter him, then roast him in hell,61 hasten to accomplish it, nor do they give him any respite;62
22
him whom we have failed to mention, not knowing his place with Thee, nor with which command Thou hast charged him;
23
and the residents in the air, the earth, and the water, and those of them charged over the creatures;
24
bless them on the day when every soul will come, with it a driver and a witness,63
25
and bless them with a blessing that will add honour to their honour and purity to their purity.
26
O God, and when Thou blessest Thy angels and Thy messengers and Thou extendest our blessings to them, bless us through the good words about them which Thou hast opened up for us! Thou art Munificent, Generous.
http://www.al-islam.org/sahifa/dua3.html
O God, as for the Bearers of Thy Throne,47 who never flag in glorifying Thee, never become weary of calling Thee holy, never tire of worshipping Thee, never prefer curtailment over diligence in Thy command, and are never heedless of passionate love for Thee;
2
Seraphiel, the Owner of the Trumpet, fixed in his gaze, awaiting Thy permission and the descent of the Command, that he may arouse through the Blast the hostages thrown down in the graves;
3
Michael, possessor of standing with Thee and a raised up place in Thy obedience;
4
Gabriel, entrusted with Thy revelation, obeyed by the inhabitants of Thy heavens, distinguished in Thy Presence,48 brought nigh to Thee;
5
the spirit who is over the angels of the veils;49
6
and the spirit who is of Thy command50 - bless them and the angels below them: the residents in Thy heavens, those entrusted with Thy messages,
7
those who become not wearied by perseverance, or exhausted and flagged by toil, whom passions distract not from glorifying Thee, and whose magnification of Thee is never cut off by the inattention of heedless moments;
8
their eyes lowered, they do not attempt to look at Thee; their chins bowed, they have long desired what is with Thee; unrestrained in mentioning Thy boons, they remain humble before Thy mightiness and the majesty of Thy magnificence;
9
those who say when they look upon Gehenna roaring over the people who disobeyed Thee: 'Glory be to Thee, we have not worshipped Thee with the worship Thou deservest!'
10
Bless them, and Thy angels who are the Reposeful, those of proximity to Thee, those who carry the unseen to Thy messengers, those entrusted with Thy revelation,
11
the tribes of angels whom Thou hast singled out for Thyself, freed from need for food and drink by their calling Thee holy, and made to dwell inside Thy heavens' layers,
12
those who will stand upon the heavens' borders51 when the Command descends to complete Thy promise,
13
the keepers of the rain, the drivers of the clouds,
14
him at whose driving's sound is heard the rolling of thunder, and when the reverberating clouds swim before his driving, bolts of lightning flash;
15
the escorts of snow and hail, the descenders with the drops of rain when they fall, the watchers over the treasuries of the winds, those charged with the mountains lest they disappear,
16
those whom Thou hast taught the weights of the waters and the measures contained by torrents and masses of rain;
17
the angels who are Thy messengers to the people of the earth with the disliked affliction that comes down and the beloved ease;
18
the devoted, noble scribes,52 the watchers, noble writers,53 the angel of death and his helpers, Munkar and Nakir,54 Rumaan, the tester in the graves,55 the circlers of the Inhabited House,56 Malik57 and the guardians, Ridwan58 and the gatekeepers of the gardens,
19
those who disobey not God in What He commands them and do What they are commanded;59
20
those who say, Peace be upon you, for that you were patient - and fair is the Ultimate Abode;60
21
the Zabaniya, who, when it is said to them, take him, and fetter him, then roast him in hell,61 hasten to accomplish it, nor do they give him any respite;62
22
him whom we have failed to mention, not knowing his place with Thee, nor with which command Thou hast charged him;
23
and the residents in the air, the earth, and the water, and those of them charged over the creatures;
24
bless them on the day when every soul will come, with it a driver and a witness,63
25
and bless them with a blessing that will add honour to their honour and purity to their purity.
26
O God, and when Thou blessest Thy angels and Thy messengers and Thou extendest our blessings to them, bless us through the good words about them which Thou hast opened up for us! Thou art Munificent, Generous.
http://www.al-islam.org/sahifa/dua3.html
Blessing upon Muhammad and his Household Dua 2
1
Praise belongs to God who was kind to us through Muhammad (God bless him and his Household) to the exclusion of past communities and bygone generations, displaying thereby His power, which nothing can render incapable, though it be great, and nothing can escape, though it be subtle.
