Supplication in Asking Release (16)

وَ كَانَ مِنْ دُعَائِهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ إِذَا اسْتَقَالَ مِنْ ذُنُوبِهِ ، أَوْ تَضَرَّعَ فِي طَلَبِ الْعَفْوِ عَنْ عُيُوبِهِ
His Supplication when he Asked Release from his Sins or Pleaded in Seeking Pardon for his Defects
Translated by William Chittick

   اللَّهُمَّ يَا مَنْ بِرَحْمَتِهِ يَسْتَغيثُ الْمُذْنِبُونَ

O God, O He through whose Mercy sinners seek aid!

     وَ يَا مَنْ إِلَى ذِكْرِ إِحْسَانِهِ يَفْزَعُ الْمُضْطَرُّونَ

O He to the remembrance of whose beneficence the distressed flee!

     وَ يَا مَنْ لِخِيفَتِهِ يَنْتَحِبُ الْخَاطِئُونَ

O He in fear of whom the offenders weep!

     يَا أُنْسَ كُلِّ مُسْتَوْحِشٍ غَرِيبٍ ،

O Comfort of every lonely stranger!

    وَ يَا فَرَجَ كُلِّ مَكْرُوبٍ كَئِيبٍ ،

O Relief of all who are downcast and distressed!

    وَ يَا غَوْثَ كُلِّ مَخْذُولٍ فَرِيدٍ ،

O Aid of everyone abandoned and alone!

    وَ يَا عَضُدَ كُلِّ مُحْتَاجٍ طَرِيدٍ

O Support of every needy outcast!

     أَنْتَ الَّذِي وَسِعْتَ كُلَّ شَيْ‏ءٍ رَحْمَةً وَ عِلْماً

Thou art He who embracest everything in mercy and knowledge!

     وَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي جَعَلْتَ لِكُلِّ مَخْلُوقٍ فِي نِعَمِكَ سَهْماً

Thou art He who hast appointed for each creature a share of Thy favours!

     وَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي عَفْوُهُ أَعْلَى مِنْ عِقَابِهِ

Thou art He whose pardon is higher than His punishment!

     وَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي تَسْعَى رَحْمَتُهُ أَمَامَ غَضَبِهِ

Thou art He whose mercy runs before His wrath!

     وَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي عَطَاؤُهُ أَكْثَرُ مِنْ مَنْعِهِ

Thou art He whose bestowal is greater than His withholding!

     وَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي اتَّسَعَ الْخَلَائِقُ كُلُّهُمْ فِي وُسْعِهِ

Thou art He by whose mercy all creatures are embraced!

     وَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي لَا يَرْغَبُ فِي جَزَاءِ مَنْ أَعْطَاهُ

Thou art He who desires no repayment by him upon whom He bestows!

     وَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي لَا يُفْرِطُ فِي عِقَابِ مَنْ عَصَاهُ

Thou art He who does not overdo the punishment of him who disobeys Thee!

     وَ أَنَا ، يَا إِلَهِي ، عَبْدُكَ

And I, my God, am Thy servant

    الَّذِي أَمَرْتَهُ بِالدُّعَاءِ

whom Thou commanded to supplicate

    فَقَالَ لَبَّيْكَ وَ سَعْدَيْكَ ،

and who said: I am at Thy service and disposal!

    هَا أَنَا ذَا ، يَا رَبِّ ، مَطْرُوحٌ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ

Here am I, my Lord, thrown down before Thee

     أَنَا الَّذِي أَوْقَرَتِ الْخَطَايَا ظَهْرَهُ ،

I am he whose back offenses have weighed down!

    وَ أَنَا الَّذِي أَفْنَتِ الذُّنُوبُ عُمُرَهُ ،

I am he whose lifetime sins have consumed!

    وَ أَنَا الَّذِي بِجَهْلِهِ عَصَاكَ ،

I am he who was disobedient in his ignorance,

    وَ لَمْ تَكُنْ أَهْلًا مِنْهُ لِذَاكَ

while Thou didst not deserve that from him!

     هَلْ أَنْتَ ، يَا إِلَهِي ،

Wilt Thou, my God,

    رَاحِمٌ مَنْ دَعَاكَ

be merciful toward him who supplicates Thee,

    فَأُبْلِغَ فِي الدُّعَاءِ

that I should bring my supplication before Thee?

