Recommended Acts (A'amal) of Masjid al-Kufah

Text and Translation

Entering the Mosque

As is mentioned in the book of Misbah al-Za'ir and other books, the recommended devotional acts at Masjid al-Kufah are as follows: You may begin with the following words when you enter the city of al-Kufah :

بِسْمِ ٱللهِ وَبِٱللهِ

bismi allahi wa billahi

In the Name of Allah (I begin), in Allah (I trust),

وَفِي سَبِيلِ ٱللهِ

wa fi sabili allahi

on the way of Allah (I proceed),

وَعَلَىٰ مِلَّةِ رَسُولِ ٱللهِ

wa `ala millati rasuli allahi

and the course of Allah’s Messenger,

صَلَّىٰ ٱللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ

salla allahu `alayhi wa alihi

peace be upon him and his Household, (I follow).

اَللَّهُمَّ انْزِلْنِي مُنْزَلاً مُبَارَكاً

allahumma anzilni munzalan mubarakan

O Allah, (please do) enable me to reside blessedly

وَانْتَ خَيْرُ ٱلْمُنْزِلِينَ

wa anta khayru almunzilina

and You are the best of those who enable to reside.

You may then walk toward the mosque, repeating the following statements :

اللهُ اكْبَرُ وَلاَ إِلهَ إِلاَّ ٱللهُ

allahu akbaru wa la ilaha illa allahu

Allah is the Most Great. There is no god but Allah.

وَٱلْحَمْدُ لِلهِ وَسُبْحَانَ ٱللهِ

walhamdu lillahi wa subhana allahi

All praise be to Allah. All glory be to Allah.

When you reach the gate of the mosque, you may stop there and say the following words :

اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَىٰ سَيِّدِنَا رَسُولِ ٱللهِ

alssalamu `ala sayyidina rasuli allahi

Peace be upon our master the Messenger of Allah,

مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ ٱللهِ

muhammadi bni `abdillahi

Muhammad son of `Abdullah,

وَآلِهِ ٱلطَّاهِرِينَ

wa alihi alttahirina

and upon his immaculate progeny.

اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَىٰ امِيرِ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ

alssalamu `ala amiri almu'minina

Peace be upon the Commander of the Faithful,

عَلِيِّ بْنِ ابِي طَالِبٍ وَرَحْمَةُ ٱللهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ

`aliyy bni abi talibin wa rahmatu allahi wa barakatuhu

`Ali the son of Abi-Talib. Allah’s mercy and blessings be upon him,

وَعَلَىٰ مَجَالِسِهِ وَمَشَاهِدِهِ

wa `ala majalisihi wa mashahidihi

upon his sessions, upon his meeting-places,

وَمَقَامِ حِكْمَتِهِ وَآثَارِ آبَائِهِ

wa maqami hikmatihi wa athari aba'ihi

upon the places that witnessed his wisdom, upon the traces of his forefathers:

آدَمَ وَنُوحٍ وَإِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ

adama wa nuhin wa ibrahima wa isma`ila

Adam, Noah, Abraham, and Ishmael,

وَتِبْيَانِ بَيِّنَاتِهِ

wa tibyani bayyinatihi

and upon the places that witnessed the presentations of his evidences.

اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَىٰ ٱلإِمَامِ ٱلْحَكِيمِ ٱلْعَدْلِ

alssalamu `ala al-imami alhakimi al`adli

Peace be upon the Imam: the wise, the just,

ٱلصِّدِّيقِ ٱلاكْبَرِ ٱلْفَارُوقِ بِٱلْقِسْطِ

alssiddiqi al-akbari alfaruqi bilqisti

the grandest veracious, and the fair distinguisher

ٱلَّذِي فَرَّقَ ٱللهُ بِهِ بَيْنَ ٱلْحَقِّ وَٱلْبَاطِلِ

alladhi farraqa allahu bihi bayna alhaqqi walbatili

by whom Allah distinguished the right from the wrong,

وَٱلْكُفْرِ وَٱلإِيـمَانِ

walkufri wal-imani

atheism from (true) belief,

وَٱلشِّرْكِ وَٱلتَّوْحِيدِ

walshshirki walttawhidi

and polytheism from monotheism,

لِيَهْلِكَ مَنْ هَلَكَ عَنْ بَيِّنَةٍ

liyahlika man halaka `an bayyinatin

so that he who would perish might perish by clear proof

وَيَحْيَا مَنْ حَيَّ عَنْ بَيِّنَةٍ

wa yahya man hayya `an bayyinatin

and he who would live might live by clear proof.

اشْهَدُ انَّكَ امِيرُ ٱلْمُؤمِنِينَ

ashhadu annaka amiru almu'minina

I bear witness that you are verily the commander of the faithful,

وَخَاصَّةُ نَفْسِ ٱلْمُنْتَجَبِينَ