Supplication in Repentance (31)

وَ كَانَ مِنْ دُعَائِهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فِي ذِكْرِ التَّوْبَةِ وَ طَلَبِهَا
His Supplication in Mentioning and Asking for Repentance
Translated by William Chittick

اللَّهُمَّ يَا مَنْ لَا يَصِفُهُ نَعْتُ الْوَاصِفِينَ

O God, O He whom the depiction of the describers fails to describe!

وَ يَا مَنْ لَا يُجَاوِزُهُ رَجَاءُ الرَّاجِينَ

O He beyond whom passes not the hope of the hopers!

وَ يَا مَنْ لَا يَضِيعُ لَدَيْهِ أَجْرُ الْمُحْسِنِينَ ،

O He with whom is not lost the wage of the good-doers!

وَ يَا مَنْ هُوَ مُنْتَهَى خَوْفِ الْعَابِدِينَ .

O He who is the ultimate object of the fear of the worshipers!

وَ يَا مَنْ هُوَ غَايَةُ خَشْيَةِ الْمُتَّقِينَ

O He who is the utmost limit of the dread of the godfearing!

هَذَا مَقَامُ مَنْ تَدَاوَلَتْهُ أَيْدِي الذُّنُوبِ ،

This is the station of him whom sins have passed from hand to hand.

وَ قَادَتْهُ أَزِمَّةُ الْخَطَايَا ،

Offenses' reins have led him on,

وَ اسْتَحْوَذَ عَلَيْهِ الشَّيْطَانُ ،

and Satan has gained mastery over him.

فَقَصَّرَ عَمَّا أَمَرْتَ بِهِ تَفْرِيطاً ،

He fell short of what Thou hast commanded through neglect

وَ تَعَاطَى مَا نَهَيْتَ عَنْهُ تَغْرِيراً .

and he pursued what Thou hast prohibited in delusion,

كَالْجَاهِلِ بِقُدْرَتِكَ عَلَيْهِ ،

like one ignorant of Thy power over him

أَوْ كَالْمُنْكِرِ فَضْلَ إِحْسَانِكَ إِلَيْهِ

or one who denies the bounty of Thy beneficence toward him,

حَتَّى إِذَا انْفَتَحَ لَهُ بَصَرُ الْهُدَى ،

until, when the eye of guidance was opened for him

وَ تَقَشَّعَتْ عَنْهُ سَحَائِبُ الْعَمَى ،

and the clouds of blindness were dispelled,

أَحْصَى مَا ظَلَمَ بِهِ نَفْسَهُ ،

he reckoned that through which he had wronged himself

وَ فَكَّرَ فِيمَا خَالَفَ بِهِ رَبَّهُ ،

and reflected upon that in which he had opposed his Lord.

فَرَأَى كَبِيرَ عِصْيَانِهِ كَبِيراً

He saw his vast disobedience as vast

وَ جَلِيلَ مُخَالَفَتِهِ جَلِيلًا .

and his great opposition as great.

فَأَقْبَلَ نَحْوَكَ مُؤَمِّلًا لَكَ

So turned to Thee, hoping in Thee

مُسْتَحْيِياً مِنْكَ ،

and ashamed before Thee,

وَ وَجَّهَ رَغْبَتَهُ إِلَيْكَ ثِقَةً بِكَ ،

and he directed his beseeching toward Thee, having trust in Thee.

فَأَمَّكَ بِطَمَعِهِ يَقِيناً ،

He repaired to Thee in his longing with certitude

وَ قَصَدَكَ بِخَوْفِهِ إِخْلَاصاً ،

and he went straight to Thee in fear with sincerity.

قَدْ خَلَا طَمَعُهُ مِنْ كُلِّ مَطْمُوعٍ فِيهِ غَيْرِكَ ،

His longing was devoid of every object of longing but Thee,

وَ أَفْرَخَ رَوْعُهُ مِنْ كُلِّ مَحْذُورٍ مِنْهُ سِوَاكَ .

and his fright departed from every object of fear but Thee.

فَمَثَلَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ مُتَضَرِّعاً ،

So he stood before Thee pleading,

وَ غَمَّضَ بَصَرَهُ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ مُتَخَشِّعاً ،

his eyes turned toward the ground in humbleness,

وَ طَأْطَأَ رَأْسَهُ لِعِزَّتِكَ مُتَذَلِّلًا ،

his head bowed before Thy might in lowliness;

وَ أَبَثَّكَ مِنْ سِرِّهِ

he revealed to Thee in meekness those secrets of his

مَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنْهُ خُضُوعاً ،

which Thou knowest better than he; he numbered for Thee in humility

وَ عَدَّدَ مِنْ ذُنُوبِهِ مَا أَنْتَ أَحْصَى لَهَا خُشُوعاً ،

those sins of his which Thou countest better than he;

وَ اسْتَغَاثَ بِكَ

he sought help from Thee

مِنْ عَظِيمِ مَا وَقَعَ بِهِ فِي عِلْمِكَ

before the dreadful into which he has fallen in Thy knowledge

وَ قَبِيحِ مَا فَضَحَهُ فِي حُكْمِكَ

and the ugly which has disgraced him in Thy judgement:

مِنْ ذُنُوبٍ أَدْبَرَتْ لَذَّاتُهَا فَذَهَبَتْ ،

the sins whose pleasures have turned their backs and gone

وَ أَقَامَتْ تَبِعَاتُهَا فَلَزِمَتْ .

and whose evil consequences have stayed and stuck fast.

لَا يُنْكِرُ يَا إِلَهِي عَدْلَكَ

He will not deny Thy justice, my God,

إِنْ عَاقَبْتَهُ ،

if Thou punishest him,

وَ لَا يَسْتَعْظِمُ عَفْوَكَ

nor will he consider Thy pardon great

إِنْ عَفَوْتَ عَنْهُ وَ رَحِمْتَهُ ،

if Thou pardonest him and hast mercy upon him,

لِأَنَّكَ الرَّبُّ الْكَرِيمُ

for Thou art the Generous Lord

الَّذِي لَا يَتَعَاظَمُهُ غُفْرَانُ الذَّنْبِ الْعَظِيمِ .

for whom the forgiveness of great sins is nothing great!

اللَّهُمَّ فَهَا أَنَا ذَا

O God, so here I am:

قَدْ جِئْتُكَ مُطِيعاً لِأَمْرِكَ

I have come to Thee obeying Thy command

فِيمَا أَمَرْتَ بِهِ مِنَ الدُّعَاءِ ،

for Thou hast commanded supplication

مُتَنَجِّزاً وَعْدَكَ

and asking the fulfilment of Thy promise,

فِيمَا وَعَدْتَ بِهِ مِنَ الْإِجَابَةِ ،

for Thou hast promised to respond

إِذْ تَقُولُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ .

Thou hast said, Supplicate Me and I will respond to you.

اللَّهُمَّ فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

O God, so bless Muhammad and his Household,

وَ الْقَنِي بِمَغْفِرَتِكَ كَمَا لَقِيتُكَ بِإِقْرَارِي ،

meet me with Thy forgiveness just as I have met Thee with my confession,

وَ ارْفَعْنِي عَنْ مَصَارِعِ الذُّنُوبِ كَمَا وَضَعْتُ لَكَ نَفْسِي ،

lift me up from the fatal infirmities of sins just as I have let myself down before Thee,

وَ اسْتُرْنِي بِسِتْرِكَ

and cover me with Thy covering

كَمَا تَأَنَّيْتَنِي عَنِ الِانْتِقَامِ مِنِّي .

just as Thou hast shown no haste to take vengeance on me!

اللَّهُمَّ وَ ثَبِّتْ فِي طَاعَتِكَ نِيَّتِي ،

O God, make firm my intention to obey Thee,

وَ أَحْكِمْ فِي عِبَادَتِكَ بَصِيرَتِي ،

strengthen my insight in worshipping Thee,

وَ وَفِّقْنِي مِنَ الْأَعْمَالِ

give me the success of works

لِمَا تَغْسِلُ بِهِ دَنَسَ الْخَطَايَا عَنِّي ،

which will wash away the defilement of offenses,

وَ تَوَفَّنِي عَلَى مِلَّتِكَ وَ مِلَّةِ نَبِيِّكَ مُحَمَّدٍ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ إِذَا تَوَفَّيْتَنِي .

and take me when Thou takest me in Thy creed and the creed of Thy prophet Muhammad upon him be peace.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ فِي مَقَامِي هَذَا

O God, I repent to Thee in this my station from my sins,

مِنْ كَبَائِرِ ذُنُوبِي وَ صَغَائِرِهَا ،

great and small,

وَ بَوَاطِنِ سَيِّئَاتِي وَ ظَوَاهِرِهَا ،

my evil deeds, inward and outward,

وَ سَوَالِفِ زَلَّاتِي وَ حَوَادِثِهَا ،

my lapses, past and recent,

تَوْبَةَ مَنْ لَا يُحَدِّثُ نَفْسَهُ بِمَعْصِيَةٍ ،

with the repentance of one who does not tell himself that he might disobey

وَ لَا يُضْمِرُ أَنْ يَعُودَ فِي خَطِيئَةٍ

or secretly think that he might return to an offense.

