In Asking Release from Sins
(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
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 ، وَ يَا فَرَجَ كُلِّ مَكْرُوبٍ كَئِيبٍ ، وَ يَا غَوْثَ كُلِّ مَخْذُولٍ فَرِيدٍ ، وَ يَا عَضُدَ كُلِّ مُحْتَاجٍ طَرِيدٍ
O Comfort of every lonely stranger! O Relief of all who are downcast and distressed! O Aid of everyone abandoned and alone! O Support of every needy outcast!
أَنْتَ الَّذِي وَسِعْتَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ رَحْمَةً وَ عِلْماً
Thou art Hewhoembracest everything in mercy and knowledge!
وَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي جَعَلْتَ لِكُلِّ مَخْلُوقٍ فِي نِعَمِكَ سَهْماً
Thou art Hewho hast appointed for each creature a share of Thy favours!
وَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي عَفْوُهُ أَعْلَى مِنْ عِقَابِهِ
Thou art Hewhose pardon is higher than His punishment!
وَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي تَسْعَى رَحْمَتُهُ أَمَامَ غَضَبِهِ .
Thou art Hewhose mercy runs before His wrath!
وَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي عَطَاؤُهُ أَكْثَرُ مِنْ مَنْعِهِ .
Thou art Hewhose bestowal is greater than His withholding!
وَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي اتَّسَعَ الْخَلَائِقُ كُلُّهُمْ فِي وُسْعِهِ .
Thou art Heby whose mercy all creatures are embraced!
وَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي لَا يَرْغَبُ فِي جَزَاءِ مَنْ أَعْطَاهُ .
Thou art Hewho desires no repayment by him upon whom He bestows!
وَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي لَا يُفْرِطُ فِي عِقَابِ مَنْ عَصَاهُ .
Thou art Hewho does not overdo the punishment of him who disobeys Thee!
وَ أَنَا ، يَا إِلَهِي ، عَبْدُكَ الَّذِي أَمَرْتَهُ بِالدُّعَاءِ فَقَالَ لَبَّيْكَ وَ سَعْدَيْكَ ، هَا أَنَا ذَا ، يَا رَبِّ ، مَطْرُوحٌ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ .
And I, my God, am Thy servantwhom Thou commanded to supplicateand who said: I am at Thy service and disposal! Here am I, my Lord, thrown down before Thee.
أَنَا الَّذِي أَوْقَرَتِ الْخَطَايَا ظَهْرَهُ ، وَ أَنَا الَّذِي أَفْنَتِ الذُّنُوبُ عُمُرَهُ ، وَ أَنَا الَّذِي بِجَهْلِهِ عَصَاكَ ، وَ لَمْ تَكُنْ أَهْلًا مِنْهُ لِذَاكَ .
I am hewhose back offenses have weighed down! I am hewhose lifetime sins have consumed! I am hewho was disobedient in his ignorance, while Thou didst not deserve that from him!
هَلْ أَنْتَ ، يَا إِلَهِي ، رَاحِمٌ مَنْ دَعَاكَ فَأُبْلِغَ فِي الدُّعَاءِ أَمْ أَنْتَ غَافِرٌ لِمَنْ بَكَاكَ فَأُسْرِعَ فِي الْبُكَاءِ أَمْ أَنْتَ مُتَجَاوِزٌ عَمَّنْ عَفَّرَ لَكَ وَجْهَهُ تَذَلُّلًا أَمْ أَنْتَ مُغْنٍ مَنْ شَكَا إِلَيْكَ ، فَقْرَهُ تَوَكُّلًا
Wilt Thou, my God, be merciful toward him who supplicates Thee, that I should bring my supplication before Thee? Wilt Thou forgive him who weeps to Theethat I should hurry to weep? Wilt Thou show forbearance towardhim who puts his face in the dust before Thee in lowliness? Wilt Thou free from need him who complains to Thee of his indigent need with confidence?
