Blessing upon the Bearers of the Throne (3)

وَ كَانَ مِنْ دُعَائِهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فِي الصَّلَاةِ عَلَى حَمَلَةِ الْعَرْشِ وَ كُلِّ مَلَكٍ مُقَرَّبٍ
A Supplication in Calling down Blessings upon the Bearers of the Throne and Every Angel Brought Nigh
Translated by William Chittick

 اللَّهُمَّ وَ حَمَلَةُ عَرْشِكَ الَّذِينَ لَا يَفْتُرُونَ مِنْ تَسْبِيحِكَ ،

 O God, as for the Bearers of Thy Throne, who never flag in glorifying Thee,

    وَ لَا يَسْأَمُونَ مِنْ تَقْدِيسِكَ ،

never become weary of calling Thee holy,

    وَ لَا يَسْتَحْسِرُونَ مِنْ عِبَادَتِكَ ،

never tire of worshipping Thee,

    وَ لَا يُؤْثِرُونَ التَّقْصِيرَ عَلَى الْجِدِّ فِي أَمْرِكَ ،

never prefer curtailment over diligence in Thy command,

    وَ لَا يَغْفُلُونَ عَنِ الْوَلَهِ إِلَيْكَ

and are never heedless of passionate love for Thee;

     وَ إِسْرَافِيلُ صَاحِبُ الصُّورِ ،

 Seraphiel, the Owner of the Trumpet,

    الشَّاخِصُ الَّذِي يَنْتَظِرُ مِنْكَ الْإِذْنَ ،

fixed in his gaze, awaiting Thy permission

    وَ حُلُولَ الْأَمْرِ ،

and the descent of the Command,

    فَيُنَبِّهُ بِالنَّفْخَةِ صَرْعَى رَهَائِنِ الْقُبُورِ .

that he may arouse through the Blast the hostages thrown down in the graves;

     وَ مِيكَائِيلُ ذُو الْجَاهِ عِنْدَكَ ،

 Michael, possessor of standing with Thee

    وَ الْمَكَانِ الرَّفِيعِ مِنْ طَاعَتِكَ .

and a raised up place in Thy obedience;

     وَ جِبْرِيلُ الْأَمِينُ عَلَى وَحْيِكَ ،

 Gabriel, entrusted with Thy revelation,

    الْمُطَاعُ فِي أَهْلِ سَمَاوَاتِكَ ،

obeyed by the inhabitants of Thy heavens,

    الْمَكِينُ لَدَيْكَ ،

distinguished in Thy Presence,

    الْمُقَرَّبُ عِنْدَكَ

brought nigh to Thee;

     وَ الرُّوحُ الَّذِي هُوَ عَلَى مَلَائِكَةِ الْحُجُبِ .

 the spirit who is over the angels of the veils;

     وَ الرُّوحُ الَّذِي هُوَ مِنْ أَمْرِكَ ،

 and the spirit who is of Thy command

    فَصَلِّ عَلَيْهِمْ ، وَ عَلَى الْمَلَائِكَةِ الَّذِينَ مِنْ دُونِهِمْ مِنْ سُكَّانِ سَمَاوَاتِكَ ،

bless them and the angels below them: the residents in Thy heavens,

    وَ أَهْلِ الْأَمَانَةِ عَلَى رِسَالَاتِكَ

those entrusted with Thy messages,

     وَالَّذِينَ لَا تَدْخُلُهُمْ سَأْمَةٌ مِنْ دُءُوبٍ ،

 those who become not wearied by perseverance,

    وَ لَا إِعْيَاءٌ مِنْ لُغُوبٍ وَ لَا فُتُورٌ ،

or exhausted and flagged by toil,

    وَ لَا تَشْغَلُهُمْ عَنْ تَسْبِيحِكَ الشَّهَوَاتُ ،

whom passions distract not from glorifying Thee,

    وَ لَا يَقْطَعُهُمْ عَنْ تَعْظِيمِكَ سَهْوُ الْغَفَلَاتِ .

and whose magnification of Thee is never cut off by the inattention of heedless moments;