    أَمْ أَنْتَ غَافِرٌ لِمَنْ بَكَاكَ

Wilt Thou forgive him who weeps to Thee

    فَأُسْرِعَ فِي الْبُكَاءِ

that I should hurry to weep?

    أَمْ أَنْتَ مُتَجَاوِزٌ عَمَّنْ عَفَّرَ لَكَ وَجْهَهُ تَذَلُّلًا

Wilt Thou show forbearance toward him who puts his face in the dust before Thee in lowliness?

    أَمْ أَنْتَ مُغْنٍ مَنْ شَكَا إِلَيْكَ ، فَقْرَهُ تَوَكُّلًا

Wilt Thou free from need him who complains to Thee of his indigent need with confidence?

     إِلَهِي لَا تُخَيِّبْ مَنْ لَا يَجِدُ

My God, disappoint not him who finds no bestower

    مُعْطِياً غَيْرَكَ ،

other than Thee,

    وَ لَا تَخْذُلْ مَنْ لَا يَسْتَغْنِي عَنْكَ بِأَحَدٍ دُونَكَ

and abandon not him who cannot be freed from his need for Thee through less than Thee!

     إِلَهِي فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

My God, so bless Muhammad and his Household,

    وَ لَا تُعْرِضْ عَنِّي وَ قَدْ أَقْبَلْتُ عَلَيْكَ ،

turn not away from me when I have turned my face toward Thee,

    وَ لَا تَحْرِمْنِي وَ قَدْ رَغِبْتُ إِلَيْكَ ،

deprive me not when  have besought Thee,

    وَ لَا تَجْبَهْنِي بِالرَّدِّ وَ قَدِ انْتَصَبْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ

and slap not my brow with rejection when I have stood before Thee!

     أَنْتَ الَّذِي وَصَفْتَ نَفْسَكَ بِالرَّحْمَةِ ،

Thou art He who has described Himself by mercy,

    فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ، وَ ارْحَمْنِي ،

so bless Muhammad and his Household and have mercy upon me!

    وَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي سَمَّيْتَ نَفْسَكَ بِالْعَفْوِ

Thou art He who has named Himself by pardon,

    فَاعْفُ عَنِّي

so pardon me!

     قَدْ تَرَى يَا إِلَهِي ،

Thou hast seen, my God,

    فَيْضَ دَمْعِي مِنْ خِيفَتِكَ ،

the flow of my tears in fear of Thee,

    وَ وَجِيبَ قَلْبِي مِنْ خَشْيَتِكَ ،

the throbbing of my heart in dread of Thee,

    وَ انْتِقَاضَ جَوَارِحِي مِنْ هَيْبَتِكَ

and the infirmity of my limbs in awe of Thee

     كُلُّ ذَلِكَ حَيَاءٌ مِنْكَ لِسُوءِ عَمَلِي ،

All this from my shame before Thee because of my evil works!

    وَ لِذَاكَ خَمَدَ صَوْتِي عَنِ الْجَأْرِ إِلَيْكَ ،

So my voice has become silent, no longer crying to Thee,

    وَ كَلَّ لِسَانِي عَنْ مُنَاجَاتِكَ

and my tongue has gone dumb, no longer whispering in prayer

     يَا إِلَهِي فَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ

My God, so to Thee belongs praise!

    فَكَمْ مِنْ عَائِبَةٍ سَتَرْتَهَا عَلَيَّ فَلَمْ تَفْضَحْنِي ،

How many of my flaws Thou hast covered over without exposing me!

    وَ كَمْ مِنْ ذَنْبٍ غَطَّيْتَهُ عَلَيَّ فَلَمْ تَشْهَرْنِي ،

How many of my sins Thou hast cloaked without making me notorious!

    وَ كَمْ مِنْ شَائِبَةٍ أَلْمَمْتُ بِهَا فَلَمْ تَهْتِكْ عَنِّي سِتْرَهَا ،

How many faults I have committed, yet Thou didst not tear away from me their covering,

    وَ لَمْ تُقَلِّدْنِي مَكْرُوهَ شَنَارِهَا ،

collar me with their detested disgrace,

    وَ لَمْ تُبْدِ سَوْءَاتِهَا

or make their dishonour plain

    لِمَنْ يَلْتَمِسُ مَعَايِبِي مِنْ جِيرَتِي ،

to those of my neighbours who search for my defects

    وَ حَسَدَةِ نِعْمَتِكَ عِنْدِي

and to those who envy Thy favour toward me!

