ALI 466: Review of Du'ā No. 6

From Sahīfa Sajjādiyya

SESSION 2:

اح والمساء وكان من دعائه عليه السلم عند الصب His Supplication for Morning and Evening

Saturday April 13, 2019.

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Intro to Du’ā 6 from Sahīfa This is an interesting supplication where in

Imam Ali Zaynul ‘Ābidīn (a) is discussing about

the creation of day and night, their functions

and what are we expected to do during daytime

and at night. Day begins at sunrise or at dawn

and ends at sunset. Night begins after sunset or

when darkness appears, i.e. at Maghrib time.

Let us explore the gems from the Ahlul Bayt

(a) on Divine blessing that we receive every day

and night.

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Du'ā 6 in Sahīfa –passage 6ت غوا ف وا إل رزقه، ويسرحوا ف يه من فضله، ولي تسب ب وخلق لم الن هار مبصرا لي ب

جل ف أخ أرضه، طلبا لما فيه ن يل العاجل من د م، ودر ا م ن يا راChittick: 6. He created for them the daytime, giving sight that they might seek

within it of His bounty (Q17:12). Find the means to His provision, and roam

freely in His earth, searching for that through which to attain the immediate in

their life in this world and to achieve the deferred in their life to come.

Muhani: 6. He created for them the day which is full of light, that they may

therein seek His Grace. (That they may) find means of sustenance provided by

Him and walk about in His earth, searching for that which will yield comfort in

this life and blessings in the life to come.

Allah has made the day having the visibility (mubsiran) so we may

seek the provision from His Bounties and Grace and travel around

freely. Through this one can obtain both the worldly things and for

the Hereafter. Question: How can you get provision for al-akhira in

the bright day?

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Du'ā 6 in Sahīfa –passage 7م، وي لو أخبار م ف أوقات طاعته، و بكل ذلك يصلح شأنم، وي ب منازل نظر كيف

بلسن ويزي الذين أحسنواا عملوا، ف روضه، ومواقع أحكامه، ليجزي الذين أساءوا ب Chittick: 7. Through all of this He sets right their situation, tries their records,

and watches their state in the times for obeying Him, the waystations of His

obligations, and the places of His ordinances, that He may repay those who do

evil with what they have done and repay those who do good with goodness

Muhani: 7. By this means He improves the condition of mankind, tests their

deeds, watches their behavior at times of worship, in places of devotion, and on

occasions of performance of His Commands in order that He may punish those

who do wrong and handsomely reward those who do right (Q 53:31).

A clear indication that the Divine bounties which we receive daily

entail accounting followed by either reward or punishment. This is

the central message of the Holy Quran to both the human and jinn.

It is an unfortunate thing that we often waste the most valuable

thing in the life, and that is time which is part of the day & night.

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Du'ā 6 in Sahīfa –passage 8صباح ومت عت نا به اللهم ف لك المد على ما ف لقت لنا م من ضوء الن هار، ن ال

ت فات وبصرت نا من مطالب الق وات ووق ي نا فيه من طوار اChittick: 8. O Allah, to You belongs praise for the sky You have split into

dawn for us, giving us to enjoy thereby the brightness of daytime, showing us

sought-after nourishments, and protecting us from the striking of blights.

Muhani: 8. O Allah, therefore, all praise is due to You because You have

created for us the daybreak, provided us with the light of day, directed us to

places for obtaining sustenance and protected us from the approach of calamities.

After mentioning various bounties that we get from Allah, the Imam now talks directly to God beautifully: اللهم ف لك المد O Allah, all praise

belongs to You. And then the Imam lists the blessings of daybreak

from night, the brightness of daytime, being led to places of

sustenance and protection from accidents in brightness of the day.

Imagine if we were to obtain our provision in the darkness of night,

even after using the advanced technology?

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Du'ā 6 in Sahīfa –passage 9ا وأرضها، وما ب أصبحنا وأصبحت الشياء كلها بمل ث ثت ف كل واحد تها لك ساؤ

هما، ساكنه ومتحر كه ومقيمه وشاخص تت الث رى ه وما عل ف الواء وما كن من Chittick: 9. In the morning we and all things, every one, rise for You, the

heaven and the earth, and what You have scattered in each, the still and the

moving, the resident and the journeying, what towers up in the air and what

hides under the ground.

