Dua-e-Abu Hamzah Sumali

Text and Translation

In Misbah al-Mutahajjid, it has been narrated on the authority of Abu-Hamzah al-Sumali that Imam Ali ibn al-Husayn Zayn al-’Abidin (a.s.) used to offer prayers at the nights of Ramazan wholly. At the last hour of Ramazan nights, he used to say the following supplicatory prayer:

بِسْمِ اللّٰهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْم

In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful

اِلٰهِیْ لَا تُؤَدِّبْنِیْ بِعُقُوْبَتِكَ

O Allah, do not discipline me through Your Punishment,

وَلَا تَمْكُرْ بِیْ فِیْ حِیْلَتِكَ

and do not scheme against me with Your schemes,

مِنْ اَیْنَ لِیَ الْخَیْرُ یَا رَبِّ

How can I attain goodness, O Lord,

وَلَا یُوْجَدُ اِلَّا مِنْ عِنْدِكَ

while it is not found except with You

وَ مِنْ اَیْنَ لِیَ النَّجَاۃُ؟

And from where will my salvation come?

وَلَا تُسْتَطَاعُ اِلَّا بِكَ؟

while it can only be attained through You?

لَا الَّذِیْ اَحْسَنَ اسْتَغْنٰی عَنْ عَوْنِكَ وَ رَحْمَتِكَ

Neither he who has done righteous deeds is needless of Your aid and mercy

وَلَا الَّذِی اَسَآءَ وَاجْتَرَءَ عَلَیْكَ وَلَمْ یُرْضِكَ خَرَجَ عَنْ قُدْرَتِكَ

nor can the one who has sinned and shown daring against you, and did not please You, escape from the scope of Your Power.

یَا رَبِّ یَا رَبِّ یَا رَبِّ…

O Lord, O Lord, O Lord......

Repeat this phrase as many times as possible in one breath.

Then say:

بِكَ عَرَفْتُكَ

Through You have I known You

وَ اَنْتَ دَلَلْتَنِیْ عَلَیْكَ وَ دَعَوْتَنِیَ اِلَیْكَ

And You guided me to You and called me towards You

وَلَوْ لَا اَنْتَ لَمْ اَدْرِمَا اَنْتَ

If it were not for You, I would not have known what You are

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِیْ اَدْعُوْهُ فَیُجِیْبُنِیْ

All praise is due to Allah, upon whom I call, and He responds to me,

وَ اِنْ كُنْتُ بَطِٓیْئًا حِیْنَ یَدْعُوْنِیْ

Even though I am slow (in responding) when He calls on me.

وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِیْ اَسْئَلُهٗ فَیُعْطِیْنِیْ

All praise is due to Allah, whom I ask, and He gives me,

وَ اِنْ كُنْتُ بَخِیْلًا حِیْنَ یَسْتَقْرِضُنِیْ

Even though I am stingy when He asks me (to give for the sake of God)

وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِیْ اُنَادِیْهِ كُلَّمَا شِئْتُ لِحَاجَتِیْ

All praise is due to Allah, upon whom I call for my needs whenever I wish,

وَ اَخْلُوْ بِهٖ حَیْثُ شِئْتُ لِسِرِّیْ بِغَیْرِ شَفِیْعٍ

And with whom I converse in confidence whenever I want, without any intercessor,

فَیَقْضِیْ لِیْ حَاجَتِیْ

And He grants my need.

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِیْ لَا اَدْعُوْ غَیْرَهٗ

All praise is due to Allah- I do not call on other than He,

وَلَوْ دَعَوْتُ غَیْرَهٗ لَمْ یَسْتَجِبْ لِیْ دُعَآئِیْ

and if I called on other than He, they would not answer my prayers.

وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِیْ لَا اَرْجُوْ غَیْرَهٗ

All praise is due to Allah - I do not hope in other than He,

وَلَوْ رَجَوْتُ غَیْرَهٗ لَاَخْلَفَ رَجَآئِیْ

and if I did hope in other than He, they would disappoint me.

وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِیْ وَكَلَنِیْ اِلَیْهِ فَاَكْرَمَنِیْ

All praise is due to Allah, who entrusted me to Himself, and thus honoured me,

وَلَمْ یَكِلْنِیْ اِلَی النَّاسِ فَیُهِیْنُوْنِیْ

And did not entrust me to people so that they would belittle me.

وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِیْ تَحَبَّبَ اِلَیَّ وَهُوَ غَنِیٌّ عَنِّیْ

All praise be to Allah alone Who endears Himself to me, while He is Needless of me.

وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِیْ یَحْلُمُ عَنِّیْ

All praise is due to Allah, who is forbearing with me,

حَتّٰی كَاَنِّیْ لَا ذَنْبَ لِیْ

To the extent that it is as if I have no sins.

فَرَبِّیْ اَحْمَدُ شَیْءٍ عِنْدِیْ

Accordingly, my Lord is the only One Whom I should thank,

وَ اَحَقُّ بِحَمْدِیْ

and He is the worthiest of being praised by me.

اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّیْ اَجِدُ سُبُلَ الْمَطَالِبِ اِلَیْكَ مُشْرَعَۃً

O Allah, I find paths towards asking You are set out,

وَ مَنَاهِلَ الرَّجَآءِ اِلَیْكَ مُتْرَعَۃً

And the springs of hope in You are overflowing,

وَالْاِسْتَعَانَۃَ بِفَضْلِكَ لِمَنْ اَمَّلَكَ مُبَاحَۃً

And seeking help through Your Beneficence for those who hope in You is open to everyone,

وَ اَبْوَابَ الدُّعَآءِ اِلَیْكَ لِلصَّارِخِیْنَ مَفْتُوْحَۃً

and the doors of praying to You are open for those crying out for help.

وَ اَعْلَمُ اَنَّكَ لِلرّٰجِیْ بِمَوْضِعِ اِجَابَۃٍ

I know that You are ever-responsive to those who hope in You,

وَ لِلْمَلْهُوْفِیْنَ بِمَرْصَدِ اِغَاثَۃِ

and ever on the look-out to rescue those who are yearning (for You)

وَ اَنَّ فِی اللَّهْفِ اِلٰی جُوْدِكَ

and in desiring Your Generosity,

وَالرِّضَا بِقَضَآئِكَ