     ثُمَّ لَمْ يَنْهَنِي ذَلِكَ عَنْ أَنْ جَرَيْتُ

But that did not prevent me from passing on

    إِلَى سُوءِ مَا عَهِدْتَ مِنِّي

to the evil that Thou knowest from me!

     فَمَنْ أَجْهَلُ مِنِّي ، يَا إِلَهِي بِرُشْدِهِ

So who is more ignorant than I, my God, of his own right conduct?

    وَ مَنْ أَغْفَلُ مِنِّي عَنْ حَظِّهِ

Who is more heedless than I of his own good fortune?

    وَ مَنْ أَبْعَدُ مِنِّي مِنِ اسْتِصْلَاحِ نَفْسِهِ

Who is further than I from seeking to set himself right?

    حِينَ أُنْفِقُ مَا أَجْرَيْتَ عَلَيَّ مِنْ رِزْقِكَ

For I spend the provision Thou deliverest to me

    فِيمَا نَهَيْتَنِي عَنْهُ مِنْ مَعْصِيَتِكَ

in the disobedience Thou hast prohibited to me!

    وَ مَنْ أَبْعَدُ غَوْراً فِي الْبَاطِلِ ،

Who sinks more deeply into falsehood

    وَ أَشَدُّ إِقْدَاماً عَلَى السُّوءِ مِنِّي

and is more intensely audacious in evil than I?

    حِينَ أَقِفُ بَيْنَ دَعْوَتِكَ وَ دَعْوَةِ الشَّيْطَانِ

For I hesitate between Thy call and the call of Satan

    فَأَتَّبِعُ دَعْوَتَهُ عَلَى غَيْرِ عَمًى مِنِّي

and then follow his call without being blind

    فِي مَعْرِفَةٍ بِهِ وَ لَا نِسْيَانٍ مِنْ حِفْظِي لَهُ

in my knowledge of him or forgetful in my memory of him,

     وَ أَنَا حِينَئِذٍ مُوقِنٌ بِأَنَّ مُنْتَهَى دَعْوَتِكَ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ ،

while I am certain that Thy call takes to the Garden

    وَ مُنْتَهَى دَعْوَتِهِ إِلَي النَّارِ

and his call takes to the Fire!

     سُبْحَانَكَ مَا أَعْجَبَ مَا أَشْهَدُ بِهِ عَلَى نَفْسِي ،

Glory be to Thee! How marvellous the witness I bear against my own soul

    وَ أُعَدِّدُهُ مِنْ مَكْتُومِ أَمْرِي

and the enumeration of my own hidden affairs!

     وَ أَعْجَبُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ أَنَاتُكَ عَنِّي ،

And more marvellous than that is Thy lack of haste with me,

    وَ إِبْطَاؤُكَ عَنْ مُعَاجَلَتِي ،

Thy slowness in attending to me!

    وَ لَيْسَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ كَرَمِي عَلَيْكَ ،

That is not because I possess honour with Thee,

    بَلْ تَأَنِّياً مِنْكَ لِي ،

but because Thou waitest patiently for me

    وَ تَفَضُّلًا مِنْكَ عَلَيَّ

and art bountiful toward me

    لِأَنْ أَرْتَدِعَ عَنْ مَعْصِيَتِكَ الْمُسْخِطَةِ ،

that I may refrain from disobedience displeasing to Thee

    وَ أُقْلِعَ عَنْ سَيِّئَاتِيَ الْمُخْلِقَةِ ،

and abstain from evil deeds that disgrace me,

    وَ لِأَنَّ عَفْوَكَ عَنِّي أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ عُقُوبَتِي

and because Thou lovest to pardon me more than to punish!