Muhani: 9. We and all things wholly belong to You. The heavens and the earth

are Yours. Whatever You have scattered in them, resting things and moving

things, whatever soars in the air and whatever is hidden under the ground.

Subhānallāh, see the Divine system: all of us who possess the

understanding and all things – who may not possess

comprehension, begin the day for Allah. How can we then ignore

praying to Allah upon waking up through tasbih, tahajjud, Du'ā and

salat? The Holy Prophet (s) used to go to sajdah upon waking up and say: ور المد هلل الذي أحيان ب عد ما أماتن وإليه النش .

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Du'ā 6 in Sahīfa –passage 10نا مشي تك، ون تص أصبحنا ف ق بضتك يوينا ملكك وسلط رف عن انك، وتضم

، ون ت قلب ف تدبري أمرChittick: 10. We rise in the morning in Your grasp: Your kingdom and

authority contain us and Your will embraces us. We move about by Your

command and turn this way and that through Your governing.

Muhani: 10. We have come under Your Power. Your Kingdom and Your

Authority are all around us and dependent upon Your Providence. We act in

accordance with Your Commands and are changed according to Your Plans.

Note: The Imam (a) confesses his helplessness in the presence of

Almighty. As we begin the day we are totally under the grip of Allah,

present in His kingdom and under His authority, depending on His

will to get the provision of the day. Our moving from one place to

another is also governed by Allah. We pass the day as decreed by

Him. As they say in English: Man proposes, God disposes.

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Du'ā 6 in Sahīfa –passages 11ري إل ما أعطيت ليس لنا من المر إل ما قضيت، ول من ال

Chittick: 11. We own nothing of the affair except what You have decreed and

nothing of the good except what You have given.

Muhani: 11. There is nothing at our disposal but that which You have

ordained upon us. There is no good thing but that You have graciously bestowed

upon us.

Whatever good we get is what Allah has decreed and granted us and

is not because we deserve it. In the Du'ā after zuhr prayer we recite:

ر وات و اللهم ما بنا من نعمة فمنك، ل اله ال اليك انت، است غO Allah every blessing that we have is from non but You; there isno

God but You. I seek Your forgiveness and turn to You.

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Du'ā 6 in Sahīfa –passage 12 نا شا و علي ذا ي وم حادث جديد و د عتيد، و

ارق نا بذم إن أحسنا ودعنا بمد، وإن أسأن ف Chittick:12. This is a fresh, new day, over us a ready witness. If we do good,

it will take leave from us with praise, and if we do evil, it will pare from us in

blame. Muhani: 12. This is a day, new and fresh, and it is a present witness

of what we do. If we have done good, it will praise us on the departure. If we

have done evil, it will leave us with contempt.

A Hadith from Amīrul Mu’minīn in al-Āmālī of al-Sadūq:

ل ف خريا شهيد ف ق ي ابن آدم أن ي وم جديد وأن عليك ير على ابن آدم إل قال له ذلك الي وم ما من ي وم أبداواعمل ف خريا أشهد لك به ي وم القيامة فإنك لن ت ران ب عد

Not a single day passes in the life of a human being except that the day

addresses him (saying): ‘O son of Adam, I am a new day and tomorrow I’ll be

a witness against you. Therefore perform good deeds in me and say good things in

me. I’ll witness with it for you on the Day of Resurrection, for you will never see

me after this at all.’

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Du'ā 6 in Sahīfa –passage 13ارقته سن مصاحبته، واعصمنا م اللهم صل على ممد وآله، وارزق نا ح ن سوء م

كبرية برتكا جريرة، أو اقتاف صغرية أو Chittick: 13. O Allah, bless Muhammad and his Household, provide us with

the day's good companionship and preserve us against parting from it badly by

doing a misdeed or committing a sin, whether small or great!

Muhani: 13. O Allah, show mercy unto Muhammad and his descendants.

