The Invocation (Munajat) of Shabaniyah

اَللّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ

My Lord, bestow Your blessings on Muhammad and his descendants;

وَاسْمَعْ دُعائى اِذا دَعَوْتُكَ

respond to my prayer when I pray to You;

وَاْسمَعْ نِدائى اِذا نادَيْتُكَ

listen to my call when I call You;

وَاَقْبِلْ عَلىَّ اِذا ناجَيْتُكَ

and turn to me when I make my submission to You in confidence.

فَقَدْ هَرَبْتُ اِلَيْكَ وَوَقَفْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيكَ مُسْتَكيناً لَكَ مُتَضرِّعاً اِلَيْكَ راجِياً لِما لَدَيْكَ ثَوابى

I have come running to You and am standing before You imploring You in humility and hoping to get the reward You have for me.

وَتَعْلَمُ ما فى نَفْسى وَتَخْبُرُ حاجَتى وَتَعْرِفُ ضَميرى وَلا يَخْفى عَلَيْكَ اَمْرُ مُنْقَلَبى وَمَثْواىَ

You know what is in my heart, and You are aware of what I need. You know my mind and are not unaware of my future and of my present, of what I want to begin my speech with; of the request I would utter, and of the hopes I have in regard to my ultimate lot.

يا سَيِّدى فيما يَكُونُ مِنّى اِلى آخِرِ عُمْرى مِنْ سَريرَتى وَعَلانِيَتى وَبِيَدِكَ لا بِيَدِ غَيْرِكَ زِيادَتى وَنَقْصى وَنَفْعى وَضَرّى

My Lord, whatever You have destined for me up to the end of my life, whether concerning the open aspect of my life or the hidden aspect of it, is bound to come. What is to my advantage and what is to my disadvantage - all my losses and gains are in Your hand, not in the hand of anybody else.

اِلهى اِنْحَرَمْتَنى فَمَنْ ذَاالَّذى يَرْزُقُنى وَاِنْ خَذَلْتَنى فَمَنْ ذَاالَّذى يَنْصُرُنى

My Lord, if You deprive me, who else will provide me; and if You let me down, who else will help me?

اِلهى اَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ غَضَبِكَ وَحُلُولِ سخَطِكَ

My Lord, I seek Your protection from Your anger and from earning Your displeasure.

اِنْ كُنْتُ غَيْرَ مُسْتَاْهِلٍ لِرَحْمَتِكَ فَاَنْتَ اَهْلٌ اَنْ تَجُودَ عَلىَّ بِفَضْلِ سِعَتِكَ

If I am not fit for gaining Your Mercy, You are certainly fit to be generous to me by virtue of Your Magnanimity.

اِلهى كَاَنّى بِنَفْسى واقِفَةٌ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ وَقَدْ اَظَلَّها حُسْنُ تَوَكُّلى عَلَيْكَ فَقُلْتَ ما اَنْتَ اَهْلُهُ وَتَغَمَّدْتَنى بِعَفْوِكَ

My Lord, I see as if I am standing before You protected by my trust in You. You said what befitted You and covered me with Your forgiveness.

اِلهى اِنْ عَفَوْتَ فَمَنْ اَوْلى مِنْكَ بِذلِكَ وَاِنْ كانَ قَدْ دَنا اَجَلى وَلَمْ يُدْنِنى مِنْكَ عَمَلى

My Lord, if You forgive me, then who is more suited than You to do that? If the time of my death has come near and my deeds have not still brought me close to You,

فَقَدْ جَعَلْتُ الاِقْرارَ بِالذَّنْبِ اِلَيْكَ وَسيلَتى

I make this confession of my sins a means of approaching You.

اِلهى قَدْ جُرْتُ عَلى نَفْسى فِى النَّظَرِ لَها فَلَهَا الْوَيْلُ اِنْ لَمْ تَغْفِرْ لَها

I have been unjust to my soul for I have not looked after it. It will certainly be doomed if You do not forgive it.

