Zainul Abideen: Du’aa for Himself

1. Zainul Abideen:Du’aa for Himself Du’a.org Slideshow by Dr. Hashim

2. Du’aa: Invocation • Du’aa is defined as any invocation or prayer addressed to Allah (swt). • Du’aa can change fate, while no action of ours ever can. • Du’aa is the essence of Ibadah or worship. • With Du’aa we can never fail; without it, we can never succeed. • In the proper scheme of things Du’aa should be the first and the last resort of the believer. • With all his plans and actions coming in between, Du’aa is conversation with Allah, our Creator, our Lord and Master, the All Knowing, the Almighty.

3. And your Lord says: "Call on Me; I will answer your (Prayer):Surah 40, Ayah 60 • وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ

4. Du’aa: Invocation

6. Al-Saheefa al-Sajjadiya • Al-Saheefa al-Sajjadiya is a collection of supplications and whispered prayers • It was composed by Zainul Abideen, the great-grandson of Prophet Muhammad. • The title "Al-Saheefa al-Sajjadiya" means "the book of Sajjad", • Sajjad being the epithet of Ali ibn Husain, the fourth Shi'a Imam.

7. Al-Saheefa al-Sajjadiya as considered • Al-Saheefa al-Sajjadiya has several titles, such as • "Sister of the Quran", • "Gospel of the Holy Household" and • "Psalms of the Muhammad dynasty", • In the form of supplication, it expresses Islamic knowledge and thought and • It involves all aspects of individual, social, economical, political and cultural life. • Reason, human feelings, emotions and conscience are all addressed by it

8. Al-Saheefa al-Sajjadiya • Narrations state that Sajjad composed Al-Saheefa al-Sajjadiya after the Battle of Karbala (680 AD). • Imam Sajjad used rich and meaningful supplications to reconstruct society and distribute Islamic knowledge. • It seems Al-Saheefa al-Sajjadiya (which was protected from government agents by Imam Sajjad’s sons and companions) • was a sectarian and organizational booklet, which if the access of the government agents to it would nullify all Imam Sajjad's efforts.

9. Al-Saheefa al-Sajjadiya • Al-Saheefa al-Sajjadiya was at the forefront of the uprising against the Umayya.  • Salutations to Muhammad and his dynasty are repeated in most of its supplications, • while the Umayya Khilaafah consistently tried to wipe out the name and memory of Muhammad and his family. • In several supplications Imam Sajjad explains what Imamate means, • who is allowed to be an imam (leader), and • what the conditions of Imamate are, • because the subject of prophet succession and the concept of Imamate were faced with serious challenge after the death of Muhammad and particularly after the Battle of Karbala. 

10. Table of Contents: 54 Du’aa

11. Zainul Abideen’s Supplication for himself and the People under his Guardianship دُعَاؤُهُ لِنَفسِهِ وَاهل وِِلايتهِ

12. يامَنْ لاتَنْقَضِي عَجَائِبُ عَظَمَتِهِصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّد وَآلِهِ، • O He the wonders of whose mightiness will never end! • Bless Muhammad and his Household

13. وَاحْجُبْنَا عَنِ الالْحَادِ فِي عَظَمَتِكَ.وَيَا مَنْ لاَ تَنْتَهِي مُدَّةُ مُلْكِهِ، • and prevent us from deviation concerning Your Might! • O He the term of whose kingdom will never cease!

14. صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّد وَآلِهِ،وَأَعْتِقْ رِقَابَنَا مِنْ نَقِمَتِك. • Bless Muhammad and his Household • and release our necks from Your vengeance!

15. وَيَا مَنْ لا تَفْنَى خَزَائِنُ رَحْمَتِهِ،صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّد وَآلِهِ،وَاجْعَلْ لَنا نَصِيباً فِي رَحْمَتِكَ. • O He the treasuries of whose mercy cannot be exhausted! • Bless Muhammad and his Household • and appoint for us a portion of Your mercy!

16. وَيَا مَنْ تَنْقَطِعُ دُونَ رُؤْيَتِهِ الابْصَارُ،صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّد وَآلِهِ،وَأَدْنِنَا إلَى قُرْبِكَ. • O He whom eyes fall short of seeing! Bless Muhammad and his Household • and bring us close to Your nearness!

17. وَيَا مَنْ تَصْغُرُ عِنْدَ خَطَرِهِ الاخْطَارُ،صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّد وَآلِهِ،وَكَرِّمْنَا عَلَيْكَ. • O He before whose greatness all great things are small! • Bless Muhammad and his Household • and give us honor with You!

18. وَيَا مَنْ تَظْهَرُ عِنْدَهُ بَوَاطِنُ الاخْبَارِ،صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّد وَآلِهِ،وَلاَ تَفْضَحْنَا لَدَيْكَ. • O He to whom all hidden tidings are manifest! • Bless Muhammad and his Household • and do not expose us before You!

19. اللَّهُمَّ أَغْنِنَا عَنْ هِبَةِ الْوَهّابِيْنَ بِهِبَتِكَ،وَاكْفِنَا وَحْشَةَ الْقَاطِعِين بِصِلَتِكَ ، • O God, remove our need for the gifts of the givers through Your gift, • spare us the loneliness of those who break off through Your joining,

20. حَتّى لا نَرْغَبَ إلَى أحَد مَعَ بَذْلِكَ،وَلاَ نَسْتَوْحِشَ مِنْ أحَد مَعَ فَضْلِكَاللهُمَّ فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّد وَآلِهِ • that we may beseech no one along • with Your free giving, • that we may feel lonely at no one's absence along with Your bounty! • O God, bless Muhammad and his Household,