إِلَهِي لَا تُخَيِّبْ مَنْ لَا يَجِدُ مُعْطِياً غَيْرَكَ ، وَ لَا تَخْذُلْ مَنْ لَا يَسْتَغْنِي عَنْكَ بِأَحَدٍ دُونَكَ .
My God, disappoint not him who finds no bestowerother than Thee, and abandon not him who cannot be freed from his need for Thee through less than Thee!
إِلَهِي فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ، وَ لَا تُعْرِضْ عَنِّي وَ قَدْ أَقْبَلْتُ عَلَيْكَ ، وَ لَا تَحْرِمْنِي وَ قَدْ رَغِبْتُ إِلَيْكَ ، وَ لَا تَجْبَهْنِي بِالرَّدِّ وَ قَدِ انْتَصَبْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ .
My God, so bless Muhammad and his Household, turn not away from mewhen I have turned my face toward Thee, deprive me notwhen 1 have besought Thee, and slap not my brow with rejectionwhen I have stood before Thee!
أَنْتَ الَّذِي وَصَفْتَ نَفْسَكَ بِالرَّحْمَةِ ، فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ، وَ ارْحَمْنِي ، وَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي سَمَّيْتَ نَفْسَكَ بِالْعَفْوِ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي
Thou art He who has described Himself by mercy, so bless Muhammad and his Householdand have mercy upon me! Thou art He who has named Himself by pardon, so pardon me!
قَدْ تَرَى يَا إِلَهِي ، فَيْضَ دَمْعِي مِنْ خِيفَتِكَ ، وَ وَجِيبَ قَلْبِي مِنْ خَشْيَتِكَ ، وَ انْتِقَاضَ جَوَارِحِي مِنْ هَيْبَتِكَ
Thou hast seen, my God, the flow of my tearsin fear of Thee, the throbbing of my heart in dread of Thee, and the infirmity of my limbs in awe of Thee.
كُلُّ ذَلِكَ حَيَاءٌ مِنْكَ لِسُوءِ عَمَلِي ، وَ لِذَاكَ خَمَدَ صَوْتِي عَنِ الْجَأْرِ إِلَيْكَ ، وَ كَلَّ لِسَانِي عَنْ مُنَاجَاتِكَ .
All this from my shame before Theebecause of my evil works! So my voice has become silent, no longer crying to Thee, and my tongue has gone dumb, no longer whispering in prayer.
يَا إِلَهِي فَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ فَكَمْ مِنْ عَائِبَةٍ سَتَرْتَهَا عَلَيَّ فَلَمْ تَفْضَحْنِي ، وَ كَمْ مِنْ ذَنْبٍ غَطَّيْتَهُ عَلَيَّ فَلَمْ تَشْهَرْنِي ، وَ كَمْ مِنْ شَائِبَةٍ أَلْمَمْتُ بِهَا فَلَمْ تَهْتِكْ عَنِّي سِتْرَهَا ، وَ لَمْ تُقَلِّدْنِي مَكْرُوهَ شَنَارِهَا ، وَ لَمْ تُبْدِ سَوْءَاتِهَا لِمَنْ يَلْتَمِسُ مَعَايِبِي مِنْ جِيرَتِي ، وَ حَسَدَةِ نِعْمَتِكَ عِنْدِي
My God, so to Thee belongs praise! How many of my flaws Thou hast covered over without exposing me! How many of my sins Thou hast cloaked without making me notorious! How many faults I have committed, yet Thou didst nottear away from me their covering, collar me with their detested disgrace, or make their dishonour pla in to those of my neighbours who search for my defectsand to those who envy Thy favour toward me!
ثُمَّ لَمْ يَنْهَنِي ذَلِكَ عَنْ أَنْ جَرَيْتُ إِلَى سُوءِ مَا عَهِدْتَ مِنِّي
But that did not prevent me from passing on to the evil that Thou knowest from me!