اِلهى لَمْ يَزَلْ بِرُّكَ عَلَىَّ اَيّامَ حَيوتى فَلا تَقْطَعْ بِرَّكَ عَنّى فى مَماتى

My Lord, You have always been kind to me during my life time. Therefore do not cut off Your favour from me at the time of my death.

اِلهى كَيْفَ آيَسُ مِنْ حُسْنِ نَظَرِكَ لى بَعْدَ مَماتى وَاَنْتَ لَمْ تُوَلِّنى اِلاّ الْجَميلَ فى حَيوتى

My Lord, how can lose the hope of Your looking kindly, in me after my death, when you have always been good to me during my life.

اِلهى تَوَلَّ مِنْ اَمْرى ما اَنْتَ اَهْلُهُ وَعُدْ عَلَىَّ بِفَضْلِكَ عَلى مُذْنِبٍ قَدْ غَمَرَهُ جَهْلُهُ

My Lord, in my case do what befits You and bestow Your favour on me - a sinner enwrapped in his ignorance.

اِلهى قَدْ سَتَرْتَ عَلَىَّ ذُنُوباً فِى الدُّنْيا وَاَنَا اَحْوَجُ اِلى سَتْرِها عَلَىَّ مِنْكَ فى الاُْخْرى اِذْ لَمْ تُظْهِرْها لاَِحَدٍ مِنْ عِبادِكَ الصّالِحينَ

My Lord, You have concealed many of my sins in this world. I am in a greater need of their being conceded in the next. As You have not revealed my sins even to any of Your pious bondmen,

فَلاتَفْضَحْنى يَوْمَ الْقِيمَةِ عَلى رُؤُسِ الاْشْهادِ

do not expose me on the Day of Resurrection before everybody.

اِلهى جُودُكَ بَسَطَ اَمَلى وَعَفْوُكَ اَفْضَلُ مِنْ عَمَلى

My Lord, Your generosity has expanded my aspiration, and Your forgiveness is superior to my deeds.

اِلهى فَسُرَّنى بِلِقاَّئِكَ يَوْمَ تَقْضى فيهِ بَيْنَ عِبادِكَ

Therefore gladden my heart by allowing me to meet You on the day You administer justice to Your bondmen.

اِلهى اعْتِذارى اِلَيْكَ اِعْتِذارُ مَنْ لَمْ يَسْتَغْنِ عَنْ قَبُولِ عُذْرِهِ فَاقْبَلْ عُذْرى يا اَكْرَمَ مَنِ اعْتَذَرَ اِلَيْهِ الْمُسيئُونَ

My Lord, my apology to You is the apology of him who cannot afford his apology being not accepted. Therefore accept my apology, You the Most Magnanimous of those to whom the evildoers tender their apology.

اِلهى لا تَرُدَّ حاجَتى وَلا تُخَيِّبْ طَمَعى وَلا تَقْطَعْ مِنْكَ رَجاَّئى وَاَمَلى

My Lord, do not turn down my request; do not foil my desire; and do not cut off my hope and expectation of You.

اِلهى لَوْ اَرَدْتَ هَوانى لَمْ تَهْدِنى وَلَوْ اَرَدْتَ فَضيحَتى لَمْ تُعافِنى

My Lord, if You had wanted to disgrace me, You would not have guided me; and if You had wanted to expose my faults and vices, You would not have kept me safe and sound.

اِلهى ما اَظُنُّكَ تَرُدُّنى فى حاجَةٍ قَدْ اَفْنَيْتُ عُمْرى فى طَلَبِها مِنْكَ

My Lord, I do not think that You will turn down my request for that in asking You for which I have spent my whole life.

اِلهى فَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ اَبَداً اَبَداً داَّئِماً سَرْمَداً يَزيدُ وَلا يَبيدُ كَما تُحِبُّ وَتَرْضى

My Lord, all praise is due to You, always and forever, growing not diminishing, as You like and please.

اِلهى اِنْ اَخَذْتَنى بِجُرْمى اَخَذْتُكَ بِعَفْوِكَ وَاِنْ اَخَذْتَنى بِذُنُوبى اَخَذْتُكَ بِمَغْفِرَتِكَ

My Lord, if You condemn me for my crimes, I will cling to Your forgiveness, and if You hold me for my sins, I will cling to Your granting pardon.

