Text:First Supplication of al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya

When he (upon him be peace) began to supplicate, he would begin with praise and laudation of God (Mighty and Majestic is He). He would say:	( 1 ) وَ كَانَ مِنْ دُعَائِهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ إِذَا ابْتَدَأَ بِالدُّعَاءِ بَدَأَ بِالتَّحْمِيدِ لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ الثَّنَاءِ عَلَيْهِ ، فَقَالَ :
In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.	بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحيمِ
1- Praise belongs to God,	1. الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ
the First, without a first before Him,	الْأَوَّلِ بِلَا أَوَّلٍ كَانَ قَبْلَهُ ،
the Last, without a last behind Him.	وَ الْآخِرِ بِلَا آخِرٍ يَكُونُ بَعْدَهُ
2- Beholders' eyes fall short of seeing Him, describers' imaginations are not able to depict Him.	2. الَّذِي قَصُرَتْ عَنْ رُؤْيَتِهِ أَبْصَارُ النَّاظِرِينَ ، وَ عَجَزَتْ عَنْ نَعْتِهِ أَوْهَامُ الْوَاصِفِينَ .
3- He originated the creatures through His power with an origination,	3. ابْتَدَعَ بِقُدْرَتِهِ الْخَلْقَ ابْتِدَاعاً ،
He devised them in accordance with His will with a devising.	وَ اخْتَرَعَهُمْ عَلَى مَشِيَّتِهِ اخْتِرَاعاً .
4- Then He made them walk on the path of His desire,	4. ثُمَّ سَلَكَ بِهِمْ طَرِيقَ إِرَادَتِهِ ،
He sent them out on the way of His love.	وَ بَعَثَهُمْ فِي سَبِيلِ مَحَبَّتِهِ ،
They cannot keep back from that to which He has sent them forward,	لَا يَمْلِكُونَ تَأْخِيراً عَمَّا قَدَّمَهُمْ إِلَيْهِ ،
nor can they go forward to that from which He has kept them back.	وَ لَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ تَقَدُّماً إِلَى مَا أَخَّرَهُمْ عَنْهُ.
5- He assigned from His provision to each of their spirits a nourishment known and apportioned.	5. وَ جَعَلَ لِكُلِّ رُوحٍ مِنْهُمْ قُوتاً مَعْلُوماً مَقْسُوماً مِنْ رِزْقِهِ ،
No decreaser decreases those whom He increases,	لَا يَنْقُصُ مَنْ زَادَهُ نَاقِصٌ ،
no increaser increases those of them whom He decreases.	وَ لَا يَزِيدُ مَنْ نَقَصَ مِنْهُمْ زَائِدٌ .
6- Then for each spirit He strikes a fixed term in life,	6. ثُمَّ ضَرَبَ لَهُ فِي الْحَيَاةِ أَجَلًا مَوْقُوتاً ،
for each He sets up a determined end;	وَ نَصَبَ لَهُ أَمَداً مَحْدُوداً ،
he walks toward it through the days of his span, he overtakes it through the years of his time.	يَتَخَطَّى إِلَيْهِ بِأَيَّامِ عُمُرِهِ ، وَ يَرْهَقُهُ بِأَعْوَامِ دَهْرِهِ ،
Then, when he takes his final step and embraces the reckoning of his span,	حَتَّى إِذَا بَلَغَ أَقْصَى أَثَرِهِ ، وَ اسْتَوْعَبَ حِسَابَ عُمُرِهِ ،
God seizes him to the abundant reward or the feared punishment to which He has called him,	قَبَضَهُ إِلَى مَا نَدَبَهُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ مَوْفُورِ ثَوَابِهِ ، أَوْ مَحْذُورِ عِقَابِهِ ،
That He may repay those who do evil for what they have done	لِيَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسَاءُوا بِمَا عَمِلُوا
and repay those who do good with goodness,	وَ يَجْزِيَ الَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا بِالْحُسْنَى .
7- as justice from Him (holy are His names, and manifest His boons).	7. عَدْلًا مِنْهُ ، تَقَدَّسَتْ أَسْمَاؤُهُ ، وَ تَظاَهَرَتْ آلَاؤُهُ ،
He shall not be questioned as to what He does, but they shall be questioned.	لَا يُسْأَلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَ هُمْ يُسْأَلُونَ .
