His Supplication in Hardship (22)

وَ كَانَ مِنْ دُعَائِهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ عِنْدَ الشِّدَّةِ وَ الْجَهْدِ وَ تَعَسُّرِ الْأُمُورِ
His Supplication in Hardship, Effort, and Difficult Affairs
Translated by William Chittick

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ كَلَّفْتَنِي مِنْ نَفْسِي

O God, Thou hast charged me concerning myself

مَا أَنْتَ أَمْلَكُ بِهِ مِنِّي ،

with that which belongs more to Thee than to me.

وَ قُدْرَتُكَ عَلَيْهِ وَ عَلَيَّ أَغْلَبُ مِنْ قُدْرَتِي ،

Thy power over it and over me is greater than my power,

فَأَعْطِنِي مِنْ نَفْسِي مَا يُرْضِيكَ عَنِّي ،

so give me in myself what will make Thee pleased with me

وَ خُذْ لِنَفْسِكَ رِضَاهَا مِنْ نَفْسِي فِي عَافِيَةٍ .

and take for Thyself Thy good pleasure in my self's well-being!

اللَّهُمَّ لَا طَاقَةَ لِي بِالْجَهْدِ ،

O God, I have no endurance for effort,

وَ لَا صَبْرَ لِي عَلَى الْبَلَاءِ ،

no patience in affliction,

وَ لَا قُوَّةَ لِي عَلَى الْفَقْرِ ،

no strength to bear poverty.

فَلَا تَحْظُرْ عَلَيَّ رِزْقِي ،

So forbid me not my provision

وَ لَا تَكِلْنِي إِلَى خَلْقِكَ ،

and entrust me not to Thy creatures,

بَلْ تَفَرَّدْ بِحَاجَتِي ،

but take care of my need alone

وَ تَوَلَّ كِفَايَتِي .

and Thyself attend to sufficing me!

وَ انْظُرْ إِلَيَّ وَ انْظُرْ لِي فِي جَمِيعِ أُمُورِي ،

Look upon me and look after me in all my affairs,

فَإِنَّكَ إِنْ وَكَلْتَنِي إِلَى نَفْسِي

for if Thou entrustest me to myself,

عَجَزْتُ عَنْهَا وَ لَمْ أُقِمْ مَا فِيهِ مَصْلَحَتُهَا ،

I will be incapable before myself and fail to undertake that in which my best interest lies.

وَ إِنْ وَكَلْتَنِي إِلَى خَلْقِكَ تَجَهَّمُونِي ،

If Thou entrustest me to Thy creatures, they will frown upon me,

وَ إِنْ أَلْجَأْتَنِي إِلَى قَرَابَتِي حَرَمُونِي ،

and if Thou makest me resort to my kinsfolk, they will refuse to give to me;

وَ إِنْ أَعْطَوْا أَعْطَوْا قَلِيلًا نَكِداً ،

if they give, they will give little and in bad temper,

وَ مَنُّوا عَلَيَّ طَوِيلًا ،

making me feel long obliged

وَ ذَمُّوا كَثِيراً .

and blaming me much.

فَبِفَضْلِكَ ، اللَّهُمَّ ، فَأَغْنِنِي ،

So through Thy bounty, O God, free me from need,

وَ بِعَظَمَتِكَ فَانْعَشْنِي ،

through Thy mightiness, lift me up,

وَ بِسَعَتِكَ ، فَابْسُطْ يَدِي ،

through Thy boundless plenty, open my hand,

وَ بِمَا عِنْدَكَ فَاكْفِنِي .

and with that which is with Thee, suffice me!

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

O God, bless Muhammad and his Household,

وَ خَلِّصْنِي مِنَ الْحَسَدِ ،

rid me of envy,

وَ احْصُرْنِي عَنِ الذُّنُوبِ ،

encircle me against sins,

وَ وَرِّعْنِي عَنِ الْمَحَارِمِ ،

make me abstain from things unlawful,

وَ لَا تُجَرِّئْنِي عَلَى الْمَعَاصِي ،

give me not the boldness of disobedient acts,

وَ اجْعَلْ هَوَايَ عِنْدَكَ ،

assign me love for that which is with Thee

وَ رِضَايَ فِيمَا يَرِدُ عَلَيَّ مِنْكَ ،

and satisfaction with that which comes to me from Thee,

وَ بَارِكْ لِي فِيمَا رَزَقْتَنِي وَ فِيمَا خَوَّلْتَنِي

bless me in that which Thou providest me, that which Thou conferrest upon me,

وَ فِيمَا أَنْعَمْتَ بِهِ عَلَيَّ ،

and that through which Thou favourest me,

وَ اجْعَلْنِي فِي كُلِّ حَالَاتِي مَحْفُوظاً مَكْلُوءاً

and make me in all my states safeguarded, watched,

مَسْتُوراً مَمْنُوعاً مُعَاذاً مُجَاراً .

covered, defended, given refuge, and granted sanctuary!

