The Whispered Prayer of the Lovers

Fifteen Whispered Prayers from the Words of Sayyid al-Sajidin
مُناجاتُ خَمْسَ عَشَرَةَ مِن كلامِ سَيِّد السِّاجِدينَ
Translated by William C. Chittick

    التاسعة : مناجاة المحبّين

9. The Whispered Prayer of the Lovers

    بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

In the Name of God, the All-merciful, the All-compassionate

    إلهِي مَنْ ذَا الَّذِي ذَاقَ حَلاوَةَ مَحَبَّتِكَ،

My God, who can have tasted the sweetness of Thy love,

    فَرامَ مِنْكَ بَدَلاً؟

then wanted another in place of Thee?

    وَمَنْ ذَا الَّذِي أَنِسَ بِقُرْبِكَ،

Who can have become intimate with Thy nearness,

    فَابْتَغَى عَنْكَ حِوَلاً؟

then sought removal from Thee?

    إلهِي فَاجْعَلْنا مِمَّنِ اصْطَفَيْتَهُ

My God, place us with him whom Thou hast chosen

    لِقُرْبِكَ وَوِلايَتِكَ،

for Thy nearness and Thy friendship,

    وَأَخْلَصْتَه لِوُدِّكَ وَمَحَبَّتِكَ،

purified through Thy affection and Thy love,

    وَشَوَّقْتَهُ إلى لِقَآئِكَ،

given yearning for the meeting with Thee,

    وَرَضَّيْتَهُ بِقَضآئِكَ،

made pleased with Thy decree,

    وَمَنَحْتَهُ بِالنَّظَرِ إلى وَجْهِكَ،

granted gazing upon Thy face,

    وَحَبَوْتَهُ بِرِضاكَ،

shown the favour of Thy good pleasure,

    وَأَعَدْتَهُ مِنْ هَجْرِكَ وَقِلاكَ،

given refuge from separation from Thee and Thy loathing,

    وَبَوَّأْتَهُ مَقْعَدَ الصِّدْقِ فِي جَوارِكَ،

settled in a sure sitting place in Thy neighbourhood,

    وَخَصَصْتَهُ بِمَعْرِفَتِكَ،

singled out for true knowledge of Thee,

    وَأَهَّلْتَهُ لِعِبادَتِكَ،

made worthy for worship of Thee,

    وَهَيَّمْتَ قَلْبَهُ لإرادَتِكَ،

whose heart Thou hast captivated with Thy will,

    وَاجْتَبَيْتَهُ لِمُشاهَدَتِكَ،

whom Thou hast picked for contemplating Thee,

    وَأَخْلَيْتَ وَجْهَهُ لَكَ،

whose look Thou hast made empty for Thee,

    وَفَرَّغْتَ فُؤادَهُ لِحُبِّكَ،

whose breast Thou hast freed for Thy love,

    وَرَغَّبْتَهُ فِيمَا عِنْدَكَ،

whom Thou hast made desirous of what is with Thee,

    وَأَلْهَمْتَهُ ذِكْرَكَ،

inspired with Thy remembrance,

    وَأَوْزَعْتَهُ شُكْرَكَ،

allotted thanksgiving to Thee,

    وَشَغَلْتَهُ بِطاعَتِكَ،

occupied with obeying Thee,

    وَصَيَّرْتَهُ مِنْ صالِحِي بَرِيَّتِكَ،

turned into one of Thy righteous creatures,

    وَاخْتَرْتَهُ لِمُناجاتِكَ،

chosen for whispered prayer to Thee,

    وَقَطَعْتَ عَنْهُ كُلَّ شَيْء يَقْطَعُهُ عَنْكَ.

and from whom Thou hast cut off all things which cut him off from Thee!

    أَللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنَا مِمَّنْ دَأْبُهُمُ

O God, place us among those whose habit is

    الارْتِياحُ إلَيْكَ وَالْحَنِينُ،

rejoicing in Thee and yearning for Thee,

    وَدَهْرُهُمُ الزَّفْرَةُ وَالأَنِينُ،

whose time is spent in sighing and moaning!

    جِباهُهُمْ سَاجِدَةٌ لِعَظَمَتِكَ،

Their foreheads are bowed down before Thy mightiness,

    وَعُيُونُهُمْ ساهِرَةٌ فِي خِدْمَتِكَ،

their eyes wakeful in Thy service,

    وَدُمُوُعُهُمْ سآئِلَةٌ مِنْ خَشْيَتِكَ،

their tears flowing in dread of Thee,

    وَقُلُوبُهُمْ مُتَعَلِّقَةٌ بِمَحَبَّتِكَ،

their hearts fixed upon Thy love,

    وَأَفْئِدَتُهُمْ مُنْخَلِعَةٌ مِنْ مَهابَتِكَ،

their cores shaken with awe of Thee.

    يا مَنْ أَنْوارُ قُدْسِهِ لأَبْصارِ مُحِبِّيهِ رآئِقَةٌ،

O He, the lights of whose holiness induce wonder in the eyes of His lovers,

    وَسُبُحاتُ وَجْهِهِ لِقُلُوبِ عارِفيهِ شآئِقَةٌ،

the glories of whose face arouse the longing of the hearts of His knowers!

    يا مُنى قُلُوبِ الْمُشْتاقِينَ،

O Furthest Wish of the hearts of the yearners!

    وَيا غَايَةَ آمالِ الْمُحِبِّينَ

O Utmost Limit of the hopes of the lovers!

    أَسْأَلُكَ حُبَّكَ وَحُبَّ مَنْ يُحِبُّكَ،

I ask from Thee love for Thee, love for those who love Thee,

    وَحُبَّ كُلِّ عَمَل يُوصِلُنِي إلى قُرْبِكَ،

love for every work which will join me to Thy nearness,

    وَأَنْ تَجْعَلَكَ أَحَبَّ إلَيَّ مِمَّا سِواكَ

and that Thou makest Thyself more beloved to me than anything other than Thee

    وَأَنْ تَجْعَلَ حُبِّي إيَّاكَ قآئِداً إلى رِضْوانِكَ،

and makest my love for Thee lead to Thy good pleasure,

    وَشَوْقِي إلَيْكَ ذآئِداً عَنْ عِصْيانِكَ،

and my yearning for Thee protect against disobeying Thee!

    وَامْنُنْ بِالنَّظَرِ إلَيْكَ عَلَيَّ،

Oblige me by allowing me to gaze upon Thee,

    وَانْظُرْ بِعَيْنِ الْوُدِّ وَالْعَطْفِ إلَيَّ،

gaze upon me with the eye of affection and tenderness,

    وَلا تَصْرِفْ عَنِّي وَجْهَكَ،

turn not Thy face away from me,

    وَاجْعَلْنِي مِنْ أَهْلِ الإِسْعادِ وَالْحُظْوَةِ عِنْدَكَ،

and make me one of the people of happiness with Thee and favoured position!

    يا مُجِيبُ، يا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ.

O Responder, O Most Merciful of the merciful!