The Whispered Prayer of the Rememberers

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

    الثالثة عشرة : مناجاة الذاكرين

13. The Whispered Prayer of the Rememberers

    بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

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

     إلهِي لَوْلا الْواجِبُ مِنْ قَبُولِ أمْرِكَ

My God, were it not incumbent to accept Thy command,

    لَنَزَّهْتُكَ مِنْ ذِكْرِي إيَّاكَ،

I would declare Thee far too exalted for me to remember Thee,

    عَلى أَنَّ ذِكْرِي لَكَ بِقَدْرِي، لا بِقَدْرِكَ،

for I remember Thee in my measure, not in Thy measure,

    وَما عَسى أَنْ يَبْلُغَ مِقْدارِي،

and my scope can hardly reach the point

    حَتّى أُجْعَلَ مَحَلاًّ لِتَقْدِيسِكَ،

where I may be a locus for calling Thee holy!

    وَمِنْ أَعْظَمِ النِّعَمِ عَلَيْنا

Among Thy greatest favours to us

    جَرَيانُ ذِكْرِكَ عَلى أَلْسِنَتِنَا،

is the running of Thy remembrance across our tongues

    وَإذْنُكَ لَنا بِدُعآئِكَ،

and Thy permission to us to supplicate Thee,

    وَتَنْزِيهِكَ وَتَسْبِيحِكَ.

declare Thee exalted, and call Thee holy!

إلهِي فَأَلْهِمْنا ذِكْرَكَ

My God, inspire us with Thy remembrance

    فِي الْخَلاءِ وَالْمَلاءِ،

alone and in assemblies,

    وَاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهارِ،

by night and day,

    وَالإِعْلانِ وَالإِسْرارِ،

publicly and secretly,

    وَفِي السَّرَّآءِ وَالضَّرَّآءِ

in prosperity and adversity!

    وَآنِسْنا بِالذِّكْرِ الْخَفِيِّ،

Make us intimate with silent remembrance,

    وَاسْتَعْمِلْنا بِالْعَمَلِ الزَّكِيِّ، وَالسَّعْي الْمَرْضِيِّ،

employ us in purified works and effort pleasing to Thee,

    وَجازِنا بِالْمِيزانِ الَوَفِيِّ.

and reward us with the full balance!

    إلهِي بِكَ هامَتِ الْقُلُوبُ الْوالِهَةُ،

My God, love-mad hearts are enraptured by Thee,

    وَعَلى مَعْرِفَتِكَ جُمِعَتِ الْعُقُولُ الْمُتَبايِنَةُ،

disparate intellects are brought together by knowing Thee,

    فَلا تَطْمَئِنُّ الْقُلُوبُ إلاَّ بِذِكْراكَ،

hearts find no serenity except in remembering Thee,15

    وَلا تَسْكُنُ النُّفُوسُ إلاّ عِنْدَ رُؤْياكَ،

souls find no rest except in seeing Thee.

    أَنْتَ الْمُسَبَّحُ فِي كُلِّ مَكان،

Thou art the glorified in every place,

    وَالْمَعْبُودُ فِي كُلِّ زَمان،

the worshipped at every time,

    وَالْمَوْجُودُ فِي كُلِّ أَوان،

the found at every moment,

    وَالْمَدْعُوُّ بِكُلِّ لِسان،

the called by every tongue,

    وَالْمُعَظَّمُ فِي كُلِّ جَنان،

the magnified in every heart!

    وَأَسْتَغْفِرُكَ مِنْ كُلِّ لَذَّة بِغَيْرِ ذِكْرِكَ،

I pray forgiveness from Thee for every pleasure but remembering Thee,

    وَمِنْ كُلِّ راحَة بِغَيْرِ أُنْسِكَ،

every ease but intimacy with Thee,

    وَمِنْ كُلِّ سُرُور بِغَيْرِ قُرْبِكَ،

every happiness but nearness to Thee,

    وَمِنْ كُلِّ شُغْل بِغَيْرِ طاعَتِكَ.

every occupation but obeying Thee!

         إلهِي أَنْتَ قُلْتَ وَقَوْلُكَ الْحَقُّ:

My God, Thou hast said - and Thy word is true -

    يا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا

O you who have faith,

    اذْكُرُوا اللهَ ذِكْراً كَثِيراً وَسَبِّحُوهُ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلاً

remember God with much remembrance and glorify Him at dawn and in the evening!

    وَقُلْتَ وَقَوْلُكَ الْحَقُّ:

Thou hast said - and Thy word is true -

    فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ

Remember Me, and I will remember you!

    فَأَمَرْتَنا بِذِكْرِكَ،

Thou hast commanded us to remember Thee,

    وَوَعَدْتَنا عَلَيْهِ أَنْ تَذْكُرَنا

and promised us that Thou wilt remember us thereby,

    تَشْرِيفاً لَنا وَتَفْخِيمَاً وَإعْظامَاً،

in order to ennoble, respect, and honour us.

    وَها نَحْنُ ذاكِرُوكَ كَما أَمَرْتَنا،

Here we are, remembering Thee as Thou hast commanded us!

    فَأَنْجِزْ لَنا مَا وَعَدْتَنا

So accomplish what Thou hast promised,

    يا ذاكِرَ الذَّاكِرِينَ،

O Rememberer of the rememberers!

    وَيا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ.

O Most Merciful of the merciful!