21. وَكِدْ لَنَا وَلا تَكِدْ عَلَيْنَا،وَامْكُرْ لَنَا وَلاَ تَمْكُرْ بنَا، • scheme for us, not against us, • devise to our benefit, not to our loss,

22. وَأدِلْ لَنَا وَلاَ تُدِلْ مِنّا.اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّد وَآلِهِ، • And to prevail let it be with us, • and not to others! • O God, bless Muhammad and his Household,

23. وَقِنَا مِنْكَ، وَاحْفَظْنَا بِكَ، وَاهْدِنَا إلَيْكَ،وَلاَ تُبَاعِدْنَا عَنْكَ إنّ مَنْ تَقِهِ يَسْلَمْ، • Protect us from Yourself, safeguard us through Yourself, guide us to Yourself, and take us not far from Yourself! • For he whom You protect stays Safe,

24. وَمَنْ تَهْدِهِ يَعْلَمْ، وَمَنْ تُقَرِّبُهُ إلَيْكَ يَغْنَمْ.الّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّد وَآلِهِ • And he whom You guide will know, and he whom You bring near Yourself would gain. • O God, bless Muhammad and his Household

25. وَاكْفِنَا حَدَّ نَوائِبِ الزَّمَانِ،وَشَرَّ مَصَائِدِ الشّيطانِ وَمَرَارَةَ صَوْلَةِ السُّلْطَانِ. • and spare us the afflictions of time's turbulence, • And the wickedness of Satan's snares, • and the bitterness of the rulers’ dictates!

26. اللّهُمَّ إنَّما يَكْتَفِي الْمُكْتَفُونَ بِفَضْـلقُوَّتِكَ فَصَلِّ عَلَى محَمَّد وَآلِهِ ،وَاكْفِنَا • O God, the spared are spared only through the bounty of Your strength • so bless Muhammad and his Household and Spare us!

27. وَإنَّمَا يُعْطِي الْمُعْطُونَ مِنْ فَضْلِ جِدَتِكَفَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّد وَآلِهِ واعطنا • The givers give only through the bounty of Your wealth, • so bless Muhammad and his Household and give to us!

28. وَإنمَا يَهْتَدِي الْمُهْتَدُونَ بِنُورِ وَجْهِكَفَصَلِّ عَلَى محمّد وَآلِهِ وَاهْدِنَا . • The guided are guided only by the Light of Your face, • so bless Muhammad and his Household and guide us!

29. اللّهُمَّ إنّكَ مَنْ وَالَيْتَ لَمْ يَضْرُرْهُ خِذْلانُ الْخَاذِلِينَ،وَمَنْ أعْطَيْتَ لَمْ يَنْقُصْهُ مَنْـعُ الْمَانِعِينَ، • O God, he whom You befriend will not be hurt by abandonment of those who abandon, • he to whom You give will not be diminished by the withholding of those who withhold,

30. وَمَنْ هَدَيْتَ لَمْ يُغْوِهِ إضْلاَلُ المُضِلِّيْنَ.فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّد وَآلِهِ، • he whom You guide will not be misled by the misguidance of those who misguide. • So bless Muhammad and his Household,

31. وَامْنَعْنَا بِعِزَّكَ، مِنْ عِبَادِكَوَأغْنِنَا عَنْ غَيْرِكَ بِإرْفَادِكَ • Defend us from Your servants • through Your might, • Free us from need for other than You through Your support,

32. وَاسْلُكْ بِنَا سَبِيلَ الْحَقِّ بِـإرْشَادِكَ.اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّد وَآلِـهِ • and let us be on the path of the Truth by Your right guidance! • O God, bless Muhammad and his Household 

33. وَاجْعَلْ سَلاَمَةَ قُلُوبِنَافِي ذِكْرِ عَظَمَتِكَ وَفَرَاغَ أبْدَانِنَا فِي شُكْرِ نِعْمَتِكَ • and put the wellbeing of our hearts into remembering Your might, • and the idleness of our bodies into giving thanks for Your favors,

34. وَانْطِلاَقَ أَلْسِنَتِنَا فِي وَصْفِ مِنَّتِكَ.أللَهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّد وَآلِهِ • and the flow of our tongues into the description of Your kindness! • O God, bless Muhammad and his Household

35. وَاجْعَلْنَا مِنْ دُعَاتِكَ الدّاعِينَ إلَيْكَوَهُدَاتِكَ الدَّالّينَ عَلَيْكَ • and make us of those who summon to You, And the guiders who direct towards You,

36. وَمِنْ خَاصَّتِكَ الْخَاصِّينَ لَدَيْكَيَا أرْحَمَ ألرَّاحِمِينَ  • and Your very special, whom You had singled out! • O Most Merciful of the merciful!

44. Western Scholars • Philip Woolley, a professor and researcher from Germany, asked for a copy of Al-Saheefa al-Sajjadiya to be sent to him after his friend, a Roman CatholicCardinal, saw the book in his library, studied part of it, and impressed with its novelty insisted on taking it away with him. • When the Vatican Library in Rome received an English version of Al-Saheefa al-Sajjadiya, it said in its letter of acknowledgment: "This book contains great mystical themes, so we place it for researchers in the best position of the library."

45. Western Scholars • A leader of Germany's Social Democratic Party wrote to a friend, Professor Singler, saying: "This book had a profound impact on me and changed my view about Islam. I invite my friend to study this book",  • In Poland, Christian Scientist Andre Kowski said of the book: • "I am deeply impressed by the ideas of Imam Sajjad, whose noble thoughts are manifested on the pages of the book Al-Saheefa al-Sajjadiya. It is so attractive, to the extent that I feel this book has given me a complete sense of the mystical and divine."

46. Finally, Read Surah Al-Asr Together

47. Be in Allah’s Care • Thank you and may Allah Bless you. • Dr. A.S. Hashim