Du'a al-Sabah

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

اللَّهُمَّ يَا مَنْ دَلَعَ لِسَانَ الصَّبَاحِ بِنُطْقِ تَبَلُّجِهِ وَ سَرَّحَ قِطَعَ اللَّيْلِ الْمُظْلِمِ بِغَيَاهِبِ تَلَجْلُجِهِ وَ أَتْقَنَ صُنْعَ الْفَلَكِ الدَّوَّارِ فِي مَقَادِيرِ تَبَرُّجِهِ وَ شَعْشَعَ ضِيَاءَ الشَّمْسِ بِنُورِ تَأَجُّجِهِ يَا مَنْ دَلَّ عَلَى ذَاتِهِ بِذَاتِهِ وَ تَنَزَّهَ عَنْ مُجَانَسَةِ مَخْلُوقَاتِهِ وَ جَلَّ عَنْ مُلاءَمَةِ كَيْفِيَّاتِهِ يَا مَنْ قَرُبَ مِنْ خَطَرَاتِ الظُّنُونِ وَ بَعُدَ عَنْ لَحَظَاتِ الْعُيُونِ وَ عَلِمَ بِمَا كَانَ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَكُونَ يَا مَنْ أَرْقَدَنِي فِي مِهَادِ أَمْنِهِ وَ أَمَانِهِ وَ أَيْقَظَنِي إِلَى مَا مَنَحَنِي بِهِ مِنْ مِنَنِهِ وَ إِحْسَانِهِ وَ كَفَّ أَكُفَّ السُّوءِ عَنِّي بِيَدِهِ وَ سُلْطَانِهِ صَلِّ اللَّهُمَّ عَلَى الدَّلِيلِ إِلَيْكَ فِي اللَّيْلِ الْأَلْيَلِ،

O God, O He who put forth the tongue of morning with the speech of its dawning, who sent away the fragments of the dark night with the deep darkness of its stammering, who perfected the making of the revolving sphere in the measures of its splendour, and who made the light of the sun shine with the radiance of its blaze. O He who points to His Essence by His Essence, who is far above any likeness to His creatures, and too majestic to be in accord with their modes of being. O He who is near to the passing notions of surmise and far from the glances of the eyes, and who knew what was before it came to be. O He who laid me to sleep in the cradle of His safety and security, who woke me to the favours and kindness He has granted me, and who held back the hands of evil from me by His hand and His authority: bless, O God, the guide to You in the darkest night,

وَ الْمَاسِكِ مِنْ أَسْبَابِكَ بِحَبْلِ الشَّرَفِ الْأَطْوَلِ وَ النَّاصِعِ الْحَسَبِ فِي ذِرْوَةِ الْكَاهِلِ الْأَعْبَلِ وَ الثَّابِتِ الْقَدَمِ عَلَى زَحَالِيفِهَا فِي الزَّمَنِ الْأَوَّلِ وَ عَلَى آلِهِ الْأَخْيَارِ الْمُصْطَفَيْنَ الْأَبْرَارِ وَ افْتَحِ اللَّهُمَّ لَنَا مَصَارِيعَ الصَّبَاحِ بِمَفَاتِيحِ الرَّحْمَةِ وَ الْفَلاحِ وَ أَلْبِسْنِي اللَّهُمَّ مِنْ أَفْضَلِ خِلَعِ الْهِدَايَةِ وَ الصَّلاحِ وَ اغْرِسِ اللَّهُمَّ بِعَظَمَتِكَ فِي شِرْبِ جَنَانِي يَنَابِيعَ الْخُشُوعِ وَ أَجْرِ اللَّهُمَّ لِهَيْبَتِكَ مِنْ آمَاقِي زَفَرَاتِ الدُّمُوعِ وَ أَدِّبِ اللَّهُمَّ نَزَقَ الْخُرْقِ مِنِّي بِأَزمَّةِ الْقُنُوعِ.

who holds, among Your means, to the longest rope of honour, whose lineage shines bright at the summit of the strongest shoulders, and whose foot stood firm on its slippery slopes in the earliest time; and bless his family, the best, the chosen, the righteous. Open for us, O God, the doors of morning with the keys of mercy and success. Clothe me, O God, in the finest robes of guidance and righteousness. Plant, O God, by Your greatness, in the watering place of my heart the springs of humility. Make flow, O God, in awe of You, from the corners of my eyes the sighs of tears. And discipline, O God, my rash folly with the reins of contentment.

