Text:First Supplication of al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya

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وَ كَانَ مِنْ دُعَائِهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ إِذَا ابْتَدَأَ بِالدُّعَاءِ بَدَأَ بِالتَّحْمِيدِ لِلهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ الثَّنَاءِ عَلَيْهِ:

الْحَمْدُ لِله الْأَوَّلِ بِلَا أَوَّلٍ کانَ قَبْلَهُ، وَ الْآخِرِ بِلَا آخِرٍ یکونُ بَعْدَهُ

الَّذِی قَصُرَتْ عَنْ رُؤْیتِهِ أَبْصَارُ النَّاظِرِینَ، وَ عَجَزَتْ عَنْ نَعْتِهِ أَوْهَامُ الْوَاصِفِینَ.

ابْتَدَعَ بِقُدْرَتِهِ الْخَلْقَ ابْتِدَاعاً، وَ اخْتَرَعَهُمْ عَلَی مَشِیتِهِ اخْتِرَاعاً.

ثُمَّ سَلَک بِهِمْ طَرِیقَ إِرَادَتِهِ، وَ بَعَثَهُمْ فِی سَبِیلِ مَحَبَّتِهِ، لَا یمْلِکونَ تَأْخِیراً عَمَّا قَدَّمَهُمْ إِلَیهِ، وَ لَا یسْتَطِیعُونَ تَقَدُّماً إِلَی مَا أَخَّرَهُمْ عَنْهُ.

وَ جَعَلَ لِکلِّ رُوحٍ مِنْهُمْ قُوتاً مَعْلُوماً مَقْسُوماً مِنْ رِزْقِهِ، لَا ینْقُصُ مَنْ زَادَهُ نَاقِصٌ، وَ لَا یزِیدُ مَنْ نَقَصَ مِنْهُمْ زَائِدٌ.

ثُمَّ ضَرَبَ لَهُ فِی الْحَیاةِ أَجَلًا مَوْقُوتاً، وَ نَصَبَ لَهُ أَمَداً مَحْدُوداً، یتَخَطَّی إِلَیهِ بِأَیامِ عُمُرِهِ، وَ یرْهَقُهُ بِأَعْوَامِ دَهْرِهِ، حَتَّی إِذَا بَلَغَ أَقْصَی أَثَرِهِ، وَ اسْتَوْعَبَ حِسَابَ عُمُرِهِ، قَبَضَهُ إِلَی مَا نَدَبَهُ إِلَیهِ مِنْ مَوْفُورِ ثَوَابِهِ، أَوْ مَحْذُورِ عِقَابِهِ، «لِیجْزِی الَّذِینَ أَساؤُا بِما عَمِلُوا وَ یجْزِی الَّذِینَ أَحْسَنُوا بِالْحُسْنَی».

عَدْلًا مِنْهُ، تَقَدَّسَتْ أَسْمَاؤُهُ، وَ تَظاهَرَتْ آلَاؤُهُ، «لا یسْئَلُ عَمَّا یفْعَلُ وَ هُمْ یُسْئَلُونَ».

وَ الْحَمْدُ لِله الَّذِی لَوْ حَبَسَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ مَعْرِفَةَ حَمْدِهِ عَلَی مَا أَبْلَاهُمْ مِنْ مِنَنِهِ الْمُتَتَابِعَةِ، وَ أَسْبَغَ عَلَیهِمْ مِنْ نِعَمِهِ الْمُتَظَاهِرَةِ، لَتَصَرَّفُوا فِی مِنَنِهِ فَلَمْ یحْمَدُوهُ، وَ تَوَسَّعُوا فِی رِزْقِهِ فَلَمْ یشْکرُوهُ.

وَ لَوْ کانُوا کذَلِک لَخَرَجُوا مِنْ حُدُودِ الْإِنْسَانِیةِ إِلَی حَدِّ الْبَهِیمِیةِ فَکانُوا کمَا وَصَفَ فِی مُحْکمِ کتَابِهِ: «إِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا کالْأَنْعامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ سَبِیلًا».

وَ الْحَمْدُ لِله عَلَی مَا عَرَّفَنَا مِنْ نَفْسِهِ، وَ أَلْهَمَنَا مِنْ شُکرِهِ، وَ فَتَحَ لَنَا مِنْ أَبْوَابِ الْعِلْمِ بِرُبُوبِیتِهِ، وَ دَلَّنَا عَلَیهِ مِنَ الْإِخْلَاصِ لَهُ فِی تَوْحِیدِهِ، وَ جَنَّبَنَا مِنَ الْإِلْحَادِ وَ الشَّک فِی أَمْرِهِ.

