For the People of the Frontiers

(27) وَ كَانَ مِنْ دُعَائِهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ لِأَهْلِ الثُّغُورِ

1. اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ، وَ حَصِّنْ ثُغُورَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ بِعِزَّتِكَ ، وَ أَيِّدْ حُمَاتَهَا بِقُوَّتِكَ ، وَ أَسْبِغْ عَطَايَاهُمْ مِنْ جِدَتِكَ .

   O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, fortify the frontiers of the Muslims through Thy might, support their defenders through Thy strength, and lavish upon them gifts through Thy wealth!

2. اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ، وَ كَثِّرْ عِدَّتَهُمْ ، وَ اشْحَذْ أَسْلِحَتَهُمْ ، وَ احْرُسْ حَوْزَتَهُمْ ، وَ امْنَعْ حَوْمَتَهُمْ ، وَ أَلِّفْ جَمْعَهُمْ ، وَ دَبِّرْ أَمْرَهُمْ ، وَ وَاتِرْ بَيْنَ مِيَرِهِمْ ، وَ تَوَحَّدْ بِكِفَايَةِ مُؤَنِهِمْ ، وَ اعْضُدْهُمْ بِالنَّصْرِ ، وَ أَعِنْهُمْ بِالصَّبْرِ ، وَ الْطُفْ لَهُمْ فِي الْمَكْرِ .

   O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, increase their number, hone their weapons, guard their territory, defend their midst, unite their throng, arrange their affair, send them supplies in a steady string, undertake Thyself to suffice them with provisions, support them with victory, help them with patience, and give them subtlety in guile!

3. اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ، وَ عَرِّفْهُمْ مَا يَجْهَلُونَ ، وَ عَلِّمْهُمْ مَا لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ، وَ بَصِّرْهُمْ مَا لَا يُبْصِرُونَ .

   O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, give them the knowledge of that of which they are ignorant, teach them what they do not know, and show them what they do not see!

4. اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ، وَ أَنْسِهِمْ عِنْدَ لِقَائِهِمُ الْعَدُوَّ ذِكْرَ دُنْيَاهُمُ الْخَدَّاعَةِ الْغَرُورِ ، وَ امْحُ عَنْ قُلُوبِهِمْ خَطَرَاتِ الْمَالِ الْفَتُونِ ، وَ اجْعَلِ الْجَنَّةَ نُصْبَ أَعْيُنِهِمْ ، وَ لَوِّحْ مِنْهَا لِأَبْصَارِهِمْ مَا أَعْدَدْتَ فِيهَا مِنْ مَسَاكِنِ الْخُلْدِ وَ مَنَازِلِ الْكَرَامَةِ وَ الْحُورِ الْحِسَانِ وَ الْأَنْهَارِ الْمُطَّرِدَةِ بِأَنْوَاعِ الْأَشْرِبَةِ وَ الْأَشْجَارِ الْمُتَدَلِّيَةِ بِصُنُوفِ الثَّمَرِ حَتَّى لَا يَهُمَّ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ بِالْإِدْبَارِ ، وَ لَا يُحَدِّثَ نَفْسَهُ عَنْ قِرْنِهِ بِفِرَارٍ .

   O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, make them forget when they meet the enemy to remember this cheating and delusive world of theirs, erase from their hearts the thought of enchanting possessions, place the Garden before their eyes, and display to their sight that part of it which Thou hast prepared for them- the homes of everlastingness and mansions of honour, the beautiful houris, the rivers gushing forth with all sorts of drinks, the trees hanging, low with all kinds of fruits -lest any of them think of turning his backor suggest to himself to flee his opponent!