وَ قَدْ قُلْتَ يَا إِلَهِي

Thou hast said, my God,

فِي مُحْكَمِ كِتَابِكَ

in the firm text of Thy Book,

إِنَّكَ تَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِكَ ،

that Thou acceptest repentance from Thy servants,2

وَ تَعْفُو عَنِ السَّيِّئَاتِ ،

pardonest evil deeds,

وَ تُحِبُّ التَّوَّابِينَ ،

and lovest the repenters,

فَاقْبَلْ تَوْبَتِي كَمَا وَعَدْتَ ،

so accept my repentance as Thou hast promised,

وَ اعْفُ عَنْ سَيِّئَاتِي كَمَا ضَمِنْتَ ،

pardon my evil deeds as thou hast guaranteed,

وَ أَوْجِبْ لِي مَحَبَّتَكَ كَمَا شَرَطْتَ

and make obligatory toward me Thy love as Thou hast stipulated!

وَ لَكَ يَا رَبِّ شَرْطِي

To Thee, my Lord, belongs my stipulation

أَلَّا أَعُودَ فِي مَكْرُوهِكَ ،

that I will not return to what is disliked by Thee,

وَ ضَمَانِي أَنْ لَا أَرْجِعَ فِي مَذْمُومِكَ ،

my guarantee that I will not go back to what Thou blamest,

وَ عَهْدِي أَنْ أَهْجُرَ جَمِيعَ مَعَاصِيكَ .

and my covenant that I will stay away from acts of disobedience to Thee.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا عَمِلْتُ

O God, Thou knowest better what I have done,

فَاغْفِرْ لِي مَا عَلِمْتَ ،

so forgive me what Thou knowest

وَ اصْرِفْنِي بِقُدْرَتِكَ إِلَى مَا أَحْبَبْتَ .

and turn me through Thy power to what Thou lovest!

اللَّهُمَّ وَ عَلَيَّ تَبِعَاتٌ قَدْ حَفِظْتُهُنَّ ،

O God, counted against me are claims that stay in my memory

وَ تَبِعَاتٌ قَدْ نَسِيتُهُنَّ ،

and claims that I have forgotten,

وَ كُلُّهُنَّ بِعَيْنِكَ الَّتِي لَا تَنَامُ ،

while all of them remain in Thy eye that does not sleep

وَ عِلْمِكَ الَّذِي لَا يَنْسَى ،

and Thy knowledge that does not forget!

فَعَوِّضْ مِنْهَا أَهْلَهَا ،

So compensate their owners,

وَ احْطُطْ عَنِّي وِزْرَهَا ،

lighten their load upon me,

وَ خَفِّفْ عَنِّي ثِقْلَهَا ،

lift up their weight from me,

وَ اعْصِمْنِي مِنْ أَنْ أُقَارِفَ مِثْلَهَا .

and preserve me from approaching their like!

اللَّهُمَّ وَ إِنَّهُ لَا وَفَاءَ لِي بِالتَّوْبَةِ إِلَّا بِعِصْمَتِكَ ،

O God, but I cannot be faithful to my repentance without Thy preservation,

وَ لَا اسْتِمْسَاكَ بِي عَنِ الْخَطَايَا إِلَّا عَنْ قُوَّتِكَ ،

nor can I refrain from offenses without Thy strength.

فَقَوِّنِي بِقُوَّةٍ كَافِيَةٍ ،

So strengthen me with a sufficient strength

وَ تَوَلَّنِي بِعِصْمَةٍ مَانِعَةٍ .

and attend to me with a defending preservation!

اللَّهُمَّ أَيُّمَا عَبْدٍ تَابَ إِلَيْكَ

O God, if any servant repents to Thee,

وَ هُوَ فِي عِلْمِ الْغَيْبِ عِنْدَكَ فَاسِخٌ لِتَوْبَتِهِ ،

while in Thy knowledge of the Unseen he will break his repentance

وَ عَائِدٌ فِي ذَنْبِهِ وَ خَطِيئَتِهِ ،

and return to his sin and offense,

فَإِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَكُونَ كَذَلِكَ ،

I seek refuge in Thee lest I be like that!

فَاجْعَلْ تَوْبَتِي هَذِهِ

So make this my repentance

تَوْبَةً لَا أَحْتَاجُ بَعْدَهَا إِلَى تَوْبَةٍ ،

a repentance after which I will need no repentance

تَوْبَةً مُوجِبَةً لِمَحْوِ مَا سَلَفَ ،

and a repentance which will obligate the erasing of what has gone by

وَ السَّلَامَةِ فِيمَا بَقِيَ .

and safety in what remains!