2
He sealed through us all He created, appointed us witnesses over those who deny, and increased us by His kindness over those who are few.
3
O God, bless Muhammad, entrusted by Thee with Thy revelation, distinguished by Thee among Thy creatures, devoted to Thee among Thy servants, the imam of mercy, the leader of good, the key to blessing,
4
who wearied his soul for Thy affairs,
5
exposed his body to detested things for Thy sake,
6
showed open enmity toward his next of kin by summoning to Thee,
7
fought against his family for Thy good pleasure,
8
cut the ties of the womb in giving life to Thy religion,
9
sent far those close because of their denial,
10
brought near those far because of their response to Thee,
11
showed friendship to the most distant for Thy sake,
12
displayed enmity toward the nearest for Thy sake,
13
made his soul persevere in delivering Thy message,
14
tired it in summoning to Thy creed,
15
busied it in counselling those worthy of Thy summons,
16
migrated to the land of exile and the place of remoteness from the home of his saddlebags, the walkway of his feet, the ground of his birth, and the intimate abode of his soul, desiring to exalt Thy religion and seeking help against those who disbelieved in Thee,
17
until what he attempted against Thy enemies went well with him
18
and what he arranged for Thy friends was accomplished.
19
He rose up against them seeking victory through Thine aid, becoming strong in spite of his weakness with Thy help.
20
He fought against them in the centre of their cities
21
and attacked them in the midst of their dwellings,
22
until Thy command prevailed, and Thy word rose up, though the idolaters were averse.43
23
O God, so raise him, because of his labours for Thy sake, to the highest degree of Thy Garden,44
24
that none may equal him in station, none may match him in level, and no angel brought nigh or prophet sent out may parallel him in Thy sight.
25
And inform him concerning his Household the pure and his community the faithful of an excellent intercession, greater than what Thou hast promised him!45
26
O Keeper of promises! O Faithful to Thy word! O He who changes evil deeds into manifold good deeds!46 Thou art of bounty abounding!
http://www.al-islam.org/sahifa/dua2.html
Praise belongs to God who was kind to us through Muhammad (God bless him and his Household) to the exclusion of past communities and bygone generations, displaying thereby His power, which nothing can render incapable, though it be great, and nothing can escape, though it be subtle.
2
He sealed through us all He created, appointed us witnesses over those who deny, and increased us by His kindness over those who are few.
3
O God, bless Muhammad, entrusted by Thee with Thy revelation, distinguished by Thee among Thy creatures, devoted to Thee among Thy servants, the imam of mercy, the leader of good, the key to blessing,
4
who wearied his soul for Thy affairs,
5
exposed his body to detested things for Thy sake,
6
showed open enmity toward his next of kin by summoning to Thee,
7
fought against his family for Thy good pleasure,
8
cut the ties of the womb in giving life to Thy religion,
9
sent far those close because of their denial,
10
brought near those far because of their response to Thee,
11
showed friendship to the most distant for Thy sake,
12
displayed enmity toward the nearest for Thy sake,
13
made his soul persevere in delivering Thy message,
14
tired it in summoning to Thy creed,
15
busied it in counselling those worthy of Thy summons,
16
migrated to the land of exile and the place of remoteness from the home of his saddlebags, the walkway of his feet, the ground of his birth, and the intimate abode of his soul, desiring to exalt Thy religion and seeking help against those who disbelieved in Thee,
17
until what he attempted against Thy enemies went well with him
18
and what he arranged for Thy friends was accomplished.
19
He rose up against them seeking victory through Thine aid, becoming strong in spite of his weakness with Thy help.
20
He fought against them in the centre of their cities
21
and attacked them in the midst of their dwellings,
22
until Thy command prevailed, and Thy word rose up, though the idolaters were averse.43
23
O God, so raise him, because of his labours for Thy sake, to the highest degree of Thy Garden,44
24
that none may equal him in station, none may match him in level, and no angel brought nigh or prophet sent out may parallel him in Thy sight.
25
And inform him concerning his Household the pure and his community the faithful of an excellent intercession, greater than what Thou hast promised him!45
26
O Keeper of promises! O Faithful to Thy word! O He who changes evil deeds into manifold good deeds!46 Thou art of bounty abounding!
http://www.al-islam.org/sahifa/dua2.html
In Praise of God (BY Imam Sajjad (A.S))
1
Praise belongs to God, the First, without a first before Him, the Last, without a last behind Him.
