Blessing upon the Attesters to the Messengers(4)

وَ كَانَ مِنْ دُعَائِهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فِي الصَّلَاةِ عَلَى أَتْبَاعِ الرُّسُلِ وَ مُصَدِّقِيهِمْ
His Supplication in Calling down Blessings upon the Followers of, and Attesters to, the Messengers
Translated by William Chittick

اللَّهُمَّ وَ أَتْبَاعُ الرُّسُلِ

 O God, as for the followers of the messengers

    وَ مُصَدِّقُوهُمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ بِالْغَيْبِ

and those of the people of the earth who attested to them unseen

    عِنْدَ مُعَارَضَةِ الْمُعَانِدِينَ لَهُمْ بِالتَّكْذِيبِ

(while the obstinate resisted them through crying lies)

    وَ الِاشْتِيَاقِ إِلَى الْمُرْسَلِينَ بِحَقَائِقِ الْإِيمَانِ

they yearned for the emissaries through the realities of faith,

    . فِي كُلِّ دَهْرٍ وَ زَمَانٍ أَرْسَلْتَ فِيهِ رَسُولًا

 in every era and time in which Thou didst send a messenger

    وَ أَقَمْتَ لِأَهْلِهِ دَلِيلًا

and set up for the people a director

    مِنْ لَدُنْ آدَمَ إِلَى مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ

from the period of Adam down to Muhammad (God bless him and his Household)

    مِنْ أَئِمَّةِ الْهُدَى ،

from among the imams of guidance

    وَ قَادَةِ أَهْلِ التُّقَى ،

and the leaders of the godfearing

    عَلَى جَمِيعِهِمُ السَّلَامُ ،

(upon them all be peace)

    فَاذْكُرْهُمْ مِنْكَ بِمَغْفِرَةٍ وَ رِضْوَانٍ .

remember them with forgiveness and good pleasure!

    . اللَّهُمَّ وَ أَصْحَابُ مُحَمَّدٍ خَاصَّةً

 O God, and as for the Companions of Muhammad specifically,

    الَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا الصَّحَابَةَ

those who did well in companionship,

    وَ الَّذِينَ أَبْلَوُا الْبَلَاءَ الْحَسَنَ فِي نَصْرِهِ ،

who stood the good test in helping him,

    وَ اسْتَجَابُوا لَهُ حَيْثُ أَسْمَعَهُمْ حُجَّةَ رِسَالَاتِهِ .

responded to him when he made them hear his messages' argument,

    . وَ فَارَقُوا الْأَزْوَاجَ وَ الْأَوْلَادَ

separated from mates and children

    فِي إِظْهَارِ كَلِمَتِهِ ،

in manifesting his word,

    وَ قَاتَلُوا الْآبَاءَ وَ الْأَبْنَاءَ فِي تَثْبِيتِ نُبُوَّتِهِ ،

fought against fathers and sons in strengthening his prophecy,

    وَ انْتَصَرُوا بِهِ .

and through him gained victory;

    . وَ مَنْ كَانُوا مُنْطَوِينَ عَلَى مَحَبَّتِهِ

 those who were wrapped in affection for him,

    يَرْجُونَ تِجَارَةً لَنْ تَبُورَ فِي مَوَدَّتِهِ .

hoping for a commerce that comes not to naught in love for him;

    . وَ الَّذِينَ هَجَرَتْهُمْ الْعَشَائِرُ

 those who were left by their clans

    إِذْ تَعَلَّقُوا بِعُرْوَتِهِ ،

when they clung to his handhold

    وَ انْتَفَتْ مِنْهُمُ الْقَرَابَاتُ إِذْ سَكَنُوا فِي ظِلِّ قَرَابَتِهِ .

and denied by their kinsfolk when they rested in the shadow of his kinship;

    . فَلَا تَنْسَ لَهُمُ اللَّهُمَّ مَا تَرَكُوا لَكَ وَ فِيكَ ،

 forget not, O God, what they abandoned for Thee and in Thee,

    وَ أَرْضِهِمْ مِنْ رِضْوَانِكَ ،

and make them pleased with Thy good pleasure

    وَ بِمَا حَاشُوا الْخَلْقَ عَلَيْكَ ،

for the sake of the creatures they drove to Thee

    وَ كَانُوا مَعَ رَسُولِكَ دُعَاةً لَكَ إِلَيْكَ .

while they were with Thy Messenger, summoners to Thee for Thee.

    . وَ اشْكُرْهُمْ عَلَى هَجْرِهِمْ فِيكَ دِيَارَ قَوْمِهِمْ ،

 Show gratitude to them for leaving the abodes of their people for Thy sake

    وَ خُرُوجِهِمْ مِنْ سَعَةِ الْمَعَاشِ إِلَى ضِيقِهِ ،

and going out from a plentiful livelihood to a narrow one,

    وَ مَنْ كَثَّرْتَ فِي إِعْزَازِ دِينِكَ مِنْ مَظْلُومِهِمْ .

and [show gratitude to] those of them who became objects of wrongdoing and whom Thou multiplied in exalting Thy religion.

