Dua during the Occultation of Imam Mahdi (a) - LONG اَللّٰهُمَّ عَرِّفْنِيْ نَفْسَكَ

Text and Translation

Through a valid chain, it is narrated that Shaykh Abu Amr, the first Emissary (safir) of Imam al-Mahdi (a), dictated this supplication to Abu Muhammad ibn Hammam and ordered him to say it frequently. Sayyid Ibn Tawus also records it in Jamal al-Usbu', following a number of other supplications recommended after the Friday Asr prayer and after the major prayer, adding: if a justified excuse keeps you from any of those other rites, do not neglect this one — I have personally recognized its great merit through a grace Allah bestowed on me exclusively, so rely upon it:

اَللّٰهُمَّ عَرِّفْنِيْ نَفْسَكَ، فَاِنَّكَ اِنْ لَمْ تُعَرِّفْنِيْ نَفْسَكَ لَمْ اَعْرِفْكَ رَسُوْلَكَ

ALLAAHUMMA A'RRIFNEE NAFSAK, FA-INNAKA IL LAM TU-A'RRIFNEE NAFSAKA LAM A'RIF RASOOLAK

O Allah, make me recognize Yourself, for if You do not make me recognize Yourself, I will not recognize Your Messenger.

اَللّٰهُمَّ عَرِّفْنِيْ رَسُوْلَكَ، فَاِنَّكَ اِنْ لَمْ تُعَرِّفْنِيْ رَسُوْلَكَ لَمْ اَعْرِفْ حُجَّتَكَ

ALLAAHUMMA A'RRIFNEE RASOOLAK, FA-INNAKA IL LAM TU-A'RRIFNEE RASOOLAKA LAM A'RIF HUJJATAK

O Allah, make me recognize Your Messenger, for if You do not make me recognize Your Messenger, I will not recognize Your Proof.

اَللّٰهُمَّ عَرِّفْنِيْ حُجَّتَكَ، فَاِنَّكَ اِنْ لَمْ تُعَرِّفْنِيْ حُجَّتَكَ ضَلَلْتُ عَنْ دِيْنِيْۤ

ALLAAHUMMA A'RRIFNEE HUJJATAK, FA-INNAKA IL LAM TU-A'RRIFNEE HUJJATAKA DALALTU A'N DEENEE

O Allah, make me recognize Your Proof, for if You do not make me recognize Your Proof, I shall stray from my religion.

اَللّٰهُمَّ لَاتُمِتْنِيْ مَيْتَةً جَاهِلِيَّةً، وَلَا تُزِغْ قَلْبِيْ بَعْدَ اِذْ هَدَيْتَنِيْۤ

ALLAAHUMMA LAA TUMITNEE MAYTATAN JAAHILIYYAH, WA LAA TUZIGH QALBEE BA'DA IZ HADAYTANEE

O Allah, do not let me die the death of the ignorant, and do not let my heart deviate after You have guided me.

اَللّٰهُمَّ فَكَمَا هَدَيْتَنِيْ لِوِلَايَةِ مَنْ فَرَضْتَ عَلَيَّ طَاعَتَهُ مِنْ وِلَايَةِ وُلَاةِ اَمْرِكَ بَعْدَ رَسُوْلِكَ صَلَوَاتُكَ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهِ

ALLAAHUMMA FAKAMAA HADAYTANEE LI-WILAAYATI MAN FARADTA A'LAYYA TAA-A'TAHU MIN WILAAYATI WULAATI AMRIKA BA'DA RASOOLIKA SALAWAATUKA A'LAYHI WA AALIHI

O Allah, just as You have guided me to the walayah of those whose obedience You made incumbent upon me — the walayah of Your representatives after Your Messenger, Your blessings be upon him and his Household —

حَتّٰى وَالَيْتُ وُلَاةَ اَمْرِكَ اَمِيْرَ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ عَلِيَّ بْنَ اَبِيْ طَالِبٍ، وَالْحَسَنَ وَالْحُسَيْنَ وَعَلِيًّا وَمُحَمَّدًا وَجَعْفَرًا وَمُوْسٰى وَعَلِيًّا وَمُحَمَّدًا وَعَلِيًّا وَالْحَسَنَ وَالْحُجَّةَ الْقَاۤئِمَ الْمَهْدِيَّ صَلَوَاتُكَ عَلَيْهِمْ اَجْمَعِيْنَ