حَمْداً نُعَمَّرُ بِهِ فِیمَنْ حَمِدَهُ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ، وَ نَسْبِقُ بِهِ مَنْ سَبَقَ إِلَی رِضَاهُ وَ عَفْوِهِ.

حَمْداً یُضِی‏ءُ لَنَا بِهِ ظُلُمَاتِ الْبَرْزَخِ، وَ یُسَهِّلُ عَلَینَا بِهِ سَبِیلَ الْمَبْعَثِ، وَ یُشَرِّفُ بِهِ مَنَازِلَنَا عِنْدَ مَوَاقِفِ الْأَشْهَادِ، «یوْمَ تُجْزی‏ کلُّ نَفْسٍ بِما کسَبَتْ وَ هُمْ لا یظْلَمُونَ»، «یوْمَ لا یغْنِی مَوْلًی عَنْ مَوْلًی شَیئاً وَ لا هُمْ ینْصَرُونَ».

حَمْداً یرْتَفِعُ مِنَّا إِلَی أَعْلَی عِلِّیینَ فِی کتَابٍ مَرْقُومٍ یشْهَدُهُ الْمُقَرَّبُونَ.

حَمْداً تَقَرُّ بِهِ عُیونُنَا إِذَا بَرِقَتِ الْأَبْصَارُ، وَ تَبْیضُّ بِهِ وُجُوهُنَا إِذَا اسْوَدَّتِ الْأَبْشَارُ.

حَمْداً نُعْتَقُ بِهِ مِنْ أَلِیمِ نَارِ اللهِ إِلَی کرِیمِ جِوَارِ اللهِ.

حَمْداً نُزَاحِمُ بِهِ مَلَائِکتَهُ الْمُقَرَّبِینَ، وَ نُضَامُّ بِهِ أَنْبِیاءَهُ الْمُرْسَلِینَ فِی دَارِ الْمُقَامَةِ الَّتِی لَا تَزُولُ، وَ مَحَلِّ کرَامَتِهِ الَّتِی لَا تَحُولُ.

وَ الْحَمْدُ لِله الَّذِی اخْتَارَ لَنَا مَحَاسِنَ الْخَلْقِ، وَ أَجْرَی عَلَینَا طَیبَاتِ الرِّزْقِ.

وَ جَعَلَ لَنَا الْفَضِیلَةَ بِالْمَلَکةِ عَلَی جَمِیعِ الْخَلْقِ، فَکلُّ خَلِیقَتِهِ مُنْقَادَةٌ لَنَا بِقُدْرَتِهِ، وَ صَائِرَةٌ إِلَی طَاعَتِنَا بِعِزَّتِهِ.

وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِی أَغْلَقَ عَنَّا بَابَ الْحَاجَةِ إِلَّا إِلَیهِ، فَکیفَ نُطِیقُ حَمْدَه‌ام مَتَی نُؤَدِّی شُکرَهُ! لَا، مَتَی.

وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِی رَکبَ فِینَا آلَاتِ الْبَسْطِ، وَ جَعَلَ لَنَا أَدَوَاتِ الْقَبْضِ، وَ مَتَّعَنَا بِأَرْوَاحِ الْحَیاةِ، وَ أَثْبَتَ فِینَا جَوَارِحَ الْأَعْمَالِ، وَ غَذَّانَا بِطَیبَاتِ الرِّزْقِ، وَ أَغْنَانَا بِفَضْلِهِ، وَ أَقْنَانَا بِمَنِّهِ.

ثُمَّ أَمَرَنَا لِیخْتَبِرَ طَاعَتَنَا، وَ نَهَانَا لِیبْتَلِی شُکرَنَا، فَخَالَفْنَا عَنْ طَرِیقِ أَمْرِهِ، وَ رَکبْنَا مُتُونَ زَجْرِهِ، فَلَمْ یبْتَدِرْنَا بِعُقُوبَتِهِ، وَ لَمْ یعَاجِلْنَا بِنِقْمَتِهِ، بَلْ تَأَنَّانَا بِرَحْمَتِهِ تَکرُّماً، وَ انْتَظَرَ مُرَاجَعَتَنَا بِرَأْفَتِهِ حِلْماً.

وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِی دَلَّنَا عَلَی التَّوْبَةِ الَّتِی لَمْ نُفِدْهَا إِلَّا مِنْ فَضْلِهِ، فَلَوْ لَمْ نَعْتَدِدْ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ إِلَّا بِهَا لَقَدْ حَسُنَ بَلَاؤُهُ عِنْدَنَا، وَ جَلَّ إِحْسَانُهُ إِلَینَا وَ جَسُمَ فَضْلُهُ عَلَینَا

فَمَا هَکذَا کانَتْ سُنَّتُهُ فِی التَّوْبَةِ لِمَنْ کانَ قَبْلَنَا، لَقَدْ وَضَعَ عَنَّا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ، وَ لَمْ یکلِّفْنَا إِلَّا وُسْعاً، وَ لَمْ یُجَشِّمْنَا إِلَّا یُسْراً، وَ لَمْ یدَعْ لِأَحَدٍ مِنَّا حُجَّةً وَ لَا عُذْراً.

فَالْهَالِک مِنَّا مَنْ هَلَک عَلَیهِ، وَ السَّعِیدُ مِنَّا مَنْ رَغِبَ إِلَیهِ

وَ الْحَمْدُ لِله بِکلِّ مَا حَمِدَهُ بِهِ أَدْنَی مَلَائِکتِهِ إِلَیهِ وَ أَکرَمُ خَلِیقَتِهِ عَلَیهِ وَ أَرْضَی حَامِدِیهِ لَدَیهِ

حَمْداً یفْضُلُ سَائِرَ الْحَمْدِ کفَضْلِ رَبِّنَا عَلَی جَمِیعِ خَلْقِهِ.

ثُمَّ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ مَکانَ کلِّ نِعْمَةٍ لَهُ عَلَینَا وَ عَلَی جَمِیعِ عِبَادِهِ الْمَاضِینَ وَ الْبَاقِینَ عَدَدَ مَا أَحَاطَ بِهِ عِلْمُهُ مِنْ جَمِیعِ الْأَشْیاءِ، وَ مَکانَ کلِّ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْهَا عَدَدُهَا أَضْعَافاً مُضَاعَفَةً أَبَداً سَرْمَداً إِلَی یوْمِ الْقِیامَةِ.

حَمْداً لَا مُنْتَهَی لِحَدِّهِ، وَ لَا حِسَابَ لِعَدَدِهِ، وَ لَا مَبْلَغَ لِغَایتِهِ، وَ لَا انْقِطَاعَ لِأَمَدِهِ

حَمْداً یکونُ وُصْلَةً إِلَی طَاعَتِهِ وَ عَفْوِهِ، وَ سَبَباً إِلَی رِضْوَانِهِ، وَ ذَرِیعَةً إِلَی مَغْفِرَتِهِ، وَ طَرِیقاً إِلَی جَنَّتِهِ، وَ خَفِیراً مِنْ نَقِمَتِهِ، وَ أَمْناً مِنْ غَضَبِهِ، وَ ظَهِیراً عَلَی طَاعَتِهِ، وَ حَاجِزاً عَنْ مَعْصِیتِهِ، وَ عَوْناً عَلَی تَأْدِیةِ حَقِّهِ وَ وَظَائِفِهِ.

حَمْداً نَسْعَدُ بِهِ فِی السُّعَدَاءِ مِنْ أَوْلِیائِهِ، وَ نَصِیرُ بِهِ فِی نَظْمِ الشُّهَدَاءِ بِسُیوفِ أَعْدَائِهِ، إِنَّهُ وَلِیٌّ حَمِید.

وَ كَانَ مِنْ دُعَائِهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ إِذَا ابْتَدَأَ بِالدُّعَاءِ بَدَأَ بِالتَّحْمِيدِ لِلهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ الثَّنَاءِ عَلَيْهِ:

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:

الْحَمْدُ لِله الْأَوَّلِ بِلَا أَوَّلٍ کانَ قَبْلَهُ، وَ الْآخِرِ بِلَا آخِرٍ یکونُ بَعْدَهُ

Praise belongs to God, the First, without a first before Him, the Last, without a last behind Him.