Grant us the benefit of association with His descendants. Keep us from the evil

of separation from them, by reason of our committing sins whether great or

small.

The following Hadith attributed to Imam al-Sadiq (a) in pertinent:

و فهو مغبون ي وما من است وى نه ف هو مغبو ع فيه خريا من أمسه الذي ارتل، ومن كان ي ومه الذي He who makes his two days equal is of the deceived. He, whose

current day is better than yesterday which has passed him, is

fortunate and is in an enviable position. (al-Usūl al-sitat ‘ashar, p. 126)

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Du'ā 6 in Sahīfa –passage 14نا ما بي طرف يه يه من السي ئات، وامل ل وأجزل لنا فيه من السنات، وأخلنا ف

ان وإحس حدا وشكرا وأجرا وذخرا وفضل Chittick: 14. Make our good deeds within it plentiful, empty us therein of evil

deeds, and fill what lies between its two sides for us with praise and

thanksgiving, wages and stores, bounty and beneficence!

Muhani: 14. Increase virtue for us through them. Cleanse us from vice through

them. Fill up the space between the two extremities of time for us with praise,

thankfulness, Reward, stores of good things, kindness and beneficence.

Simply make your day beautiful for which both the human and

angels have praise for it. One should exert maximum effort to make

the day useful for the self, beneficial to others and pleasing to the

Almighty. Beseech Allah to help us avoid all the evil. له خرة ما أنت أ ن يا وا له واصرف عن م ،وأعطن من خري الد خرة ما أنت أ ن يا وا ن شر الد

Grant me the good of the world and the (good) of the Hereafter that befits You, Remove from me the evil of the world and the (evil) of the Hereafter, that befits You

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Du'ā 6 in Sahīfa –passage 15ر على الكرام الكاتبي مئ نا، ول ون ت نا، وامل لنا من حسنات اللهم يس نا صحائ

م بسوء أعمالنا تزن عندChittick: 15. O Allah, ease our burden on the Noble Writers, fill our pages for

us with our good deeds, and degrade us not before them with our evil works!

Muhani: 15. O Allah, make it easy for the recording angels to keep the record

of our actions and fill up our record books with good deeds. Let us not be

disgraced before them with our evil deeds.

Subhānallāh, notice that Imam has a total belief that all our deeds are recorded by the honorable scribes ( الكرام الكاتبي). The Quran

mentions about the scribes at 50:16 – 18 and 82: 10 – 12. Through

our bad deeds, we are burdening the scribes. Instead one should fill

the pages of his/her record with good deeds. Also, our evil acts will

bring disgrace and humiliation in the presence of the angels who

record our deeds and safeguard us.

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Du'ā 6 in Sahīfa –passage 16 ونصيباللهم اجعل لنا ف كل ساعة من ساعات ا من شكر ه حظ ا من عباد

من ملئكتك د صد وشاChittick: 16. O Allah, appoint for us in each of the day’s hours a share from

Your servants, a portion of giving thanks to You, and a truthful witness among

Your angels!

Muhani: 16. O Allah, let us have a share of Your worship in every moment

of the day, a share of thanksgiving to You and a true witness out of Your

angels.

Notice that every hour in a day is important for a believer. S/he

does not waste it or utilize it for wrong things. Instead he spends it

being an obedient servant and a dedicated worshiper of God. He is

ever thankful to the Creator such that the angels will be truthful

witnesses on his behalf.

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Du'ā 6 in Sahīfa –passage 17ظن اللهم صل على ممد وآله، واح نا وعن أياننا وعن ا من بي أيدينا ومن خل

ظا عاصم يع ن واحيناح ادي إل ط شائلنا ومن ج اعتك، ا من معصيتك، مست عمل لمحبتك

Chittick: 17. O Allah, bless Muhammad and his Household and safeguard us

from before us and behind us, from our right hands and our left hands and from

all our directions, a safeguarding that will preserve from disobeying You, guide to

obeying You, and be employed for Your love!

Muhani: 17. O Allah, be merciful to Muhammad and his descendants. Guard

us from before, from behind, on the right hand and on the left. Keep us from

harm on all sides, restraining us thereby, from disobeying You; directing us,

thereby, to serve You and work for Your love.

