Al-'Asharat Supplication

This article is an introduction to the al-'Asharat Supplication; to read its text see text:al-'Asharat Supplication.

Al-'Asharat Supplication

Subject	Acknowledgment of the unity of God, prophethood of the Prophet (s) and the Imamate of Imam Ali (a)
Hadith-Based/Non-Hadith-Based	Hadith-Based
Issued by	Imam Ali (a)
Narrator	Imam al-Baqir (a)
Shi'a sources	Jamal al-usbu'
Time	Every morning and evening • Friday evening

Al-ʿAsharāt supplication (Arabic: دعاء العَشَرات) is among authentic supplications which has been mentioned in most Shi'a supplication references. Imam Ali (a) taught Imam al-Husayn (a) this supplication. It has been emphasized and recommended to be recited every morning and night of Fridays.

Al-'Asharat supplication contains moral and ideological themes such as the acknowledgment of the unity of God, prophethood of the Prophet (s) and the Imamate of Imam Ali (a).

This supplication has been named al-'Asharat [tens], because its final phrases should be repeated ten times, each.

Chain of Transmission

Al-Sayyid b. Tawus has narrated al-'Asharat supplication from al-Shaykh al-Tusi in Jamal al-usbu', and al-Shaykh al-Tusi narrated it from Ahmad b. Muhammad b. Sa'id b. 'Uqda from Ali b. Hasan b. Ali b. Faddal from Tha'laba b. Maymun from Salih b. Fayd from Ibn Maryam from 'Abd Allah b. al-'Ata who said that Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a) narrated from his father, Ali b. al-Husayn (a) and he (a) narrated it from Imam al-Husayn (a) who said that, "Imam Ali (a) taught me this supplication." In Bihar al-anwar, al-'Allama al-Majlisi narrated al-'Asharat supplication from al-Sayyid b. Tawus' Jamal al-usbu' and elsewhere narrated it with another chain of transmission from Imam al-Sadiq (a) from Imam Ali (a). In Balad al-amin, al-Kaf'ami narrated it from al-Shaykh al-Tusi and in Misbah, mentioned it with another chain of transmission. In Mafatih al-jinan, Shaykh Abbas Qummi has narrated this supplication from al-Shaykh al-Tusi.

Cause of Naming

This supplication has been named al-'Asharat [tens], because its final phrases should be repeated ten times, each.

Rewards for Recitation

Imam al-Baqir (a) said, "Imam Ali (a) told Imam al-Husayn (a), 'My son, surly God's destiny will be applied to you in any way His wisdom requires; so, promise me not to tell the secret I tell you to anyone until one year after my martyrdom, for I give you the news the origin of which is from God Almighty and it is a supplication I teach you to recite every morning and night, for which a thousand thousand angels each of which is given the power to write a thousand thousand times more than [a normal] writer will write rewards for it, and God will choose a thousand thousand angels to ask for your forgiveness, each of whom He gives the power of a thousand thousand repenters, and will build for you a thousand thousand mansions in paradise, and there, you will be neighbor to the Prophet (a) and will give you a house in Dar al-Salam so that you will be with your people; and in Eden, He will build for you a thousand cities; and you will be resurrected from the grave with a letter which will speak and say that, 'upon my owner, there is no fear, slip or punishment…". Then, Imam al-Husayn (a) promised to take the supplication with the mentioned conditions. Then, Imam Ali (a) emphasized that, "when you apprach martyrdom, you should not teach this supplication except to your family members, Shi'a and friends, for if you do not do so and teach it to everyone, all kind of requests, even improper ones, will be fulfilled with it."

Time of Recitation

It is recommended to recite al-'Asharat supplication in the morning or at night. The best time for recitation of this supplication is the evening of Fridays.

Content

• Al-'Asharat supplication begins with the praise of God, acknowledgment of the unity of God, His glory and the Hawqala phrase. It continues with glorification of God in different statements; and then, sends blessings upon the Prophets (a) and sends praises and gratitude to God, the Lord of worlds and then, once again God is glorified.

• In the next part, the blessings, goodness and well-being given by God are mentioned and then it sends blessings upon the Prophet (a) and his family and asks God, "make perfect Your grace and favor for me, as well as Your blessings and good health, through redemption from Hellfire" and then asks God, "grant me thanksgiving to You, enjoyment of wellbeing from You, Your grace, and Your honor permanently so long as You decide to keep me alive."

• In another part, the reciter of the supplication acknowledges the unity of God, the prophethood of Prophet Muhammad (a) and the hereafter. It then gives testimony about the rightfulness of Imam Ali (a) and his children and says, "O Allah, (please do) certify this witness for me with You, so that You shall give it back to me on the Day of Resurrection while You are pleased with me."

• It continues to praise God in different statements such as, "To You be all praise as much as the weight of sea water. To You be all praise as many as leaves of trees. To You be all praise as many as all that which exists on the surface of the earth. To You be all praise as much as that which has been counted by Your Book. To You be all praise as much as all that which is comprehended by Your Knowledge. To You be all praise as many as the numbers of men, jinn, pests, birds, animals, and beasts." At the end, there are statements which needs to be repeated ten times each. They suggest God's unity, aliveness and power.