Supplication of Alqama: Difference between revisions

The supplication of ‘Alqama is a supplication recited after Ziyarat al-‘Ashura’. The supplication is narrated by Safwan b. Mihran from Imam al-Sadiq (a). Because it is narrated after a hadith of Ziyarat al-‘Ashura’ whose narrator is ‘Alqama it is called the supplication of ‘Alqama. Some called it “the supplication after Ziyarat al-‘Ashura’.” Al-Shaykh al-Tusi has narrated this supplication in his book Misbah al-mutahajjid. The supplication is mostly about the high statue and merits of the infallible Imams (a). This supplication in placed after Ziyarat al-‘Ashura’ in Mafatih al-jinan.

Some scholars, including Shaykh ‘Abbas Qummi in Mafatih al-jinan, called this supplication “the supplication of Safwan which is known as the supplication of ‘Alqama” and some others simply called it “the supplication after Ziyarat al-‘Ashura’.” However, because it is narrated after a hadith of Ziyarat al-‘Ashura’ whose narrator is ‘Alqama it is commonly known as “the supplication of ‘Alqama.”

The supplication contains very lofty meanings and includes various worldly and otherworldly requests from God especially Tawalla and Tabarra. It starts with God’s attributes, then asking God by the right of the Five and seeking their intercession and advocacy before Allah. It continues to state the high status and merits of the Imams (a) and sending salutation to the Prophet (s) and his pure progeny. Afterward, the reciter of the supplication asks Allah to fulfil all his requests and release him from the evil of the enemies. Finally, he asks Allah not to make this Ziyara his last Ziyara and not to separate him form Ahl al-Bayt (a).

Al-Shaykh al-Tusi has narrated this supplication in his book Misbah al-mutahajjid. He reported: “When Safwan b. Mihran started reading this supplication after Ziyarat al-‘Ashura’, Sayf b. ‘Umayra told Safwan that ‘Alqamat b. Muhammad has not narrated this supplication for us from Imam al-Baqir (a). He has only narrated the Ziyara (Ziyarat al-‘Ashura’). Safwan said, “I accompanied my master Imam al-Sadiq (a) to this place. He did as same as we have just done, regarding the Ziyara. After performing two Rak’as of Salat, as we did and biding farewell, as we did; he recited this supplication as a farewell.”

Then Safwan said, “Imam al-Sadiq (a) told me, “Observe this Ziyara and read this supplication. Surely, I guarantee before Allah that anyone who reads this Ziyara and this supplication, while visiting the tomb of from distant; his Ziyara will be accepted, his efforts will be thanked, his salutations will reach the Imams and will not be screened from them, all his requests will be granted by Allah whatever they will be, and He will not disappoint him.

O Safwan, I received this Ziyara guaranteed by this guarantee from my father and he received it guaranteed by this guarantee from his father, Ali b. al-Husayn (a), and he received it guaranteed by this guarantee from his father, Husayn b. Ali (a) and he received it guaranteed by this guarantee from his brother, Hasan b. Ali (a) and he received it guaranteed by this guarantee from his father, Amir al-Mu’minin (a) and he received it guaranteed by this guarantee from the Apostle of God (s) and he received it guaranteed by this guarantee from Jabra’il and he received it guaranteed by this guarantee from Allah. Allah has sworn by Himself, “Whoever reads this Ziyara visiting the tomb of the Imam or from distant and read this supplication, I will accept his Ziyara, grant him his requests whatever they would be and give him what he wants. He will not leave Me disappointed, (rather) he will return with pleasure and delight of his eye due to fulfilling of his requests, winning Paradise, being manumitted from Hellfire, and being granted the right to intercede for whomever he wishes except those who openly expressed their animosity towards the Ahl al-Bayt (a) …

Then Jabra’il said, “O Apostle of God, Allah has sent me as a joy and a (carrier of) pleasant and good tidings to you as well as to Ali, Fatima, Hasan, Husayn and Imams from your descendants up to the Resurrection Day. So, O Muhammad, may your joy last as well as the joy of Ali, Fatima, Hasan, Husayn, Imams and your Shi’a to the Resurrection Day.” Then  Imam al-Sadiq told Safwan, “Whenever you have a request from Allah, read this Ziyara ,wherever you are, and follow it by this supplication, then beseech your Lord to grant you your request and the response shall come from Allah. Allah and His Apostle never break their promise. All praise belong to Allah.””