Supplication upon Hearing Thunder (36)

وَ كَانَ مِنْ دُعَائِهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ إِذَا نَظَرَ إِلَى السَّحَابِ وَ الْبَرْقِ وَ سَمِعَ صَوْتَ الرَّعْدِ
His Supplication when he Looked upon Clouds and Lightning and Heard the Sound of Thunder
Translated by William Chittick

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّ هَذَيْنِ آيَتَانِ مِنْ آيَاتِكَ ،

O God, these are two of Thy signs

وَ هَذَيْنِ عَوْنَانِ مِنْ أَعْوَانِكَ ،

and these are two of Thy helpers.

يَبْتَدِرَانِ طَاعَتَكَ بِرَحْمَةٍ نَافِعَةٍ

They rush to obey Thee with beneficial mercy

أَوْ نَقِمَةٍ ضَارَّةٍ ،

or injurious vengeance,

فَلَا تُمْطِرْنَا بِهِمَا مَطَرَ السَّوْءِ ،

so rain not down upon us from them the evil rain

وَ لَا تُلْبِسْنَا بِهِمَا لِبَاسَ الْبَلَاءِ .

and clothe us not through them in the garment of affliction!

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

O God, bless Muhammad and his Household,

وَ أَنْزِلْ عَلَيْنَا نَفْعَ هَذِهِ السَّحَائِبِ وَ بَرَكَتَهَا ،

send down upon us the benefit of these clouds and their blessing,

وَ اصْرِفْ عَنَّا أَذَاهَا وَ مَضَرَّتَهَا ،

turn away from us their harm and their injury,

وَ لَا تُصِبْنَا فِيهَا بِآفَةٍ ،

strike us not through them with blight,

وَ لَا تُرْسِلْ عَلَى مَعَايِشِنَا عَاهَةً .

and loose not upon our livelihoods any bane!

اللَّهُمَّ وَ إِنْ كُنْتَ بَعَثْتَهَا نَقِمَةً

O God, if Thou hast incited them as vengeance

وَ أَرْسَلْتَهَا سَخْطَةً

and loosed them in anger,

فَإِنَّا نَسْتَجِيرُكَ مِنْ غَضَبِكَ ،

we seek sanctuary with Thee from Thy wrath

وَ نَبْتَهِلُ إِلَيْكَ فِي سُؤَالِ عَفْوِكَ ،

and implore Thee in asking Thy pardon!

فَمِلْ بِالْغَضَبِ إِلَى الْمُشْرِكِينَ ،

So incline with wrath toward the idolaters

وَ أَدِرْ رَحَى نَقِمَتِكَ عَلَى الْمُلْحِدِينَ .

and set the millstone of Thy vengeance turning upon the heretics!

اللَّهُمَّ أَذْهِبْ مَحْلَ بِلَادِنَا بِسُقْيَاكَ ،

O God, take away the barrenness of our lands with Thy watering,

وَ أَخْرِجْ وَحَرَ صُدُورِنَا بِرِزْقِكَ ،

dislodge the malice from our breasts with Thy providing,

وَ لَا تَشْغَلْنَا عَنْكَ بِغَيْرِكَ ،

distract us not from Thee through other than Thee,

وَ لَا تَقْطَعْ عَنْ كَافَّتِنَا مَادَّةَ بِرِّكَ ،

and cut none of us off from the stuff of Thy goodness,

فَإِنَّ الْغَنِيَّ مَنْ أَغْنَيْتَ ،

for the rich is he to whom Thou hast given riches,

وَ إِنَّ السَّالِمَ مَنْ وَقَيْتَ

and the safe he whom Thou hast protected!

مَا عِنْدَ أَحَدٍ دُونَكَ دِفَاعٌ ،

No one has any defense against Thee,

وَ لَا بِأَحَدٍ عَنْ سَطْوَتِكَ امْتِنَاعٌ ،

nor any means to bar Thy penalty.

تَحْكُمُ بِمَا شِئْتَ عَلَى مَنْ شِئْتَ ،

Thou decidest what Thou wilt for whom Thou wilt

وَ تَقْضِي بِمَا أَرَدْتَ فِيمَنْ أَرَدْتَ

and Thou decreest what Thou desirest for any whom Thou desirest!

فَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ عَلَى مَا وَقَيْتَنَا مِنَ الْبَلَاءِ ،

So to Thee belongs praise for protecting us from affliction

وَ لَكَ الشُّكْرُ عَلَى مَا خَوَّلْتَنَا مِنَ النَّعْمَاءِ ،

and to Thee belongs thanks for conferring upon us blessings,

حَمْداً يُخَلِّفُ حَمْدَ الْحَامِدِينَ وَرَاءَهُ ،

a praise which will leave behind the praise of the praisers,

حَمْداً يَمْلَأُ أَرْضَهُ وَ سَمَاءَهُ

a praise which will fill the earth and the heaven!

إِنَّكَ الْمَنَّانُ بِجَسِيمِ الْمِنَنِ ،

Surely Thou art the All-kind through immense kindnesses,

الْوَهَّابُ لِعَظِيمِ النِّعَمِ ،

the Giver of abounding favours,

الْقَابِلُ يَسِيرَ الْحَمْدِ ،

the Accepter of small praise,

الشَّاكِرُ قَلِيلَ الشُّكْرِ ،

the Grateful for little gratitude,

الْمُحْسِنُ الْمُجْمِلُ ذُو الطَّوْلِ ،

the Beneficent, the Benevolent, Possessor of graciousness!

لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ ،

There is no god but Thou;

إِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ .

unto Thee is the homecoming.