5. اللَّهُمَّ افْلُلْ بِذَلِكَ عَدُوَّهُمْ ، وَ اقْلِمْ عَنْهُمْ أَظْفَارَهُمْ ، وَ فَرِّقْ بَيْنَهُمْ وَ بَيْنَ أَسْلِحَتِهِمْ ، وَ اخْلَعْ وَثَائِقَ أَفْئِدَتِهِمْ ، وَ بَاعِدْ بَيْنَهُمْ وَ بَيْنَ أَزْوِدَتِهِمْ ، وَ حَيِّرْهُمْ فِي سُبُلِهِمْ ، وَ ضَلِّلْهُمْ عَنْ وَجْهِهِمْ ، وَ اقْطَعْ عَنْهُمُ الْمَدَدَ ، وَ انْقُصْ مِنْهُمُ الْعَدَدَ ، وَ امْلَأْ أَفْئِدَتَهُمُ الرُّعْبَ ، وَ اقْبِضْ أَيْدِيَهُمْ عَنِ الْبَسْطِ ، وَ اخْزِمْ أَلْسِنَتَهُمْ عَنِ النُّطْقِ ، وَ شَرِّدْ بِهِمْ مَنْ خَلْفَهُمْ وَ نَكِّلْ بِهِمْ مَنْ وَرَاءَهُمْ ، وَ اقْطَعْ بِخِزْيِهِمْ أَطْمَاعَ مَنْ بَعْدَهُمْ .

   O God, defeat their enemy through that, trim their nails from them, separate them from their weapons, pull out the firm ties from their hearts, keep them far away from their stores, bewilder them in their roads, turn them astray from their direction, cut off reinforcements from them, chop them down in numbers, fill their hearts with terror, hold back their hands from stretching forth, tie back their tongues from speaking, scatter by them the ones behind them2make them a lesson for those beyond them, and through their degradationcut off the hopes of those who come after them!

6. اللَّهُمَّ عَقِّمْ أَرْحَامَ نِسَائِهِمْ ، وَ يَبِّسْ أَصْلَابَ رِجَالِهِمْ ، وَ اقْطَعْ نَسْلَ دَوَابِّهِمْ وَ أَنْعَامِهِمْ ، لَا تَأْذَنْ لِسَمَائِهِمْ فِي قَطْرٍ ، وَ لَا لِأَرْضِهِمْ فِي نَبَاتٍ .

   O God, make the wombs of their women barren, dry up the loins of their men, cut off the breeding of their mounts and their cattle, and permit not their sky to rain or their earth to grow!

7. اللَّهُمَّ وَ قَوِّ بِذَلِكَ مِحَالَ أَهْلِ الْإِسْلَامِ ، وَ حَصِّنْ بِهِ دِيَارَهُمْ ، وَ ثَمِّرْ بِهِ أَمْوَالَهُمْ ، وَ فَرِّغْهُمْ عَنْ مُحَارَبَتِهِمْ لِعِبَادَتِكَ ، وَ عَنْ مُنَابَذَتِهِمْ لِلْخَلْوَةِ بِكَ حَتَّى لَا يُعْبَدَ فِي بِقَاعِ الْأَرْضِ غَيْرُكَ ، وَ لَا تُعَفَّرَ لِأَحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ جَبْهَةٌ دُونَكَ .

   O God, through thatstrengthen the prowess3of the People of Islam, fortify their cities, increase their properties, give them ease from their fighting to worship Theeand from their warfare to be alone with Thee, so that none will be worshipped in the regions of the earth but Theeand no forehead of theirs may be rubbed in dustfor less than Thee!

8. اللَّهُمَّ اغْزُ بِكُلِّ نَاحِيَةٍ مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ عَلَى مَنْ بِإِزَائِهِمْ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ، وَ أَمْدِدْهُمْ بِمَلَائِكَةٍ مِنْ عِنْدِكَ مُرْدِفِينَ حَتَّى يَكْشِفُوهُمْ إِلَى مُنْقَطَعِ التُّرَابِ قَتْلًا فِي أَرْضِكَ وَ أَسْراً ، أَوْ يُقِرُّوا بِأَنَّكَ أَنْتَ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ وَحْدَكَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ .

   O God, send out the Muslims of every region on raids against the idolaters who face them! Reinforce them with angels in ranks from Thee, till the idolaters are routed by them to the end of the land, slain in Thy earth or taken captive, or till they admit that Thou art God, other than whom there is no god, Thou alone, who hast no associate!