فَمَنْ أَجْهَلُ مِنِّي ، يَا إِلَهِي بِرُشْدِهِ وَ مَنْ أَغْفَلُ مِنِّي عَنْ حَظِّهِ وَ مَنْ أَبْعَدُ مِنِّي مِنِ اسْتِصْلَاحِ نَفْسِهِ حِينَ أُنْفِقُ مَا أَجْرَيْتَ عَلَيَّ مِنْ رِزْقِكَ فِيمَا نَهَيْتَنِي عَنْهُ مِنْ مَعْصِيَتِكَ وَ مَنْ أَبْعَدُ غَوْراً فِي الْبَاطِلِ ، وَ أَشَدُّ إِقْدَاماً عَلَى السُّوءِ مِنِّي حِينَ أَقِفُ بَيْنَ دَعْوَتِكَ وَ دَعْوَةِ الشَّيْطَانِ فَأَتَّبِعُ دَعْوَتَهُ عَلَى غَيْرِ عَمًى مِنِّي فِي مَعْرِفَةٍ بِهِ وَ لَا نِسْيَانٍ مِنْ حِفْظِي لَهُ
So who is more ignorant than I, my God, of his own right conduct? Who is more heedless than Iof his own good fortune? Who is further than Ifrom seeking to set himself right? For I spend the provision Thou deliverest to mein the disobedience Thou hast prohibited to me! Who sinks more deeply in to falsehoodand is more intensely audacious in evil than I? For I hesitate between Thy call and the call of Satanand then follow his call without being blind in my knowledge of himor forgetful in my memory of him,
وَ أَنَا حِينَئِذٍ مُوقِنٌ بِأَنَّ مُنْتَهَى دَعْوَتِكَ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ ، وَ مُنْتَهَى دَعْوَتِهِ إِلَي النَّارِ .
while I am certain that Thy call takes to the Gardenand his call takes to the Fire!
سُبْحَانَكَ مَا أَعْجَبَ مَا أَشْهَدُ بِهِ عَلَى نَفْسِي ، وَ أُعَدِّدُهُ مِنْ مَكْتُومِ أَمْرِي .
Glory be to Thee! How marvellous the witness I bear against my own souland the enumeration of my own hidden affairs!
وَ أَعْجَبُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ أَنَاتُكَ عَنِّي ، وَ إِبْطَاؤُكَ عَنْ مُعَاجَلَتِي ، وَ لَيْسَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ كَرَمِي عَلَيْكَ ، بَلْ تَأَنِّياً مِنْكَ لِي ، وَ تَفَضُّلًا مِنْكَ عَلَيَّ لِأَنْ أَرْتَدِعَ عَنْ مَعْصِيَتِكَ الْمُسْخِطَةِ ، وَ أُقْلِعَ عَنْ سَيِّئَاتِيَ الْمُخْلِقَةِ ، وَ لِأَنَّ عَفْوَكَ عَنِّي أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ عُقُوبَتِي
And more marvellous than that is Thy lack of haste with me, Thy slowness in attending to me! That is not because I possess honour with Thee, but because Thou waitest patiently for meand art bountiful toward methat I may refrain from disobedience displeasing to Theeand abstain from evil deeds that disgrace me, and because Thou lovest to pardon me more than to punish!
بَلْ أَنَا ، يَا إِلَهِي ، أَكْثَرُ ذُنُوباً ، وَ أَقْبَحُ آثَاراً ، وَ أَشْنَعُ أَفْعَالًا ، وَ أَشَدُّ فِي الْبَاطِلِ تَهَوُّراً ، وَ أَضْعَفُ عِنْدَ طَاعَتِكَ تَيَقُّظاً ، وَ أَقَلُّ لِوَعِيدِكَ انْتِبَاهاً وَ ارْتِقَاباً مِنْ أَنْ أُحْصِيَ لَكَ عُيُوبِي ، أَوْ أَقْدِرَ عَلَى ذِكْرِ ذُنُوبِي .
