Sermon 215

A prayer which Amir al-mu'minin often recited

ومن دعائه (عليه السلام)

كان يدعو به كثيراً

Praise be to Allah! Who made me such that I have not died nor am I sick, nor have my veins been infected with disease, nor have I been hauled up for my evil acts, nor am I without progeny, nor have I forsaken my religion, nor do I disbelieve in my Lord, nor do I feel strangeness with my faith, nor is my intelligence affected, nor have I been punished with the punishment of peoples before me. I am a slave in Thy possession, I have been guilty of excesses over myself. Thou hast exhausted Thy pleas over me and I have no plea (before Thee). I have no power to take except what Thou givest me, and I cannot evade except what Thou savest me from.

الْحَمْدُ لله الَّذِي لَمْ يُصبِحْ بِي مَيِّتاً وَلاَ سَقِيماً، وَلاَ مَضْرُوباً عَلَى عُرُوقِي بِسُوء، وَلاَ مَأْخُوذاً بِأَسْوَاَ عَمَلِي، وَلاَ مَقْطُوعاً دَابِرِي، وَلاَ مُرْتَدّاً عَنْ دِينِي، وَلاَ مُنْكِراً لِرَبِّي، وَلاَ مُسْتَوْحِشاً مِنْ إِيمَانِي، وَلاَ مُلْتَبِساً عَقْلِي، وَلاَ مُعَذَّباً بَعَذابِ الاْمَمِ مِنْ قَبْلِي. أَصْبَحْتُ عَبْداً مَمْلُوكاً ظَالِماً لِنَفْسِي، لَكَ الْحُجَّةُ عَلَيَّ وَلاَ حُجَّةَ لِي، لاَ أَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ آخُذَ إِلاَّ مَا أَعْطَيْتَنِي، وَلاَ أَتَّقِيَ إِلاَّ مَا وَقَيْتَنِي.

O My God! I seek Thy protection from becoming destitute despite Thy riches, from being misguided despite Thy guidance, from being molested in Thy realm and from being humiliated while authority rests with Thee. O My God! Let my spirit be the first of those good objects that Thou takest from me and the first trust out of Thy favours held in trust with me.

O My God! We seek Thy protection from turning away from Thy command or revolting against Thy religion, or being led away by our desires instead of by guidance that comes from Thee.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَفْتَقِرَ فِي غِنَاكَ، أَوْ أَضِلَّ فِي هُدَاكَ، أَوْ أُضَامَ فِي سُلْطَانِكَ، أَوْ أُضْطَهَدَ وَالاْمْرُ لَكَ! اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ نَفْسِي أَوَّلَ كَرِيمَة تَنْتَزِعُهَا مِنْ كَرَائِمِي، وَأَوَّلَ وَدِيعَة تَرْتَجِعُهَا مِنْ وَدَائِعِ نِعَمِكَ عِنْدِي! اللَّهُمْ إِنَّا نَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ نَذْهَبَ عَنْ قَوْلِكَ، أَوْ نُفْتَتَنَ عَنْ دِينِكَ، أَوْ تَتَابَعَ بِنَا أَهْوَاؤُنَا دُونَ الْهُدَى الَّذِي جَاءَ مِنْ عِنْدِكَ!

Alternative Sources for Sermon 215

(1) Al-Sayyid Ibn al-Baqi, al-'Ikhtibar;

(2) al-Majlisi, Bihar, vol. 94, 226.