8- Praise belongs to God, for,	8. وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي
had He withheld from His servants the knowledge to praise Him for the uninterrupted kindnesses with which He has tried them	لَوْ حَبَسَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ مَعْرِفَةَ حَمْدِهِ عَلَى مَا أَبْلَاهُمْ مِنْ مِنَنِهِ الْمُتَتَابِعَةِ
and the manifest favours which He has lavished upon them,	وَ أَسْبَغَ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ نِعَمِهِ الْمُتَظَاهِرَةِ ،
they would have moved about in His kindnesses without praising Him,	لَتَصَرَّفُوا فِي مِنَنِهِ فَلَمْ يَحْمَدُوهُ ،
and spread themselves out in His provision without thanking Him.	وَ تَوَسَّعُوا فِي رِزْقِهِ فَلَمْ يَشْكُرُوهُ .
9- Had such been the case,	9. وَ لَوْ كَانُوا كَذَلِكَ
they would have left the bounds of humanity for that of beastliness	لَخَرَجُوا مِنْ حُدُودِ الْإِنْسَانِيَّةِ إِلَى حَدِّ الْبَهِيمِيَّةِ
and become as He has described in the firm text of His Book:	فَكَانُوا كَمَا وَصَفَ فِي مُحْكَمِ كِتَابِهِ :
They are but as the cattle—nay, but they are further astray from the way!	{إِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا كَالْأَنْعامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ سَبِيلًا}.
10- Praise belongs to God, for the true knowledge of Himself He has given to us,	10. وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ عَلَى مَا عَرَّفَنَا مِنْ نَفْسِهِ ،
the thanksgiving He has inspired us to offer Him,	وَ أَلْهَمَنَا مِنْ شُكْرِهِ ،
the doors to knowing His Lordship He has opened for us,	وَ فَتَحَ لَنَا مِنْ أَبْوَابِ الْعِلْمِ بِرُبُوبِيَّتِهِ ،
the sincerity towards Him in professing His Unity to which He has led us,	وَ دَلَّنَا عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْإِخْلَاصِ لَهُ فِي تَوْحِيدِهِ ،
and the deviation and doubt in His Command from which He has turned us aside;	وَ جَنَّبَنَا مِنَ الْإِلْحَادِ وَ الشَّكِّ فِي أَمْرِهِ .
11- a praise through which we may be given long life among those of His creatures who praise Him,	11. حَمْداً نُعَمَّرُ بِهِ فِيمَنْ حَمِدَهُ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ ،
and overtake those who have gone ahead toward His good pleasure and pardon;	وَ نَسْبِقُ بِهِ مَنْ سَبَقَ إِلَى رِضَاهُ وَ عَفْوِهِ .
12- a praise through which He will illuminate for us the shadows of the interworld,	12. حَمْداً يُضِي‏ءُ لَنَا بِهِ ظُلُمَاتِ الْبَرْزَخِ ،
ease for us the path of the Resurrection, and raise up our stations	وَ يُسَهِّلُ عَلَيْنَا بِهِ سَبِيلَ الْمَبْعَثِ ،
at the standing places of the Witnesses on the day when every soul will be repaid	وَ يُشَرِّفُ بِهِ مَنَازِلَنَا عِنْدَ مَوَاقِفِ الْأَشْهَادِ ،
for what it has earned - they shall not be wronged;	يَوْمَ تُجْزَى كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ وَ هُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُونَ ،
the day a master shall avail nothing a client, and they shall not be helped;	يَوْمَ لَا يُغْنِي مَوْلًى عَنْ مَوْلًى شَيْئاً وَ لَا هُمْ يُنْصَرُونَ .
13- a praise which will rise up from us to the highest of the 'Illiyun	13. حَمْداً يَرْتَفِعُ مِنَّا إِلَى أَعْلَى عِلِّيِّينَ
in a book inscribed, witnessed by those brought nigh,	فِي كِتَابٍ مَرْقُومٍ يَشْهَدُهُ الْمُقَرَّبُونَ .
14- a praise whereby our eyes may be at rest when sight is dazzled,	14. حَمْداً تَقَرُّ بِهِ عُيُونُنَا إِذَا بَرِقَتِ الْأَبْصَارُ ،
our faces whitened when skins are blackened,	وَ تَبْيَضُّ بِهِ وُجُوهُنَا إِذَا اسْوَدَّتِ الْأَبْشَارُ .
15- a praise through which we may be released from God's painful Fire and enter God's generous neighborhood,	15. حَمْداً نُعْتَقُ بِهِ مِنْ أَلِيمِ نَارِ اللَّهِ إِلَى كَرِيمِ جِوَارِ اللَّهِ .
