Munajat: Difference between revisions

Munajat (silent supplication) is to talk secretly and express one’s needs and gratitude before God. In the Qur’an, the concept of “munajat” is used in the form of derivations such as “najaytum” [“talk secretly”], “najwakum” [“your secret talk”] and “nida’an khafiyya” [“a secret cry”]; and in hadith collections, there are hadiths about the importance, manners and conditions of making munajat.

The difference between “du’a” and “munajat” is in the states of the servant when conversing with God. Making munajat in the dawn, calling God with the words matching the needs and the request of the supplicant and having a humble heart are considered among the conditions and manners of munajat.

Munajat Sha’baniyya and Munajat Khams ‘Ashar are among the famous munajats.

“Munajat” is referred to talking secretly to someone. Munajat is mostly used for talking secretly and expressing the needs and gratitude before God; and sometimes, it contains repentance from the sins. With regards to the verse 78 of sura al-Tawba, Tabrisi interpreted “najwa” as “distance” and said that in order for munajat, supplicants keep away from people.

Sometimes, munajat is used for du’as and dhikrs recited in the dawns of the month of Ramadan to wake up people.

The word “munajat” is not mentioned in the Qur’an, but its concept is mentioned in derivations such as “najwakum” [“your secret talk”], “najaytum” [“talk secretly”], and “nida’an khafiyya” [“a secret cry”]. In hadith collections, there are hadiths and chapters about the importance, manners and conditions of making munajat, and also famous munajats have been compiled.

The difference between “du’a” and “munajat” is in the states of the servant when conversing with God; if the conversation is about admitting to the sins or the greatness of love, and the state the person is in, matches better with intimate and calm conversation, the word “munajat” is used for it. However, the word “du’a” means calling, inviting and openly asking someone for help.

For munajat with God, observing some manners and preparing the conditions of munajat have been emphasized. In commentaries, the dawns are mentioned as the best of times for making munajat with God. These texts refer to verses of the Qur’an such as verse 142 of sura al-A’raf about the munajat of Moses (a) with God in Tur Sinai at night, verse 64 of sura al-Furqan about the time of worshipping to God and verse 16 of sura al-Sajda, and mentioned night as the more suitable time for getting closer to God.

Another manner of munajat is considered calling God with names and attributes which better match with the suppliant’s needs and request; for example, when there is a need for God’ forgiveness, God should be called with the attributes such as al-Ghaffar [“the Forgiver”], al-Sattar [“the Coverer’] or al-Wahhab [“the Giver”]. Reciting munajat using the words and phrases taught by God or mentioned in Imams’ (a) munajats is mentioned among other manners of making munajat.  

In Tuhaf al-‘uqul, an advice of God to Moses (a) is having a humble heart upon making munajat.

In the books about the Qur’an’s interpretation and sciences, different fruits are mentioned for making munajat with God; such as the effective role of munajat in acceptance of the repentance and immunity from the hell’s punishment, making the spirit of sincerity in the supplicant, the effect of munajat in the tenderness of the heart, the purity of the soul and the strength of spirit.

Among several munajats mentioned in religious books, some of them such as the Prophets (a) and Imams’ (a) munajats have become famous.

== Qur’anic Munajats ==

In the Qur’an, God has reported some munajats from the Prophets (a), angels and His righteous servants most of which begin with the word “Rabbana” [“O our Lord”].

Story of Moses (a) in Tur mountain and his forty-night munajat with God, Yunus’s (a) munajat with God in the darkness of the sea and the belly of the fish, Yusuf’s (a) munajat with God in the difficulties he had, Abraham’s (a) munajats in the middle of divine trials and David’s (a) munajats in the Psalms are among the famous munajats of the Prophets (a) in the Qur’an. Verses 38, 193 and 194 of sura Al ‘Imran are among the famous munajats of the servants in the Qur’an.

== Imams’ (a) Munajats ==

Among the supplications received from Imams (a), some of them have been mentioned as munajat. Munajat Sha’baniyya, Munajat of Imam Ali (a) in the mosque of Kufa and the Fifteen munajats of Imam al-Sajjad (a) can be mentioned among famous munajats of Imams (a).

Among the mystics, some have become famous for having munajats, among the most important ones of which is the munajat of Khwaja ‘Abd Allah Ansari.