Sahifa Sajjadiya 33: Asking for the Best

فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِهِ، وَاقْضِ لِي بِالْخِيَرَةِ

Fa-ṣalli ʿalā Muḥammadin wa-Ālihī, wa-qḍi lī bil-khīrah

So bless Muḥammad and his family, and decree for me the best choice.

وَأَلْهِمْنَا مَعْرِفَةَ الِاخْتِيَارِ،

Wa-alhimnā maʿrifata al-ikhtiyār

And inspire us with knowledge of choosing rightly.

وَاجْعَلْ ذَلِكَ ذَرِيعَةً إِلَى الرِّضَا

Wa-jʿal dhālika dharīʿatan ilā al-riḍā

And make that a means to contentment.

بِمَا قَضَيْتَ لَنَا، وَالتَّسْلِيمِ لِمَا حَكَمْتَ

Bimā qaḍayta lanā, wa-al-taslīmi limā ḥakamta

With what You have decreed for us, and submitting to what You decide.

فَأَزِحْ عَنَّا رَيْبَ الِارْتِيَابِ

Fa-aziḥ ʿannā rayba al-irtīyāb

So remove from us the doubts of uncertainty.

وَأَيِّدْنَا بِيَقِينِ الْمُخْلِصِينَ

Wa-ayyidnā bi-yaqīni al-mukhliṣīn

And strengthen us with the certainty of the sincere.

وَلَا تَسُمْنَا عَجْزَ الْمَعْرِفَةِ عَمَّا تَخَيَّرْتَ

Wa-lā tasumnā ʿajza al-maʿrifati ʿammā takhayyarta

And do not make us suffer the ignorance of what You have chosen.

فَنَغْمِطَ قَدْرَكَ، وَنَكْرَهَ مَوْضِعَ رِضَاكَ

Fa-naghmiṭa qadraka, wa-nakraha mawḍiʿa riḍāk

So that we belittle Your decree or dislike the place of Your pleasure.

وَنَجْنَحَ إِلَى الَّتِي هِيَ أَبْعَدُ مِنْ حُسْنِ الْعَاقِبَةِ

Wa-najnaḥa ilā allatī hiya abʿadu min ḥusni al-ʿāqibah

And incline towards that which is far from a good outcome.

وَأَقْرَبُ إِلَى ضِدِّ الْعَافِيَةِ

Wa-aqrabu ilā ḍiddi al-ʿāfiyah

And nearer to the opposite of well-being.

حَبِّبْ إِلَيْنَا مَا نَكْرَهُ مِنْ قَضَائِكَ

Ḥabbib ʾilaynā mā nakrahu min qaḍāʾika

Make beloved to us what we dislike from Your decree.

وَسَهِّلْ عَلَيْنَا مَا نَسْتَصْعِبُ مِنْ حُكْمِكَ

Wa-sahhil ʿalaynā mā nastasʿibu min ḥukmika

And make easy for us what we find difficult from Your judgment.

وَأَلْهِمْنَا الِانْقِيَادَ لِمَا أَوْرَدْتَ عَلَيْنَا مِنْ مَشِيَّتِكَ

Wa-alhimnā al-inqiyāda limā awradta ʿalaynā min mashīʾatika

And inspire us to submit to whatever You bring upon us from Your will.

حَتَّى لَا نُحِبَّ تَأْخِيرَ مَا عَجَّلْتَ

Ḥattā lā nuḥibba taʾkhīra mā ʿajjalta

So that we do not wish to delay what You hasten.

وَلَا تَعْجِيلَ مَا أَخَّرْتَ، وَلَا نَكْرَهَ مَا أَحْبَبْتَ

Wa-lā taʿjīla mā akhkharta, wa-lā nakraha mā aḥbabta

Nor hasten what You delay, nor dislike what You love.

وَلَا نَتَخَيَّرَ مَا كَرِهْتَ

Wa-lā natakhayyara mā karihta

Nor choose what You dislike.

وَاخْتِمْ لَنَا بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْمَدُ عَاقِبَةً وَأَكْرَمُ مَصِيرًا

Wa-akhtim lanā billatī hiya aḥmadu ʿāqibatan wa-akramu maṣīrā

And seal for us with that which is the best outcome and most honorable end.

إِنَّكَ تُفِيدُ الْكَرِيمَةَ وَتُعْطِي الْجَسِيمَةَ

ʾInnak tufīdu al-karīmata wa-tuʿṭī al-jasīmah

Surely You bestow generosity and grant great gifts.

وَتَفْعَلُ مَا تُرِيدُ، وَأَنْتَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

Wa-tafʿalu mā turīdu, wa-anta ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīr

And You do what You will, and You are powerful over all things.