16- a praise by which we may jostle the angels brought nigh	16. حَمْداً نُزَاحِمُ بِهِ مَلَائِكَتَهُ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ ،
and join the prophets, the envoys,	وَ نُضَامُّ بِهِ أَنْبِيَاءَهُ الْمُرْسَلِينَ
in a House of Permanence that does not remove,	فِي دَارِ الْمُقَامَةِ الَّتِي لَا تَزُولُ ،
the Place of His Generosity that does not change.	وَ مَحَلِّ كَرَامَتِهِ الَّتِي لَا تَحُولُ .
17- Praise belongs to God, who chose for us the good qualities of creation,	17. وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي اخْتَارَ لَنَا مَحَاسِنَ الْخَلْقِ ،
granted us the agreeable things of provision,	وَ أَجْرَى عَلَيْنَا طَيِّبَاتِ الرِّزْقِ .
18- and appointed for us excellence through domination over all creation;	18. وَ جَعَلَ لَنَا الْفَضِيلَةَ بِالْمَلَكَةِ عَلَى جَمِيعِ الْخَلْقِ ،
every one of His creatures submits to us through His power	فَكُلُّ خَلِيقَتِهِ مُنْقَادَةٌ لَنَا بِقُدْرَتِهِ ،
and comes to obey us through His might.	وَ صَائِرَةٌ إِلَى طَاعَتِنَا بِعِزَّتِهِ .
19- Praise belongs to God, who locked for us the gate of need	19. وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي أَغْلَقَ عَنَّا بَابَ الْحَاجَةِ
except toward Him.	إِلَّا إِلَيْهِ ،
So how can we praise Him? When can we thank Him? Indeed, when?	فَكَيْفَ نُطِيقُ حَمْدَهُ أَمْ مَتَى نُؤَدِّي شُكْرَهُ لَا ، مَتَى .
20- Praise belongs to God,	20. وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ
who placed within us the organs of expansion,	الَّذِي رَكَّبَ فِينَا آلَاتِ الْبَسْطِ ،
assigned for us the agents of contraction, gave us to enjoy the spirits of life,	وَ جَعَلَ لَنَا أَدَوَاتِ الْقَبْضِ ، وَ مَتَّعَنَا بِأَرْوَاحِ الْحَيَاةِ ،
fixed within us the limbs of works,	وَ أَثْبَتَ فِينَا جَوَارِحَ الْأَعْمَالِ ،
nourished us with the agreeable things of provision,	وَ غَذَّانَا بِطَيِّبَاتِ الرِّزْقِ ،
freed us from need through His bounty,	وَ أَغْنَانَا بِفَضْلِهِ ،
and gave us possessions through His kindness.	وَ أَقْنَانَا بِمَنِّهِ .
21- Then He commanded us that He might test our obedience	21. ثُمَّ أَمَرَنَا لِيَخْتَبِرَ طَاعَتَنَا ،
and prohibited us that He might try our thanksgiving.	وَ نَهَانَا لِيَبْتَلِيَ شُكْرَنَا ،
So we turned against the path of His commandments	فَخَالَفْنَا عَنْ طَرِيقِ أَمْرِهِ ،
and mounted the backs of His warnings.	وَ رَكِبْنَا مُتُونَ زَجْرِهِ ،
Yet He hurried us not to His punishment,	فَلَمْ يَبْتَدِرْنَا بِعُقُوبَتِهِ ،
nor hastened us on to His vengeance.	وَ لَمْ يُعَاجِلْنَا بِنِقْمَتِهِ ،
No, He went slowly with us through His mercy, in generosity, and awaited our return through His clemency, in mildness.	بَلْ تَأَنَّانَا بِرَحْمَتِهِ تَكَرُّماً ، وَ انْتَظَرَ مُرَاجَعَتَنَا بِرَأْفَتِهِ حِلْماً .
22- Praise belongs to God,	22. وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ
who showed us the way to repentance,	الَّذِي دَلَّنَا عَلَى التَّوْبَةِ
which we would not have won save through His bounty.	الَّتِي لَمْ نُفِدْهَا إِلَّا مِنْ فَضْلِهِ ،
Had we nothing to count as His bounty but this,	فَلَوْ لَمْ نَعْتَدِدْ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ إِلَّا بِهَا
His trial of us would have been good, His beneficence toward us great,	لَقَدْ حَسُنَ بَلَاؤُهُ عِنْدَنَا ، وَ جَلَّ إِحْسَانُهُ إِلَيْنَا
His bounty upon us immense.	وَ جَسُمَ فَضْلُهُ عَلَيْنَا
23- For such was not His wont in repentance with those who went before us.	23. فَمَا هَكَذَا كَانَتْ سُنَّتُهُ فِي التَّوْبَةِ لِمَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَنَا ،
He has lifted up from us what we have not the strength to bear,	لَقَدْ وَضَعَ عَنَّا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ ،
charged us only to our capacity, imposed upon us nothing but ease,	وَ لَمْ يُكَلِّفْنَا إِلَّا وُسْعاً ، وَ لَمْ يُجَشِّمْنَا إِلَّا يُسْراً ،
and left none of us with an argument or excuse.	وَ لَمْ يَدَعْ لِأَحَدٍ مِنَّا حُجَّةً وَ لَا عُذْراً .