2
Beholders' eyes fall short of seeing Him, describers' imaginations are not able to depict Him.
3
He originated the creatures through His power with an origination, He devised them in accordance with His will with a devising.
4
Then He made them walk on the path of His desire, He sent them out on the way of His Love. They cannot keep back from that to which He has sent them forward, nor can they go forward to that from which He has kept them back.
5
He assigned from His provision to each of their spirits a nourishment known and apportioned. No decreaser decreases those whom He increases, no increaser increases those of them whom He decreases.
6
Then for each spirit He strikes a fixed term in life, for each He sets up a determined end; he walks toward it through the days of his span, he overtakes it through the years of his time. Then, when he takes his final step and embraces the reckoning of his span, God seizes him to the abundant reward or the feared punishment to which He has called him, That He may repay those who do evil for what they have done and repay those who do good with goodness,27
7
as justice from Him (holy are His names, and manifest His boons). He shall not be questioned as to what He does, but they shall be questioned.28
8
Praise belongs to God, for, had He withheld from His servants the knowledge to praise Him for the uninterrupted kindnesses with which He has tried them29 and the manifest favours which He has lavished upon them, they would have moved about in His kindnesses without praising Him, and spread themselves out in His provision without thanking Him.
9
Had such been the case, they would have left the bounds of humanity for that of beastliness and become as He has described in the firm text of His Book: They are but as the cattle—nay, but they are further astray from the way!.30
10
Praise belongs to God, for the true knowledge of Himself He has given to us, the thanksgiving He has inspired us to offer Him, the doors to knowing His Lordship He has opened for us, the sincerity towards Him in professing His Unity to which He has led us, and the deviation and doubt in His Command from which He has turned us aside;
11
a praise through which we may be given long life among those of His creatures who praise Him, and overtake those who have gone ahead toward His good pleasure and pardon;
12
a praise through which He will illuminate for us the shadows of the interworld,31 ease for us the path of the Resurrection, and raise up our stations at the standing places of the Witnesses32 on the day when every soul will be repaid for what it has earned - they shall not be wronged;33 the day a master shall avail nothing a client, and they shall not be helped;34
13
a praise which will rise up from us to the highest of the 'Illiyun35 in a book inscribed, witnessed by those brought nigh,36
14
a praise whereby our eyes may be at rest when sight is dazzled,37 our faces whitened when skins are blackened,38
15
a praise through which we may be released from God's painful Fire and enter God's generous neighbourhood,
16
a praise by which we may jostle the angels brought nigh and join the prophets, the envoys, in a House of Permanence that does not remove, the Place of His Generosity that does not change.
17
Praise belongs to God, who chose for us the good qualities of creation, granted us the agreeable things of provision,
18
and appointed for us excellence through domination over all creation; every one of His creatures submits to us through His power and comes to obey us through His might.39
19
Praise belongs to God, who locked for us the gate of need except toward Him. So how can we praise Him? When can we thank Him? Indeed, when?
20
Praise belongs to God, who placed within us the organs of expansion, assigned for us the agents of contraction, gave us to enjoy the spirits of life, fixed within us the limbs of works, nourished us with the agreeable things of provision, freed us from need through His bounty, and gave us possessions through His kindness.
21
Then He commanded us that He might test our obedience and prohibited us that He might try our thanksgiving. So we turned against the path of His commandments and mounted the backs of His warnings. Yet He hurried us not to His punishment, nor hastened us on to His vengeance. No, He went slowly with us through His mercy, in generosity, and awaited our return through His clemency, in mildness.
22
Praise belongs to God, who showed us the way to repentance, which we would not have won save through His bounty. Had we nothing to count as His bounty but this, His trial of us would have been good, His beneficence toward us great, His bounty upon us immense.
23
For such was not His wont in repentance with those who went before us.40 He has lifted up from us what we have not the strength to bear,41 charged us only to our capacity,42 imposed upon us nothing but ease, and left none of us with an argument or excuse.
24
So the perisher among us is he who perishes in spite of Him and the felicitous among us he who beseeches Him.
25
And praise belongs to God with all the praises of His angels closest to Him, His creatures most noble in His eyes, and His praisers most pleasing to Him;
26
a praise that may surpass other praises as our Lord surpasses all His creatures.
