For needs (27)
130 verses
This translation was machine-assisted and is awaiting scholarly review. The Arabic above is the authoritative text.
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- Twenty-seventh: `Ali ibn Ibrahim has reported on the authority of his father on the authority of Ibn Mahbub on the authority of `Ala' ibn Ruzayn on the authority of `Abd al-Rahman ibn Sayyabah who said: Imam al-Sadiq (`a) gave me this supplicatory prayer:
- In fact, this supplicatory prayer comprises highly considerable contents. Its reporter is `Abd al-Rahman in Sayyabah whom was given a noteworthy advice by Imam al-Sadiq (`a). Let us now refer to this event: — `Abd al-Rahman ibn Sayyabah: When my father died, one of his friends came to us and knocked the door. When I opened the door, he expressed his sympathy to me and then asked whether my father had left any financial inheritance with us. — When I answered in the negative, the man handed me over a bag of one thousand dirhams and advised me to keep them up, use them in commerce, and gain my living from their profits. — Rejoicing at this, I hurried to my mother and informed her about what had just happened. Later on, I went to one of my father’s friends and asked him to teach me what kind of business I would do with the money. He therefore advised me to trade in a sort of fine cloth. He also purchased a quantity of this cloth and I chose a shop to work in. In fact, Almighty Allah provided me with very much profit in this business. In the season of the hajj pilgrimage, I intended to go on hajj. I therefore informed my mother about this intention of mine and she advised me to give back the amount of money to its owner. — When I did, the man became very happy as if I would donate him the money for nothing. Nevertheless, he offered to me more money, but I thanked him and informed that I would go on the hajj pilgrimage. I then left for Makkah and then returned to al-Madinah. With a group of people, I intended to visit Imam al-Sadiq (`a) who used to permit all people to visit him at that time. Within the group that visited the Imam (`a), I sat in the last raw, since I was young. People began to ask the Imam (`a), he would answer them all, and they would then leave. When a few people only remained, the Imam (`a) pointed to me to come close to him. “Do you need anything?” asked the Imam (`a). “May Allah accept me as ransom for you! I am `Abd al-Rahman the son of Sayyabah,” answered I. The Imam (`a) asked about my father and I told him that he had died. — Expressing sympathy to me, the Imam (`a) asked, “Did he leave any financial inheritance with you?” “No, he did not,” answered I. “How could you then afford this journey of hajj pilgrimage?” asked the Imam (`a). I then told him about the story of these dirhams. Interrupting me, the Imam (`a) asked, “What have you done with these dirhams before you came on hajj pilgrimage?” I answered that I had given back the amount to its owner. “Well done,” said the Imam (`a), “May I advise you of something?” “Yes, you may,” answered I. He thus said, “If you adhere to telling the truth and fulfilling your trusts, you will have a binding share in the properties of all people.” — To explain, the Imam (`a) advised this man to keep up telling the truth in all of his words, to avoid telling lies, to fulfill his promises, to give back the debts to their owners in their limited times, to avoid devouring the others’ dues wrongfully. If one does all that to people, they will give him whenever you ask. If he does so, he will be as if he has a share in their properties. — Back to the event, `Abd al-Rahman added: As I committed myself with this advice of Imam al-Sadiq (`a), I gained so many profits that the religious tax of which was three hundred thousand dirhams one year. — According to another tradition, the aforementioned supplicatory prayer is ascribed to Imam `Ali ibn al-Husayn Zayn al-`ªbidin (`a). However, it ends up with this sentence:
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Twenty-seventh: `Ali ibn Ibrahim has reported on the authority of his father on the authority of Ibn Mahbub on the authority of `Ala' ibn Ruzayn on the authority of `Abd al-Rahman ibn Sayyabah who said: Imam al-Sadiq (`a) gave me this supplicatory prayer:
1الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَلِيِّ ٱلْحَمْدِ
All praise be to Allah; the Patron of praise
- 2
وَأَهْلِهِ وَمُنْتَهَاهُ وَمَحَلِّهِ
and its worthiest, utmost, and center.
