Supplication for the People of the Frontiers (27)

وَ كَانَ مِنْ دُعَائِهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ لِأَهْلِ الثُّغُورِ
His Supplication for the People of the Frontiers
Translated by William Chittick

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

O God, bless Muhammad and his Household,

وَ حَصِّنْ ثُغُورَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ بِعِزَّتِكَ ،

fortify the frontiers of the Muslims through Thy might,

وَ أَيِّدْ حُمَاتَهَا بِقُوَّتِكَ ،

support their defenders through Thy strength,

وَ أَسْبِغْ عَطَايَاهُمْ مِنْ جِدَتِكَ .

and lavish upon them gifts through Thy wealth!

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

O God, bless Muhammad and his Household,

وَ كَثِّرْ عِدَّتَهُمْ ، وَ اشْحَذْ أَسْلِحَتَهُمْ ،

increase their number, hone their weapons,

وَ احْرُسْ حَوْزَتَهُمْ ،

guard their territory,

وَ امْنَعْ حَوْمَتَهُمْ ، وَ أَلِّفْ جَمْعَهُمْ ،

defend their midst, unite their throng,

وَ دَبِّرْ أَمْرَهُمْ ،

arrange their affair,

وَ وَاتِرْ بَيْنَ مِيَرِهِمْ ،

send them supplies in a steady string,

وَ تَوَحَّدْ بِكِفَايَةِ مُؤَنِهِمْ ،

undertake Thyself to suffice them with provisions,

وَ اعْضُدْهُمْ بِالنَّصْرِ ، وَ أَعِنْهُمْ بِالصَّبْرِ ،

support them with victory, help them with patience,

وَ الْطُفْ لَهُمْ فِي الْمَكْرِ .

and give them subtlety in guile!

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

O God, bless Muhammad and his Household,

وَ عَرِّفْهُمْ مَا يَجْهَلُونَ ،

give them the knowledge of that of which they are ignorant,

وَ عَلِّمْهُمْ مَا لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ،

teach them what they do not know,

وَ بَصِّرْهُمْ مَا لَا يُبْصِرُونَ .

and show them what they do not see!

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

O God, bless Muhammad and his Household,

وَ أَنْسِهِمْ عِنْدَ لِقَائِهِمُ الْعَدُوَّ

make them forget when they meet the enemy

ذِكْرَ دُنْيَاهُمُ الْخَدَّاعَةِ الْغَرُورِ ،

to remember this cheating and delusive world of theirs,

وَ امْحُ عَنْ قُلُوبِهِمْ خَطَرَاتِ الْمَالِ الْفَتُونِ ،

erase from their hearts the thought of enchanting possessions,

وَ اجْعَلِ الْجَنَّةَ نُصْبَ أَعْيُنِهِمْ ،

place the Garden before their eyes,

وَ لَوِّحْ مِنْهَا لِأَبْصَارِهِمْ

and display to their sight that part of it

مَا أَعْدَدْتَ فِيهَا مِنْ مَسَاكِنِ الْخُلْدِ وَ مَنَازِلِ الْكَرَامَةِ

which Thou hast prepared for them - the homes of everlastingness and mansions of honour,

وَ الْحُورِ الْحِسَانِ

the beautiful houris,

وَ الْأَنْهَارِ الْمُطَّرِدَةِ بِأَنْوَاعِ الْأَشْرِبَةِ

the rivers gushing forth with all sorts of drinks,

وَ الْأَشْجَارِ الْمُتَدَلِّيَةِ بِصُنُوفِ الثَّمَرِ

the trees hanging, low with all kinds of fruits -

حَتَّى لَا يَهُمَّ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ بِالْإِدْبَارِ ، وَ لَا يُحَدِّثَ نَفْسَهُ عَنْ قِرْنِهِ بِفِرَارٍ .

lest any of them think of turning his back or suggest to himself to flee his opponent!