وَاِنْ اَدْخَلْتَنىِ النّارَ اَعْلَمْتُ اَهْلَها اَنّى اُحِبُّكَ

If You haul me into the hell, I will tell its inmates that I love You.

اِلهى اِنْ كانَ صَغُرَ فى جَنْبِ طاعَتِكَ عَمَلى فَقَدْ كَبُرَ فى جَنْبِ رَجاَّئِكَ اَمَلى

My Lord, if my deeds are too small in relation to how I should obey You, my aspirations are high enough as compared to what I should expect of You.

اِلهى كَيْفَ اَنْقَلِبُ مِنْ عِنْدِكَ بِالْخَيْبَةِ مَحْروماً وَقَدْ كانَ حُسْنُ ظَنّى بِجُودِكَ اَنْ تَقْلِبَنى بِالنَّجاةِ مَرْحُوماً

My Lord, how can I go away from You unsuccessful and disappointed, when I had a high hope that You will be kind enough to send me away enjoying safety and deliverance.

اِلهى وَقَدْ اَفْنَيْتُ عُمْرى فى شِرَّةِ السَّهْوِ عَنْكَ وَاَبْلَيْتُ شَبابى فى سَكْرَةِ التَّباعُدِ مِنْكَ

My Lord, I have wasted my life committing the crime of forgetting You and played havoc with my youth, intoxicated with keeping myself away from You.

اِلهى فَلَمْ اَسْتَيْقِظْ اَيّامَ اغْتِرارى بِكَ وَرُكُونى اِلى سَبيلِ سَخَطِكَ

My Lord, I did not wake up when I was under a delusion about You and was inclined to earn Your displeasure.

اِلهى وَاَنَا عَبْدُكَ وَابْنُ عَبْدِكَ قائِمٌ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ مُتَوَسِّلٌ بِكَرَمِكَ اِلَيْكَ

My Lord, I am Your bondman, son of Your bondman. I am standing before You, trying to use Your own magnanimity as a means of approaching You.

اِلهى اَنَا عَبْدٌ اَتَنَصَّلُ اِلَيْكَ مِمَّا كُنْتُ اُواجِهُكَ بِهِ مِنْ قِلَّةِ اسْتِحْيائى مِنْ نَظَرِكَ

My Lord, I am a bondman of Yours, I want to rid myself of the sins I used to commit in Your presence because I lacked the sense of feeling ashamed that You were looking at me.

وَاَطْلُبُ الْعَفْوَ مِنْكَ اِذِ الْعَفْوُ نَعْتٌ لِكَرَمِكَ

I request You to forgive me, because forgiveness is a characteristic of Your Kindness.

اِلهى لَمْ يَكُنْ لى حَوْلٌ فَانْتَقِلَ بِهِ عَنْ مَعْصِيَتِكَ اِلاّ فى وَقْتٍ اَيْقَظْتَنى لِمَحَبَّتِكَ وَكَما اَرَدْتَ اَنْ اَكُونَ كُنْتُ

My Lord, I was not strong enough to move away from Your disobedience, except when You awakened me to Your love. I was exactly as You wanted me to be.

فَشَكَرْتُكَ بِاِدْخالى فى كَرَمِكَ وَلِتَطْهيرِ قَلْبى مِنْ اَوْساخِ الْغَفْلَةِ عَنْكَ

I am thankful to You for introducing me to Your Kindness and purging my heart of the impurities of being inattentive to You.

اِلهى اُنْظُرْ اِلَىَّ نَظَرَ مَنْ نادَيْتَهُ فَاَجابَكَ وَاْستَعْمَلْتَهُ بِمَعُونَتِكَ فَاَطاعَكَ

My Lord, look upon me as the person whom You called and he responded to You, whom You helped by using his ser-vices, and he obeyed You.

يا قَريبَاً لا يَبْعُدُ عَنِ المُغْتَرِّ بِهِ

You Near One, Who is not far from one who is away from You.