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

O God, bless Muhammad and his Household

وَ اقْضِ عَنِّي كُلَّ مَا أَلْزَمْتَنِيهِ

and let me accomplish everything which Thou hast enjoined upon me

وَ فَرَضْتَهُ عَلَيَّ لَكَ

or made obligatory for me toward Thee,

فِي وَجْهٍ مِنْ وُجُوهِ طَاعَتِكَ

in one of the ways of Thy obedience,

أَوْ لِخَلْقٍ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ

or toward one of Thy creatures,

وَ إِنْ ضَعُفَ عَنْ ذَلِكَ بَدَنِي ، وَ وَهَنَتْ عَنْهُ قُوَّتِي ،

though my body be too frail for that, my strength too feeble,

وَ لَمْ تَنَلْهُ مَقْدُرَتِي ،

my power not able to reach it,

وَ لَمْ يَسَعْهُ مَالِي وَ لَا ذَاتُ يَدِي ،

and my possessions and what my hand owns not encompass it,

ذَكَرْتُهُ أَوْ نَسِيتُهُ .

and whether I have remembered it or forgotten it.

هُوَ ، يَا رَبِّ ، مِمَّا قَدْ أَحْصَيْتَهُ عَلَيَّ

It, my Lord, is among that which Thou hast counted against me

وَ أَغْفَلْتُهُ أَنَا مِنْ نَفْسِي ،

while I have been heedless of it in myself.

فَأَدِّهِ عَنِّي مِنْ جَزِيلِ عَطِيَّتِكَ

Let me perform it through Thy plentiful giving

وَ كَثِيرِ مَا عِنْدَكَ ،

and the abundance which is with Thee

فَإِنَّكَ وَاسِعٌ كَرِيمٌ ،

- for Thou art Boundless, Generous –

حَتَّى لَا يَبْقَى عَلَيَّ شَيْ‏ءٌ مِنْهُ

so that nothing of it may remain against me,

تُرِيدُ أَنْ تُقَاصَّنِي بِهِ مِنْ حَسَنَاتِي ،

lest Thou wouldst wish to settle accounts for it from my good deeds

أَوْ تُضَاعِفَ بِهِ مِنْ سَيِّئَاتِي يَوْمَ أَلْقَاكَ يَا رَبِّ .

or to compound my evil deeds on the day I meet Thee, my Lord!

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

O God, bless Muhammad and his Household

وَ ارْزُقْنِي الرَّغْبَةَ فِي الْعَمَلِ لَكَ لِآخِرَتِي

and provide me with desire to serve Thee for the sake of my state in the hereafter,

حَتَّى أَعْرِفَ صِدْقَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ قَلْبِي ،

such that I know the truthfulness of that [desire] in my heart,

وَ حَتَّى يَكُونَ الْغَالِبُ عَلَيَّ الزُّهْدَ فِي دُنْيَايَ ،

be dominated by renunciation while in this world,

وَ حَتَّى أَعْمَلَ الْحَسَنَاتِ شَوْقاً ،

do good deeds with yearning,

وَ آمَنَ مِنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ فَرَقاً وَ خَوْفاً ،

and remain secure from evil deeds in fright and fear!

وَ هَبْ لِي نُوراً أَمْشِي بِهِ فِي النَّاسِ ،

And give me a light whereby I may walk among the people,1

وَ أَهْتَدِي بِهِ فِي الظُّلُمَاتِ ،

be guided in the shadows,

وَ أَسْتَضِي‏ءُ بِهِ مِنَ الشَّكِّ وَ الشُّبُهَاتِ .

and seek illumination in doubt and uncertainty!

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

O God, bless Muhammad and his Household

وَ ارْزُقْنِي خَوْفَ غَمِّ الْوَعِيدِ ،

and provide me with fear of the threatened gloom

وَ شَوْقَ ثَوَابِ الْمَوْعُودِ

and yearning for the promised reward,

حَتَّى أَجِدَ لَذَّةَ مَا أَدْعُوكَ لَهُ ،

such that I may find the pleasure of that for which I supplicate Thee

وَ كَأْبَةَ مَا أَسْتَجِيرُ بِكَ مِنْهُ .

and the sorrow of that from which I seek sanctuary in Thee!