     الْخُشَّعُ الْأَبْصَارِ فَلَا يَرُومُونَ النَّظَرَ إِلَيْكَ ،

 their eyes lowered, they do not attempt to look at Thee;

    النَّوَاكِسُ الْأَذْقَانِ ،

their chins bowed,

    الَّذِينَ قَدْ طَالَتْ رَغْبَتُهُمْ فِيمَا لَدَيْكَ ،

they have long desired what is with Thee;

    الْمُسْتَهْتَرُونَ بِذِكْرِ آلَائِكَ ،

unrestrained in mentioning Thy boons,

    وَ الْمُتَوَاضِعُونَ دُونَ عَظَمَتِكَ وَ جَلَالِ كِبْرِيَائِكَ

they remain humble before Thy mightiness and the majesty of Thy magnificence;

     وَ الَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ إِذَا نَظَرُوا إِلَى جَهَنَّمَ تَزْفِرُ عَلَى أَهْلِ مَعْصِيَتِكَ سُبْحَانَكَ مَا عَبَدْنَاكَ حَقَّ عِبَادَتِكَ .

 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!'

     فَصَلِّ عَلَيْهِمْ وَ عَلَى الرَّوْحَانِيِّينَ مِنْ مَلَائِكَتِكَ ،

 Bless them, and Thy angels who are the Reposeful,

    وَ أَهْلِ الزُّلْفَةِ عِنْدَكَ ،

those of proximity to Thee,

    وَ حُمَّالِ الْغَيْبِ إِلَى رُسُلِكَ ، وَ الْمُؤْتَمَنِينَ عَلَى وَحْيِكَ

those who carry the unseen to Thy messengers, those entrusted with Thy revelation,

     وَ قَبَائِلِ الْمَلَائِكَةِ الَّذِينَ اخْتَصَصْتَهُمْ لِنَفْسِكَ ،

 the tribes of angels whom Thou hast singled out for Thyself,

    وَ أَغْنَيْتَهُمْ عَنِ الطَّعَامِ وَ الشَّرَابِ بِتَقْدِيسِكَ ،

freed from need for food and drink by their calling Thee holy,

    وَ أَسْكَنْتَهُمْ بُطُونَ أَطْبَاقِ سَمَاوَاتِكَ .

and made to dwell inside Thy heavens' layers,

     وَ الَّذِينَ عَلَى أَرْجَائِهَا

 those who will stand upon the heavens' borders

    إِذَا نَزَلَ الْأَمْرُ بِتَمَامِ وَعْدِكَ

when the Command descends to complete Thy promise,

     وَ خُزَّانِ الْمَطَرِ وَ زَوَاجِرِ السَّحَابِ

 the keepers of the rain, the drivers of the clouds,

     وَ الَّذِي بِصَوْتِ زَجْرِهِ يُسْمَعُ زَجَلُ الرُّعُودِ ،

 him at whose driving's sound is heard the rolling of thunder,

    وَ إِذَا سَبَحَتْ بِهِ حَفِيفَةُ السَّحَابِ الْتَمَعَتْ صَوَاعِقُ الْبُرُوقِ .

and when the reverberating clouds swim before his driving, bolts of lightning flash;

     وَ مُشَيِّعِي الثَّلْجِ وَ الْبَرَدِ ،

 the escorts of snow and hail,

    وَ الْهَابِطِينَ مَعَ قَطْرِ الْمَطَرِ إِذَا نَزَلَ ،

the descenders with the drops of rain when they fall,

    وَ الْقُوَّامِ عَلَى خَزَائِنِ الرِّيَاحِ ،

the watchers over the treasuries of the winds,

    وَ الْمُوَكَّلِينَ بِالْجِبَالِ فَلَا تَزُولُ

those charged with the mountains lest they disappear,

     وَ الَّذِينَ عَرَّفْتَهُمْ مَثَاقِيلَ الْمِيَاهِ ،

 those whom Thou hast taught the weights of the waters

    وَ كَيْلَ مَا تَحْوِيهِ لَوَاعِجُ الْأَمْطَارِ وَ عَوَالِجُهَا

and the measures contained by torrents and masses of rain;