- 3
أَخْلَصَ مَنْ وَحَّدَهُ
Sincere is he who professes of His Oneness,
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وَٱهْتَدَىٰ مَنْ عَبَدَهُ
truly guided is he who serves Him,
- 5
وَفَازَ مَنْ أَطَاعَهُ
triumphant is he who obeys Him,
- 6
وَأَمِنَ ٱلْمُعْتَصِمُ بِهِ
and secured is he who takes shelter with Him.
- 7
اَللَّهُمَّ يَا ذَا ٱلْجُودِ وَٱلْمَجْدِ
O Allah, O Lord of magnanimity, glory,
- 8
وَٱلثَّنَاءِ ٱلْجَمِيلِ وَٱلْحَمْدِ
excellent extolment, and praise,
- 9
أَسْأَلُكَ مَسْأَلَةَ مَنْ خَضَعَ لَكَ بِرَقَبَتِهِ
I beseech You the beseeching of one who subjugated his neck to You,
- 10
وَرَغَمَ لَكَ أَنْفَهُ
made himself subordinate to You,
- 11
وَعَفَّرَ لَكَ وَجْهَهُ
covered his face with soil for You,
- 12
وَذَلَّلَ لَكَ نَفْسَهُ
humiliated himself to You,
- 13
وَفَاضَتْ مِنْ خَوْفِكَ دُمُوعُهُ
shed his tears for fear of You,
- 14
وَتَرَدَّدَتْ عَبْرَتُهُ
sobbed for You,
- 15
وَٱعْتَرَفَ لَكَ بِذُنُوبِهِ
and confessed of his sins;
- 16
وَفَضَحَتْهُ عِنْدَكَ خَطِيئَتُهُ
one whose wrongdoing exposed him before You
- 17
وَشَانَتْهُ عِنْدَكَ جَرِيرَتُهُ
and whose crime disgraced him before You;
- 18
فَضَعُفَتْ عِنْدَ ذٰلِكَ قُوَّتُهُ
therefore, his power diminished,
- 19
وَقَلَّتْ حِيلَتُهُ
his stratagem failed,
- 20
وَٱنْقَطَعَتْ عَنْهُ أَسْبَابُ خَدَائِعِهِ
the ways of his trickeries broke down,
- 21
وَٱضْمَحَلَّ عَنْهُ كُلُّ بَاطِلٍ
all of his wrong things vanished,
- 22
وَأَلْجَأَتْهُ ذُنُوبُهُ إِلَىٰ ذُلِّ مَقَامِهِ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ
and his sins compelled him to present himself in a humiliating situation in Your Presence,
- 23
وَخُضُوعِهِ لَدَيْكَ
to submit himself to You,
- 24
وَٱبْتِهَالِهِ إِلَيْكَ
and to implore You earnestly.
- 25
أَسْأَلُكَ ٱللَّهُمَّ سُؤَالَ مَنْ هُوَ بِمَنْزِلَتِهِ
I thus beseech You the beseeching of such one,
- 26
أَرْغَبُ إِلَيْكَ كَرَغْبَتِهِ
desire for You the same desiring of him,
- 27
وَأَتَضَرَّعُ إِلَيْكَ كَتَضَرُّعِهِ
humiliate myself before You just as he does,
- 28
وَأَبْتَهِلُ إِلَيْكَ كَأَشَدِّ ٱبْتِهَالِهِ
and implore You as earnestly as he does.
- 29
اَللَّهُمَّ فَٱرْحَمِ ٱسْتِكَانَةَ مَنْطِقِي
O Allah, (please) have mercy upon the humiliation in my words,
- 30
وَذُلَّ مَقَامِي وَمَجْلِسِي
the meekness of my situation and condition,
- 31
وَخُضُوعِي إِلَيْكَ بِرَقَبَتِي
and the subjugating of my neck to You.
- 32
أَسْأَلُكَ ٱللَّهُمَّ ٱلْهُدَىٰ مِنَ ٱلضَّلاَلَةِ
I beseech You, O Allah, for guidance against deviation,
- 33
وَٱلْبَصِيرَةَ مِنَ ٱلْعَمَىٰ
insight against blindness,
- 34
وَٱلرُّشْدَ مِنَ ٱلْغِوَايَةِ
and orthodoxy against heterodoxy.