9. اللَّهُمَّ وَ اعْمُمْ بِذَلِكَ أَعْدَاءَكَ فِي أَقْطَارِ الْبِلَادِ مِنَ الْهِنْدِ وَ الرُّومِ وَ التُّرْكِ وَ الْخَزَرِ وَ الْحَبَشِ وَ النُّوبَةِ وَ الزَّنْجِ وَ السَّقَالِبَةِ وَ الدَّيَالِمَةِ وَ سَائِرِ أُمَمِ الشِّرْكِ ، الَّذِينَ تَخْفَى أَسْمَاؤُهُمْ وَ صِفَاتُهُمْ ، وَ قَدْ أَحْصَيْتَهُمْ بِمَعْرِفَتِكَ ، وَ أَشْرَفْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِقُدْرَتِكَ .

   O God, include in this Thy enemies in the regions of the lands, the Indians, the Byzantines, the Turks, the Khazars, the Abyssinians, the Nubians, the Zanjis, the Slavs, the Daylamites, and the rest of the idol-worshipping nations, those whose names and attributes are concealed, but whom Thou countest in Thy cognizanceand overseest through Thy power!

10. اللَّهُمَّ اشْغَلِ الْمُشْرِكِينَ بِالْمُشْرِكِينَ عَنْ تَنَاوُلِ أَطْرَافِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ ، وَ خُذْهُمْ بِالنَّقْصِ عَنْ تَنَقُّصِهِمْ ، وَ ثَبِّطْهُمْ بِالْفُرْقَةِ عَنِ الِاحْتِشَادِ عَلَيْهِمْ .

    O God, distract the idolaters from reaching for the borders of the Muslims through the idolaters, bar them from cutting them down through being cut down, and hold them back from massing together against them through dissension!

11. اللَّهُمَّ أَخْلِ قُلُوبَهُمْ مِنَ الْأَمَنَةِ ، وَ أَبْدَانَهُمْ مِنَ الْقُوَّةِ ، وَ أَذْهِلْ قُلُوبَهُمْ عَنِ الِاحْتِيَالِ ، وَ أَوْهِنْ أَرْكَانَهُمْ عَنْ مُنَازَلَةِ الرِّجَالِ ، وَ جَبِّنْهُمْ عَنْ مُقَارَعَةِ الْأَبْطَالِ ، وَ ابْعَثْ عَلَيْهِمْ جُنْداً مِنْ مَلَائِكَتِكَ بِبَأْسٍ مِنْ بَأْسِكَ كَفِعْلِكَ يَوْمَ بَدْرٍ ، تَقْطَعُ بِهِ دَابِرَهُمْ وَ تَحْصُدُ بِهِ شَوْكَتَهُمْ ، وَ تُفَرِّقُ بِهِ عَدَدَهُمْ .

    O God, empty their hearts of securityand their bodies of strength, distract their hearts from thinking of stratagems, make their limbs too feeble for clashing with men, make them too cowardly for contending with champions, send against them a troop of Thy angels with some of Thy severityas Thou didst on the Day of Badr, so that through it Thou mayest cut off their roots, harvest their thorns, and disperse their number!

12. اللَّهُمَّ وَ امْزُجْ مِيَاهَهُمْ بِالْوَبَاءِ ، وَ أَطْعِمَتَهُمْ بِالْأَدْوَاءِ ، وَ ارْمِ بِلَادَهُمْ بِالْخُسُوفِ ، وَ أَلِحَّ عَلَيْهَا بِالْقُذُوفِ ، وَ افْرَعْهَا بِالْمُحُولِ ، وَ اجْعَلْ مِيَرَهُمْ فِي أَحَصِّ أَرْضِكَ وَ أَبْعَدِهَا عَنْهُمْ ، وَ امْنَعْ حُصُونَهَا مِنْهُمْ ، أَصِبْهُمْ بِالْجُوعِ الْمُقِيمِ وَ السُّقْمِ الْأَلِيمِ .

    O God, mix their waters with pestilenceand their foods with maladies, hurl down their cities, harass them with peltings, hinder them through drought, place their supplies in the most ill-omened part of Thy earthand the farthest from them, bar them from its fortresses, and strike them with constant hunger and painful illness!