     وَ رُسُلِكَ مِنَ الْمَلَائِكَةِ إِلَى أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ

 the angels who are Thy messengers to the people of the earth

    بِمَكْرُوهِ مَا يَنْزِلُ مِنَ الْبَلَاءِ

with the disliked affliction that comes down

    وَ مَحْبُوبِ الرَّخَاءِ

and the beloved ease;

     وَ السَّفَرَةِ الْكِرَامِ الْبَرَرَةِ ،

 the devoted, noble scribes,

    وَ الْحَفَظَةِ الْكِرَامِ الْكَاتِبِينَ ،

the watchers, noble writers,

    وَ مَلَكِ الْمَوْتِ وَ أَعْوَانِهِ ،

the angel of death and his helpers,

    وَ مُنْكَرٍ وَ نَكِيرٍ ، وَ رُومَانَ فَتَّانِ الْقُبُورِ ،

Munkar and Nakir, Rumaan, the tester in the graves,

    وَ الطَّائِفِينَ بِالْبَيْتِ الْمَعْمُورِ ،

the circlers of the Inhabited House,

    وَ مَالِكٍ ، وَ الْخَزَنَةِ ، وَ رِضْوَانَ ، وَ سَدَنَةِ الْجِنَانِ .

Malik and the guardians, Ridwan and the gatekeepers of the gardens,

     وَ الَّذِينَ لَا يَعْصُونَ اللَّهَ مَا أَمَرَهُمْ ،

 those who disobey not God in What He commands them

    وَ يَفْعَلُونَ مَا يُؤْمَرُونَ

and do What they are commanded;

     وَ الَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ سَلَامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ بِمَا صَبَرْتُمْ

 those who say, Peace be upon you, for that you were patient

    فَنِعْمَ عُقْبَى الدَّارِ

 and fair is the Ultimate Abode;

     وَ الزَّبَانِيَةِ الَّذِينَ إِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ

 the Zabaniya, who, when it is said to them,

    خُذُوهُ فَغُلُّوهُ ثُمَّ الْجَحِيمَ صَلُّوهُ

take him, and fetter him, then roast him in hell,

    ابْتَدَرُوهُ سِرَاعاً ، وَ لَمْ يُنْظِرُوهُ .

hasten to accomplish it, nor do they give him any respite;

     وَ مَنْ أَوْهَمْنَا ذِكْرَهُ ، وَ لَمْ نَعْلَمْ مَكَانَهُ مِنْكَ ،

 him whom we have failed to mention, not knowing his place with Thee,

    و بِأَيِّ أَمْرٍ وَكَّلْتَهُ .

nor with which command Thou hast charged him;

     وَ سُكَّانِ الْهَوَاءِ وَ الْأَرْضِ وَ الْمَاءِ

 and the residents in the air, the earth, and the water,

    وَ مَنْ مِنْهُمْ عَلَى الْخَلْقِ

and those of them charged over the creatures;

     فَصَلِّ عَلَيْهِمْ يَومَ يَأْتِي كُلُّ نَفْسٍ مَعَهَا سَائِقٌ وَ شَهِيدٌ

 bless them on the day when every soul will come, with it a driver and a witness,

     وَ صَلِّ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلَاةً تَزِيدُهُمْ كَرَامَةً عَلَى كَرَامَتِهِمْ

 and bless them with a blessing that will add honour to their honour

    وَ طَهَارَةً عَلَى طَهَارَتِهِمْ

and purity to their purity.

     اللَّهُمَّ وَ إِذَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى مَلَائِكَتِكَ وَ رُسُلِكَ

 O God, and when Thou blessest Thy angels and Thy messengers

    وَ بَلَّغْتَهُمْ صَلَاتَنَا عَلَيْهِمْ

and Thou extendest our blessings to them,

    فَصَلِّ عَلَيْنَا بِمَا فَتَحْتَ لَنَا مِنْ حُسْنِ الْقَوْلِ فِيهِمْ ،

bless us through the good words about them which Thou hast opened up for us!

    إِنَّكَ جَوَادٌ كَرِيمٌ

Thou art Munificent, Generous