- 35
وَأَسْأَلُكَ ٱللَّهُمَّ أَكْثَرَ ٱلْحَمْدِ عِنْدَ ٱلرَّخَاءِ
I also beseech You, O Allah, for the most of praise in situations of luxurious wellbeing,
- 36
وَأَجْمَلَ ٱلصَّبْرِ عِنْدَ ٱلْمُصِيبَةِ
the comeliest patience in misfortunes,
- 37
وَأَفْضَلَ ٱلشُّكْرِ عِنْدَ مَوْضِعِ ٱلشُّكْرِ
the best gratitude in situations of thanking,
- 38
وَٱلتَّسْلِيمَ عِنْدَ ٱلشُّبُهَاتِ
and submission in seditious situations.
- 39
وَأَسْأَلُكَ ٱلْقُوَّةَ فِي طَاعَتِكَ
I also beseech You for capability to obey You,
- 40
وَٱلضَّعْفَ عَنْ مَعْصِيَتِكَ
incapability to disobey You,
- 41
وَٱلْهَرَبَ إِلَيْكَ مِنْكَ
resorting to You from You,
- 42
وَٱلتَّقَرُّبَ إِلَيْكَ رَبِّ لِتَرْضَىٰ
seeking nearness to You, O my Lord, so that Your pleasure is obtained,
- 43
وَٱلتَّحَرِّيَ لِكُلِّ مَا يُرْضِيكَ عَنِّي
and inspection of whatever pleases You with me
- 44
فِي إِسْخَاطِ خَلْقِكَ
although it may irate Your creatures,
- 45
ٱلْتِمَاساً لِرِضَاكَ
for purpose of winning Your pleasure.
- 46
رَبِّ مَنْ أَرْجُوهُ إِنْ لَمْ تَرْحَمْنِي
O my Lord, whom will I hope if You do not have mercy upon me?
- 47
أَوْ مَنْ يَعُودُ عَلَيَّ إِنْ أَقْصَيْتَنِي
Who will grant me graces if You put me aside?
- 48
أَوْ مَنْ يَنْفَعُنِي عَفْوُهُ إِنْ عَاقَبْتَنِي
Whose pardon will benefit me if You punish me?
- 49
أَوْ مَنْ آمُلُ عَطَايَاهُ إِنْ حَرَمْتَنِي
Whose donations will I expect if You deprive me?
- 50
أَوْ مَنْ يَمْلِكُ كَرَامَتِي إِنْ أَهَنْتَنِي
Who can honor me if You dishonor me?
- 51
أَوْ مَنْ يَضُرُّنِي هَوَانُهُ إِنْ أَكْرَمْتَنِي
Whose humiliation will I care for if You honor me?
- 52
رَبِّ مَا أَسْوَأَ فِعْلِي
O my Lord, how awful my deed is!
- 53
وَأَقْبَحَ عَمَلِي
How hideous my acts are!
- 54
وَأَقْسَىٰ قَلْبِي
How hard my heart is!
- 55
وَأَطْوَلَ أَمَلِي
How procrastinative my hope is!
- 56
وَأَقْصَرَ أَجَلِي
How short my lifetime is!
- 57
وَأَجْرَأَنِي عَلَىٰ عِصْيَانِ مَنْ خَلَقَنِي
How daring I am to disobey my Creator!
- 58
رَبِّ وَمَا أَحْسَنَ بَلاَءَكَ عِنْدِي
O my Lord, but how excellent Your favors to me are
- 59
وَأَظْهَرَ نَعْمَاءَكَ عَلَيَّ
and how manifest Your graces on me are!
- 60
كَثُرَتْ عَلَيَّ مِنْكَ ٱلنِّعَمُ فَمَا أُحْصِيهَا
Your blessings to me have been too many to be counted by me,
- 61
وَقَلَّ مِنِّيِ ٱلشُّكْرُ فِيمَا أَوْلَيْتَنِيهِ
but my thanks to You have been too little if compared to what You have given me.
