The Whispered Prayer of the Repenters

Fifteen Whispered Prayers from the Words of Sayyid al-Sajidin
مُناجاتُ خَمْسَ عَشَرَةَ مِن كلامِ سَيِّد السِّاجِدينَ
Translated by William C. Chittick

الأولى : مناجاة التائبين

1. The Whispered Prayer of the Repenters

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

In the Name of God, the All-merciful, the All-compassionate

إلهِي أَلْبَسَتْنِي الْخَطايا ثَوْبَ مَذَلَّتِي،

 My God, offenses have clothed me in the garment of my lowliness,

وَجَلَّلَنِي التَّباعُدُ مِنْكَ لِباسَ مَسْكَنَتِي،

separation from Thee has wrapped me in the clothing of my misery!

وَأَماتَ قَلْبِي عَظِيمُ جِنايَتِي،

My dreadful crimes have deadened my heart,

فَأَحْيِه بِتَوْبَة مِنْكَ

so bring it to life by a repentance from Thee!

يا أَمَلِي وَبُغْيَتِي،

O my hope and my aim!

وَيا سُؤْلِي وَمُنْيَتِي،

O my wish and my want!

فَوَ عِزَّتِكَ ما أَجِدُ لِذُنُوبِي سِواكَ غافِراً،

By Thy might, I find no one but Thee to forgive my sins

وَلا أَرى لِكَسْرِي غَيْرَكَ جابِراً،

and I see none but Thee to mend my brokenness!

وَقَدْ خَضَعْتُ بِالإنابَةِ إلَيْكَ

I have subjected myself to Thee in repeated turning,

وَعَنَوْتُ بِالاسْتِكانَةِ لَدَيْكَ،

I have humbled myself to Thee in abasement.

فَإنْ طَرَدْتَنِي مِنْ بابِكَ فَبِمَنْ أَلُوذُ؟

If Thou castest me out from Thy door, in whom shall I take shelter?

وَإنْ رَدَدْتَنِي عَنْ جَنابِكَ فَبِمَنْ أَعُوذُ؟

If Thou repellest me from Thy side, in whom shall I seek refuge?

فَوا أَسَفاهُ مِنْ خَجْلَتِي وَافْتِضَاحِي،

O my grief at my ignominy and disgrace!

وَوالَهْفاهُ مِنْ سُوءِ عَمَلِي وَاجْتِراحِي.

O my sorrow at my evil works and what I have committed!

أَسْأَلُكَ يا غافِرَ الذَّنْبِ الْكَبِيرِ،

 I ask Thee, O Forgiver of great sins,

وَيا جابِرَ الْعَظْمِ الْكَسِيرِ،

O Mender of broken bones,

أَنْ تَهَبَ لِي مُوبِقاتِ الْجَرآئِرِ،

to overlook my ruinous misdeeds

وَتَسْتُرَ عَلَيَّ فاضِحاتِ السَّرآئِرِ،

and cover my disgraceful secret thoughts!

وَلا تُخْلِنِي فِي مَشْهَدِ الْقِيامَةِ

At the witnessing place of the Resurrection, empty me not

مِنْ بَرْدِ عَفْوِكَ وَغَفْرِكَ،

of the coolness of Thy pardon and forgiveness,

وَلا تُعْرِنِي

and strip me not

مِنْ جَمِيلِ صَفْحِكَ وَسَتْرِكَ.

of Thy beautiful forbearance and covering!

إلهِي ظَلِّلْ عَلَى ذُنُوبِي غَمامَ رَحْمَتِكَ،

 My God, let the cloud of Thy mercy cast its shadow upon my sins

وَأَرْسِلْ عَلى عُيُوبِي سَحابَ رَأْفَتِكَ.

and send the billow of Thy clemency flowing over my faults!

إلهِي هَلْ يَرْجِعُ الْعَبْدُ الابِقُ إلاَّ إلَى مَوْلاهُ

 My God, does the runaway servant go back but to his Master?