27
Then to Him belongs praise, in place of His every favour upon us and upon all His servants, past and still remaining, to the number of all things His knowledge encompasses, and in place of each of His favours, their number doubling and redoubling always and forever, to the Day of Resurrection;
28
a praise whose bound has no utmost end, whose number has no reckoning, whose limit cannot be reached, whose period cannot be cut off;
29
a praise which will become a link to His obedience and pardon, a tie to His good pleasure, a means to His forgiveness, a path to His Garden, a protector against His vengeance, a security against His wrath, an aid to obeying Him, a barrier against disobeying Him, a help in fulfilling His right and His duties;
30
a praise that will make us felicitous among His felicitous friends, and bring us into the ranks of those martyred by the swords of His enemies. He is a Friend, Praiseworthy! worthy!
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Amr Bi L-Ma'Aroof, Nahy 'An Al Munkir, Khums (The One-Fifth Tax)
6. Amr Bi L-Ma'Aroof (Directing Others Towards Good). It is an act of worship for a Muslim to advise and direct others to the doing of good deeds for the pleasure of Allah.
7. Nahy 'An Al Munkir (Directing Others Away From Evil). Similarly it is the duty of every Muslim to advise others against committing sins. (III:103, 109, 113; VII:199; IX:71, 112; XXII:41; XXI:17.)
8. Khums (The One-Fifth Tax) Only the Shiahs believe in this additional tax and they regard it as a major obligation of every Shiah Muslim. It was instituted by God as a token of regard for the Prophet and his family. (VII:1:41; XXXIII:27; LIX:6-9).
It is a 20% tax on all earnings after deduction of house-hold and commercial expenses.
Khums is paid to the mujtahid and is divided into two equal portions. One half of all receipts of khums by the mujtahid is the portion belonging to the Imaam in occultation and the mujtahid spends this portion in educational, social and economic projects for the betterment of the Shiah community. First priority is accorded to the community from which the khums was received. The second half is distributed amongst the poor and deserving descendants of the Prophet (the sayyids) each of whom may receive only up to a year's subsistence.
7. Nahy 'An Al Munkir (Directing Others Away From Evil). Similarly it is the duty of every Muslim to advise others against committing sins. (III:103, 109, 113; VII:199; IX:71, 112; XXII:41; XXI:17.)
8. Khums (The One-Fifth Tax) Only the Shiahs believe in this additional tax and they regard it as a major obligation of every Shiah Muslim. It was instituted by God as a token of regard for the Prophet and his family. (VII:1:41; XXXIII:27; LIX:6-9).
It is a 20% tax on all earnings after deduction of house-hold and commercial expenses.
Khums is paid to the mujtahid and is divided into two equal portions. One half of all receipts of khums by the mujtahid is the portion belonging to the Imaam in occultation and the mujtahid spends this portion in educational, social and economic projects for the betterment of the Shiah community. First priority is accorded to the community from which the khums was received. The second half is distributed amongst the poor and deserving descendants of the Prophet (the sayyids) each of whom may receive only up to a year's subsistence.
Jihad Struggle Or Striving
There are two kinds of jihad, the major jihad and the minor jihad.
The Major Jihad: (Jihad Al-Akbar) This is the struggle against one's inner self (nafs) to subjugate and control one's passions and carnal desires. The base self (nafs-e-ammara) must be controlled by the conscience (nafs-e-lawwama), and only when one succeeds in this struggle does one attain the perfect self, the self at peace with itself (nafs-e-mutmainna). To those who attain this state, the God says:
" O the soul at peace, return to your Lord, pleased with His good pleasure AND enter into the company of My true servants. Enter the Garden !." (LXXXIX:27-30). The Minor Jihad (Jihad Al-Asghar) This means to struggle for Islam. Not for extension of boundaries, not for personal glory, not for the glory of any tribe, community or nation, but for the defence of Islam and the protection of its values. Such a struggle can take many forms, through the use of pen, through the use of tongue or through the use of the sword. This last form is often referred to in the Quraan as Qitaal (warfare).
In the Shiah theology, a general qitaal can be declared only by an Imaam. A mujtahid has no authority to summon Muslims to a jihad involving qitaal.