إِلَهِي إِنْ لَمْ تَبْتَدِئْنِي الرَّحْمَةُ مِنْكَ بِحُسْنِ التَّوْفِيقِ فَمَنِ السَّالِكُ بِي إِلَيْكَ فِي وَاضِحِ الطَّرِيقِ وَ إِنْ أَسْلَمَتْنِي أَنَاتُكَ لِقَائِدِ الْأَمَلِ وَ الْمُنَى فَمَنِ الْمُقِيلُ عَثَرَاتِي مِنْ كَبَوَاتِ الْهَوَى وَ إِنْ خَذَلَنِي نَصْرُكَ عِنْدَ مُحَارَبَةِ النَّفْسِ وَ الشَّيْطَانِ فَقَدْ وَكَلَنِي خِذْلانُكَ إِلَى حَيْثُ النَّصَبُ وَ الْحِرْمَانُ.

My God, if mercy from You does not come to me first with good success, then who will lead me to You on the clear road? If Your forbearance hands me over to the leader of hope and desire, then who will pardon my slips from the stumbles of passion? And if Your help forsakes me in the battle against the self and Satan, then Your forsaking has consigned me to a place of toil and deprivation.

إِلَهِي أَ تَرَانِي مَا أَتَيْتُكَ إِلا مِنْ حيثُ الْآمَالُ أَمْ عَلِقْتُ بِأَطْرَافِ حِبَالِكَ إِلّا حِينَ بَاعَدَتْنِي ذُنُوبِي عَنْ دَارِ [صِرْبَةِ] الْوِصَالِ فَبِئْسَ الْمَطِيَّةُ الَّتِي امْتَطَتْ نَفْسِي مِنْ هَوَاهَا فَوَاها لَهَا لِمَا سَوَّلَتْ لَهَا ظُنُونُهَا وَ مُنَاهَا وَ تَبّاً لَهَا لِجُرْأَتِهَا عَلَى سَيِّدِهَا وَ مَوْلاهَا إِلَهِي قَرَعْتُ بَابَ رَحْمَتِكَ بِيَدِ رَجَائِي وَ هَرَبْتُ إِلَيْكَ لاجِئاً مِنْ فَرْطِ أَهْوَائِي وَ عَلَّقْتُ بِأَطْرَافِ حِبَالِكَ أَنَامِلَ وَلائِي فَاصْفَحِ اللَّهُمَّ عَمَّا كُنْتُ [كَانَ ] أَجْرَمْتُهُ مِنْ زَلَلِي وَ خَطَائِي وَ أَقِلْنِي مِنْ صَرْعَةِ رِدَائِي فَإِنَّكَ سَيِّدِي وَ مَوْلايَ وَ مُعْتَمَدِي وَ رَجَائِي ،

My God, do You see that I have come to You only by way of my hopes? Or that I have clung to the ends of Your ropes only when my sins drove me far from the abode of union? How wretched is the mount of its own passion that my soul has ridden! Alas for it, for what its fancies and desires made attractive to it, and ruin to it for its boldness against its Lord and Master! My God, I have knocked on the door of Your mercy with the hand of my hope, I have fled to You seeking refuge from the excess of my passions, and I have fastened the fingertips of my devotion to the ends of Your ropes. So pardon, O God, the slips and errors I have committed, and raise me up from the stumble of my cloak, for You are my Lord, my Master, my support and my hope,