الَّذِی قَصُرَتْ عَنْ رُؤْیتِهِ أَبْصَارُ النَّاظِرِینَ، وَ عَجَزَتْ عَنْ نَعْتِهِ أَوْهَامُ الْوَاصِفِینَ.

Beholders' eyes fall short of seeing Him, describers' imaginations are not able to depict Him.

ابْتَدَعَ بِقُدْرَتِهِ الْخَلْقَ ابْتِدَاعاً، وَ اخْتَرَعَهُمْ عَلَی مَشِیتِهِ اخْتِرَاعاً.

He originated the creatures through His power with an origination, He devised them in accordance with His will with a devising.

ثُمَّ سَلَک بِهِمْ طَرِیقَ إِرَادَتِهِ، وَ بَعَثَهُمْ فِی سَبِیلِ مَحَبَّتِهِ، لَا یمْلِکونَ تَأْخِیراً عَمَّا قَدَّمَهُمْ إِلَیهِ، وَ لَا یسْتَطِیعُونَ تَقَدُّماً إِلَی مَا أَخَّرَهُمْ عَنْهُ.

Then He made them walk on the path of His desire, He sent them out on the way of His love. They cannot keep back from that to which He has sent them forward, nor can they go forward to that from which He has kept them back.

وَ جَعَلَ لِکلِّ رُوحٍ مِنْهُمْ قُوتاً مَعْلُوماً مَقْسُوماً مِنْ رِزْقِهِ، لَا ینْقُصُ مَنْ زَادَهُ نَاقِصٌ، وَ لَا یزِیدُ مَنْ نَقَصَ مِنْهُمْ زَائِدٌ.

He assigned from His provision to each of their spirits a nourishment known and apportioned. No decreaser decreases those whom He increases, no increaser increases those of them whom He decreases.

ثُمَّ ضَرَبَ لَهُ فِی الْحَیاةِ أَجَلًا مَوْقُوتاً، وَ نَصَبَ لَهُ أَمَداً مَحْدُوداً، یتَخَطَّی إِلَیهِ بِأَیامِ عُمُرِهِ، وَ یرْهَقُهُ بِأَعْوَامِ دَهْرِهِ، حَتَّی إِذَا بَلَغَ أَقْصَی أَثَرِهِ، وَ اسْتَوْعَبَ حِسَابَ عُمُرِهِ، قَبَضَهُ إِلَی مَا نَدَبَهُ إِلَیهِ مِنْ مَوْفُورِ ثَوَابِهِ، أَوْ مَحْذُورِ عِقَابِهِ، «لِیجْزِی الَّذِینَ أَساؤُا بِما عَمِلُوا وَ یجْزِی الَّذِینَ أَحْسَنُوا بِالْحُسْنَی».

Then for each spirit He strikes a fixed term in life, for each He sets up a determined end; he walks toward it through the days of his span, he overtakes it through the years of his time. Then, when he takes his final step and embraces the reckoning of his span, God seizes him to the abundant reward or the feared punishment to which He has called him, That He may repay those who do evil for what they have done and repay those who do good with goodness,

عَدْلًا مِنْهُ، تَقَدَّسَتْ أَسْمَاؤُهُ، وَ تَظاهَرَتْ آلَاؤُهُ، «لا یسْئَلُ عَمَّا یفْعَلُ وَ هُمْ یُسْئَلُونَ».

As justice from Him (holy are His names, and manifest His boons). He shall not be questioned as to what He does, but they shall be questioned.

وَ الْحَمْدُ لِله الَّذِی لَوْ حَبَسَ عَنْ عِبَادِهِ مَعْرِفَةَ حَمْدِهِ عَلَی مَا أَبْلَاهُمْ مِنْ مِنَنِهِ الْمُتَتَابِعَةِ، وَ أَسْبَغَ عَلَیهِمْ مِنْ نِعَمِهِ الْمُتَظَاهِرَةِ، لَتَصَرَّفُوا فِی مِنَنِهِ فَلَمْ یحْمَدُوهُ، وَ تَوَسَّعُوا فِی رِزْقِهِ فَلَمْ یشْکرُوهُ.

Praise belongs to God, for, ad He withheld from His servants the knowledge to praise Him for the uninterrupted kindnesses with which He has tried them and the manifest favours which He has lavished upon them, they would have moved about in His kindnesses without praising Him, and spread themselves out in His provision without thanking Him.