HATTAA WAALAYTU WULAATA AMRIKA AMEERAL MU'MINEENA A'LEE-YABNA ABEE TAALIB, WAL HASANA WAL HUSAYNA WA A'LEE-YAW WA MUHAMMADAW WA JA'FARAW WA MOOSAA WA A'LEE-YAW WA MUHAMMADAW WA A'LEE-YAW WAL HASANA WAL HUJJATAL QAAA-IMAL MAHDI-YYA SALAWAATUKA A'LAYHIM AJMA-E'EN

so that I have taken as my guardians Your representatives — the Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib, and al-Hasan, al-Husayn, Ali, Muhammad, Ja'far, Musa, Ali, Muhammad, Ali, al-Hasan, and the Proof, the Riser, the Rightly-Guided — Your blessings be upon them all.

اَللّٰهُمَّ فَثَبِّتْنِيْ عَلٰى دِيْنِكَ، وَاسْتَعْمِلْنِيْ بِطَاعَتِكَ، وَلَيِّنْ قَلْبِيْ لِوَلِيِّ اَمْرِكَ

ALLAAHUMMA FASABBITNEE A'LAA DEENIK, WASTA'MILNEE BI-TAA-A'TIK, WA LAYYIN QALBEE LI-WALIYYI AMRIK

O Allah, so make me steadfast upon Your religion, employ me in Your obedience, and soften my heart toward Your representative,

وَعَافِنِيْ مِمَّا امْتَحَنْتَ بِهِ خَلْقَكَ، وَثَبِّتْنِيْ عَلٰى طَاعَةِ وَلِيِّ اَمْرِكَ الَّذِيْ سَتَرْتَهُ عَنْ خَلْقِكَ، وَبِاِذْنِكَ غَابَ عَنْ بَرِيَّتِكَ

WA A'AAFINEE MIMMAM TAHANTA BIHI KHALQAK, WA THABBITNEE A'LAA TAA-A'TI WALIYYI AMRIKAL LAZEE SATARTAHU A'N KHALQIK, WA BI-IZNIKA GHAABA A'N BARIYYATIK

and spare me from that with which You have tested Your creation; make me steadfast in obedience to Your representative, whom You have concealed from Your creation and who, by Your permission, has gone into hiding from Your creatures,

وَاَمْرَكَ يَنْتَظِرُ، وَاَنْتَ الْعَالِمُ غَيْرُ الْمُعَلَّمِ بِالْوَقْتِ الَّذِيْ فِيْهِ صَلَاحُ اَمْرِ وَلِيِّكَ، فِيْ الْاِذْنِ لَهُ بِاِظْهَارِ اَمْرِهِ وَكَشْفِ سِتْرِهِ

WA AMRAKA YANTAZIR, WA ANTAL A'ALIMU GHAYRUL MU-A'LLAMU BIL WAQTIL LAZEE FEEHI SALAAHU AMRI WALIYYIK, FIL IZNI LAHU BI-IZHAARI AMRIHI WA KASHFI SITRIH

awaiting Your command — and You are the One Who knows, needing no instruction, the time when it is right for Your representative to be given permission to make his cause manifest and to lift his veil of concealment;

فَصَبِّرْنِيْ عَلٰى ذٰلِكَ، حَتّٰى لَاۤ اُحِبَّ تَعْجِيْلَ مَاۤ اَخَّرْتَ، وَلَا تَاْخِيْرَ مَا عَجَّلْتَ، وَلَا كَشْفَ مَا سَتَرْتَ، وَلَا اَبْحَثَ عَمَّا كَتَمْتَ

FASABBIRNEE A'LAA ZAALIK, HATTAA LAA UHIBBA TA'JEELA MAA AKHKHART, WA LAA TA-KHEERA MAA A'JJALT, WA LAA KASHFA MAA SATART, WA LAA ABHASA A'MMAA KATAMT

so grant me patience over that, so that I do not wish to hasten what You have delayed, nor delay what You have hastened, nor uncover what You have concealed, nor search into what You have hidden,

وَلَاۤ اُنَازِعَكَ فِيْ تَدْبِيْرِكَ، وَلَاۤ اَقُوْلَ لِمَ وَكَيْفَ وَمَا بَالُ وَلِيِّ الْاَمْرِ لَايَظْهَرُ وَقَدِ امْتَلَاَتِ الْاَرْضُ مِنَ الْجَوْرِ، وَاُفَوِّضُ اُمُوْرِيْ كُلَّهَاۤ اِلَيْكَ

WA LAA UNAAZI-A'KA FEE TADBEERIK, WA LAA AQOOLA LIMA WA KAYFA WA MAA BAALU WALIYYIL AMRI LAA YAZHARU WA QADIM TALA-ATIL ARDU MINAL JAWR, WA UFAWWIDU UMOOREE KULLAHAA ILAYK

nor dispute with You over Your management, nor say, "why," "how," or "what has kept the Representative from appearing when the earth is already filled with injustice" — but rather entrust all my affairs entirely to You.

اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّيْۤ اَسْاَلُكَ اَنْ تُرِيَنِيْ وَلِيَّ اَمْرِكَ ظَاهِرًا نَافِذَ الْاَمْرِ، مَعَ عِلْمِيْ بِاَنَّ لَكَ السُّلْطَانَ وَالْقُدْرَةَ، وَالْبُرْهَانَ وَالْحُجَّةَ، وَالْمَشِيَّةَ وَالْحَوْلَ وَالْقُوَّةَ

ALLAAHUMMA INNEE AS-ALUKA AN TURIYANEE WALIYYA AMRIKA ZAAHIRAN NAAFIZAL AMR, MA-A' I'LMEE BI-ANNA LAKAS SULTAANA WAL QUDRAH, WAL BURHAANA WAL HUJJAH, WAL MASHEE-ATA WAL HAWLA WAL QUWWAH

O Allah, I ask You to let me see Your representative manifest and effective in command, while knowing that Yours alone is the authority, the power, the proof, the argument, the will, the strength, and the might;

فَافْعَلْ ذٰلِكَ بِيْ وَبِجَمِيْعِ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ، حَتّٰى نَنْظُرَ اِلٰى وَلِيِّ اَمْرِكَ صَلَوَاتُكَ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهِ، ظَاهِرَ الْمَقَالَةِ، وَاضِحَ الدَّلَالَةِ، هَادِيًا مِنَ الضَّلَالَةِ، شَافِيًا مِنَ الْجَهَالَةِ

FAF-A'L ZAALIKA BEE WA BI-JAMEE-I'L MU'MINEEN, HATTAA NANZURA ILAA WALIYYI AMRIKA SALAWAATUKA A'LAYHI WA AALIH, ZAAHIRAL MAQAALAH, WAADIHAD DALAALAH, HAADIYAM MINAD DALAALAH, SHAAFIYAM MINAL JAHAALAH

so do this for me and for all the believers, that we may look upon Your representative — Your blessings upon him and his Household — manifest in speech, clear in guidance, delivering from misguidance, and healing from ignorance.

وَاَبْرِزْ يَا رَبِّ مُشَاهَدَتَهُ، وَثَبِّتْ قَوَاعِدَهُ، وَاجْعَلْنَا مِمَّنْ تَقَرُّ عَيْنُهُ بِرُؤْيَتِهِ، وَاَقِمْنَا بِخِدْمَتِهِ، وَتَوَفَّنَا عَلٰى مِلَّتِهِ، وَاحْشُرْنَا فِيْ زُمْرَتِهِ

WA ABRIZ YAA RABBI MUSHAAHADATAH, WA THABBIT QAWAA-I'DAH, WAJ-A'LNAA MIMMAN TAQARRU A'YNUHU BI-RU-YATIH, WA AQIMNAA BI-KHIDMATIH, WA TAWAFFANAA A'LAA MILLATIH, WAHSHURNAA FEE ZUMRATIH

O my Lord, bring forth his witnessed presence, make firm his foundations, make us among those whose eyes are gladdened by seeing him, employ us in his service, cause us to die upon his creed, and gather us in his company.

