Dua Muqatil ibn Sulayman

Text and Translation

Imam Zayn al-'Abidin's supplicatory prayer for urgent response: mentioning a supplication reported from Imam Ali ibn al-Husayn Zayn al-'Abidin (a), Shaykh al-Kaf'ami, in al-Balad al-Amin, has added that Muqatil ibn Sulayman, reporting this supplication, said, "If one says this supplication one hundred times and still his need is not settled, one may then curse Muqatil." The supplication is as follows:

اِلٰهِيْ كَيْفَ اَدْعُوْكَ وَ اَنَا اَنَا وَ كَيْفَ اَقْطَعُ رَجَاۤئِيْ مِنْكَ وَ اَنْتَ اَنْتَ

ILAAHEE KAYFA AD-U'KA WA ANAA ANAA WA KAYFA AQTA-U' RAJAAA-EE MINKA WA ANTA ANT

O my God, how can I pray to You while I am what I am? And how can I give up hope in You while You are what You are?

اِلٰهِيْۤ اِذَا لَمْ اَسْاَلْكَ فَتُعْطِيَنِيْ فَمَنْ ذَا الَّذِيْۤ اَسْاَلُهُ فَيُعْطِيْنِيْ اِلٰهِيْۤ اِذَا لَمْ اَدْعُكَ فَتَسْتَجِيْبَ لِيْ فَمَنْ ذَا الَّذِيْۤ اَدْعُوْهُ فَيَسْتَجِيْبُ لِيْ

ILAAHEE IZAA LAM AS-ALKA FA-TU'TIYANEE FA-MAN ZAL LAZEE AS-ALUHU FA-YU'TEENEE, ILAAHEE IZAA LAM AD-U'KA FA-TASTAJEEBA LEE FA-MAN ZAL LAZEE AD-O'OHU FA-YASTAJEEBU LEE

O my God, if I do not beg You so that You give me, then whom else will I beg to give me? O my God, if I do not supplicate to You so that You respond to me, whom else will I supplicate to respond to me?

اِلٰهِيْۤ اِذَا لَمْ اَتَضَرَّعْ اِلَيْكَ فَتَرْحَمُنِيْ فَمَنْ ذَا الَّذِيْۤ اَتَضَرَّعُ اِلَيْهِ فَيَرْحَمُنِيْ

ILAAHEE IZAA LAM ATADARRA-A' ILAYKA FA-TARHAMANEE FA-MAN ZAL LAZEE ATADARRA-U' ILAYHI FA-YARHAMUNEE

O my God, if I do not implore You earnestly so that You have mercy upon me, whom else will I implore to have mercy upon me?

اِلٰهِيْ فَكَمَا فَلَقْتَ الْبَحْرَ لِمُوْسٰى عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ وَ نَجَّيْتَهٗ اَسْاَلُكَ اَنْ تُصَلِّيَ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اٰلِهِ وَ اَنْ تُنَجِّيَنِيْ مِمَّاۤ اَنَا فِيْهِ وَ تُفَرِّجَ عَنِّيْ فَرَجًا عَاجِلًا غَيْرَ اٰجِلٍ بِفَضْلِكَ وَ رَحْمَتِكَ يَاۤ اَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِيْنَ

ILAAHEE FAKAMAA FALAQTAL BAHRA LI-MOOSAA A'LAYHIS SALAAMU WA NAJJAYTAHU AS-ALUKA AN TUSALLIYA A'LAA MUHAMMADIN WA AALIHI WA AN TUNAJJIYANEE MIMMAA ANAA FEEHI WA TUFARRIJA A'NNEE FARAJAN A'AJILAN GHAYRA AAJILIM BI-FADLIKA WA RAHMATIKA YAA ARHAMAR RAAHIMEEN

O my God, just as You split the sea asunder for Moses, peace be upon him, and saved him — I ask You to bless Muhammad and his Household, save me from what I am suffering, and relieve me immediately without delay, by Your grace and Your mercy, O most Merciful of all those who show mercy!