وَ لَوْ کانُوا کذَلِک لَخَرَجُوا مِنْ حُدُودِ الْإِنْسَانِیةِ إِلَی حَدِّ الْبَهِیمِیةِ فَکانُوا کمَا وَصَفَ فِی مُحْکمِ کتَابِهِ: «إِنْ هُمْ إِلَّا کالْأَنْعامِ بَلْ هُمْ أَضَلُّ سَبِیلًا».

Had such been the case, they would have left the bounds of humanity for that of beastliness and become as He has described in the firm text of His Book: They are but as the cattle—nay, but they are further astray from the way!

وَ الْحَمْدُ لِله عَلَی مَا عَرَّفَنَا مِنْ نَفْسِهِ، وَ أَلْهَمَنَا مِنْ شُکرِهِ، وَ فَتَحَ لَنَا مِنْ أَبْوَابِ الْعِلْمِ بِرُبُوبِیتِهِ، وَ دَلَّنَا عَلَیهِ مِنَ الْإِخْلَاصِ لَهُ فِی تَوْحِیدِهِ، وَ جَنَّبَنَا مِنَ الْإِلْحَادِ وَ الشَّک فِی أَمْرِهِ.

Praise belongs to God, for the true knowledge of Himself He has given to us, the thanksgiving He has inspired us to offer Him, the doors to knowing His Lordship He has opened for us, the sincerity towards Him in professing His Unity to which He has led us, and the deviation and doubt in His Command from which He has turned us aside;

حَمْداً نُعَمَّرُ بِهِ فِیمَنْ حَمِدَهُ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ، وَ نَسْبِقُ بِهِ مَنْ سَبَقَ إِلَی رِضَاهُ وَ عَفْوِهِ.

a praise through which we may be given long life among those of His creatures who praise Him, and overtake those who have gone ahead toward His good pleasure and pardon;

حَمْداً یُضِی‏ءُ لَنَا بِهِ ظُلُمَاتِ الْبَرْزَخِ، وَ یُسَهِّلُ عَلَینَا بِهِ سَبِیلَ الْمَبْعَثِ، وَ یُشَرِّفُ بِهِ مَنَازِلَنَا عِنْدَ مَوَاقِفِ الْأَشْهَادِ، «یوْمَ تُجْزی‏ کلُّ نَفْسٍ بِما کسَبَتْ وَ هُمْ لا یظْلَمُونَ»، «یوْمَ لا یغْنِی مَوْلًی عَنْ مَوْلًی شَیئاً وَ لا هُمْ ینْصَرُونَ».

a praise through which He will illuminate for us the shadows of the interworld, ease for us the path of the Resurrection, and raise up our stations at the standing places of the Witnesses on the day when every soul will be repaid for what it has earned - they shall not be wronged; the day a master shall avail nothing a client, and they shall not be helped;

حَمْداً یرْتَفِعُ مِنَّا إِلَی أَعْلَی عِلِّیینَ فِی کتَابٍ مَرْقُومٍ یشْهَدُهُ الْمُقَرَّبُونَ.

a praise which will rise up from us to the highest of the 'Illiyunin a book inscribed, witnessed by those brought nigh,

حَمْداً تَقَرُّ بِهِ عُیونُنَا إِذَا بَرِقَتِ الْأَبْصَارُ، وَ تَبْیضُّ بِهِ وُجُوهُنَا إِذَا اسْوَدَّتِ الْأَبْشَارُ.

a praise whereby our eyes may be at rest when sight is dazzled, our faces whitened when skins are blackened,

حَمْداً نُعْتَقُ بِهِ مِنْ أَلِیمِ نَارِ اللهِ إِلَی کرِیمِ جِوَارِ اللهِ.

a praise through which we may be released from God's painful Fire and enter God's generous neighborhood,

حَمْداً نُزَاحِمُ بِهِ مَلَائِکتَهُ الْمُقَرَّبِینَ، وَ نُضَامُّ بِهِ أَنْبِیاءَهُ الْمُرْسَلِینَ فِی دَارِ الْمُقَامَةِ الَّتِی لَا تَزُولُ، وَ مَحَلِّ کرَامَتِهِ الَّتِی لَا تَحُولُ.

a praise by which we may jostle the angels brought nigh and join the prophets, the envoys, in a House of Permanence that does not remove, the Place of His Generosity that does not change.