13. اللَّهُمَّ وَ أَيُّمَا غَازٍ غَزَاهُمْ مِنْ أَهْلِ مِلَّتِكَ ، أَوْ مُجَاهِدٍ جَاهَدَهُمْ مِنْ أَتْبَاعِ سُنَّتِكَ لِيَكُونَ دِينُكَ الْأَعْلَى وَ حِزْبُكَ الْأَقْوَى وَ حَظُّكَ الْأَوْفَى فَلَقِّهِ الْيُسْرَ ، وَ هَيِّئْ لَهُ الْأَمْرَ ، وَ تَوَلَّهُ بِالنُّجْحِ ، وَ تَخَيَّرْ لَهُ الْأَصْحَابَ ، وَ اسْتَقْوِ لَهُ الظَّهْرَ ، وَ أَسْبِغْ عَلَيْهِ فِي النَّفَقَةِ ، وَ مَتِّعْهُ بِالنَّشَاطِ ، وَ أَطْفِ عَنْهُ حَرَارَةَ الشَّوْقِ ، وَ أَجِرْهُ مِنْ غَمِّ الْوَحْشَةِ ، وَ أَنْسِهِ ذِكْرَ الْأَهْلِ وَ الْوَلَدِ .

    O God, if a warrior from the people of Thy creed wars against themor a struggler from the followers of Thy prescriptionsstruggles against themso that Thy religion may be the highest, Thy party the strongest, and Thy share the fullest, cast ease to him, arrange his affair, attend to him by granting success, select for him his companions, strengthen his back, lavish upon him livelihood, give him enjoyment of joyous vitality, cool for him the heat of yearning, give him sanctuary from the gloom of loneliness, make him forget the remembrance of wife and child,

14. وَ أْثُرْ لَهُ حُسْنَ النِّيَّةِ ، وَ تَوَلَّهُ بِالْعَافِيَةِ ، وَ أَصْحِبْهُ السَّلَامَةَ ، وَ أَعْفِهِ مِنَ الْجُبْنِ ، وَ أَلْهِمْهُ الْجُرْأَةَ ، وَ ارْزُقْهُ الشِّدَّةَ ، وَ أَيِّدْهُ بِالنُّصْرَةِ ، وَ عَلِّمْهُ السِّيَرَ وَ السُّنَنَ ، وَ سَدِّدْهُ فِي الْحُكْمِ ، وَ اعْزِلْ عَنْهُ الرِّيَاءَ ، وَ خَلِّصْهُ مِنَ السُّمْعَةِ ، وَ اجْعَلْ فِكْرَهُ وَ ذِكْرَهُ وَ ظَعْنَهُ وَ إِقَامَتَهُ ، فِيكَ وَ لَكَ .

    pass along to him an excellent intention, attend to him with well-being, make safety his companion, release him from cowardice, inspire him with boldness, provide him with strength, support him with help, teach him right conduct and the norms of the Sunna, point him straight in judgement, remove from him hypocrisy, purify him from seeking fame, and make his thinking and remembrance, his departing and his staying, be in Thee and for Thee!

15. فَإِذَا صَافَّ عَدُوَّكَ وَ عَدُوَّهُ فَقَلِّلْهُمْ فِي عَيْنِهِ ، وَ صَغِّرْ شَأْنَهُمْ فِي قَلْبِهِ ، وَ أَدِلْ لَهُ مِنْهُمْ ، وَ لَا تُدِلْهُمْ مِنْهُ ، فَإِنْ خَتَمْتَ لَهُ بِالسَّعَادَةِ ، وَ قَضَيْتَ لَهُ بِالشَّهَادَةِ فَبَعْدَ أَنْ يَجْتَاحَ عَدُوَّكَ بِالْقَتْلِ ، وَ بَعْدَ أَنْ يَجْهَدَ بِهِمُ الْأَسْرُ ، وَ بَعْدَ أَنْ تَأْمَنَ أَطْرَافُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ ، وَ بَعْدَ أَنْ يُوَلِّيَ عَدُوُّكَ مُدْبِرِينَ .

    When he stands in ranks before Thy enemy and his enemy, make them few in his eye, diminish their importance in his heart, give him a turn to prevail over them, not them a turn to prevail over him! But if Thou sealest him with felicityand decreest for him martyrdom, then let it be afterhe has exterminated Thy enemies by slaying, captivity has afflicted them, the borders of the Muslims are secure, and Thy enemy has turned his back in flight!