اللَّهُمَّ افْلُلْ بِذَلِكَ عَدُوَّهُمْ ،

O God, defeat their enemy through that,

وَ اقْلِمْ عَنْهُمْ أَظْفَارَهُمْ ،

trim their nails from them,

وَ فَرِّقْ بَيْنَهُمْ وَ بَيْنَ أَسْلِحَتِهِمْ ،

separate them from their weapons,

وَ اخْلَعْ وَثَائِقَ أَفْئِدَتِهِمْ ،

pull out the firm ties from their hearts,

وَ بَاعِدْ بَيْنَهُمْ وَ بَيْنَ أَزْوِدَتِهِمْ ،

keep them far away from their stores,

وَ حَيِّرْهُمْ فِي سُبُلِهِمْ ، وَ ضَلِّلْهُمْ عَنْ وَجْهِهِمْ ،

bewilder them in their roads, turn them astray from their direction,

وَ اقْطَعْ عَنْهُمُ الْمَدَدَ ، وَ انْقُصْ مِنْهُمُ الْعَدَدَ ،

cut off reinforcements from them, chop them down in numbers,

وَ امْلَأْ أَفْئِدَتَهُمُ الرُّعْبَ ،

fill their hearts with terror,

وَ اقْبِضْ أَيْدِيَهُمْ عَنِ الْبَسْطِ ،

hold back their hands from stretching forth,

وَ اخْزِمْ أَلْسِنَتَهُمْ عَنِ النُّطْقِ ،

tie back their tongues from speaking,

وَ شَرِّدْ بِهِمْ مَنْ خَلْفَهُمْ

scatter by them the ones behind them  

وَ نَكِّلْ بِهِمْ مَنْ وَرَاءَهُمْ ،

make them a lesson for those beyond them,

وَ اقْطَعْ بِخِزْيِهِمْ أَطْمَاعَ مَنْ بَعْدَهُمْ .

and through their degradation cut off the hopes of those who come after them!

اللَّهُمَّ عَقِّمْ أَرْحَامَ نِسَائِهِمْ ،

O God, make the wombs of their women barren,

وَ يَبِّسْ أَصْلَابَ رِجَالِهِمْ ،

dry up the loins of their men,

وَ اقْطَعْ نَسْلَ دَوَابِّهِمْ وَ أَنْعَامِهِمْ ،

cut off the breeding of their mounts and their cattle,

لَا تَأْذَنْ لِسَمَائِهِمْ فِي قَطْرٍ ، وَ لَا لِأَرْضِهِمْ فِي نَبَاتٍ .

and permit not their sky to rain or their earth to grow!

اللَّهُمَّ وَ قَوِّ بِذَلِكَ مِحَالَ أَهْلِ الْإِسْلَامِ ،

O God, through that strengthen the prowess3 of the People of Islam,

وَ حَصِّنْ بِهِ دِيَارَهُمْ ،

fortify their cities,

وَ ثَمِّرْ بِهِ أَمْوَالَهُمْ ،

increase their properties,

وَ فَرِّغْهُمْ عَنْ مُحَارَبَتِهِمْ لِعِبَادَتِكَ ،

give them ease from their fighting to worship Thee

وَ عَنْ مُنَابَذَتِهِمْ لِلْخَلْوَةِ بِكَ

and from their warfare to be alone with Thee,

حَتَّى لَا يُعْبَدَ فِي بِقَاعِ الْأَرْضِ غَيْرُكَ ،

so that none will be worshipped in the regions of the earth but Thee

وَ لَا تُعَفَّرَ لِأَحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ جَبْهَةٌ دُونَكَ .

and no forehead of theirs may be rubbed in dust for less than Thee!

اللَّهُمَّ اغْزُ بِكُلِّ نَاحِيَةٍ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ

O God, send out the Muslims of every region on raids

عَلَى مَنْ بِإِزَائِهِمْ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ،

against the idolaters who face them!

وَ أَمْدِدْهُمْ بِمَلَائِكَةٍ مِنْ عِنْدِكَ مُرْدِفِينَ

Reinforce them with angels in ranks from Thee,

حَتَّى يَكْشِفُوهُمْ إِلَى مُنْقَطَعِ التُّرَابِ

till the idolaters are routed by them to the end of the land,

قَتْلًا فِي أَرْضِكَ وَ أَسْراً ،

slain in Thy earth or taken captive,

أَوْ يُقِرُّوا بِأَنَّكَ أَنْتَ اللَّهُ

or till they admit that Thou art God,

الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ وَحْدَكَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ .

other than whom there is no god, Thou alone, who hast no associate!