- 62
فَبَطِرْتُ بِٱلنِّعَمِ
I therefore have despised Your blessings,
- 63
وَتَعَرَّضْتُ لِلنِّقَمِ
exposed myself to punishments,
- 64
وَسَهَوْتُ عَنِ ٱلذِّكْرِ
neglected remembering You,
- 65
وَرَكِبْتُ ٱلْجَهْلَ بَعْدَ ٱلْعِلْمِ
entered to ignorance after knowledge,
- 66
وَجُزْتُ مِنَ ٱلْعَدْلِ إِلَىٰ ٱلظُّلْمِ
deviated from justice to injustice,
- 67
وَجَاوَزْتُ ٱلْبِرَّ إِلَىٰ ٱلإِثْمِ
passed over virtue to sinning,
- 68
وَصِرْتُ إِلَىٰ ٱللَّهْوِ مِنَ ٱلْخَوْفِ وَٱلْحُزْنِ
and shifted from fear and dread of You to heedless amusement.
- 69
فَمَا أَصْغَرَ حَسَنَاتِي وَأَقَلَّهَا
How little and scarce my good deeds are
- 70
فِي كَثْرَةِ ذُنُوبِي
if compared to my numerous sins
- 71
وَأَعْظَمَهَا عَلَىٰ قَدْرِ صِغَرِ خَلْقِي وَضَعْفِ رُكْنِي
and how grave my sins are if compared to my worthless form and my powerless support!
- 72
رَبِّ وَمَا أَطْوَلَ أَمَلِي فِي قِصَرِ أَجَلِي
O my Lord, how optimistic my hope is if compared to my fleeting lifetime!
- 73
وَأَقْصَرَ أَجَلِي فِي بُعْدِ أَمَلِي
How fleeing my lifetime is if compared to my long hope!
- 74
وَمَا أَقْبَحَ سَرِيرَتِي فِي عَلاَنِيَتِي
How hideous my hidden self is if compared to my open manners!
- 75
رَبِّ لاَ حُجَّةَ لِي إِنِ ٱحْتَجَجْتُ
O my Lord, I lack any argument if I try to provide a pretext,
- 76
وَلاَ عُذْرَ لِي إِنِ ٱعْتَذَرْتُ
I am unexcused if I try to apologize,
- 77
وَلاَ شُكْرَ عِنْدِي إِنِ ا بْلِيتُ وَأُوْلِيتُ
and I have no gratitude in all what has been donated and bestowed to me
- 78
إِنْ لَمْ تُعِنِّي عَلَىٰ شُكْرِ مَا أَوْلَيْتَ
unless You help me show gratitude to You for what You have endued me with.
- 79
رَبِّي مَا أَخَفَّ مِيزَانِي غَداً إِنْ لَمْ تُرَجِّحْهُ
O my Lord, the scale of my deeds in the morrow shall be really light if You do not give preponderance to it.
- 80
وَأَزَلَّ لِسَانِي إِنْ لَمْ تُثَبِّتْهُ
my tongue will slip terribly if You do not make it firm,
- 81
وَأَسْوَدَ وَجْهِي إِنْ لَمْ تُبَيِّضْهُ
and my face will be blackened totally, if You do not whiten it.
- 82
رَبِّ كَيْفَ لِي بِذُنُوبِيَ ٱلَّتِي سَلَفَتْ مِنِّي
O my Lord, what should I do about my past sins
- 83
قَدْ هُدَّتْ لَهَا أَرْكَانِي
that have demolished my posts?
- 84
رَبِّ كَيْفَ أَطْلُبُ شَهَوَاتِ ٱلدُّنْيَا
O my Lord, how is it reasonable for me to seek the worldly lusts
- 85
وَأَبْكِي عَلَىٰ خَيْبَتِي فِيهَا
and weep for my failure in gaining them,
- 86
وَلاَ أَبْكِي وَتَشْتَدُّ حَسَرَاتِي عَلَىٰ عِصْيَانِي وَتَفْرِيطِي
while I should better weep with intense regret for my disobedience to You and my violation of Yourcommands?