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعْتَذِرُ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ جَهْلِي ،

O God, I ask pardon from Thee for my ignorance,

وَ أَسْتَوْهِبُكَ سُوءَ فِعْلِي ،

and I ask Thee to disregard my evil acts!

فَاضْمُمْنِي إِلَى كَنَفِ رَحْمَتِكَ تَطَوُّلًا ،

So join me to the shelter of Thy mercy through graciousness

وَ اسْتُرْنِي بِسِتْرِ عَافِيَتِكَ تَفَضُّلًا .

and cover me with the covering of Thy well-being through bounteousness!

اللَّهُمَّ وَ إِنِّي أَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ كُلِّ مَا خَالَفَ إِرَادَتَكَ ،

O God, I repent to Thee from everything opposed to Thy will

أَوْ زَالَ عَنْ مَحَبَّتِكَ

or far from Thy love

مِنْ خَطَرَاتِ قَلْبِي ، وَ لَحَظَاتِ عَيْنِي ، وَ حِكَايَاتِ لِسَانِي ،

- the thoughts of my heart, the glances of my eye, the tales of my tongue -

تَوْبَةً تَسْلَمُ بِهَا كُلُّ جَارِحَةٍ عَلَى حِيَالِهَا مِنْ تَبِعَاتِكَ ،

with a repentance through which each bodily part will by itself stay safe from ill consequences with Thee

وَ تَأْمَنُ مِمَا يَخَافُ الْمُعْتَدُونَ

and remain secure from Thy painful penalties

مِنْ أَلِيمِ سَطَوَاتِكَ .

feared by transgressors!

اللَّهُمَّ فَارْحَمْ وَحْدَتِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ ،

O God, so have mercy on my being alone before Thee,

وَ وَجِيبَ قَلْبِي مِنْ خَشْيَتِكَ ،

the pounding of my heart in dread of Thee,

وَ اضْطِرَابَ أَرْكَانِي مِنْ هَيْبَتِكَ ،

the trembling of my limbs in awe of Thee!

فَقَدْ أَقَامَتْنِي يَا رَبِّ ذُنُوبِي مَقَامَ الْخِزْيِ بِفِنَائِكَ ،

My sins, my God, have stood me in the station of degradation in Thy courtyard.

فَإِنْ سَكَتُّ لَمْ يَنْطِقْ عَنِّي أَحَدٌ ،

If I remain silent, none will speak for me;

وَ إِنْ شَفَعْتُ فَلَسْتُ بِأَهْلِ الشَّفَاعَةِ .

if I seek an intercessor, I am not worthy for intercession.

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

O God, bless Muhammad and his Household,

وَ شَفِّعْ فِي خَطَايَايَ كَرَمَكَ ،

make Thy generosity intercede for my offenses,

وَ عُدْ عَلَى سَيِّئَاتِي بِعَفْوِكَ ،

follow up my evil deeds with Thy pardon,

وَ لَا تَجْزِنِي جَزَائِي مِنْ عُقُوبَتِكَ ،

repay me not with the punishment that is my proper repayment,

وَ ابْسُطْ عَلَيَّ طَوْلَكَ ،

spread over me Thy graciousness,

وَ جَلِّلْنِي بِسِتْرِكَ ،

wrap me in Thy covering,

وَ افْعَلْ بِي فِعْلَ عَزِيزٍ

and do with me what is done by a mighty man,

تَضَرَّعَ إِلَيْهِ عَبْدٌ ذَلِيلٌ فَرَحِمَهُ ،

when a lowly slave pleads to him and he shows him mercy,

أَوْ غَنِيٍّ تَعَرَّضَ لَهُ عَبْدٌ فَقِيرٌ فَنَعَشَهُ .

or a rich man, when a poor slave submits himself and he raises him to wealth!

اللَّهُمَّ لَا خَفِيرَ لِي مِنْكَ

O God,I have no protector against Thee,

فَلْيَخْفُرْنِي عِزُّكَ ،

so let Thy might be my protector!

وَ لَا شَفِيعَ لِي إِلَيْكَ

I have no intercessor with Thee,

فَلْيَشْفَعْ لِي فَضْلُكَ ،

so let Thy bounty be my intercessor!

وَ قَدْ أَوْجَلَتْنِي خَطَايَايَ فَلْيُؤْمِنِّي عَفْوُكَ .

My offenses have set me quaking, so let Thy pardon give me security!