اللَّهُمَّ وَ اعْمُمْ بِذَلِكَ أَعْدَاءَكَ فِي أَقْطَارِ الْبِلَادِ

O God, include in this Thy enemies in the regions of the lands,

مِنَ الْهِنْدِ وَ الرُّومِ وَ التُّرْكِ

the Indians, the Byzantines, the Turks,

وَ الْخَزَرِ وَ الْحَبَشِ وَ النُّوبَةِ

the Khazars, the Abyssinians, the Nubians,

وَ الزَّنْجِ وَ السَّقَالِبَةِ وَ الدَّيَالِمَةِ وَ سَائِرِ أُمَمِ الشِّرْكِ ،

the Zanjis, the Slavs, the Daylamites, and the rest of the idol-worshipping nations,

الَّذِينَ تَخْفَى أَسْمَاؤُهُمْ وَ صِفَاتُهُمْ ،

those whose names and attributes are concealed,

وَ قَدْ أَحْصَيْتَهُمْ بِمَعْرِفَتِكَ ،

but whom Thou countest in Thy cognizance

وَ أَشْرَفْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِقُدْرَتِكَ .

and overseest through Thy power!

اللَّهُمَّ اشْغَلِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ بِالْمُشْرِكِينَ

O God, distract the idolaters

عَنْ تَنَاوُلِ أَطْرَافِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ ،

from reaching for the borders of the Muslims through the idolaters,

وَ خُذْهُمْ بِالنَّقْصِ عَنْ تَنَقُّصِهِمْ ،

bar them from cutting them down through being cut down,

وَ ثَبِّطْهُمْ بِالْفُرْقَةِ

and hold them back

عَنِ الِاحْتِشَادِ عَلَيْهِمْ .

from massing together against them through dissension!

اللَّهُمَّ أَخْلِ قُلُوبَهُمْ مِنَ الْأَمَنَةِ ،

O God, empty their hearts of security

وَ أَبْدَانَهُمْ مِنَ الْقُوَّةِ ،

and their bodies of strength,

وَ أَذْهِلْ قُلُوبَهُمْ عَنِ الِاحْتِيَالِ ،

distract their hearts from thinking of stratagems,

وَ أَوْهِنْ أَرْكَانَهُمْ عَنْ مُنَازَلَةِ الرِّجَالِ ،

make their limbs too feeble for clashing with men,

وَ جَبِّنْهُمْ عَنْ مُقَارَعَةِ الْأَبْطَالِ ،

make them too cowardly for contending with champions,

وَ ابْعَثْ عَلَيْهِمْ جُنْداً مِنْ مَلَائِكَتِكَ بِبَأْسٍ مِنْ بَأْسِكَ

send against them a troop of Thy angels with some of Thy severity

كَفِعْلِكَ يَوْمَ بَدْرٍ ،

as Thou didst on the Day of Badr,

تَقْطَعُ بِهِ دَابِرَهُمْ وَ تَحْصُدُ بِهِ شَوْكَتَهُمْ ،

so that through it Thou mayest cut off their roots, harvest their thorns,

وَ تُفَرِّقُ بِهِ عَدَدَهُمْ .

and disperse their number!

اللَّهُمَّ وَ امْزُجْ مِيَاهَهُمْ بِالْوَبَاءِ ،

O God, mix their waters with pestilence

وَ أَطْعِمَتَهُمْ بِالْأَدْوَاءِ ،

and their foods with maladies,

وَ ارْمِ بِلَادَهُمْ بِالْخُسُوفِ ، وَ أَلِحَّ عَلَيْهَا بِالْقُذُوفِ ،

hurl down their cities, harass them with peltings,

وَ افْرَعْهَا بِالْمُحُولِ ،

hinder them through drought,

وَ اجْعَلْ مِيَرَهُمْ فِي أَحَصِّ أَرْضِكَ وَ أَبْعَدِهَا عَنْهُمْ ،

place their supplies in the most ill-omened part of Thy earth and the farthest from them,

وَ امْنَعْ حُصُونَهَا مِنْهُمْ ، أَصِبْهُمْ بِالْجُوعِ الْمُقِيمِ وَ السُّقْمِ الْأَلِيمِ .

bar them from its fortresses, and strike them with constant hunger and painful illness!