The Major Jihad: (Jihad Al-Akbar) This is the struggle against one's inner self (nafs) to subjugate and control one's passions and carnal desires. The base self (nafs-e-ammara) must be controlled by the conscience (nafs-e-lawwama), and only when one succeeds in this struggle does one attain the perfect self, the self at peace with itself (nafs-e-mutmainna). To those who attain this state, the God says:
" O the soul at peace, return to your Lord, pleased with His good pleasure AND enter into the company of My true servants. Enter the Garden !." (LXXXIX:27-30). The Minor Jihad (Jihad Al-Asghar) This means to struggle for Islam. Not for extension of boundaries, not for personal glory, not for the glory of any tribe, community or nation, but for the defence of Islam and the protection of its values. Such a struggle can take many forms, through the use of pen, through the use of tongue or through the use of the sword. This last form is often referred to in the Quraan as Qitaal (warfare).
In the Shiah theology, a general qitaal can be declared only by an Imaam. A mujtahid has no authority to summon Muslims to a jihad involving qitaal.
Zakah. (The Wealth Tax).
Zakah, which literally means purity or purification, is a wealth tax of a small percentage (usually 2.5%) for the benefit of the needy in the society. It is regarded as a debt to God and must be distributed for the pleasure of Allah to the less fortunate amongst one's relatives, and the orphans, and the needy, and the wayfarers, and the beggars, and for the freeing of slaves. (II: 2-3, II-43, II:177, IX:11, XXII:41, IX:71, III:91, XIV:91, XXIV:22, XXVI:9, XIV:35-37, XXII:26)
There are innumerable traditions of the Prophet insisting upon zakah being paid by every muslim. Imaam Ja'far Sadiq said that the one who does not give zakah can not expect his salaah to be accepted by Allah.
There are innumerable traditions of the Prophet insisting upon zakah being paid by every muslim. Imaam Ja'far Sadiq said that the one who does not give zakah can not expect his salaah to be accepted by Allah.
Hajj (Pilgrimage To Mecca).
Every Muslim who has attained puberty and has sufficient means not only to undertake a journey to Mecca but also for the subsistence of his dependants during his absence, must once in his life time perform pilgrimage.
Kaaba is the edifice which was presented to God as a gift by His Prophets Abraham and Ishmael.
The rites for the pilgrimage begin on the 8th of the eleventh month and culminate into the Idd of Sacrifice on the 10th. (II:158, 196-203; III:97; V:3; XXII 26:33).
A muslim's journey to the House of God, and there seeking his Maker's forgiveness through expression of repentance and the performance of all the rituals attending pilgrimage, is a spiritual experience so overwhelming that the pilgrim's very soul appears to undergo a purification.
The pilgrimage has another philosophical aspect.
In the Quraan, like in the Old Testament, there is the story of Abraham having been commanded to sacrifice his son. The Quraan, however, states that the son was Ishmael.
The father communicates the message to the young lad who had just attained puberty. The lad exhorts the father to comply with the divine command adding, "God willing, you shall find me amongst the patient ones."
Unbeknown to the mother, the father and the son travel to the planes of Arafaa, a short distance from Mecca. There they spend the night in prayers. The following afternoon they travel to the town of Meena where the sacrifice was to take place. They spend the night on the outskirts of the town. The following morning they enter Meena.
On the way to the appointed place, the Satan tries thrice to lure them into abandoning the enterprise, but each time the father and the son chase him away by throwing pebbles at him.
When they get to the place of sacrifice, the father blindfolds his son saying that he did not wish the lad to see the anguish on the father's face. He then blindfolds himself for, as he reasoned, how could any father watch his son die ?
God saves Ishmael by substituting a ram and sends His salutations to Abraham for his act of obedience. God also promises Abraham to immortalize the event. (II:125-127; III:96-97; XXXVII:101-111).
The mother, on learning what had happened, screams and falls unconscious at the thought of what might have happened had Allah not intervened to save her beloved son. Shortly afterwards she dies and is buried close to Kaaba. Her burial place is treated as being included in the hallowed ground around which the pilgrim circumambulates.
Every pilgrim takes the same route which Abraham and Ishmael had taken. He too spends the first night, as they did, in Arafaa and the second night outside Meena. He too symbolically stones the satan at the three places in Meena.
While of-course the visit to the House of Allah has its own great spirituality, the pilgrim also must reflect upon the rituals which appear to enshrine family values, parents' love for their off-spring, the vanquishing of the satan, the one within man's heart, by symbolically stoning him and above all the willingness to make sacrifices for the pleasure of God.
Kaaba is the edifice which was presented to God as a gift by His Prophets Abraham and Ishmael.