وَ الْحَمْدُ لِله الَّذِی اخْتَارَ لَنَا مَحَاسِنَ الْخَلْقِ، وَ أَجْرَی عَلَینَا طَیبَاتِ الرِّزْقِ.

Praise belongs to God, who chose for us the good qualities of creation, granted us the agreeable things of provision,

وَ جَعَلَ لَنَا الْفَضِیلَةَ بِالْمَلَکةِ عَلَی جَمِیعِ الْخَلْقِ، فَکلُّ خَلِیقَتِهِ مُنْقَادَةٌ لَنَا بِقُدْرَتِهِ، وَ صَائِرَةٌ إِلَی طَاعَتِنَا بِعِزَّتِهِ.

and appointed for us excellence through domination over all creation; every one of His creatures submits to us through His power and comes to obey us through His might.

وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِی أَغْلَقَ عَنَّا بَابَ الْحَاجَةِ إِلَّا إِلَیهِ، فَکیفَ نُطِیقُ حَمْدَه‌ام مَتَی نُؤَدِّی شُکرَهُ! لَا، مَتَی.

Praise belongs to God, who locked for us the gate of need except toward Him. So how can we praise Him? When can we thank Him? Indeed, when?

وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِی رَکبَ فِینَا آلَاتِ الْبَسْطِ، وَ جَعَلَ لَنَا أَدَوَاتِ الْقَبْضِ، وَ مَتَّعَنَا بِأَرْوَاحِ الْحَیاةِ، وَ أَثْبَتَ فِینَا جَوَارِحَ الْأَعْمَالِ، وَ غَذَّانَا بِطَیبَاتِ الرِّزْقِ، وَ أَغْنَانَا بِفَضْلِهِ، وَ أَقْنَانَا بِمَنِّهِ.

Praise belongs to God, who placed within us the organs of expansion, assigned for us the agents of contraction, gave us to enjoy the spirits of life, fixed within us the limbs of works, nourished us with the agreeable things of provision, freed us from need through His bounty, and gave us possessions through His kindness.

ثُمَّ أَمَرَنَا لِیخْتَبِرَ طَاعَتَنَا، وَ نَهَانَا لِیبْتَلِی شُکرَنَا، فَخَالَفْنَا عَنْ طَرِیقِ أَمْرِهِ، وَ رَکبْنَا مُتُونَ زَجْرِهِ، فَلَمْ یبْتَدِرْنَا بِعُقُوبَتِهِ، وَ لَمْ یعَاجِلْنَا بِنِقْمَتِهِ، بَلْ تَأَنَّانَا بِرَحْمَتِهِ تَکرُّماً، وَ انْتَظَرَ مُرَاجَعَتَنَا بِرَأْفَتِهِ حِلْماً.

Then He commanded us that He might test our obedience and prohibited us that He might try our thanksgiving. So we turned against the path of His commandments and mounted the backs of His warnings. Yet He hurried us not to His punishment, nor hastened us on to His vengeance. No, He went slowly with us through His mercy, in generosity, and awaited our return through His clemency, in mildness.

وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِی دَلَّنَا عَلَی التَّوْبَةِ الَّتِی لَمْ نُفِدْهَا إِلَّا مِنْ فَضْلِهِ، فَلَوْ لَمْ نَعْتَدِدْ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ إِلَّا بِهَا لَقَدْ حَسُنَ بَلَاؤُهُ عِنْدَنَا، وَ جَلَّ إِحْسَانُهُ إِلَینَا وَ جَسُمَ فَضْلُهُ عَلَینَا

Praise belongs to God, who showed us the way to repentance, which we would not have won save through His bounty. Had we nothing to count as His bounty but this, His trial of us would have been good, His beneficence toward us great, His bounty upon us immense.

فَمَا هَکذَا کانَتْ سُنَّتُهُ فِی التَّوْبَةِ لِمَنْ کانَ قَبْلَنَا، لَقَدْ وَضَعَ عَنَّا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ، وَ لَمْ یکلِّفْنَا إِلَّا وُسْعاً، وَ لَمْ یُجَشِّمْنَا إِلَّا یُسْراً، وَ لَمْ یدَعْ لِأَحَدٍ مِنَّا حُجَّةً وَ لَا عُذْراً.