But I, my God, am more numerous in sins, uglier in footsteps, more repulsive in acts, more reckless in rushing in to falsehood, weaker in awakening to Thy obedience, and less attentive and heedful toward Thy threats, than that I could number for Thee my faultsor have the power to recount my sins.
وَ إِنَّمَا أُوَبِّخُ بِهَذَا نَفْسِي طَمَعاً فِي رَأْفَتِكَ الَّتِي بِهَا صَلَاحُ أَمْرِ الْمُذْنِبِينَ ، وَ رَجَاءً لِرَحْمَتِكَ الَّتِي بِهَا فَكَاكُ رِقَابِ الْخَاطِئِينَ .
I only scold my own soul, craving Thy gentleness, through which the affairs of sinners are set right, and hoping for Thy mercy, through which the necks of the offenders are freed.
اللَّهُمَّ وَ هَذِهِ رَقَبَتِي قَدْ أَرَقَّتْهَا الذُّنُوبُ ، فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ، وَ أَعْتِقْهَا بِعَفْوِكَ ، وَ هَذَا ظَهْرِي قَدْ أَثْقَلَتْهُ الْخَطَايَا ، فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ، وَ خَفِّفْ عَنْهُ بِمَنِّكَ
O God, this is my neck, enslaved by sins, bless Muhammad and his Householdand release it through Thy pardon! This is my back, weighed down by offenses, bless Muhammad and his Householdand lighten it through Thy kindness!
يَا إِلَهِي لَوْ بَكَيْتُ إِلَيْكَ حَتَّى تَسْقُطَ أَشْفَارُ عَيْنَيَّ ، وَ انْتَحَبْتُ حَتَّى يَنْقَطِعَ صَوْتِي ، وَ قُمْتُ لَكَ حَتَّى تَتَنَشَّرَ قَدَمَايَ ، وَ رَكَعْتُ لَكَ حَتَّى يَنْخَلِعَ صُلْبِي ، وَ سَجَدْتُ لَكَ حَتَّى تَتَفَقَّأَ حَدَقَتَايَ ، وَ أَكَلْتُ تُرَابَ الْأَرْضِ طُولَ عُمُرِي ، وَ شَرِبْتُ مَاءَ الرَّمَادِ آخِرَ دَهْرِي ، وَ ذَكَرْتُكَ فِي خِلَالِ ذَلِكَ حَتَّى يَكِلَّ لِسَانِي ، ثُمَّ لَمْ أَرْفَعْ طَرْفِي إِلَى آفَاقِ السَّمَاءِ اسْتِحْيَاءً مِنْكَ مَا اسْتَوْجَبْتُ بِذَلِكَ مَحْوَ سَيِّئَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْ سَيِّئَاتِي .
My God, were I to weep to Thee until my eyelids drop off, wail until my voice wears out, stand before Thee until my feet swell up, bow to Thee until my backbone is thrown out of joint, prostrate to Thee until my eyeballs fall out, eat the dirt of the earth for my whole life, drink the water of ashes till the end of my days, mention Thee through all of that until my tongue fails, and not lift my glance to the sky's horizons in shame before Thee, yet would I not merit through all of thatthe erasing of a single one of my evil deeds!
وَ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَغْفِرُ لِي حِينَ أَسْتَوْجِبُ مَغْفِرَتَكَ ، وَ تَعْفُو عَنِّي حِينَ أَسْتَحِقُّ عَفْوَكَ فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ غَيْرُ وَاجِبٍ لِي بِاسْتِحْقَاقٍ ، وَ لَا أَنَا أَهْلٌ لَهُ بِاسْتِيجَابٍ ، إِذْ كَانَ جَزَائِي مِنْكَ فِي أَوَّلِ مَا عَصَيْتُكَ النَّارَ ، فَإِنْ تُعَذِّبْنِي فَأَنْتَ غَيْرُ ظَالِمٍ لِي .