    . اللَّهُمَّ وَ أَوْصِلْ إِلَى التَّابِعِينَ لَهُمْ بِإِحْسَانٍ ،

 O God, and give to those who have done well in following the Companions,

    الَّذِينَ يَقُولُونَ رَبَّنَا اغْفِرْ لَنَا وَ لِإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ سَبَقُونَا بِالْإِيمَانِ

who say, Our Lord, forgive us and our brothers who went before us in faith,

    خَيْرَ جَزَائِكَ .

Thy best reward;

    . الَّذِينَ قَصَدُوا سَمْتَهُمْ ، وَ تَحَرَّوْا وِجْهَتَهُمْ ،

 those who went straight to the Companions' road, sought out their course,

    وَ مَضَوْا عَلَى شَاكِلَتِهِمْ .

and proceeded in their manner.

    . لَمْ يَثْنِهِمْ رَيْبٌ فِي بَصِيرَتِهِمْ ،

 No doubt concerning their sure insight diverted them

    وَ لَمْ يَخْتَلِجْهُمْ شَكٌّ فِي قَفْوِ آثَارِهِمْ ،

and no uncertainty shook them from following in their tracks

    وَ الِائْتِمَامِ بِهِدَايَةِ مَنَارِهِمْ .

and being led by the guidance of their light.

    . مُكَانِفِينَ وَ مُوَازِرِينَ لَهُمْ ،

 As their assistants and supporters,

    يَدِينُونَ بِدِينِهِمْ ،

they professed their religion,

    وَ يَهْتَدُونَ بِهَدْيِهِمْ ،

gained guidance through their guidance,

    يَتَّفِقُونَ عَلَيْهِمْ ، وَ لَا يَتَّهِمُونَهُمْ فِيمَا أَدَّوْا إِلَيْهِمْ .

came to agreement with them, and never accused them in what they passed on to them.

    . اللَّهُمَّ وَ صَلِّ عَلَى التَّابِعِينَ

 O God, and bless the Followers,

    مِنْ يَوْمِنَا هَذَا إِلَى يَوْمِ الدِّينِ

from this day of ours to the Day of Doom,

    وَ عَلَى أَزْوَاجِهِمْ وَ عَلَى ذُرِّيَّاتِهِمْ

their wives, their offspring,

    وَ عَلَى مَنْ أَطَاعَكَ مِنْهُمْ.

and those among them who obey Thee,

    . صَلَاةً تَعْصِمُهُمْ بِهَا مِنْ مَعْصِيَتِكَ ،

 with a blessing through which Thou wilt preserve them from disobeying Thee,

    وَ تَفْسَحُ لَهُمْ فِي رِيَاضِ جَنَّتِكَ ،

make room for them in the plots of Thy Garden,

    وَ تَمْنَعُهُمْ بِهَا مِنْ كَيْدِ الشَّيْطَانِ ،

defend them from the trickery of Satan,

    وَ تُعِينُهُمْ بِهَا عَلَى مَا اسْتَعَانُوكَ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ بِرٍّ ،

help them in the piety in which they seek help from Thee,

    وَ تَقِيهِمْ طَوَارِقَ اللَّيْلِ وَ النَّهَارِ إِلَّا طَارِقاً يَطْرُقُ بِخَيْرٍ .

protect them from sudden events that come by night and day  except the events which come with good

   . وَ تَبْعَثُهُمْ بِهَا عَلَى اعْتِقَادِ حُسْنِ الرَّجَاءِ لَكَ ،

 and incite them, through it (this blessing), to tie firmly the knot of good hope in Thee,

    وَ الطَّمَعِ فِيمَا عِنْدَكَ

desire what is with Thee,

    وَ تَرْكِ التُّهَمَةِ فِيمَا تَحْوِيهِ أَيْدِي الْعِبَادِ

and refrain from ill thoughts [toward Thee] because of what the hands of Thy servants' hold.

    . لِتَرُدَّهُمْ إِلَى الرَّغْبَةِ إِلَيْكَ وَ الرَّهْبَةِ مِنْكَ ،

 Thus Thou mayest restore them to beseeching Thee and fearing Thee,

    وَ تُزَهِّدَهُمْ فِي سَعَةِ الْعَاجِلِ ،

induce them to renounce the plenty of the immediate,

    وَ تُحَبِّبَ إِلَيْهِمُ الْعَمَلَ لِلْآجِلِ ،

make them love to work for the sake of the deferred

    وَ الِاسْتِعْدَادَ لِمَا بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ

and prepare for what comes after death,

    . وَ تُهَوِّنَ عَلَيْهِمْ كُلَّ كَرْبٍ يَحِلُّ بِهِمْ

 make easy for them every distress that comes to them

    يَوْمَ خُرُوجِ الْأَنْفُسِ مِنْ أَبْدَانِهَا

on the day when souls take leave from bodies,

    . وَ تُعَافِيَهُمْ مِمَّا تَقَعُ بِهِ الْفِتْنَةُ مِنْ مَحْذُورَاتِهَا ،

 release them from that which brings about the perils of temptation

    وَ كَبَّةِ النَّارِ وَ طُولِ الْخُلُودِ فِيهَا

and being thrown down in the Fire and staying forever within it,

    . وَ تُصَيِّرَهُمْ إِلَى أَمْنٍ

 and take them to security,

    مِنْ مَقِيلِ الْمُتَّقِينَ .

the resting place of the godfearing.