For such was not His wont in repentance with those who went before us. He has lifted up from us what we have not the strength to bear, charged us only to our capacity, imposed upon us nothing but ease, and left none of us with an argument or excuse.

فَالْهَالِک مِنَّا مَنْ هَلَک عَلَیهِ، وَ السَّعِیدُ مِنَّا مَنْ رَغِبَ إِلَیهِ

So the perisher among us is he who perishes in spite of Him and the felicitous among us he who beseeches Him.

وَ الْحَمْدُ لِله بِکلِّ مَا حَمِدَهُ بِهِ أَدْنَی مَلَائِکتِهِ إِلَیهِ وَ أَکرَمُ خَلِیقَتِهِ عَلَیهِ وَ أَرْضَی حَامِدِیهِ لَدَیهِ

And praise belongs to God with all the praises of His angels closest to Him, His creatures most noble in His eyes, and His praisers most pleasing to Him;

حَمْداً یفْضُلُ سَائِرَ الْحَمْدِ کفَضْلِ رَبِّنَا عَلَی جَمِیعِ خَلْقِهِ.

a praise that may surpass other praises as our Lord surpasses all His creatures.

ثُمَّ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ مَکانَ کلِّ نِعْمَةٍ لَهُ عَلَینَا وَ عَلَی جَمِیعِ عِبَادِهِ الْمَاضِینَ وَ الْبَاقِینَ عَدَدَ مَا أَحَاطَ بِهِ عِلْمُهُ مِنْ جَمِیعِ الْأَشْیاءِ، وَ مَکانَ کلِّ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْهَا عَدَدُهَا أَضْعَافاً مُضَاعَفَةً أَبَداً سَرْمَداً إِلَی یوْمِ الْقِیامَةِ.

Then to Him belongs praise, in place of His every favour upon us and upon all His servants, past and still remaining, to the number of all things His knowledge encompasses, and in place of each of His favours, their number doubling and redoubling always and forever, to the Day of Resurrection;

حَمْداً لَا مُنْتَهَی لِحَدِّهِ، وَ لَا حِسَابَ لِعَدَدِهِ، وَ لَا مَبْلَغَ لِغَایتِهِ، وَ لَا انْقِطَاعَ لِأَمَدِهِ

a praise whose bound has no utmost end, whose number has no reckoning, whose limit cannot be reached, whose period cannot be cut off;

حَمْداً یکونُ وُصْلَةً إِلَی طَاعَتِهِ وَ عَفْوِهِ، وَ سَبَباً إِلَی رِضْوَانِهِ، وَ ذَرِیعَةً إِلَی مَغْفِرَتِهِ، وَ طَرِیقاً إِلَی جَنَّتِهِ، وَ خَفِیراً مِنْ نَقِمَتِهِ، وَ أَمْناً مِنْ غَضَبِهِ، وَ ظَهِیراً عَلَی طَاعَتِهِ، وَ حَاجِزاً عَنْ مَعْصِیتِهِ، وَ عَوْناً عَلَی تَأْدِیةِ حَقِّهِ وَ وَظَائِفِهِ.

a praise which will become a link to His obedience and pardon, a tie to His good pleasure, a means to His forgiveness, a path to His Garden, a protector against His vengeance, a security against His wrath, an aid to obeying Him, a barrier against disobeying Him, a help in fulfilling His right and His duties;

حَمْداً نَسْعَدُ بِهِ فِی السُّعَدَاءِ مِنْ أَوْلِیائِهِ، وَ نَصِیرُ بِهِ فِی نَظْمِ الشُّهَدَاءِ بِسُیوفِ أَعْدَائِهِ، إِنَّهُ وَلِیٌّ حَمِید.

a praise that will make us felicitous among His felicitous friends, and bring us into the ranks of those martyred by the swords of His enemies. He is a Friend, Praiseworthy!

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:

Praise belongs to God, the First, without a first before Him, the Last, without a last behind Him.

Beholders' eyes fall short of seeing Him, describers' imaginations are not able to depict Him.

He originated the creatures through His power with an origination, He devised them in accordance with His will with a devising.

Then He made them walk on the path of His desire, He sent them out on the way of His love. They cannot keep back from that to which He has sent them forward, nor can they go forward to that from which He has kept them back.

He assigned from His provision to each of their spirits a nourishment known and apportioned. No decreaser decreases those whom He increases, no increaser increases those of them whom He decreases.

