Dua for Sustenance (5)

Reporting this supplicatory prayer for seeking sustenance from Imam al-Sadiq (`a), Abu-Basir added that Imam al-Sadiq (`a) ascribed this prayer to Imam `Ali ibn al-Husayn (`a):

اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ حُسْنَ ٱلْمَعِيشَةِ

allahumma inni as'aluka husna alma`ishati

O Allah, I beseech You for excellent livelihood;

مَعِيشَةً أَتَقَوَّىٰ بِهَا عَلَىٰ جَمِيعِ حَوَائِجِي

ma`ishatan ataqawwa biha `ala jami`i hawa'iji

such livelihood by which I can be competent enough to settle all of my needs

وَأَتَوَصَّلُ بِهَا فِي ٱلْحَيَاةِ إِلَىٰ آخِرَتِي

wa atawassalu biha fi alhayati ila akhirati

and by which I can pave my way to my otherworldly life by means of this life,

مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ تُتْرِفَنِي فِيهَا فَأَطْغَىٰ

min ghayri an tutrifani fiha fa'atgha

but do not make me so luxurious that I may be inordinate

أَوْ تُقَتِّرَ بِهَا عَلَيَّ فَأَشْقَىٰ

aw tuqattira biha `alayya fa'ashqa

and do not straiten my means of life that I may be miserable.

أَوْسِعْ عَلَيَّ مِنْ حَلاَلِ رِزْقِكَ

awsi` `alayya min halali rizqika

Rather, You may grant me expansive and legally gotten sustenance

وَأَفْضِلْ عَلَيَّ مِنْ سَيْبِ فَضْلِكَ

wa afdil `alayya min saybi fadlika

and endue me kindly with the torrential favors of You,

نِعْمَةً مِنْكَ سَابِغَةً

ni`matan minka sabighatan

such pleasant graces,

وَعَطَاءً غَيْرَ مَمْنُونٍ

wa `ata'an ghayra mamnunin

and enduring gifts.

ثُمَّ لاَ تَشْغَلْنِي عَنْ شُكْرِ نِعْمَتِكَ

thumma la tashghalni `an shukri ni`matika

Then, (please) do not cause me to be distracted from thanking Your graces

بِإِكْثَارٍ مِنْهَا تُلْهِينِي بَهْجَتُهُ

Bi'iktharin minha tulhini bahjatuhu

through granting me excessive sustenance whose joy may divert me

وَتَفْتِنُنِي زَهَرَاتُ زَهْوَتِهِ

wa taftinuni zaharatu zahwatihi

and whose vainglory may lead me astray

وَلاَ بِإِقْلاَلٍ عَلَيَّ مِنْهَا

wa la bi'iqlalin `alayya minha

or through giving me very little amount of sustenance

يَقْصُرُ بِعَمَلِي كَدُّهُ

yaqsuru bi`amali kadduhu

due to which my painstaking efforts fail to meet my needs

وَيَمَْلأُ صَدْرِي هَمُّهُ

wa yamla'u sadri hammuhu

and due to which my heart is filled with grief.

أَعْطِنِي مِنْ ذٰلِكَ يَا إِلٰهِي

a`tini min dhalika ya ilahi

(Please) give me, O my God, an amount

غِنىًٰ عَنْ شِرَارِ خَلْقِكَ

ghinan `an shirari khalqika

that makes me dispense with Your evil creatures

وَبَلاَغاً أَنَالُ بِهِ رِضْوَانَكَ

wa balaghan analu bihi ridwanaka

and makes me attain Your pleasure.

وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ يَا إِلٰهِي مِنْ شَرِّ ٱلدُّنْيَا

wa a`udhu bika ya ilahi min sharri alddunya

I pray Your protection, O my God, against the evil of this world

وَشَرِّ مَا فِيهَا

wa sharri ma fiha

and the evil therein.

وَلاَ تَجْعَلْ عَلَيَّ ٱلدُّنْيَا سِجْناً

wa la taj`al `alayya alddunya sijnan

Do not cause this world to be like prison for me

وَلاَ فِرَاقَهَا عَلَيَّ حُزْناً

wa la firaqaha `alayya huznan

and do not cause my departure from it to be grief for me.

