Supplication when he Looked at the New Crescent Moon (43)

وَ كَانَ مِنْ دُعَائِهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ إِذَا نَظَرَ إِلَى الْهِلَالِ
His Supplication when he Looked at the New Crescent Moon
Translated by William Chittick

أَيُّهَا الْخَلْقُ الْمُطِيعُ ،

O obedient creature,

الدَّائِبُ السَّرِيعُ ،

speedy and untiring,

الْمُتَرَدِّدُ فِي مَنَازِلِ التَّقْدِيرِ ،

frequenter of the mansions of determination,

الْمُتَصَرِّفُ فِي فَلَكِ التَّدْبِيرِ .

moving about in the sphere of governance!

آمَنْتُ بِمَنْ نَوَّرَ بِكَ الظُّلَمَ ،

I have faith in Him who lights up darknesses through thee,

وَ أَوْضَحَ بِكَ الْبُهَمَ ،

illuminates jet-black shadows by thee,

وَ جَعَلَكَ آيَةً مِنْ آيَاتِ مُلْكِهِ ،

appointed thee one of the signs of His kingdom

وَ عَلَامَةً مِنْ عَلَامَاتِ سُلْطَانِهِ ،

and one of the marks of His authority,

وَ امْتَهَنَكَ بِالزِّيَادَةِ وَ النُّقْصَانِ ،

and humbled thee through increase and decrease,

وَ الطُّلُوعِ وَ الْأُفُولِ ، وَ الْإِنَارَةِ وَ الْكُسُوفِ ،

rising and setting, illumination and eclipse.

فِي كُلِّ ذَلِكَ أَنْتَ لَهُ مُطِيعٌ ، وَ إِلَى إِرَادَتِهِ سَرِيعٌ

In all of this thou art obedient to Him, prompt toward His will.

سُبْحَانَهُ مَا أَعْجَبَ مَا دَبَّرَ فِي أَمْرِكَ

Glory be to Him! How wonderful is what He has arranged in thy situation!

وَ أَلْطَفَ مَا صَنَعَ فِي شَأْنِكَ

How subtle what He has made for thy task!

جَعَلَكَ مِفْتَاحَ شَهْرٍ حَادِثٍ لِأَمْرٍ حَادِثٍ

He has made thee the key to a new month for a new situation.

فَأَسْأَلُ اللَّهَ رَبِّي وَ رَبَّكَ ،

So I ask God, my Lord and thy Lord,

وَ خَالِقِي وَ خَالِقَكَ ،

my Creator and thy Creator,

وَ مُقَدِّرِي وَ مُقَدِّرَكَ ،

my Determiner and thy Determiner,

وَ مُصَوِّرِي وَ مُصَوِّرَكَ

my Form-giver and thy Form-giver,

أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

that He bless Muhammad and his Household

وَ أَنْ يَجْعَلَكَ هِلَالَ بَرَكَةٍ لَا تَمْحَقُهَا الْأَيَّامُ ،

and appoint thee a crescent of blessings not effaced by days

وَ طَهَارَةٍ لَا تُدَنِّسُهَا الْآثَامُ

and of purity not defiled by sins;

هِلَالَ أَمْنٍ مِنَ الْآفَاتِ ، وَ سَلَامَةٍ مِنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ ،

a crescent of security from blights and of safety from evil deeds;

هِلَالَ سَعْدٍ لَا نَحْسَ فِيهِ ،

a crescent of auspiciousness containing no misfortune,

وَ يُمْنٍ لَا نَكَدَ مَعَهُ ، وَ يُسْرٍ لَا يُمَازِجُهُ عُسْرٌ ،

of prosperity accompanied by no adversity, of ease not mixed with difficulty,

وَ خَيْرٍ لَا يَشُوبُهُ شَرٌّ ،

of good unstained by evil;

هِلَالَ أَمْنٍ وَ إِيمَانٍ وَ نِعْمَةٍ وَ إِحْسَانٍ وَ سَلَامَةٍ وَ إِسْلَامٍ .

a crescent of security and faith, favour and good-doing, safety and submission!

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

O God, bless Muhammad and his Household,

وَ اجْعَلْنَا مِنْ أَرْضَى مَنْ طَلَعَ عَلَيْهِ ،

place us among the most satisfied of those over whom the crescent has risen,

وَ أَزْكَى مَنْ نَظَرَ إِلَيْهِ ،

the purest of those who have looked upon it,

وَ أَسْعَدَ مَنْ تَعَبَّدَ لَكَ فِيهِ ،

the most fortunate of those who have worshipped Thee under it;

وَ وَفِّقْنَا فِيهِ لِلتَّوْبَةِ ،

give us the success during [the new month] to repent,

وَ اعْصِمْنَا فِيهِ مِنَ الْحَوْبَةِ ،

preserve us within it from misdeeds,

وَ احْفَظْنَا فِيهِ مِنْ مُبَاشَرَةِ مَعْصِيَتِكَ

guard us therein from pursuing disobedience to Thee,

وَ أَوْزِعْنَا فِيهِ شُكْرَ نِعْمَتِكَ ،

allot to us within it thanksgiving for Thy favour,

وَ أَلْبِسْنَا فِيهِ جُنَنَ الْعَافِيَةِ ،

clothe us during it in the shields of well-being,

وَ أَتْمِمْ عَلَيْنَا بِاسْتِكْمَالِ طَاعَتِكَ فِيهِ الْمِنَّةَ ،

and complete for us Thy kindness by perfecting therein obedience to Thee!

إِنَّكَ الْمَنَّانُ الْحَمِيدُ ،

Surely Thou art All-kind, Praiseworthy.

وَ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ الطَّيِّبِينَ الطَّاهِرِينَ .

And bless Muhammad and his Household, the good, the pure.