وَيا جَواداً لايَبْخَلُ عَمَّنْ رَجا ثَوابَهُ

You Munificent, Who does not withhold His reward from one who hopes for it.

اِلهى هَبْ لى قَلْباً يُدْنيهِ مِنْكَ شَوْقُهُ وَلِساناً يُرْفَعُ اِلَيْكَ صِدْقُهُ وَنَظَراً يُقَرِّبُهُ مِنْكَ حَقُّهُ

My Lord, provide me with a heart, the passion of which may bring it near You, with a tongue the truth of which may be submitted to You, and with a vision the nature of which may bring it close to You.

اِلهى إ نَّ مَنْ تَعَرَّفَ بِكَ غَيْرُ مَجْهُولٍ وَمَنْ لاذَ بِكَ غَيْرُ مَخْذُولٍ وَمَنْ اَقْبَلْتَ عَلَيْهِ غَيْرُ مَمْلُوكٍ

My Lord, whoever gets acquainted with You, is not un-known; whoever takes shelter under You, is not disappointed; and one to whom You turn, is not a slave.

اِلهى اِنَّ مَنِ انْتَهَجَ بِكَ لَمُسْتَنيرٌ وَاِنَّ مَنِ اعْتَصَمَ بِكَ لَمُسْتَجيرٌ

One who follows Your path is enlightened; and one who takes refuge in You, is saved.

وَقَدْ لُذْتُ بِكَ يا اِلهى فَلا تُخَيِّبْ ظَنّى مِنْ رَحْمَتِكَ وَلا تَحْجُبْنى عَنْ رَاْفَتِكَ

My Lord, I have taken refuge in You. Therefore, do not disappoint me of Your Mercy and do not keep me secluded from Your Kindness.

اِلهى اَقِمْنى فى اَهْلِ وِلايَتِكَ مُقامَ مَنْ رَجَا الزِّيادَةَ مِنْ مَحَبَّتِكَ

My Lord, place me among Your friends in the position of one who hopes for an increase in Your love.

اِلهى وَاَلْهِمْنى وَلَهاً بِذِكْرِكَ اِلى ذِكْرِكَ وَهِمَّتى فى رَوْحِ نَجاحِ اَسْماَّئِكَ وَمَحَلِّ قُدْسِكَ

My Lord, inspire me with a passionate love of remembering You so that I may keep on remembering You, and by Your Holy Name and Pure Position cherish my cheerful determination into a success.

اِلهى بِكَ عَلَيْكَ اِلاّ اَلْحَقْتَنى بِمَحَلِّ اَهْلِ طاعَتِكَ وَالْمَثْوَى الصّالِحِ مِنْ مَرْضاتِكَ

My Lord, I invoke You to admit me to the place reserved for those who obey You, and to attach me to the nice abode of those who enjoy Your good pleasure. . .

فَاِنّى لا اَقْدِرُ لِنَفْسى دَفْعاً وَلا اَمْلِكُ لَها نَفْعاً

I can neither defend myself nor do I control what is advantageous for me.

اِلهى اَنَا عَبْدُكَ الضَّعيفُ الْمُذْنِبُ وَمَمْلُوكُكَ الْمُنيبُ

My Lord, I am Your powerless sinning slave and Your repentant bondman.

فَلا تَجْعَلْنى مِمَّنْ صَرَفْتَ عَنْهُ وَجْهَكَ وَحَجَبَهُ سَهْوُهُ عَنْ عَفْوِكَ

So do not make me one of those from whom You turn away Your face, and whom his negligence has secluded from Your forgiveness.

اِلهى هَبْ لى كَمالَ الاِنْقِطاعِ اِلَيْكَ وَاَنِرْ اَبْصارَ قُلُوبِنا بِضِياَّءِ نَظَرِها اِلَيْكَ

My Lord, grant me complete severance of my relations with everything else and total submission to You. Enlighten the eyes of our hearts with the light of their looking at You

حَتّى تَخْرِقَ اَبْصارُ الْقُلوُبِ حُجُبَ النُّورِ فَتَصِلَ اِلى مَعْدِنِ الْعَظَمَةِ وَتَصيرَ اَرْواحُنا مُعَلَّقَةً بِعِزِّ قُدْسِكَ

to the extent that they penetrate the veils of light and reach the Source of Grandeur, and let our souls get suspended by the glory of Your sanctity.