اَللّٰهُمَّ اَعِذْهُ مِنْ شَرِّ جَمِيْعِ مَا خَلَقْتَ، وَذَرَاْتَ وَبَرَاْتَ وَاَنْشَاْتَ وَصَوَّرْتَ

ALLAAHUMMA A-I'ZHU MIN SHARRI JAMEE-I' MAA KHALAQT, WA ZARA-TA WA BARA-TA WA ANSHA-TA WA SAWWART

O Allah, protect him from the evil of all that You have created, spread abroad, brought into being, originated, and formed,

وَاحْفَظْهُ مِنْ بَيْنِ يَدَيْهِ وَمِنْ خَلْفِهِ، وَعَنْ يَمِيْنِهِ وَعَنْ شِمَالِهِ، وَمِنْ فَوْقِهِ وَمِنْ تَحْتِهِ، بِحِفْظِكَ الَّذِيْ لَايَضِيْعُ مَنْ حَفِظْتَهُ بِهِ

WAHFAZHU MIM BAYNI YADAYHI WA MIN KHALFIH, WA A'N YAMEENIHI WA A'N SHIMAALIH, WA MIN FAWQIHI WA MIN TAHTIH, BI-HIFZIKAL LAZEE LAA YADEE-U' MAN HAFIZTAHU BIH

and protect him from before him and behind him, from his right and his left, and from above him and beneath him, with the protection of Yours by which whoever is protected is never lost;

وَاحْفَظْ فِيْهِ رَسُوْلَكَ وَوَصِيَّ رَسُوْلِكَ عَلَيْهِمُ السَّلَامُ

WAHFAZ FEEHI RASOOLAKA WA WASIYYA RASOOLIKA A'LAYHIMUS SALAAM

and through him, safeguard Your Messenger and the successor of Your Messenger, peace be upon them.

اَللّٰهُمَّ وَمُدَّ فِيْ عُمْرِهِ، وَزِدْ فِيْۤ اَجَلِهِ، وَاَعِنْهُ عَلٰى مَاوَلَّيْتَهُ وَاسْتَرْعَيْتَهُ، وَزِدْ فِيْ كَرَامَتِكَ لَهُ

ALLAAHUMMA WA MUDDA FEE U'MRIH, WA ZID FEE AJALIH, WA A-I'NHU A'LAA MAA WALLAYTAHU WASTAR-A'YTAH, WA ZID FEE KARAAMATIKA LAH

O Allah, extend his life, add to his lifespan, help him in what You have entrusted to his care and charge, and increase Your honor to him;

فَاِنَّهُ الْهَادِيْ الْمَهْدِيُّ، وَالْقَاۤئِمُ الْمُهْتَدِيْ، وَالطَّاهِرُ التَّقِيُّ الزَّكِيُّ النَّقِيُّ الرَّضِيُّ الْمَرْضِيُّ الصَّابِرُ الشَّكُوْرُ الْمُجْتَهِدُ

FA-INNAHUL HAADIYAL MAHDI-YYU, WAL QAAA-IMUL MUHTADEE, WAT TAAHIRUT TAQIYYUZ ZAKIYYUN NAQIYYUR RADIYYUL MARDIYYUS SAABIRUSH SHAKOORUL MUJTAHID

for he is the guide, the rightly-guided, the riser, the well-directed, the pure, the God-fearing, the untainted, the unblemished, the content, the pleasing, the patient, the grateful, and the diligent.

اَللّٰهُمَّ وَلَاتَسْلُبْنَا الْيَقِيْنَ لِطُوْلِ الْاَمَدِ فِيْ غَيْبَتِهِ، وَانْقِطَاعِ خَبَرِهِ عَنَّا

ALLAAHUMMA WA LAA TASLUBNAL YAQEENA LI-TOOLIL AMADI FEE GHAYBATIH, WAN QITAA-I' KHABARIHI A'NNAA

O Allah, do not strip us of certainty on account of the long duration of his occultation and the cutting off of news of him from us,

وَلَاتُنْسِنَا ذِكْرَهُ وَانْتِظَارَهُ، وَالْاِيْمَانَ بِهِ، وَقُوَّةَ الْيَقِيْنِ فِيْ ظُهُوْرِهِ، وَالدُّعَاۤءَ لَهُ وَالصَّلٰوةَ عَلَيْهِ

WA LAA TUNSINAA ZIKRAHU WAN TIZAARAH, WAL EEMAANA BIH, WA QUWWATAL YAQEENI FEE ZUHOORIH, WAD DUA-A'AA LAHU WAS SALAATA A'LAYH

and do not let us forget to remember him, to await him, to believe in him, to hold firm certainty in his reappearance, to supplicate for him, and to invoke blessings upon him,

حَتّٰى لَا يُقَنِّطَنَا طُوْلُ غَيْبَتِهِ مِنْ قِيَامِهِ، وَيَكُوْنَ يَقِيْنُنَا فِيْ ذٰلِكَ كَيَقِيْنِنَا فِيْ قِيَامِ رَسُوْلِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهِ، وَمَا جَاۤءَ بِهِ مِنْ وَحْيِكَ وَتَنْزِيْلِكَ