This is a beautiful passage that can be read when leaving home in

the morning for it talks about protection by the angels from

disobeying Allah and also protection against all evil and mishaps.

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Du'ā 6 in Sahīfa –passage 18ذ وف ج اللهم صل على ممد وآله، ووف قنا ف ي لتنا ذا ولي منا لست ومنا عمال يع أي

بلمعروف والن هي عن سنن، ومان بة البدع، والمر وجران الشر وشكر الن عم،وات باع الالري،سلم، ، إذلله،ونصرة الق وإعزاز و وانتقاص الباطل المنكر،وحياطة ال ، وإرشاد الضال

اللهيف ومعاونة الضعيف، وإدراChittick: 18. O Allah, bless Muhammad and his Household and give us success in

this day of ours, this night of ours, and in all our days, to employ the good, stay away

from the evil, Give thanks for favours, follow the Sunna’s norms, avoid innovations,

Enjoin good behaviour, forbid the disapproved, defend Islam, diminish falsehood and

abase it, help the truth and exalt it, guide the misguided, assist the weak, and reach out

to the troubled!

Muhani: 18. O Allah, bless Muhammad and his descendants and guide us this day,

the night and in all our days, to practice righteousness, to keep far from evil, To be

thankful for Your Gifts, to follow Your Command, to reject innovations in religion, to

encourage good deeds and to discourage evil ones. (Guide us) to defend Islam, to

disapprove wrong, and disparage it, to uphold the right and respect it, to guide the

erring, aid the weak and redress the oppressed.

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Notes on Sahīfa passage 6:18Imam al-Sajjad (a) begins by invoking Divine blessings on the

Prophet and his family. This appears over 200 times in the Sahīfa – a

noble practice that we need to imitate. Then he enumerates the

deeds we need to perform every day and night:

1)Employ the entire time in doing good and staying away from evil

2) Thank the Almighty & His creation for all the blessings

3) Follow the sunnah of the Prophet. Keep Sunan an-Nabi ready

4) Stay away from innovations

5) Do amr bil-ma’ruf and nahy ‘anil munkar

6) Some time in defending Islam, esp. on social media

7) Oppose the falsehood and support the truth

8) Guide those who have distracted from the Path

9) Extend the help to one who is in trouble

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Du'ā 6 in Sahīfa –passage 19، وأفضل اللهم صل على ممد وآله، واجعله ، أين ي وم عهدن نا صاحب صحب

وخري وقت ظللنا فيه Chittick: 19. O Allah, bless Muhammad and his Household and make this

the most fortunate day we have known, the most excellent companion we have

accompanied, and the best time in which we have lingered!

Muhani: 19. O Allah, have mercy upon Muhammad and his descendants. Let

this day be the most blessed day we ever saw, the most excellent companion we

met with and the best time of our existence.

Wow, the Imam (a) is praying for nothing but best by having the

most fortunate day, to have the excellent company of people or

deeds and to make them the best of the time. There is no room for

mediocre or sub-standard life style for a believer. S/he always goes

for the best and works for it. May the Almighty grant us the tawfīq

to do so!

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Du'ā 6 in Sahīfa –passage 20م لما أوليت الن هار من جلة خلقك، أش اجعلنا من أرضى من مر عليه الليل و و كر

هم عما حذرت من نعمك، وأق ومهم با شرعت من شرائ من نيك عك، وأوق Chittick: 20. Place us among the most satisfied of all Your creatures whom

night and day have passed by, the most thankful of them for the favors You have

done, the firmest of them in the laws You have set down in the Sharī‘a, and the

most unyielding of them toward the prohibited acts against which You have

cautioned!

Muhani: 20. Make us the happiest of all Your creatures who have spent the

night and day on the earth and the most thankful for the blessings You have

given. Make us the strictest observers of Your Laws and the most careful in

abstaining from those things which You have prohibited.

Being most content with what we have will make you to be most

thankful to God. When it comes to following Islamic laws, a

believer is most adhering in following them and most careful in

avoiding the impermissible acts.