     بَلْ أَنَا ، يَا إِلَهِي ، أَكْثَرُ ذُنُوباً ،

But I, my God, am more numerous in sins,

    وَ أَقْبَحُ آثَاراً ، وَ أَشْنَعُ أَفْعَالًا ،

uglier in footsteps, more repulsive in acts,

    وَ أَشَدُّ فِي الْبَاطِلِ تَهَوُّراً ،

more reckless in rushing into falsehood,

    وَ أَضْعَفُ عِنْدَ طَاعَتِكَ تَيَقُّظاً ،

weaker in awakening to Thy obedience,

    وَ أَقَلُّ لِوَعِيدِكَ انْتِبَاهاً وَ ارْتِقَاباً

and less attentive and heedful toward Thy threats,

    مِنْ أَنْ أُحْصِيَ لَكَ عُيُوبِي ،

than that I could number for Thee my faults

    أَوْ أَقْدِرَ عَلَى ذِكْرِ ذُنُوبِي

or have the power to recount my sins

     وَ إِنَّمَا أُوَبِّخُ بِهَذَا نَفْسِي طَمَعاً فِي رَأْفَتِكَ

I only scold my own soul, craving Thy gentleness,

    الَّتِي بِهَا صَلَاحُ أَمْرِ الْمُذْنِبِينَ ،

through which the affairs of sinners are set right,

    وَ رَجَاءً لِرَحْمَتِكَ الَّتِي بِهَا فَكَاكُ رِقَابِ الْخَاطِئِينَ

and hoping for Thy mercy, through which the necks of the offenders are freed

     اللَّهُمَّ وَ هَذِهِ رَقَبَتِي قَدْ أَرَقَّتْهَا الذُّنُوبُ ،

O God, this is my neck, enslaved by sins,

    فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

bless Muhammad and his Household

    وَ أَعْتِقْهَا بِعَفْوِكَ ،

and release it through Thy pardon!

    وَ هَذَا ظَهْرِي قَدْ أَثْقَلَتْهُ الْخَطَايَا ،

This is my back, weighed down by offenses,

    فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

bless Muhammad and his Household

    وَ خَفِّفْ عَنْهُ بِمَنِّكَ

and lighten it through Thy kindness!

     يَا إِلَهِي لَوْ بَكَيْتُ إِلَيْكَ حَتَّى تَسْقُطَ أَشْفَارُ عَيْنَيَّ ،

My God, were I to weep to Thee until my eyelids drop off,

    وَ انْتَحَبْتُ حَتَّى يَنْقَطِعَ صَوْتِي ،

wail until my voice wears out,

    وَ قُمْتُ لَكَ حَتَّى تَتَنَشَّرَ قَدَمَايَ ،

stand before Thee until my feet swell up,

    وَ رَكَعْتُ لَكَ حَتَّى يَنْخَلِعَ صُلْبِي ،

bow to Thee until my backbone is thrown out of joint,

    وَ سَجَدْتُ لَكَ حَتَّى تَتَفَقَّأَ حَدَقَتَايَ ،

prostrate to Thee until my eyeballs fall out,

    وَ أَكَلْتُ تُرَابَ الْأَرْضِ طُولَ عُمُرِي ،

eat the dirt of the earth for my whole life,

    وَ شَرِبْتُ مَاءَ الرَّمَادِ آخِرَ دَهْرِي ،

drink the water of ashes till the end of my days,

    وَ ذَكَرْتُكَ فِي خِلَالِ ذَلِكَ حَتَّى يَكِلَّ لِسَانِي ،

mention Thee through all of that until my tongue fails,

    ثُمَّ لَمْ أَرْفَعْ طَرْفِي إِلَى آفَاقِ السَّمَاءِ اسْتِحْيَاءً مِنْكَ

and not lift my glance to the sky's horizons in shame before Thee,

    مَا اسْتَوْجَبْتُ بِذَلِكَ

yet would I not merit through all of that

    مَحْوَ سَيِّئَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْ سَيِّئَاتِي

the erasing of a single one of my evil deeds!

     وَ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَغْفِرُ لِي حِينَ أَسْتَوْجِبُ مَغْفِرَتَكَ ،

Though Thou forgivest me when I merit Thy forgiveness

    وَ تَعْفُو عَنِّي حِينَ أَسْتَحِقُّ عَفْوَكَ

and pardonest me when I deserve Thy pardon,

    فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ غَيْرُ وَاجِبٍ لِي بِاسْتِحْقَاقٍ ،

yet I have no title to that through what I deserve,

    وَ لَا أَنَا أَهْلٌ لَهُ بِاسْتِيجَابٍ ،

nor am I worthy of it through merit,

    إِذْ كَانَ جَزَائِي مِنْكَ فِي أَوَّلِ مَا عَصَيْتُكَ النَّارَ ،

since my repayment from Thee from the first that I disobeyed Thee is the Fire!