وَ أَنْتَ غَايَةُ مَطْلُوبِي وَ مُنَايَ فِي مُنْقَلَبِي وَ مَثْوَايَ إِلَهِي كَيْفَ تَطْرُدُ مِسْكِيناً الْتَجَأَ إِلَيْكَ مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ هَارِباً أَمْ كَيْفَ تُخَيِّبُ مُسْتَرْشِداً قَصَدَ إِلَى جَنَابِكَ سَاعِياً [صَاقِبا] أَمْ كَيْفَ تَرُدُّ ظَمْآنَ وَرَدَ إِلَى حِيَاضِكَ شَارِباً كَلّا وَ حِيَاضُكَ مُتْرَعَةٌ فِي ضَنْكِ الْمُحُولِ وَ بَابُكَ مَفْتُوحٌ لِلطَّلَبِ وَ الْوُغُولِ وَ أَنْتَ غَايَةُ الْمَسْئُولِ [السُّؤْلِ ] وَ نِهَايَةُ الْمَأْمُولِ إِلَهِي هَذِهِ أَزِمَّةُ نَفْسِي عَقَلْتُهَا بِعِقَالِ مَشِيَّتِكَ وَ هَذِهِ أَعْبَاءُ ذُنُوبِي دَرَأْتُهَا بِعَفْوِكَ وَ رَحْمَتِكَ،

and You are the goal of what I seek and my desire in my going and my staying. My God, how could You drive away a poor wretch who has taken refuge with You, fleeing from sins? Or how could You disappoint a seeker of guidance who has made for Your court, hastening? Or how could You turn back a thirsty one who has come down to Your pools to drink? Never! Your pools are full to the brim in the hardship of drought, and Your door is open for seeking and for entering. You are the utmost of what is asked and the furthest of what is hoped for. My God, these are the reins of my soul: I have tied them with the tether of Your will. And these are the burdens of my sins: I have warded them off with Your pardon and Your mercy,

وَ هَذِهِ أَهْوَائِيَ الْمُضِلَّةُ وَكَلْتُهَا إِلَى جَنَابِ لُطْفِكَ وَ رَأْفَتِكَ فَاجْعَلِ اللَّهُمَّ صَبَاحِي هَذَا نَازِلاً عَلَيَّ بِضِيَاءِ الْهُدَى وَ بِالسَّلامَةِ [السَّلامَةِ] فِي الدِّينِ وَ الدُّنْيَا وَ مَسَائِي جُنَّةً مِنْ كَيْدِ الْعِدَى [الْأَعْدَاءِ] وَ وِقَايَةً مِنْ مُرْدِيَاتِ الْهَوَى إِنَّكَ قَادِرٌ عَلَى مَا تَشَاءُ تُؤْتِي الْمُلْكَ مَنْ تَشَاءُ وَ تَنْزِعُ الْمُلْكَ مِمَّنْ تَشَاءُ وَ تُعِزُّ مَنْ تَشَاءُ وَ تُذِلُّ مَنْ تَشَاءُ بِيَدِكَ الْخَيْرُ إِنَّكَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ تُولِجُ اللَّيْلَ فِي النَّهَارِ وَ تُولِجُ النَّهَارَ فِي اللَّيْلِ وَ تُخْرِجُ الْحَيَّ مِنَ الْمَيِّتِ وَ تُخْرِجُ الْمَيِّتَ مِنَ الْحَيِّ وَ تَرْزُقُ مَنْ تَشَاءُ بِغَيْرِ حِسَابٍ لا إِلَهَ إِلا أَنْتَ سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ وَ بِحَمْدِكَ مَنْ ذَا يَعْرِفُ قَدْرَكَ فَلا يَخَافُكَ،

And these are my misleading desires: I have entrusted them to the threshold of Your gentleness and Your tenderness. So make, O God, this morning of mine descend upon me with the radiance of guidance and with safety in religion and in this world, and make my evening a shield against the scheming of enemies and a protection from the ruinous falls of desire. Truly You have power over whatever You will. You give sovereignty to whom You will and take sovereignty away from whom You will; You honour whom You will and abase whom You will; in Your hand is the good; truly You have power over all things. You make the night pass into the day and make the day pass into the night; You bring forth the living from the dead and bring forth the dead from the living; and You provide for whom You will without reckoning. There is no god but You. Glory be to You, O God, and with Your praise. Who is there that knows Your worth and does not fear You?