أَللَّهُمَّ إنِّي أَسْتَخِيرُكَ بِعِلْمِكَ

al-laahum-ma in-neee as-takheeruka bii'l-mik

1.O God, I ask from You the best in Your knowledge,

فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّد وَآلِهِ وَاقْضِ لِيْ بِالْخِيَرَةِ

fas'al-li a'laa muh'am-madiw-wa aaalih waq-z''i lee bil-kheearah

2.so bless Muhammad and his Household and decree for me the best!

وَأَلْهِمْنَا مَعْرِفَةَ الاخْتِيَارِ،

wa al-him-naa maa'-rifatalikh-teeaar

3.Inspire us with knowledge to chose the best

وَاجْعَلْ ذَلِكَ ذَرِيعَةً إلَى الرِّضَا

waj-a'l d'alik d'areea'tan ilaa r-riz''aa

4.and make that a means to being pleased

بِمَا قَضَيْتَ لَنَا وَالتَّسْلِيْمِ لِمَا حَكَمْتَ.

bimaa qaz''ay-ta lanaa wat-tas-leemi limaa h'akam-t

5.with what You hast decreed for us and submitting to what You hast decided!

فَأَزِحْ عَنَّا رَيْبَ الارْتِيَابِ،

faazih' a'n-naa ray-balir-teeaab

6.Banish from us the doubt of misgiving

وَأَيِّدْنَا بِيَقِينِ الْمُخْلِصِينَ،

wa ay-yid-naa beeaqeenil-mukh-lis'een

7.and confirm us with the certainty of the sincere!

وَلاَ تَسُمْنَا عَجْزَ الْمَعْرِفَةِ عَمَّا تَخَيَّرْتَ،

wa laa tasum-naa a'j-zal-maa'-rifati a'm-maa takhay-yar-t

8.Visit us not with incapacity to know what You hast chosen,

فَنَغْمِطَ قَدْرَكَ، وَنَكْرَهَ مَوْضِعَ رِضَاكَ،

fanagh-mit'a qad-rak wa nak-raha maw-z''ia' riz''aak

9.lest we despise Your measuring out, dislike the place of Your good pleasure,

وَنَجْنَحَ إلَى الَّتِي هِيَ أَبْعَدُ مِنْ حُسْنِ الْعَاقِبَةِ

wa naj-nah'a ilaal-latee hee ab-a'du min h'us-nil-a'aqibah

10.and incline toward that which is further from good outcome

وَأَقْرَبُ إلَى ضِدِّ الْعَافِيَةِ.

wa aq-rabu ilaa z''id-dil-a'afeeah

11.and nearer to the opposite of well-being!

حَبِّبْ إلَيْنَا مَا نَكْرَهُ مِنْ قَضَائِكَ

h'ab-bib ilay-naa maa nak-rahoo min qaz''aaa-ik

12.Make us love what we dislike in Your decree

وَسَهِّلْ عَلَيْنَا مَا نَسْتَصْعِبُ مِنْ حُكْمِكَ،

wa sah-hil a'lay-naa maa nas-tas'-i'bu min h'uk-mik

13.and make easy for us what we find difficult in Your decision!

وَأَلْهِمْنَـا الانْقِيَـادَ لِمَا أَوْرَدْتَ عَلَيْنَـا مِنْ مَشِيَّتِكَ

wa al-him-naalinqeeaada limaaa aw-rat-ta a'lay-naa mim-mashee-yatik

14.Inspire us to yield to that which You bringest upon us by Your will,

حَتَّى لاَ نُحِبَّ تَأخِيْرَ مَا عَجَّلْتَ،

h'at-taa laa nuh'ib taa-kheera maa a'j-jal-t

15.lest we love the delay of what You hast hastened

وَلاَ تَعْجيْلَ مَا أَخَّرْتَ، وَلا نَكْرَهَ مَا أَحْبَبْتَ،

wa laa taa'-jeela maaa skh-khar-t wa laa nak-raha maaa ah'-bab-t

16.and the hastening of what You hast delayed, dislike what You lovest,

وَلا نَتَخَيَّرَ مَا كَرِهْتَ،

wa laa natakhay-yara maa karih-t

17.and choose what You dislikest!

وَاخْتِمْ لَنَا بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْمَدُ عَاقِبةً وَأكْرَمُ مَصِيراً

wakh-tim lanaa bil-latee hee ah'-madu a'aqibah wa ak-ramu mas'eeraa

18.Seal us with that which is most praised in outcome and most generous in issue!

إنَّكَ تُفِيدُ الْكَرِيمَةَ وَتُعْطِي الْجَسِيمَةَ،

in-naka tufeedul-kareemah wa tua'-t'eel-jaseemah

19.Surely You givest generous gain, bestowest the immense,

وَتَفْعَلُ مَا تُرِيدُ وَأَنْتَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْء قَدِيرٌ .

wa taf-a'lu maa tureed wa anta a'laa kul-li shay-in qadeer

20.dost what You wilt, and You art "powerful over everything" (3:26).