أَمْ هَلْ يُجِيرُهُ مِنْ سَخَطِهِ أَحَدٌ سِواهُ؟

Or does anyone grant sanctuary to him from His anger but He?

إلهِي إنْ كانَ النَّدَمُ عَلَى الذَّنْب تَوْبَةً،

 My God, if remorse for sins is a repentance,

فَإنِّي وَعِزَّتِكَ مِنَ النَّادِمِينَ،

I - by Thy might - am one of the remorseful!

وَإنْ كَانَ الاسْتِغْفارُ مِنَ الْخَطيئَةِ حِطَّةً،

If praying forgiveness for offenses is an alleviation,

فَإنِّي لَكَ مِنَ الُمُسْتَغْفِرِينَ،

I am one of those who pray forgiveness!

لَكَ الْعُتْبى

To Thee I return

حَتّى تَرْضى.

that Thou may be well pleased!

إلهِي بِقُدْرَتِكَ عَلَيَّ تُبْ عَلَيَّ،

 My God, through Thy power over me, turn toward me,

وَبِحِلْمِكَ عَنِّي اعْفُ عَنِّي،

through Thy clemency toward me, pardon me,

وَبِعِلْمِكَ بِي

and through Thy knowledge of me,

ارْفَقْ بِي.

be gentle toward me!

إلهِي أَنْتَ الَّذي فَتَحْتَ لِعِبادِكَ بَابَاً إلَى عَفْوِكَ

 My God, Thou art He who hast opened a door to Thy pardon

سَمَّيْتَهُ التَّوْبَةَ،

and named it 'repentance',

فَقُلْتَ: ( تُوبُوا إلَى اللَّهِ تَوْبَةً نَصُوحَاً)،

for Thou said, Repent to God with unswerving repentance

فَما عُذْرُ مَنْ أَغْفَلَ دُخُولَ الْبابِ بَعْدَ فَتْحِهِ.

What is the excuse of him who remains heedless of entering the door after its opening?

إلهِي إنْ كانَ قَبُحَ الذَّنْبُ مِنْ عَبْدِكَ

My God, though the sins of Thy servant are ugly,

فَلْيَحْسُنِ الْعَفْوُ مِنْ عِنْدِكَ.

Thy pardon is beautiful.

إلهِي ما أَنَا بِأَوَّلِ مَنْ عَصاكَ،

 My God, I am not the first to have disobeyed Thee,

 فَتُبْتَ عَلَيْهِ،

and Thou turned toward him,

وَتَعَرَّضَ بِمَعْرُوفِكَ، فَجُدْتَ عَلَيْهِ،

or to have sought to attain Thy favour, and Thou wert munificent toward him.

يا مُجِيبَ الْمُضْطَرِّ،

O Responder to the distressed!

يا كَاشِفَ الضُّرِّ،

O Remover of injury!

يا عَظِيمَ الْبِرِّ،

O Great in goodness!

يا عَليمَاً بِما فِي السِّرِّ،

O Knower of everything secret!

يا جَمِيلَ السِّتْرِ

O Beautiful through covering over!

اسْتَشْفَعْتُ بِجُودِكَ وَكَرَمِكَ إلَيْكَ،

I seek Thy munificence and Thy generosity to intercede with Thee,

وَتَوَسَّلْتُ بِجَنابِكَ وَتَرَحُّمِكَ لَدَيْكَ،

I seek Thy side and Thy showing mercy to mediate with Thee,

فَاسْتَجِبْ دُعآئِي،

so grant my supplication,

وَلا تُخَيِّبْ فِيكَ رَجآئِي

disappoint not my hope in Thee,

وَتَقَبَّلْ تَوْبَتِي وَكَفِّرْ خَطيئَتِي،

accept my repentance, and hide my offense,

بِمَنِّكَ وَرَحْمَتِكَ

through Thy kindness and mercy,

يا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ.

O Most Merciful of the merciful!