The rites for the pilgrimage begin on the 8th of the eleventh month and culminate into the Idd of Sacrifice on the 10th. (II:158, 196-203; III:97; V:3; XXII 26:33).
A muslim's journey to the House of God, and there seeking his Maker's forgiveness through expression of repentance and the performance of all the rituals attending pilgrimage, is a spiritual experience so overwhelming that the pilgrim's very soul appears to undergo a purification.
The pilgrimage has another philosophical aspect.
In the Quraan, like in the Old Testament, there is the story of Abraham having been commanded to sacrifice his son. The Quraan, however, states that the son was Ishmael.
The father communicates the message to the young lad who had just attained puberty. The lad exhorts the father to comply with the divine command adding, "God willing, you shall find me amongst the patient ones."
Unbeknown to the mother, the father and the son travel to the planes of Arafaa, a short distance from Mecca. There they spend the night in prayers. The following afternoon they travel to the town of Meena where the sacrifice was to take place. They spend the night on the outskirts of the town. The following morning they enter Meena.
On the way to the appointed place, the Satan tries thrice to lure them into abandoning the enterprise, but each time the father and the son chase him away by throwing pebbles at him.
When they get to the place of sacrifice, the father blindfolds his son saying that he did not wish the lad to see the anguish on the father's face. He then blindfolds himself for, as he reasoned, how could any father watch his son die ?
God saves Ishmael by substituting a ram and sends His salutations to Abraham for his act of obedience. God also promises Abraham to immortalize the event. (II:125-127; III:96-97; XXXVII:101-111).
The mother, on learning what had happened, screams and falls unconscious at the thought of what might have happened had Allah not intervened to save her beloved son. Shortly afterwards she dies and is buried close to Kaaba. Her burial place is treated as being included in the hallowed ground around which the pilgrim circumambulates.
Every pilgrim takes the same route which Abraham and Ishmael had taken. He too spends the first night, as they did, in Arafaa and the second night outside Meena. He too symbolically stones the satan at the three places in Meena.
While of-course the visit to the House of Allah has its own great spirituality, the pilgrim also must reflect upon the rituals which appear to enshrine family values, parents' love for their off-spring, the vanquishing of the satan, the one within man's heart, by symbolically stoning him and above all the willingness to make sacrifices for the pleasure of God.
Saum (Fasting).
The second act of worship is fasting in the month of Ramadhaan, the 9th month of the Islamic calendar. This is obligatory upon every mature muslim except the sick, the traveller, a woman during her menstruation period and those infirm by age.
Fasting involves refraining from eating, drinking and sexual activity from the beginning of the nautical dawn to sunset. But these are not the sole objectives. Fasting is a conscious obedience of Allah's command. It is the human being's struggle to dedicate a whole month to activities which please his Maker. "It is the means", says Nasr, "by which man pulls the reins of his animal desires and realizes that he is more than an animal."
Fasting also begins with a declaration of intent to fast for the attainment of proximity to Allah. (II:184, 185, 187)
It is incumbent upon a muslim to know why he prays and why he fasts. Imaam Ali says, "One who knows not why he prays or why he fasts, his prayers and fasts are little more than meaningless physical exertions, hunger and thirst."
Fasting involves refraining from eating, drinking and sexual activity from the beginning of the nautical dawn to sunset. But these are not the sole objectives. Fasting is a conscious obedience of Allah's command. It is the human being's struggle to dedicate a whole month to activities which please his Maker. "It is the means", says Nasr, "by which man pulls the reins of his animal desires and realizes that he is more than an animal."
Fasting also begins with a declaration of intent to fast for the attainment of proximity to Allah. (II:184, 185, 187)
It is incumbent upon a muslim to know why he prays and why he fasts. Imaam Ali says, "One who knows not why he prays or why he fasts, his prayers and fasts are little more than meaningless physical exertions, hunger and thirst."
Acts of Worship
The Arabic term used for Acts of worship is Ibaadah. This does not mean worship. It means service. To serve God in the manner in which He has commanded his creatures to serve Him is Ibaadah. The term would include all acts of piety as well as the mandatory acts of worship.
The mandatory acts of worship accepted by both the Sunnis and the Shiahs are:
1. Salaah (The Daily Prayers) Every Muslim, from the time he or she attains puberty must perform the salaah. Except for a woman in menstruation, no person is excused from this act of worship.