16. اللَّهُمَّ وَ أَيُّمَا مُسْلِمٍ خَلَفَ غَازِياً أَوْ مُرَابِطاً فِي دَارِهِ ، أَوْ تَعَهَّدَ خَالِفِيهِ فِي غَيْبَتِهِ ، أَوْ أَعَانَهُ بِطَائِفَةٍ مِنْ مَالِهِ ، أَوْ أَمَدَّهُ بِعِتَادٍ ، أَوْ شَحَذَهُ عَلَى جِهَادٍ ، أَوْ أَتْبَعَهُ فِي وَجْهِهِ دَعْوَةً ، أَوْ رَعَى لَهُ مِنْ وَرَائِهِ حُرْمَةً ، فَآجِرْ لَهُ مِثْلَ أَجْرِهِ وَزْناً بِوَزْنٍ وَ مِثْلًا بِمِثْلٍ ، وَ عَوِّضْهُ مِنْ فِعْلِهِ عِوَضاً حَاضِراً يَتَعَجَّلُ بِهِ نَفْعَ مَا قَدَّمَ وَ سُرُورَ مَا أَتَى بِهِ ، إِلَى أَنْ يَنْتَهِيَ بِهِ الْوَقْتُ إِلَى مَا أَجْرَيْتَ لَهُ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ ، وَ أَعْدَدْتَ لَهُ مِنْ كَرَامَتِكَ .

    O God, and if a Muslim shouldtake the place of a warrior or a soldier in his home, or attend to those left behind in his absence, or help him with a portion of his property, assist him with equipment, hone him for the struggle, send along with him a supplication for his purpose, or guard his honour in his absence, reward him with the like of his rewardmeasure for measure, like for like, and recompense him for his act with an immediate compensation through which he will hasten tothe profit of what he has sent forthand the joy of what he has given, till the present moment takes him tothe bounty Thou hast granted to himand the generosity Thou hast prepared for him!

17. اللَّهُمَّ وَ أَيُّمَا مُسْلِمٍ أَهَمَّهُ أَمْرُ الْإِسْلَامِ ، وَ أَحْزَنَهُ تَحَزُّبُ أَهْلِ الشِّرْكِ عَلَيْهِمْ فَنَوَى غَزْواً ، أَوْ هَمَّ بِجِهَادٍ فَقَعَدَ بِهِ ضَعْفٌ ، أَوْ أَبْطَأَتْ بِهِ فَاقَةٌ ، أَوْ أَخَّرَهُ عَنْهُ حَادِثٌ ، أَوْ عَرَضَ لَهُ دُونَ إِرَادَتِهِ مَانِعٌ فَاكْتُبِ اسْمَهُ فِي الْعَابِدِينَ ، وَ أَوْجِبْ لَهُ ثَوَابَ الْمُجَاهِدِينَ ، وَ اجْعَلْهُ فِي نِظَامِ الشُّهَدَاءِ وَ الصَّالِحِينَ .

    O God, and if the affair of Islam should worry a Muslimand the alliance of the idolaters' against Islamshould grieve him, so that he has the intention to go to warand is about to enter the struggle, but frailty keeps him seated, neediness keeps him waiting, a mishap delays him, or an obstruction prevents him from his wish, write his name among the worshipers, make incumbent for him the reward of the strugglers, and place him among the ranksof the martyrs and the righteous!

18. اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ عَبْدِكَ وَ رَسُولِكَ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ ، صَلَاةً عَالِيَةً عَلَى الصَّلَوَاتِ ، مُشْرِفَةً فَوْقَ التَّحِيَّاتِ ، صَلَاةً لَا يَنْتَهِي أَمَدُهَا ، وَ لَا يَنْقَطِعُ عَدَدُهَا كَأَتَمِّ مَا مَضَى مِنْ صَلَوَاتِكَ عَلَى أَحَدٍ مِنْ أَوْلِيَائِكَ ، إِنَّكَ الْمَنَّانُ الْحَمِيدُ الْمُبْدِئُ الْمُعِيدُ الْفَعَّالُ لِمَا تُرِيدُ .

    O God, bless Muhammad, Thy slave and Thy messenger, and the Household of Muhammad, with a blessing high above all other blessings, towering beyond all other salutations, a blessing whose end is never reachedand whose number is never cut off, like the most perfect of Thy blessings that has passed to any one of Thy friends! Thou art All-kind, Praiseworthy, the Originator who takes back again, Accomplisher of what Thou desirest.