- 87
رَبِّ دَعَتْنِي دَوَاعِي ٱلدُّنْيَا
O my Lord, when the worldly seductive matters called upon me,
- 88
فَأَجَبْتُهَا سَرِيعاً
I responded to them without delay
- 89
وَرَكَنْتُ إِلَيْهَا طَائِعاً
and I inclined to them obediently,
- 90
وَدَعَتْنِي دَوَاعِي ٱلآخِرَةِ
but when the affairs of the Hereafter called upon me,
- 91
فَتَثَبَّطْتُ عَنْهَا
I slowed down
- 92
وَأَبْطَأْتُ فِي ٱلإِجَابَةِ وَٱلْمُسَارَعَةِ إِلَيْهَا
and lagged in responding to them and in hurrying towards them
- 93
كَمَا سَارَعْتُ إِلىٰ دَوَاعِي ٱلدُّنْيَا
unlike my hurrying in responding to the seductive matters of this world
- 94
وَحُطَامِهَا ٱلْهَامِدِ
along with its extinct ruins,
- 95
وَهَشِيمِهَا ٱلْبَائِدِ
dying chaff,
- 96
وَسَرَابِهَا ٱلذَّاهِبِ
and vanishing mirage.
- 97
رَبِّ تَوَّقْتَنِي وَشَوَّقْتَنِي
O my Lord, You have fascinated me, filled me with desire,
- 98
وَٱحْتَجَجْتَ عَلَيَّ بِرِقِّي
claimed against me with my servitude to You,
- 99
وَتَكَفَّلْتَ لِي بِرِزْقِي
and guaranteed my sustenance;
- 100
فَأَمِنْتُ خَوْفَكَ
therefore, I felt secured from You,
- 101
وَتَثَبَّطْتُ عَنْ تَشْوِيقِكَ
slowed down despite Your stimulating,
- 102
وَلَمْ أَتَّكِلْ عَلَىٰ ضَمَانِكَ
neglected paying attention to Your guaranteed sustenance,
- 103
وَتَهَاوَنْتُ بِٱحْتِجَاجِكَ
and undervalued Your claim.
- 104
اَللَّهُمَّ فَٱجْعَلْ أَمْنِي مِنْكَ
O Allah, (please) change my security from You
- 105
فِي هٰذِهِ ٱلدُّنْيَا خَوْفاً
in this world into fear (of You)
- 106
وَحَوِّلْ تَثَبُّطِي شَوْقاً
and transform my slowing down into yearning for You
- 107
وَتَهَاوُنِي بِحُجَّتِكَ فَرَقاً مِنْكَ
and my undervaluing of Your claim into dread of You.
- 108
ثُمَّ رَضِّنِي بِمَا قَسَمْتَ لِي مِنْ رِزْقِكَ
Then, (please) make me satisfied with the sustenance You have decided for me.
- 109
يَا كَرِيمُ أَسْأَلُكَ بِٱسْمِكَ ٱلْعَظِيمِ
O All-generous, I beseech You in the name of Your Great Name
- 110
رِضَاكَ عِنْدَ ٱلسُّخْطَةِ
to endue me with Your pleasure at situations that stimulate Your wrath,
- 111
وَٱلْفُرْجَةَ عِنْدَ ٱلْكُرْبَةِ
to grant me relief at situations of agonies,
- 112
وَٱلنُورَ عِنْدَ ٱلظُّلْمَةِ
to grant me light in darkness,
- 113
وَٱلْبَصِيرَةَ عِنْدَ تَشَبُّهِ ٱلْفِتْنَةِ
and to grant me insight when seditious matters come to assimilate themselves to the truth.
- 114
رَبِّ ٱجْعَلْ جُنَّتِي مِنْ خَطَايَايَ حَصِينَةً
O Allah, (please) make Your protection of me against my wrongdoings to be invulnerable,
- 115
وَدَرَجَاتِي فِي ٱلْجِنَانِ رَفِيعَةً
my ranks in the gardens of Paradise to be elevated,
- 116
وَأَعْمَالِي كُلَّهَا مُتَقَبَّلَةً
all of my deeds to be admitted,
- 117
وَحَسَنَاتِي مُتَضَاعَفَةً زَاكِيَةً
and the rewards for my good deeds to be multiplied and increasingly doubled.
- 118
أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ ٱلْفِتَنِ كُلِّهَا
I pray Your protection against all seditious matters,
- 119
مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ
both the apparent and the hidden,
- 120
وَمِنْ رَفِيعِ ٱلْمَطْعَمِ وَٱلْمَشْرَبِ
against licentious food and drink,
- 121
وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا أَعْلَمُ
against the evil of whatever I know
- 122
وَمِنْ شَرِّ مَا لاَ أَعْلَمُ
and against the evil of what I do not know.