اللَّهُمَّ قَدْ تَعْلَمُ مَا يُصْلِحُنِي

O God, Thou knowest what will set my affairs right

مِنْ أَمْرِ دُنْيَايَ وَ آخِرَتِي

in this world and the next,

فَكُنْ بِحَوَائِجِي حَفِيّاً .

so be ever gracious toward my needs!

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ،

O God, bless Muhammad and Muhammad's Household

وَ ارْزُقْنِي الْحَقَّ عِنْدَ تَقْصِيرِي

and provide me with what is Thy right when I fall short

فِي الشُّكْرِ لَكَ

in thanking Thee

بِمَا أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيَّ فِي الْيُسْرِ وَ الْعُسْرِ

for that through which Thou hast favoured me in ease and difficulty,

وَ الصِّحَّةِ وَ السَّقَمِ ،

health and sickness,

حَتَّى أَتَعَرَّفَ مِنْ نَفْسِي

such that I may come to know in myself

رَوْحَ الرِّضَا وَ طُمَأْنِينَةَ النَّفْسِ مِنِّي

repose in satisfaction and serenity of soul

بِمَا يَجِبُ لَكَ

in that which Thou hast made incumbent upon me

فِيمَا يَحْدُثُ فِي حَالِ الْخَوْفِ وَ الْأَمْنِ

in whatever states may occur: fear and security,

وَ الرِّضَا وَ السُّخْطِ

satisfaction and displeasure,

وَ الضَّرِّ وَ النَّفْعِ .

loss and gain!

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

O God, bless Muhammad and his Household

وَ ارْزُقْنِي سَلَامَةَ الصَّدْرِ مِنَ الْحَسَدِ

and provide me with a breast safe from envy,

حَتَّى لَا أَحْسُدَ أَحَداً مِنْ خَلْقِكَ

such that I envy none of Thy creatures

عَلَى شَيْ‏ءٍ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ ،

and in anything of Thy bounty

وَ حَتَّى لَا أَرَى نِعْمَةً مِنْ نِعَمِكَ

and such that I see none of Thy favours

عَلَى أَحَدٍ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ

toward any of Thy creatures

فِي دِينٍ أَوْ دُنْيَا أَوْ عَافِيَةٍ أَوْ تَقْوَى أَوْ سَعَةٍ أَوْ رَخَاءٍ

in religion or this world, well-being or reverential fear, plenty or ease,

إِلَّا رَجَوْتُ لِنَفْسِي أَفْضَلَ ذَلِكَ

without hoping for myself better than it

بِكَ وَ مِنْكَ وَحْدَكَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ .

through and from Thee alone, who hast no associate!

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

O God, bless Muhammad and his Household

وَ ارْزُقْنِي التَّحَفُّظَ مِنَ الْخَطَايَا ،

and provide me in this world and the next

وَ الِاحْتِرَاسَ مِنَ الزَّلَلِ فِي الدُّنْيَا وَ الْآخِرَةِ

with caution against offenses and wariness against slips

فِي حَالِ الرِّضَا وَ الْغَضَبِ ،

in the state of satisfaction and wrath,

حَتَّى أَكُونَ بِمَا يَرِدُ عَلَيَّ مِنْهُمَا بِمَنْزِلَةٍ سَوَاءٍ ،

such that I may remain indifferent toward that which enters upon me from the two states,

عَامِلًا بِطَاعَتِكَ ،

work toward Thy obedience,

مُؤْثِراً لِرِضَاكَ عَلَى

and prefer it and Thy good pleasure over all else

مَا سِوَاهُمَا فِي الْأَوْلِيَاءِ وَ الْأَعْدَاءِ ،

in both friends and enemies.

حَتَّى يَأْمَنَ عَدُوِّي مِنْ ظُلْمِي وَ جَوْرِي ،

Then my enemy may stay secure from my wrongdoing and injustice

وَ يَيْأَسَ وَلِيِّي مِنْ مَيْلِي وَ انْحِطَاطِ هَوَايَ

and my friend may despair of my inclination and the bent of my affection.

وَ اجْعَلْنِي مِمَّنْ يَدْعُوكَ مُخْلِصاً فِي الرَّخَاءِ

Make me one of those who supplicate Thee with sincerity in ease

دُعَاءَ الْمُخْلِصِينَ الْمُضْطَرِّينَ لَكَ فِي الدُّعَاءِ ،

with the supplication of those who supplicate Thee with sincerity in distress!

إِنَّكَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ

Verily Thou art Praiseworthy, Glorious.