اللَّهُمَّ وَ أَيُّمَا غَازٍ غَزَاهُمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ مِلَّتِكَ ،

O God, if a warrior from the people of Thy creed wars against them

أَوْ مُجَاهِدٍ جَاهَدَهُمْ مِنْ أَتْبَاعِ سُنَّتِكَ

or a struggler from the followers of Thy prescriptions

لِيَكُونَ دِينُكَ الْأَعْلَى

struggles against them so that Thy religion may be the highest,

وَ حِزْبُكَ الْأَقْوَى وَ حَظُّكَ الْأَوْفَى

Thy party the strongest, and Thy share the fullest,

فَلَقِّهِ الْيُسْرَ ، وَ هَيِّئْ لَهُ الْأَمْرَ ،

cast ease to him, arrange his affair,

وَ تَوَلَّهُ بِالنُّجْحِ ،

attend to him by granting success,

وَ تَخَيَّرْ لَهُ الْأَصْحَابَ ،

select for him his companions,

وَ اسْتَقْوِ لَهُ الظَّهْرَ ،

strengthen his back,

وَ أَسْبِغْ عَلَيْهِ فِي النَّفَقَةِ ،

lavish upon him livelihood,

وَ مَتِّعْهُ بِالنَّشَاطِ ،

give him enjoyment of joyous vitality,

وَ أَطْفِ عَنْهُ حَرَارَةَ الشَّوْقِ ،

cool for him the heat of yearning,

وَ أَجِرْهُ مِنْ غَمِّ الْوَحْشَةِ ،

give him sanctuary from the gloom of loneliness,

وَ أَنْسِهِ ذِكْرَ الْأَهْلِ وَ الْوَلَدِ .

make him forget the remembrance of wife and child,

وَ أْثُرْ لَهُ حُسْنَ النِّيَّةِ ،

pass along to him an excellent intention,

وَ تَوَلَّهُ بِالْعَافِيَةِ ،

attend to him with well-being,

وَ أَصْحِبْهُ السَّلَامَةَ ، وَ أَعْفِهِ مِنَ الْجُبْنِ ،

make safety his companion, release him from cowardice,

وَ أَلْهِمْهُ الْجُرْأَةَ ،

inspire him with boldness,

وَ ارْزُقْهُ الشِّدَّةَ ،

provide him with strength,

وَ أَيِّدْهُ بِالنُّصْرَةِ ،

support him with help,

وَ عَلِّمْهُ السِّيَرَ وَ السُّنَنَ ،

teach him right conduct and the norms of the Sunna,

وَ سَدِّدْهُ فِي الْحُكْمِ ،

point him straight in judgement,

وَ اعْزِلْ عَنْهُ الرِّيَاءَ ، وَ خَلِّصْهُ مِنَ السُّمْعَةِ ،

remove from him hypocrisy, purify him from seeking fame,

وَ اجْعَلْ فِكْرَهُ وَ ذِكْرَهُ وَ ظَعْنَهُ وَ إِقَامَتَهُ ، فِيكَ وَ لَكَ .

and make his thinking and remembrance, his departing and his staying, be in Thee and for Thee!

فَإِذَا صَافَّ عَدُوَّكَ وَ عَدُوَّهُ

When he stands in ranks before Thy enemy and his enemy,

فَقَلِّلْهُمْ فِي عَيْنِهِ ،

make them few in his eye,

وَ صَغِّرْ شَأْنَهُمْ فِي قَلْبِهِ ،

diminish their importance in his heart,

وَ أَدِلْ لَهُ مِنْهُمْ ، وَ لَا تُدِلْهُمْ مِنْهُ ،

give him a turn to prevail over them, not them a turn to prevail over him!

فَإِنْ خَتَمْتَ لَهُ بِالسَّعَادَةِ ،

But if Thou sealest him with felicity

وَ قَضَيْتَ لَهُ بِالشَّهَادَةِ

and decreest for him martyrdom,

فَبَعْدَ أَنْ يَجْتَاحَ عَدُوَّكَ بِالْقَتْلِ ،

then let it be after he has exterminated Thy enemies by slaying,

وَ بَعْدَ أَنْ يَجْهَدَ بِهِمُ الْأَسْرُ ،

captivity has afflicted them,

وَ بَعْدَ أَنْ تَأْمَنَ أَطْرَافُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ ،

the borders of the Muslims are secure,

وَ بَعْدَ أَنْ يُوَلِّيَ عَدُوُّكَ مُدْبِرِينَ .

and Thy enemy has turned his back in flight!