وَ مَنْ ذَا يَعْلَمُ مَا أَنْتَ فَلا يَهَابُكَ أَلَّفْتَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ الْفِرَقَ وَ فَلَقْتَ بِلُطْفِكَ الْفَلَقَ وَ أَنَرْتَ بِكَرَمِكَ دَيَاجِيَ الْغَسَقِ وَ أَنْهَرْتَ الْمِيَاهَ مِنَ الصُّمِّ الصَّيَاخِيدِ عَذْباً وَ أُجَاجاً وَ أَنْزَلْتَ مِنَ الْمُعْصِرَاتِ مَاءً ثَجَّاجاً وَ جَعَلْتَ الشَّمْسَ وَ الْقَمَرَ لِلْبَرِيَّةِ سِرَاجاً وَهَّاجاً مِنْ غَيْرِ أَنْ تُمَارِسَ فِيمَا ابْتَدَأْتَ بِهِ لُغُوباً وَ لا عِلاجاً فَيَا مَنْ تَوَحَّدَ بِالْعِزِّ وَ الْبَقَاءِ وَ قَهَرَ عِبَادَهُ بِالْمَوْتِ وَ الْفَنَاءِ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ الْأَتْقِيَاءِ وَ اسْمَعْ نِدَائِي ،

And who is there that knows what You are and is not in awe of You? By Your power You have joined together what was divided, by Your gentleness You have split open the dawn, and by Your generosity You have lit up the darkest shadows of nightfall. You have made waters flow, sweet and bitter, from hard and solid rocks, You have sent down from the rain clouds water pouring in abundance, and You have made the sun and the moon a blazing lamp for all creation, without suffering any weariness or toil in what You originated. So, O You who are alone in might and permanence, and who have subdued Your servants with death and extinction, bless Muhammad and his God-fearing family, and hear my call,

وَ اسْتَجِبْ دُعَائِي وَ حَقِّقْ بِفَضْلِكَ أَمَلِي وَ رَجَائِي يَا خَيْرَ مَنْ دُعِيَ لِكَشْفِ الضُّرِّ وَ الْمَأْمُولِ لِكُلِّ [فِي كُلِ ] عُسْرٍ وَ يُسْرٍ بِكَ أَنْزَلْتُ حَاجَتِي فَلا تَرُدَّنِي مِنْ سَنِيِّ [بَابِ ] مَوَاهِبِكَ خَائِباً يَا كَرِيمُ يَا كَرِيمُ يَا كَرِيمُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ وَ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَى خَيْرِ خَلْقِهِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ أَجْمَعِينَ.

And answer my prayer, and by Your grace fulfil my hope and my expectation. O Best of those called upon to remove harm and of those in whom hope is placed for every hardship and ease! With You I have laid down my need, so do not turn me away from Your splendid gifts disappointed. O Generous One, O Generous One, O Generous One! By Your mercy, O Most Merciful of the merciful. And God bless the best of His creation, Muhammad, and his family, all of them.

إِلَهِي قَلْبِي مَحْجُوبٌ وَ نَفْسِي مَعْيُوبٌ وَ عَقْلِي مَغْلُوبٌ وَ هَوَائِي غَالِبٌ وَ طَاعَتِي قَلِيلٌ وَ مَعْصِيَتِي كَثِيرٌ وَ لِسَانِي مُقِرٌّ بِالذُّنُوبِ فَكَيْفَ حِيلَتِي يَا سَتَّارَ الْعُيُوبِ وَ يَا عَلامَ الْغُيُوبِ وَ يَا كَاشِفَ الْكُرُوبِ اغْفِرْ ذُنُوبِي كُلَّهَا بِحُرْمَةِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ يَا غَفَّارُ يَا غَفَّارُ يَا غَفَّارُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ.

My God, my heart is veiled, my soul is flawed, my reason is overcome, my desire is overpowering, my obedience is little, my disobedience is much, and my tongue confesses my sins. So what means do I have, O Concealer of faults, O Knower of the unseen, O Remover of afflictions? Forgive all my sins, by the sanctity of Muhammad and the family of Muhammad. O All-Forgiving, O All-Forgiving, O All-Forgiving! By Your mercy, O Most Merciful of the merciful.