24- So the perisher among us is he who perishes in spite of Him	24. فَالْهَالِكُ مِنَّا مَنْ هَلَكَ عَلَيْهِ ،
and the felicitous among us he who beseeches Him.	وَ السَّعِيدُ مِنَّا مَنْ رَغِبَ إِلَيْهِ .
25- And praise belongs to God with all the praises of His angels closest to Him,	25. وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ بِكُلِّ مَا حَمِدَهُ بِهِ أَدْنَى مَلَائِكَتِهِ إِلَيْهِ
His creatures most noble in His eyes,	وَ أَكْرَمُ خَلِيقَتِهِ عَلَيْهِ
and His praisers most pleasing to Him;	وَ أَرْضَى حَامِدِيهِ لَدَيْهِ
26- a praise that may surpass other praises as our Lord surpasses all His creatures.	26. حَمْداً يَفْضُلُ سَائِرَ الْحَمْدِ كَفَضْلِ رَبِّنَا عَلَى جَمِيعِ خَلْقِهِ .
27- Then to Him belongs praise, in place of His every favour upon us	27. ثُمَّ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ مَكَانَ كُلِّ نِعْمَةٍ لَهُ عَلَيْنَا
and upon all His servants, past and still remaining,	وَ عَلَى جَمِيعِ عِبَادِهِ الْمَاضِينَ وَ الْبَاقِينَ
to the number of all things His knowledge encompasses,	عَدَدَ مَا أَحَاطَ بِهِ عِلْمُهُ مِنْ جَمِيعِ الْأَشْيَاءِ ،
and in place of each of His favours,	وَ مَكَانَ كُلِّ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْهَا
their number doubling and redoubling always and forever,	عَدَدُهَا أَضْعَافاً مُضَاعَفَةً أَبَداً سَرْمَداً
to the Day of Resurrection;	إِلَى يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ .
28- a praise whose bound has no utmost end,	28. حَمْداً لَا مُنْتَهَى لِحَدِّهِ ،
whose number has no reckoning, whose limit cannot be reached, whose period cannot be cut off;	وَ لَا حِسَابَ لِعَدَدِهِ ، وَ لَا مَبْلَغَ لِغَايَتِهِ ، وَ لَا انْقِطَاعَ لِأَمَدِهِ
29- a praise which will become a link to His obedience and pardon,	29. حَمْداً يَكُونُ وُصْلَةً إِلَى طَاعَتِهِ وَ عَفْوِهِ ،
a tie to His good pleasure,	وَ سَبَباً إِلَى رِضْوَانِهِ ،
a means to His forgiveness,	وَ ذَرِيعَةً إِلَى مَغْفِرَتِهِ ،
a path to His Garden,	وَ طَرِيقاً إِلَى جَنَّتِهِ ،
a protector against His vengeance,	وَ خَفِيراً مِنْ نَقِمَتِهِ ،
a security against His wrath,	وَ أَمْناً مِنْ غَضَبِهِ ،
an aid to obeying Him,	وَ ظَهِيراً عَلَى طَاعَتِهِ ،
a barrier against disobeying Him, a help in fulfilling His right and His duties;	وَ حَاجِزاً عَنْ مَعْصِيَتِهِ ، وَ عَوْناً عَلَى تَأْدِيَةِ حَقِّهِ وَ وَظَائِفِهِ .
30- a praise that will make us felicitous among His felicitous friends,	30. حَمْداً نَسْعَدُ بِهِ فِي السُّعَدَاءِ مِنْ أَوْلِيَائِهِ ،
and bring us into the ranks of those martyred by the swords of His enemies.	وَ نَصِيرُ بِهِ فِي نَظْمِ الشُّهَدَاءِ بِسُيُوفِ أَعْدَائِهِ ،
He is a Friend, Praiseworthy!	إِنَّهُ وَلِيٌّ حَمِيدٌ.