Though Thou forgivest me when I merit Thy forgivenessand pardonest me when I deserve Thy pardon, yet I have no title to that through what I deserve, nor am I worthy of it through merit, since my repayment from Thee from the first that I disobeyed Theeis the Fire! So if Thou punishest me, Thou dost me no wrong.
إِلَهِي فَإِذْ قَدْ تَغَمَّدْتَنِي بِسِتْرِكَ فَلَمْ تَفْضَحْنِي ، وَ تَأَنَّيْتَنِي بِكَرَمِكَ فَلَمْ تُعَاجِلْنِي ، وَ حَلُمْتَ عَنِّي بِتَفَضُّلِكَ فَلَمْ تُغَيِّرْ نِعْمَتَكَ عَلَيَّ ، وَ لَمْ تُكَدِّرْ مَعْرُوفَكَ عِنْدِي ، فَارْحَمْ طُولَ تَضَرُّعِي وَ شِدَّةَ مَسْكَنَتِي ، وَ سُوءَ مَوْقِفِي .
My God, since Thou hastshielded me with Thy coveringand not exposed me, waited patiently for me through Thy generosity, and not hurried me to punishment, and shown me clemency through Thy bounty, and not changed Thy favour upon meor muddied Thy kindly acts toward me, have mercy on my drawn out pleading, my intense misery, and my evil situation!
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ، وَ قِنِي مِنَ الْمَعَاصِي ، وَ اسْتَعْمِلْنِي بِالطَّاعَةِ ، وَ ارْزُقْنِي حُسْنَ الْإِنَابَةِ ، وَ طَهِّرْنِي بِالتَّوْبَةِ ، وَ أَيِّدْنِي بِالْعِصْمَةِ ، وَ اسْتَصْلِحْنِي بِالْعَافِيَةِ ، وَ أَذِقْنِي حَلَاوَةَ الْمَغْفِرَةِ ، وَ اجْعَلْنِي طَلِيقَ عَفْوِكَ ، وَ عَتِيقَ رَحْمَتِكَ ، وَ اكْتُبْ لِي أَمَاناً مِنْ سُخْطِكَ ، وَ بَشِّرْنِي بِذَلِكَ فِي الْعَاجِلِ دُونَ الْآجِلِ ، بُشْرَى أَعْرِفُهَا ، وَ عَرِّفْنِي فِيهِ عَلَامَةً أَتَبَيَّنُهَا .
O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, protect me from acts of disobedience, employ me in obedience, provide me with excellent turning back [to Thee], purify me through repentance, strengthen me through preservation from sin, set me right through well being, let me taste the sweetness of forgiveness, make me the freedman of Thy pardonand the slave released by Thy mercy, and write for me a security from Thy displeasure! Give me the good news of thatin the immediate, not the deferred- a good news I recognize -and make known to me therein a sign which I may clearly see!
إِنَّ ذَلِكَ لَا يَضِيقُ عَلَيْكَ فِي وُسْعِكَ ، وَ لَا يَتَكَأَّدُكَ فِي قُدْرَتِكَ ، وَ لَا يَتَصَعَّدُكَ فِي أَنَاتِكَ ، وَ لَا يَئُودُكَ فِي جَزِيلِ هِبَاتِكَ الَّتِي دَلَّتْ عَلَيْهَا آيَاتُكَ ، إِنَّكَ تَفْعَلُ مَا تَشَاءُ ، وَ تَحْكُمُ مَا تُرِيدُ ، إِنَّكَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ .
That will not constrain Thee in Thy plenty, distress Thee in Thy power, ascend beyond Thy lack of haste, or tire Thee in Thy great gifts, which are pointed to by Thy signs. Verily Thou dost what Thou wilt, Thou decreest what Thou desirest. Thou art powerful over everything.