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Du'ā 6 in Sahīfa –passage 21 ت ه وكى بك شهيدا،وأشهد اللهم إن أشهد وأرضك ومن أسكن ما من ملئكتك ساء

ذ ولي ذا وساعت ذا أن وسائرخلقك ف ي ومي ذ ومست قر ي أشهد أنك أنت الل لت لق لك رحيم بل الكم رءوف بلعباد مالك الم الذي ل إله إل أنت قائم بلقسط عدل ف

Chittick: 21. O Allah, I call You to witness - and You are sufficient witness

-and I call Your heaven and Your earth to witness and Your angels and

Your other creatures who inhabit them in this my day, this my hour, this

my night, and this my resting place, that I bear witness that You are Allah,

other than whom there is no god, Upholding justice, Equitable in

judgement, Clement to the servants, (Q 2:207) Master of the kingdom, (Q 3:26)

Compassionate to the creatures,

Muhani: 21. O Allah, I call You to witness and You are sufficient as a

witness. I call to witness Your heavens, Your earth, Your angels, whom

You have established in them, and the rest of Your creatures that in this,

my day, and this, my hour, and this, my night, and this, my place, I declare

that You are Allah, besides whom there is no other God; fair to Your

creatures, just in Your Rule, kind to Your servants, Possessor of the whole

of existence and Merciful to Your creatures.

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Du'ā 6 in Sahīfa –passage 22 ورسولك وخريتك م ا، وأمرته ن خلقك، حلته رسالت وأن ممدا عبد ك فأدا

بلنصح لمته ف نصح لاChittick: 22. And that Muhammad is Your servant and Your

messenger, Your chosen from among Your creatures. You did

charge him with Your message and he delivered it; You did

command him to counsel his community and he counselled it.

Muhani: 22. I declare that Muhammad is Your servant and Your

Apostle and the chosen one of all mankind. You did order him to

deliver Your message (unto people) and he did so; You did

command him to impart instruction to his ummah and he obeyed.

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Du'ā 6 in Sahīfa –passage 23ك وآته عنا ا صليت على أحد من خلق اللهم فصل على ممد وآله أكث ر م

، واجز ت أحدا من عنا أفضل وأكرم ما جزي أفضل ما آت يت أحدا من عبادأنبيائك عن أمته

Chittick: 23. O Allah, so bless Muhammad and his Household more

than You have blessed any of Your creatures! Give him for our sake

the best You have given any of Your servants, and repay him on our

behalf better and more generously than You have repaid any of

Your prophets on behalf of his community!

Muhani: 23. O Allah, therefore bless Muhammad and his

descendants more than any of Your creatures and on our behalf,

bestow upon him more than You have bestowed upon any of Your

servants. Reward him for our sake with better and more exalted gifts

than You have ever given to any other of Your Prophets on behalf

of his followers.

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Du'ā 6 in Sahīfa –passage 24رحيم، فصل على عظيم، وأنت أرحم من كل إنك أنت المنان بلسيم، الغافر لل

رين الخي بي ممد وآله الطي بي الطا .ار الChittick: 24. You are All-kind with immensity, the Forgiver of the

great, and You are more merciful than every possessor of mercy! So

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

chosen, the most distinguished!

Muhani: 24. Verily, You are the Giver of magnificent gifts and the

Forgiver of great sins. You are the Kindest of the kind. Therefore,

bless Muhammad and his descendants, the pure, the holy, the

virtuous and the honorable.

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References Academy for Learning Islam. The Glimpses of Sahīfa

Sajjādiyya, Richmond Hill: 2017

Imam Zayn Al- ‘Ābidīn (a), The Psalms of Islam: Al-Sahifat

Al-Sajjadiyya, William Chittick (Tr.), London: 1984

Imam Zayn Al- ‘Ābidīn (a), Sahifat-ul-Kamila, 2nd Edition,

Ahmad Ali Mohani (Tr.), Lucknow: 1969

Academy for Learning Islam, Tahajjud Salat: The Spiritual

Ladder, Richmond Hill: 2018.

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