- 123
وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ أَنْ أَشْتَرِيَ ٱلْجَهْلَ بِٱلْعِلْمِ
I also pray Your protection against that I may exchange knowledge for ignorance,
- 124
وَٱلْجَفَاءَ بِٱلْحِلْمِ
forbearance for alienation,
- 125
وَٱلْجَوْرَ بِٱلْعَدْلِ
justice for bias,
- 126
وَٱلْقَطِيعَةَ بِٱلْبِرِّ
piety for rupture of relations,
- 127
وَٱلْجَزَعَ بِٱلصَّبْرِ
tolerance for impatience,
- 128
وَٱلْهُدَىٰ بِٱلضَّلاَلَةِ
true guidance for deviation,
- 129
وَٱلْكُفْرَ بِٱلإِيـمَانِ
and belief for disbelief.
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In fact, this supplicatory prayer comprises highly considerable contents. Its reporter is `Abd al-Rahman in Sayyabah whom was given a noteworthy advice by Imam al-Sadiq (`a). Let us now refer to this event: — `Abd al-Rahman ibn Sayyabah: When my father died, one of his friends came to us and knocked the door. When I opened the door, he expressed his sympathy to me and then asked whether my father had left any financial inheritance with us. — When I answered in the negative, the man handed me over a bag of one thousand dirhams and advised me to keep them up, use them in commerce, and gain my living from their profits. — Rejoicing at this, I hurried to my mother and informed her about what had just happened. Later on, I went to one of my father’s friends and asked him to teach me what kind of business I would do with the money. He therefore advised me to trade in a sort of fine cloth. He also purchased a quantity of this cloth and I chose a shop to work in. In fact, Almighty Allah provided me with very much profit in this business. In the season of the hajj pilgrimage, I intended to go on hajj. I therefore informed my mother about this intention of mine and she advised me to give back the amount of money to its owner. — When I did, the man became very happy as if I would donate him the money for nothing. Nevertheless, he offered to me more money, but I thanked him and informed that I would go on the hajj pilgrimage. I then left for Makkah and then returned to al-Madinah. With a group of people, I intended to visit Imam al-Sadiq (`a) who used to permit all people to visit him at that time. Within the group that visited the Imam (`a), I sat in the last raw, since I was young. People began to ask the Imam (`a), he would answer them all, and they would then leave. When a few people only remained, the Imam (`a) pointed to me to come close to him. “Do you need anything?” asked the Imam (`a). “May Allah accept me as ransom for you! I am `Abd al-Rahman the son of Sayyabah,” answered I. The Imam (`a) asked about my father and I told him that he had died. — Expressing sympathy to me, the Imam (`a) asked, “Did he leave any financial inheritance with you?” “No, he did not,” answered I. “How could you then afford this journey of hajj pilgrimage?” asked the Imam (`a). I then told him about the story of these dirhams. Interrupting me, the Imam (`a) asked, “What have you done with these dirhams before you came on hajj pilgrimage?” I answered that I had given back the amount to its owner. “Well done,” said the Imam (`a), “May I advise you of something?” “Yes, you may,” answered I. He thus said, “If you adhere to telling the truth and fulfilling your trusts, you will have a binding share in the properties of all people.” — To explain, the Imam (`a) advised this man to keep up telling the truth in all of his words, to avoid telling lies, to fulfill his promises, to give back the debts to their owners in their limited times, to avoid devouring the others’ dues wrongfully. If one does all that to people, they will give him whenever you ask. If he does so, he will be as if he has a share in their properties. — Back to the event, `Abd al-Rahman added: As I committed myself with this advice of Imam al-Sadiq (`a), I gained so many profits that the religious tax of which was three hundred thousand dirhams one year. — According to another tradition, the aforementioned supplicatory prayer is ascribed to Imam `Ali ibn al-Husayn Zayn al-`ªbidin (`a). However, it ends up with this sentence:
130آمينَ رَبَّ ٱلْعَالَمينَ
(Please) respond, O Lord of the worlds.