Then for each spirit He strikes a fixed term in life, for each He sets up a determined end; he walks toward it through the days of his span, he overtakes it through the years of his time. Then, when he takes his final step and embraces the reckoning of his span, God seizes him to the abundant reward or the feared punishment to which He has called him, That He may repay those who do evil for what they have done and repay those who do good with goodness,

As justice from Him (holy are His names, and manifest His boons). He shall not be questioned as to what He does, but they shall be questioned.

Praise belongs to God, for, ad He withheld from His servants the knowledge to praise Him for the uninterrupted kindnesses with which He has tried them and the manifest favours which He has lavished upon them, they would have moved about in His kindnesses without praising Him, and spread themselves out in His provision without thanking Him.

Had such been the case, they would have left the bounds of humanity for that of beastliness and become as He has described in the firm text of His Book: They are but as the cattle—nay, but they are further astray from the way!

Praise belongs to God, for the true knowledge of Himself He has given to us, the thanksgiving He has inspired us to offer Him, the doors to knowing His Lordship He has opened for us, the sincerity towards Him in professing His Unity to which He has led us, and the deviation and doubt in His Command from which He has turned us aside;

a praise through which we may be given long life among those of His creatures who praise Him, and overtake those who have gone ahead toward His good pleasure and pardon;

a praise through which He will illuminate for us the shadows of the interworld, ease for us the path of the Resurrection, and raise up our stations at the standing places of the Witnesses on the day when every soul will be repaid for what it has earned - they shall not be wronged; the day a master shall avail nothing a client, and they shall not be helped;

a praise which will rise up from us to the highest of the 'Illiyunin a book inscribed, witnessed by those brought nigh,

a praise whereby our eyes may be at rest when sight is dazzled, our faces whitened when skins are blackened,

a praise through which we may be released from God's painful Fire and enter God's generous neighborhood,

a praise by which we may jostle the angels brought nigh and join the prophets, the envoys, in a House of Permanence that does not remove, the Place of His Generosity that does not change.

Praise belongs to God, who chose for us the good qualities of creation, granted us the agreeable things of provision,

and appointed for us excellence through domination over all creation; every one of His creatures submits to us through His power and comes to obey us through His might.

Praise belongs to God, who locked for us the gate of need except toward Him. So how can we praise Him? When can we thank Him? Indeed, when?

Praise belongs to God, who placed within us the organs of expansion, assigned for us the agents of contraction, gave us to enjoy the spirits of life, fixed within us the limbs of works, nourished us with the agreeable things of provision, freed us from need through His bounty, and gave us possessions through His kindness.

Then He commanded us that He might test our obedience and prohibited us that He might try our thanksgiving. So we turned against the path of His commandments and mounted the backs of His warnings. Yet He hurried us not to His punishment, nor hastened us on to His vengeance. No, He went slowly with us through His mercy, in generosity, and awaited our return through His clemency, in mildness.

Praise belongs to God, who showed us the way to repentance, which we would not have won save through His bounty. Had we nothing to count as His bounty but this, His trial of us would have been good, His beneficence toward us great, His bounty upon us immense.

For such was not His wont in repentance with those who went before us. He has lifted up from us what we have not the strength to bear, charged us only to our capacity, imposed upon us nothing but ease, and left none of us with an argument or excuse.

So the perisher among us is he who perishes in spite of Him and the felicitous among us he who beseeches Him.

And praise belongs to God with all the praises of His angels closest to Him, His creatures most noble in His eyes, and His praisers most pleasing to Him;

a praise that may surpass other praises as our Lord surpasses all His creatures.

Then to Him belongs praise, in place of His every favour upon us and upon all His servants, past and still remaining, to the number of all things His knowledge encompasses, and in place of each of His favours, their number doubling and redoubling always and forever, to the Day of Resurrection;

a praise whose bound has no utmost end, whose number has no reckoning, whose limit cannot be reached, whose period cannot be cut off;

a praise which will become a link to His obedience and pardon, a tie to His good pleasure, a means to His forgiveness, a path to His Garden, a protector against His vengeance, a security against His wrath, an aid to obeying Him, a barrier against disobeying Him, a help in fulfilling His right and His duties;

a praise that will make us felicitous among His felicitous friends, and bring us into the ranks of those martyred by the swords of His enemies. He is a Friend, Praiseworthy!

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