Before a person begins his salaah he must perform the ritual ablution in the prescribed form. The object is symbolic preparation for the salaah and not, as often believed, cleanliness. A person has to be clean to perform the ablution (wudhoo). Then he stands facing Mecca and declares his intention to pray for gaining proximity to Allah. With this declaration he enters the formal state of salaah in which he remains until the completion of his prayers.
A salaah consists of a number of units called rakaahs. Each unit (rakaah) consists of
recitation of the opening chapter and one other chapter of the Quraan while in the standing position,
the bowing down (rukoo) and glorifying God in that position and
two prostrations each called a sajdaah in which again God is glorified. Then the second rakaah would commence.
The morning prayers to be performed between the dawn and sunrise have two rakaahs, the mid-day prayers four rakaahs, the sunset three and the evening four.
The prayers are ended by affirmation that Allah is One and has no partners and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger. Salutations are offered to the Prophet, all the righteous souls and all who are engaged in prayers.
Salaah is regarded as not only a ritual act of worship but a communion with the Maker. It is the most important form of ibaadah and sickness (other than insanity), age or infirmity is no excuse for not performing prayers.
Lapsed prayers constitute a debt to God and are a first charge on a muslim's time and conscience. In the event of a person having died without having said any of his lapsed prayers, the eldest son, or if the deceased is not survived by a son, his heir must say or pay someone to say the lapsed prayers of the deceased.
Seyyid Hossein Nasr writes in his Ideals and Realities of Islam:
" In the canonical prayers man stands before God as the representative of all creatures. He prays for and in the name of all beings."
Amongst the many sayings of the Prophet on the subject are:
" Salaah is the spiritual ascension of the faithful where he communes with Allah."
" The good deeds wipe out the evil deeds of a man. The salaah and patience (sabr) are the best of deeds." Salaah is a spiritual activity where the person performing it is totally immersed, mentally and physically, in the remembrance of God. (XXIX:45, XXII:34 & 35, XXVII:1-3, XX:6-7 and 14, IX:71, LXXIV:38-48, VI:71 & 72, XV:98 & 99, XI:114 & 225).
The mandatory acts of worship accepted by both the Sunnis and the Shiahs are:
1. Salaah (The Daily Prayers) Every Muslim, from the time he or she attains puberty must perform the salaah. Except for a woman in menstruation, no person is excused from this act of worship.
Before a person begins his salaah he must perform the ritual ablution in the prescribed form. The object is symbolic preparation for the salaah and not, as often believed, cleanliness. A person has to be clean to perform the ablution (wudhoo). Then he stands facing Mecca and declares his intention to pray for gaining proximity to Allah. With this declaration he enters the formal state of salaah in which he remains until the completion of his prayers.
A salaah consists of a number of units called rakaahs. Each unit (rakaah) consists of
recitation of the opening chapter and one other chapter of the Quraan while in the standing position,
the bowing down (rukoo) and glorifying God in that position and
two prostrations each called a sajdaah in which again God is glorified. Then the second rakaah would commence.
The morning prayers to be performed between the dawn and sunrise have two rakaahs, the mid-day prayers four rakaahs, the sunset three and the evening four.
The prayers are ended by affirmation that Allah is One and has no partners and that Muhammad is His servant and messenger. Salutations are offered to the Prophet, all the righteous souls and all who are engaged in prayers.
Salaah is regarded as not only a ritual act of worship but a communion with the Maker. It is the most important form of ibaadah and sickness (other than insanity), age or infirmity is no excuse for not performing prayers.
Lapsed prayers constitute a debt to God and are a first charge on a muslim's time and conscience. In the event of a person having died without having said any of his lapsed prayers, the eldest son, or if the deceased is not survived by a son, his heir must say or pay someone to say the lapsed prayers of the deceased.
Seyyid Hossein Nasr writes in his Ideals and Realities of Islam:
" In the canonical prayers man stands before God as the representative of all creatures. He prays for and in the name of all beings."
Amongst the many sayings of the Prophet on the subject are:
" Salaah is the spiritual ascension of the faithful where he communes with Allah."
" The good deeds wipe out the evil deeds of a man. The salaah and patience (sabr) are the best of deeds." Salaah is a spiritual activity where the person performing it is totally immersed, mentally and physically, in the remembrance of God. (XXIX:45, XXII:34 & 35, XXVII:1-3, XX:6-7 and 14, IX:71, LXXIV:38-48, VI:71 & 72, XV:98 & 99, XI:114 & 225).
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