اِلهى وَاجْعَلْنى مِمَّنْ نادَيْتَهُ فَاَجابَكَ وَلاحَظْتَهُ فَصَعِقَ لِجَلالِكَ فَناجَيْتَهُ سِرّاً وَعَمِلَ لَكَ جَهْراً

My Lord, make me one of those whom You call and they respond; when You look at and they are thunderstruck by Your majesty. You whisper to them secretly and they work for You openly.

اِلهى لَمْ اُسَلِّطْ عَلى حُسْنِ ظَنّى قُنُوطَ الاْياسِ وَلاَ انْقَطَعَ رَجاَّئى مِنْ جَميلِ كَرَمِكَ

My Lord, I have not allowed my pessimistic despair to overcome my good opinion about You, nor did I ever lose my hope of Your benevolence.

اِلهى اِنْ كانَتِ الْخَطايا قَدْ اَسْقَطَتْنى لَدَيْكَ فَاصْفَحْ عَنّى بِحُسْنِ تَوَكُّلى عَلَيْكَ

My Lord, if my errors have degraded me with You, You may forgive me in view of my unqualified reliance on You.

اِلهى اِنْ حَطَّتْنِى الذُّنُوبُ مِنْ مَكارِمِ لُطْفِكَ فَقَدْ نَبَّهَنِى الْيَقينُ اِلى كَرَمِ عَطْفِكَ

My Lord, if my sins have made me unfit to receive Your tender affection, my firm belief has reminded me of Your Compassion.

اِلهى اِنْ اَنامَتْنِى الْغَفْلَةُ عَنِ الاِسْتْعِدادِ لِلِقاَّئِكَ فَقَدْ نَبَّهَنِى الْمَعْرِفَةُ بِكَرَمِ آلاَّئِكَ

My Lord, if my disregard for preparations to meet You has put me to sleep, my knowledge of Your kind bounties has awakened me.

اِلهى اِنْ دَعانى اِلَى النّارِ عَظيْمُ عِقابِكَ فَقَدْ دَعانى اِلَى الْجَنَّةِ جَزيلُ ثَوابِكَ

My Lord, if Your severe punishment calls me to Hell, the abundance of Your reward invites me to Paradise.

اِلهى فَلَكَ اَسْئَلُ وَاِلَيْكَ اَبْتَهِلُ وَاَرْغَبُ وَاَسْئَلُكَ اَنْ تُصَلِّىَ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ

My Lord, I ask You and pray to You earnestly, I desire and request You to show Your favour to Muhammad and his descendants,

وَاَنْ تَجْعَلَنى مِمَّنْ يُديمُ ذِكَرَكَ وَلايَنْقُضُ عَهْدَكَ وَلايَغْفُلُ عَنْ شُكْرِكَ وَلا يَسْتَخِفُّ بِاَمْرِكَ

make me one of those who always remember You and never violate the pledge they make to You, who do not fail to show You their gratitude and do not take Your orders lightly.

اِلهى وَاَلْحِقْنى بِنُورِ عِزِّكَ الاْبْهَجِ فَاَكُونَ لَكَ عارِفاً وَعَنْ سِواكَ مُنْحَرِفاً

My Lord, let me be attached to the Light of Your Majestic Glory, so that I may know You alone, be away from others,

وَمِنْكَ خاَّئِفاً مُراقِباً يا ذَاالْجَلالِ وَالاِْكْرامِ

and have a heart fearful of You and an eye watchful of You.

وَصَلَّى اللّهُ عَلى مُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولِهِ وَ الِهِ الطّاهِرينَ وَسَلَّمَ تَسْليماً كَثيراً

May Allah's blessing and peace be on Muhammad and those of his descendants who are pure.