HATTAA LAA YUQANNITANAA TOOLU GHAYBATIHI MIN QIYAAMIH, WA YAKOONA YAQEENUNAA FEE ZAALIKA KA-YAQEENINAA FEE QIYAAMI RASOOLIL LAAHI SALLAL LAAHO A'LAYHI WA AALIH, WA MAA JAAA-A BIHI MIN WAHYIKA WA TANZEELIK

so that the length of his occultation does not make us despair of his rising, and our certainty in that may be like our certainty in the rising of the Messenger of Allah — Allah's blessings be upon him and his Household — and in what he brought of Your revelation and what You sent down.

فَقَوِّ قُلُوْبَنَا عَلَى الْاِيْمَانِ بِهِ، حَتّٰى تَسْلُكَ بِنَا عَلٰى يَدَيْهِ مِنْهَاجَ الْهُدٰى وَالْمَحَجَّةَ الْعُظْمٰى، وَالطَّرِيْقَةَ الْوُسْطٰى

FAQAWWI QULOOBANAA A'LAL EEMAANI BIH, HATTAA TASLUKA BINAA A'LAA YADAYHI MINHAAJAL HUDAA WAL MAHAJJATAL U'ZMAA, WAT TAREEQATAL WUSTAA

so strengthen our hearts in faith in him, that You may lead us, at his hands, upon the path of guidance, the greatest highway, and the middle way,

وَقَوِّنَا عَلٰى طَاعَتِهِ، وَثَبِّتْنَا عَلٰى مُتَابَعَتِهِ، وَاجْعَلْنَا فِيْ حِزْبِهِ وَاَعْوَانِهِ وَاَنْصَارِهِ، وَالرَّاضِيْنَ بِفِعْلِهِ

WA QAWWINAA A'LAA TAA-A'TIH, WA THABBITNAA A'LAA MUTAABA-A'TIH, WAJ-A'LNAA FEE HIZBIHI WA A'WAANIHI WA ANSAARIH, WAR RAADEENA BI-FI'LIH

and strengthen us in obedience to him, keep us firm in following him, and place us among his party, his helpers, and his supporters, and among those content with his conduct;

وَلَاتَسْلُبْنَا ذٰلِكَ فِيْ حَيَاتِنَا، وَلَا عِنْدَ وَفَاتِنَا، حَتّٰى تَتَوَفَّانَا وَنَحْنُ عَلٰى ذٰلِكَ لَاشَآكِّيْنَ وَلَا نَاكِثِيْنَ، وَلَا مُرْتَابِيْنَ وَلَا مُكَذِّبِيْنَ

WA LAA TASLUBNAA ZAALIKA FEE HAYAATINAA, WA LAA I'NDA WAFAATINAA, HATTAA TATAWAFFAANAA WA NAHNU A'LAA ZAALIKA LAA SHAAA-KKEEN WA LAA NAAKISEEN, WA LAA MURTAABEENA WA LAA MUKAZZIBEEN

and do not strip us of this in our lifetime nor at the hour of our death, but rather cause us to die upon it, neither doubting, nor breaking faith, nor suspicious, nor disbelieving.

اَللّٰهُمَّ عَجِّلْ فَرَجَهُ، وَاَيِّدْهُ بِالنَّصْرِ، وَانْصُرْ نَاصِرِيْهِ، وَاخْذُلْ خَاذِلِيْهِ، وَدَمْدِمْ عَلٰى مَنْ نَصَبَ لَهُ وَكَذَّبَ بِهِ

ALLAAHUMMA A'JJIL FARAJAH, WA AYYIDHU BIN NASR, WANSUR NAASIREEH, WAKHZUL KHAAZILEEH, WA DAMDIM A'LAA MAN NASABA LAHU WA KAZZABA BIH

O Allah, hasten his relief, aid him with victory, grant victory to his supporters, abandon those who abandon him, and crush whoever opposes him and denies him.

وَاَظْهِرْ بِهِ الْحَقَّ، وَاَمِتْ بِهِ الْجَوْرَ، وَاسْتَنْقِذْ بِهِ عِبَادَكَ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ مِنَ الذُّلِّ، وَانْعَشْ بِهِ الْبِلَادَ