Supplication of Alqama
This article is an introduction to the Supplication of Alqama; to read its text see text:Supplication of Alqama.
The supplication of ʿAlqama (Arabic: دُعاء عَلقَمَة) is a supplication recited after Ziyara Ashura'. The supplication is narrated by Safwan b. Mihran from Imam al-Sadiq (a). Because it is narrated after a hadith of Ziyara Ashura' whose narrator is 'Alqama, it is called the supplication of 'Alqama. Some have called it "the supplication after Ziyara Ashura'". Al-Shaykh al-Tusi has narrated this supplication in his book, Misbah al-mutahajjid. The supplication is mostly about the high status and virtues of the infallible Imams (a). This supplication appears after ziyara Ashura' in Mafatih al-jinan.
| Other names | Safwan supplication • Supplication after ziyara Ashura' |
|---|---|
| Subject | The high status and virtues of the infallible Imams (a) |
| Hadith-Based/Non-Hadith-Based | Hadith-Based |
| Issued by | Imam al-Sadiq (a) |
| Narrator | Safwan b. Mihran |
| Shi'a sources | Misbah al-mutahajjid |
| Time | After reciting Ziyara Ashura' |
Naming
Some scholars, including Shaykh 'Abbas Qumi in Mafatih al-jinan, called this supplication "the supplication of Safwan which is known as the supplication of 'Alqama" and some others have simply called it "the supplication after Ziyara Ashura'." However, because it is narrated after a hadith of Ziyara Ashura' whose narrator is 'Alqama, it is commonly known as "the supplication of 'Alqama."[1]
Content
The supplication contains very lofty meanings and includes various worldly and otherworldly requests from God, especially Tawalli and Tabarri. It starts with God's attributes, then asking God by the right of the Five (a) and seeking their intercession before Allah. It continues to state the high status and virtues of the Imams (a) and sending salutation to the Prophet (s) and his pure progeny. Afterward, the reciter of the supplication asks Allah to fulfill all his requests and release him from the enemies' evil. Finally, he asks Allah not to make this Ziyara his last Ziyara and not to separate him from Ahl al-Bayt (a).
Authenticity
Al-Shaykh al-Tusi has narrated this supplication in his book, Misbah al-mutahajjid.[2] He reported: "When Safwan b. Mihran started reciting this supplication after Ziyara Ashura' [in the shrine of Imam al-Husayn (a)], Sayf b. 'Umayra told Safwan that 'Alqama b. Muhammad has not narrated this supplication for us from Imam al-Baqir (a). He has only narrated the Ziyara Ashura'. Safwan said, "I accompanied my master, Imam al-Sadiq (a), to this place. He did what we have just done, regarding the Ziyara. After performing two rak'as of prayer, as we did and bidding farewell, as we did; he recited this supplication as a farewell."
Then Safwan said, "Imam al-Sadiq (a) told me, "Observe this Ziyara (Ziyara Ashura') and recite this supplication. Surely, I guarantee before Allah that anyone who recites this Ziyara and this supplication, while visiting the tomb of Imam al-Husayn (a) or from a distance; 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, al-Husayn b. 'Ali (a) and he received it guaranteed by this guarantee from his brother, al-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 Prophet of God (s) and he received it guaranteed by this guarantee from Jibra'il and he received it guaranteed by this guarantee from Allah. Allah has sworn by Himself, "Whoever recites this Ziyara visiting the tomb of the Imam or from a distance and recites 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 saved 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 Jibra'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, al-Hasan, al-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, al-Hasan, al-Husayn, Imams and your Shi'a to the Resurrection Day." Then Imam al-Sadiq (a) told Safwan, "Whenever you have a request from 'Allah, recite 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 belongs to Allah."[3]
See Also
Notes
References
- Ḥāj Sayyid Jawādī, Aḥmad Ṣadr. Dāʾirat al-maʿārif Shīʿa. Tehran: Nashr-i Shahīd Saʿīd Muḥibbī, 1380 Sh.
- Ṭūsī, Muḥammad b. al-Ḥasan. Miṣbāḥ al-mutahajjid. Beirut: Muʾassisat al-Aʿlamī li-l-Maṭbūʿāt, 1418 AH.