اللَّهُمَّ وَ أَيُّمَا مُسْلِمٍ خَلَفَ غَازِياً أَوْ مُرَابِطاً فِي دَارِهِ ،

O God, and if a Muslim should take the place of a warrior or a soldier in his home,

أَوْ تَعَهَّدَ خَالِفِيهِ فِي غَيْبَتِهِ ،

or attend to those left behind in his absence,

أَوْ أَعَانَهُ بِطَائِفَةٍ مِنْ مَالِهِ ،

or help him with a portion of his property,

أَوْ أَمَدَّهُ بِعِتَادٍ ، أَوْ شَحَذَهُ عَلَى جِهَادٍ ،

assist him with equipment, hone him for the struggle,

أَوْ أَتْبَعَهُ فِي وَجْهِهِ دَعْوَةً ،

send along with him a supplication for his purpose,

أَوْ رَعَى لَهُ مِنْ وَرَائِهِ حُرْمَةً ،

or guard his honour in his absence,

فَآجِرْ لَهُ مِثْلَ أَجْرِهِ

reward him with the like of his reward

وَزْناً بِوَزْنٍ وَ مِثْلًا بِمِثْلٍ ،

measure for measure, like for like,

وَ عَوِّضْهُ مِنْ فِعْلِهِ عِوَضاً حَاضِراً

and recompense him for his act with an immediate compensation

يَتَعَجَّلُ بِهِ نَفْعَ مَا قَدَّمَ وَ سُرُورَ مَا أَتَى بِهِ ،

through which he will hasten to the profit of what he has sent forth and the joy of what he has given,

إِلَى أَنْ يَنْتَهِيَ بِهِ الْوَقْتُ إِلَى

till the present moment takes him to

مَا أَجْرَيْتَ لَهُ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ ، وَ أَعْدَدْتَ لَهُ مِنْ كَرَامَتِكَ .

the bounty Thou hast granted to him and the generosity Thou hast prepared for him!

اللَّهُمَّ وَ أَيُّمَا مُسْلِمٍ أَهَمَّهُ أَمْرُ الْإِسْلَامِ ،

O God, and if the affair of Islam should worry a Muslim

وَ أَحْزَنَهُ تَحَزُّبُ أَهْلِ الشِّرْكِ عَلَيْهِمْ

and the alliance of the idolaters' against Islam should grieve him,

فَنَوَى غَزْواً ،

so that he has the intention to go to war

أَوْ هَمَّ بِجِهَادٍ فَقَعَدَ بِهِ ضَعْفٌ ،

and is about to enter the struggle, but frailty keeps him seated,

أَوْ أَبْطَأَتْ بِهِ فَاقَةٌ ،

neediness keeps him waiting,

أَوْ أَخَّرَهُ عَنْهُ حَادِثٌ ،

a mishap delays him,

أَوْ عَرَضَ لَهُ دُونَ إِرَادَتِهِ مَانِعٌ

or an obstruction prevents him from his wish,

فَاكْتُبِ اسْمَهُ فِي الْعَابِدِينَ ،

write his name among the worshipers,

وَ أَوْجِبْ لَهُ ثَوَابَ الْمُجَاهِدِينَ ،

make incumbent for him the reward of the strugglers,

وَ اجْعَلْهُ فِي نِظَامِ الشُّهَدَاءِ وَ الصَّالِحِينَ .

and place him among the ranks of the martyrs and the righteous!

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ عَبْدِكَ وَ رَسُولِكَ

O God, bless Muhammad, Thy slave and Thy messenger,

وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ،

and the Household of Muhammad,

صَلَاةً عَالِيَةً عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ ،

with a blessing high above all other blessings,

مُشْرِفَةً فَوْقَ التَّحِيَّاتِ ،

towering beyond all other salutations,

صَلَاةً لَا يَنْتَهِي أَمَدُهَا ،

a blessing whose end is never reached

وَ لَا يَنْقَطِعُ عَدَدُهَا

and whose number is never cut off,

كَأَتَمِّ مَا مَضَى مِنْ صَلَوَاتِكَ عَلَى أَحَدٍ مِنْ أَوْلِيَائِكَ ،

like the most perfect of Thy blessings that has passed to any one of Thy friends!

إِنَّكَ الْمَنَّانُ الْحَمِيدُ

Thou art All-kind, Praiseworthy,

الْمُبْدِئُ الْمُعِيدُ

the Originator who takes back again,

الْفَعَّالُ لِمَا تُرِيدُ .

Accomplisher of what Thou desirest.