فَمَا كُلُّ مَا نَطَقْتُ بِهِ

Not all that I have said rises up from

عَنْ جَهْلٍ مِنِّي بِسُوءِ أَثَرِي ،

my ignorance of my evil footsteps

وَ لَا نِسْيَانٍ لِمَا سَبَقَ مِنْ ذَمِيمِ فِعْلِي ،

or forgetfulness of my blameworthy acts in the past,

لَكِنْ لِتَسْمَعَ سَمَاؤُكَ وَ مَنْ فِيهَا وَ أَرْضُكَ وَ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا

but in order that Thy heaven and those within it and Thy earth and those upon it

مَا أَظْهَرْتُ لَكَ مِنَ النَّدَمِ ،

may hear the remorse which I have professed to Thee

وَ لَجَأْتُ إِلَيْكَ فِيهِ مِنَ التَّوْبَةِ .

and the repentance through which I have sought asylum with Thee.

فَلَعَلَّ بَعْضَهُمْ بِرَحْمَتِكَ

Then perhaps one of them, through Thy mercy,

يَرْحَمُنِي لِسُوءِ مَوْقِفِي ،

may show mercy upon my evil situation

أَوْ تُدْرِكُهُ الرِّقَّةُ عَلَيَّ لِسُوءِ حَالِي

or be seized by tenderness for my evil state.

فَيَنَالَنِي مِنْهُ بِدَعْوَةٍ

There may come from him for my sake

هِيَ أَسْمَعُ لَدَيْكَ مِنْ دُعَائِي ،

a supplication to which Thou givest ear more than to my supplication

أَوْ شَفَاعَةٍ أَوْكَدُ عِنْدَكَ مِنْ شَفَاعَتِي

or an intercession surer with Thee than my intercession

تَكُونُ بِهَا نَجَاتِي مِنْ غَضَبِكَ

through which I may be delivered from Thy wrath

وَ فَوْزَتِي بِرِضَاكَ .

and attain to Thy good pleasure!

اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ يَكُنِ النَّدَمُ تَوْبَةً إِلَيْكَ

O God, if remorse is a repentance toward Thee,

فَأَنَا أَنْدَمُ النَّادِمِينَ ،

then I am the most remorseful of the remorseful!

وَ إِنْ يَكُنِ التَّرْكُ لِمَعْصِيَتِكَ إِنَابَةً

If refraining from disobedience is a turning back to Thee,

فَأَنَا أَوَّلُ الْمُنِيبِينَ ،

then I am the first of those who turn back!

وَ إِنْ يَكُنِ الِاسْتِغْفَارُ حِطَّةً لِلذُّنُوبِ

If praying for forgiveness alleviates sins,

فَإِنِّي لَكَ مِنَ الْمُسْتَغْفِرِينَ .

surely I am one of those who pray for Thy forgiveness!

اللَّهُمَّ فَكَمَا أَمَرْتَ بِالتَّوْبَةِ ،

O God, as Thou hast commanded repentance

وَ ضَمِنْتَ الْقَبُولَ ،

and guaranteed acceptance,

وَ حَثَثْتَ عَلَى الدُّعَاءِ ،

as Thou hast urged supplication,

وَ وَعَدْتَ الْإِجَابَةَ ،

and promised to respond,

فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

so also bless Muhammad and his Household,

وَ اقْبَلْ تَوْبَتِي ،

accept my repentance,

وَ لَا تَرْجِعْنِي مَرْجِعَ الْخَيْبَةِ مِنْ رَحْمَتِكَ ،

and return me not to the returning place of disappointment in Thy mercy!

إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ التَّوَّابُ عَلَى الْمُذْنِبِينَ ،

Surely Thou art Ever-turning toward the sinners,

وَ الرَّحِيمُ لِلْخَاطِئِينَ الْمُنِيبِينَ .

All-compassionate6 toward the offenders who turn back!

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

O God, bless Muhammad and his Household

كَمَا هَدَيْتَنَا بِهِ ،

just as Thou hast guided us by him!

وَ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ، كَمَا اسْتَنْقَذْتَنَا بِهِ ،

Bless Muhammad and his Household just as Thou hast rescued us through him!

وَ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ، صَلَاةً تَشْفَعُ لَنَا

Bless Muhammad and his Household, with a blessing that will intercede for us

يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ وَ يَوْمَ الْفَاقَةِ إِلَيْكَ ،

on the Day of Resurrection, the day of neediness toward Thee!

إِنَّكَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ قَدِيرٌ ،

Thou art powerful over everything,

وَ هُوَ عَلَيْكَ يَسِيرٌ .

and that is easy for Thee!