أَخْرِجْنِي مِنْ فِتْنَتِهَا مَرْضِيّاً عَنِّي

akhrijni min fitnatiha mardiyyan `anni

(Please) take me out of it while You are pleased with me

مَقْبُولاًَ فِيهَا عَمَلِي

maqbulan fiha `amali

and my deeds are accepted by You

إِلَىٰ دَارِ ٱلْحَيَوَانِ وَمَسَاكِنِ ٱلأَخْيَارِ

ila dari alhayawani wa masakini al-akhyari

to the habitat of true life and the abode of the virtuous ones.

وَأَبْدِلْنِي بِٱلدُّنْيَا ٱلْفَانِيَةِ

wa abdilni bilddunya alfaniyati

Give me in exchange for this terminating life

نَعِيمَ ٱلدَّارِ ٱلْبَاقِيَةِ

na`ima alddari albaqiyati

the bliss of the everlasting abode.

اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ أَزْلِهَا وَزِلْزَالِهَا

allahumma inni a`udhu bika min azliha wa zilzaliha

O Allah, I pray for Your protection against this world’s hardships and tribulations

وَسَطَوَاتِ شَيَاطِينِهَا وَسَلاَطِينِهَا وَنَكَالِهَا

wa satawati shayatiniha wa salatiniha wa nakaliha

and against the sways of its devils, rulers, and chastisement

وَمِنْ بَغْيِ مَنْ بَغَىٰ عَلَيَّ فِيهَا

wa min baghyi man bagha `alayya fiha

as well as against the oppression of whoever has oppressed me in this world.

اَللَّهُمَّ مَنْ كَادَنِي فَكِدْهُ

allahumma man kadani fakid-hu

O Allah, (please) frustrate whoever intends to deceive me,

وَمَنْ أَرَادَنِي فَأَرِدْهُ

wa man aradani bisu'in fa'arid-hu

thwart whoever intends evil to me,

وَفُلَّ عَنِّي حَدَّ مَنْ نَصَبَ لِي حَدَّهُ

wa fulla `anni hadda man nasaba li haddahu

break off the sharp edge of whoever has targeted at me,

وَأَطْفِئْ عَنِّي نَارَ مَنْ شَبَّ لِي وَقُودَهُ

wa atfi' `anni nara man shabba li waqudahu

extinguish the fire of whoever has collected its wood against me,

وَٱكْفِنِي مَكْرَ ٱلْمَكَرَةِ

wakfini makra almakarati

save me from the trickeries of the cunning ones,

وَٱفْقَأْ عَنِّي عُيُونَ ٱلْكَفَرَةِ

wafqa' `anni `uyuna alkafarati

gouge out the eyes of the disbelievers,

وَٱكْفِنِي هَمَّ مَنْ أَدْخَلَ عَلَيَّ هَمَّهُ

wakfini hamma man adkhala `alayya hammahu

save me from the grief of whoever has grieved me,

وَٱدْفَعْ عَنِّي شَرَّ ٱلْحَسَدَةِ

wadfa` `anni sharra alhasadati

defend me against the evil of the envious ones,

وَٱعْصِمْنِي مِنْ ذٰلِكَ بِٱلسَّكِينَةِ

wa`simni min dhalika bilssakinati

protect me against all that through tranquility,

وَأَلْبِسْنِي دِرْعَكَ ٱلْحَصِينَةَ

wa albisni dir`aka alhasinata

dress me Your invulnerable armor,

وَأَحْيِنِي فِي سِتْرِكَ ٱلْوَاقِي

wa ahyini fi sitrika alwaqi

cause me to live under the shade of Your protective covering,

وَأَصْلِحْ لِي حَالِي

wa aslih li hali

set aright all of my affairs,

وَصَدِّقْ قَوْلِي بِفِعَالِي

wa saddiq qawli bifi`ali

make congruous my words and my deeds,

وَبَارِكْ لِي فِي أَهْلِي

wa barik li fi ahli

and bless my family members for me.