    فَإِنْ تُعَذِّبْنِي فَأَنْتَ غَيْرُ ظَالِمٍ لِي

So if Thou punishest me, Thou dost me no wrong

     إِلَهِي فَإِذْ قَدْ تَغَمَّدْتَنِي بِسِتْرِكَ

My God, since Thou hast shielded me with Thy covering

    فَلَمْ تَفْضَحْنِي ،

and not exposed me,

    وَ تَأَنَّيْتَنِي بِكَرَمِكَ فَلَمْ تُعَاجِلْنِي ،

waited patiently for me through Thy generosity, and not hurried me to punishment,

    وَ حَلُمْتَ عَنِّي بِتَفَضُّلِكَ فَلَمْ تُغَيِّرْ نِعْمَتَكَ عَلَيَّ ،

and shown me clemency through Thy bounty, and not changed Thy favour upon me

    وَ لَمْ تُكَدِّرْ مَعْرُوفَكَ عِنْدِي ،

or muddied Thy kindly acts toward me,

    فَارْحَمْ طُولَ تَضَرُّعِي وَ شِدَّةَ مَسْكَنَتِي ،

have mercy on my drawn out pleading, my intense misery,

    وَ سُوءَ مَوْقِفِي

and my evil situation!

    اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

O God, bless Muhammad and his Household,

    وَ قِنِي مِنَ الْمَعَاصِي ،

protect me from acts of disobedience,

    وَ اسْتَعْمِلْنِي بِالطَّاعَةِ ،

employ me in obedience,

    وَ ارْزُقْنِي حُسْنَ الْإِنَابَةِ ،

provide me with excellent turning back [to Thee],

    وَ طَهِّرْنِي بِالتَّوْبَةِ ، وَ أَيِّدْنِي بِالْعِصْمَةِ ،

purify me through repentance, strengthen me through preservation from sin,

    وَ اسْتَصْلِحْنِي بِالْعَافِيَةِ ،

set me right through well being,

    وَ أَذِقْنِي حَلَاوَةَ الْمَغْفِرَةِ ،

let me taste the sweetness of forgiveness,

    وَ اجْعَلْنِي طَلِيقَ عَفْوِكَ ، وَ عَتِيقَ رَحْمَتِكَ ،

make me the freedman of Thy pardon and the slave released by Thy mercy,

    وَ اكْتُبْ لِي أَمَاناً مِنْ سُخْطِكَ ،

and write for me a security from Thy displeasure!

    وَ بَشِّرْنِي بِذَلِكَ فِي الْعَاجِلِ دُونَ الْآجِلِ ،

Give me the good news of that in the immediate, not the deferred

    بُشْرَى أَعْرِفُهَا ،

a good news I recognize

    وَ عَرِّفْنِي فِيهِ عَلَامَةً أَتَبَيَّنُهَا

and make known to me therein a sign which I may clearly see!

     إِنَّ ذَلِكَ لَا يَضِيقُ عَلَيْكَ فِي وُسْعِكَ ،

That will not constrain Thee in Thy plenty,

    وَ لَا يَتَكَأَّدُكَ فِي قُدْرَتِكَ ،

distress Thee in Thy power,

    وَ لَا يَتَصَعَّدُكَ فِي أَنَاتِكَ ،

ascend beyond Thy lack of haste,

    وَ لَا يَئُودُكَ فِي جَزِيلِ هِبَاتِكَ الَّتِي دَلَّتْ عَلَيْهَا آيَاتُكَ ،

or tire Thee in Thy great gifts, which are pointed to by Thy signs

    إِنَّكَ تَفْعَلُ مَا تَشَاءُ ، وَ تَحْكُمُ مَا تُرِيدُ ،

Verily Thou dost what Thou wilt, Thou decreest what Thou desirest

    إِنَّكَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ قَدِيرٌ

Thou art powerful over everything