Dua No. 1

Text and Translation

When he (a.s.) began to supplicate, he would begin with praise and laudation of Allah (Mighty and Majestic is He). He would say:

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ

ALHAMDO LILLAAHIL

Praise belongs to Allah,

الْاَوَّلِ بِلَا اَوَّلٍ كَانَ قَبْلَهٗ

AWWALE BELAA AWWALIN KAANA QABLAHU

the First, without a first before Him,

وَالْاٰخِرِ بِلَا اٰخِرٍ يَكُوْنُ بَعْدَهٗ

WAL-AAKHERE BELAA AAKHERIN YAKOONO BA’DAHUL

the Last, without a last behind Him.

الَّذِىْ قَصُرَتْ عَنْ رُؤْيَتِهٖ اَبْصَارُ النَّاظِرِيْنَ

LAZE QASORAT A’N ROAYATEHI ABSAARUN NAAZEREEN

Beholders’ eyes fall short of seeing Him,

وَ عَجَزَتْ عَنْ نَعْتِهٖ اَوْهَامُ الْوَاصِفِيْنَ

WA A’JAZAT A’N NA’TEHI AWHAAMUL WAASEFEEN

describers’ imaginations are not able to depict Him.

ابْتَدَعَ بِقُدْرَتِهِ الْخَلْقَ ابْتِدَاعًا

IBTADA-A’ BEQUDRATEHIL KHALQAB TEDAA-A’N

He originated the creatures through His power with an origination,

وَ اخْتَرَعَهُمْ عَلٰى مَشِيَّتِهِ اخْتِرَاعًا

WAKH TARA-A’HUM A’LAA MASHIYYATEHIKH TA-RA-A’N

He devised them in accordance with His will with a devising.

ثُمَّ سَلَكَ بِهِمْ طَرِيْقَ اِرَادَتِهٖ

SUMMA SALAKA BEHIM TAREEQA ERAADATEHI

Then He made them walk on the path of His desire,

وَ بَعَثَهُمْ فِىْ سَبِيْلِ مُحَبَّتِهٖ

WA BA-A’SAHUM FEE SABEELE MOHABBATEHI

He sent them out on the way of His love.

لَا يَمْلِكُوْنَ تَاخِيْرًا عَمَّا قَدَّمَهُمْ اِلَيْهِ

LAA YAMLEKOONA TAAKHEERAN A’MMAA QADDAMAHUM ELAYHE

They cannot keep back from that to which He has sent them forward,

وَ لَا يَسْتَطِيْعُوْنَ تَقَدُّمًا اِلٰى مَا اَخَّرَهُمْ عَنْهُ

WA LAA YASTA-TEE-O’ONO TAQADDOMAN ELAA MAA AKKHARAHUM A’NHO

nor can they go forward to that from which He has kept them back.

وَ جَعَلَ لِكُلِّ رُوْحٍ مِنْهُمْ قُوْتًا مَعْلُوْمًا مَقْسُوْمًا مِنْ رِزْقِهٖ

WA JA-A’LA LEKULLE ROOHIM MINHUM QOOTAN MA’LOOMAN MAQSOOMAN MIN RIZQEHI

He assigned from His provision to each of their spirits a nourishment known and apportioned.

لَا يَنْقُصُ مَنْ زَادَهٗ نَاقِصٌ

LAA YANQOSO MAN ZAADAHU NAAQESUN

No decreaser decreases those whom He increases,

وَ لَا يَزِيْدُ مَنْ نَقَصَ مِنْهُمْ زَآئِدٌ

WA LAA YAZEEDO MAN NAQASA MINHUM ZAA-EDUN

no increaser increases those of them whom He decreases.

ثُمَّ ضَرَبَ لَهٗ فِى الْحَيٰوةِ اَجَلًا مَوْقُوْتًا

SUMMA ZARABA LAHU FIL-HAYAATE AJALAN MAWQOOTAN

Then for each spirit He strikes a fixed term in life,

وَ نَصَبَ لَهٗ اَمَدًا مَحْدُوْدًا

WA NASABA LAHU AMADAN MAHDOODAN

for each He sets up a determined end;

يَتَخَطَّاُ اِلَيْهِ بِاَيَّامِ عُمُرِهٖ

YATAKHATTAO ELAYHE BE-AYYAAME O’MOREHI

he walks toward it through the days of his span,

وَ يَرْهَقُهٗ بِاَعْوَامِ دَهْرِهٖ

WA YARHAQOHU BE-A-A’WAAME DAHREHI

he overtakes it through the years of his time.

حَتّٰى اِذَا بَلَغَ اَقْصٰى اَثَرِهٖ

HATTAA EZAA BALAGHA AQSAA ASAREHI

Then, when he takes his final step

وَاسْتَوْعَبَ حِسَابَ عُمُرِهٖ

WAS-TAW-A’BA HESAABA O’MOREHI

and embraces the reckoning of his span,

قَبَضَهٗ اِلٰى مَا نَدَبَهٗ اِلَيْهِ مِنْ مَوْفُوْرِ ثَوَابِهٖ اَوْ مَحْذُوْرِ عِقَابِهٖ

QABAZAHU ELAA MAA NADABAHU ELAYHE MIN MAWFOORE SAWAABEHI AW MAHZOORE E’QAABEHI

Allah seizes him to the abundant reward or the feared punishment to which He has called him,

لِيَجْزِىَ الَّذِيْنَ اَسَآؤُا بِمَا عَمِلُوْا وَ يَجْزِىَ الَّذِيْنَ اَحْسَنُوْا بِالْحُسْنٰى

LEYAJZEYAL LAZEENA ASAAA-OO BEMAA A’MELOO WA YAJZEYAL LAZEENA AHSANOO BIL-HUSNAA

That He may repay those who do evil for what they have done and repay those who do good with goodness,

عَدْلًا مِنْهُ

A’DLAN MINHO

as justice from Him

تَقَدَّسَتْ اَسْمَآؤُهٗ

TAQADDASAT ASMAAA-OHU

(holy are His names,

وَ تَظَاهَرَتْ اٰلَآؤُهٗ

WA TAZAAHARAT AALAAA-OHU

and manifest His boons).

لَا يُسْئَلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَ هُمْ يُسْئَلُوْنَ

LAA YUS-ALO A’MMAA YAF-A’LO WA HUM YUS-ALOON

He shall not be questioned as to what He does, but they shall be questioned.

وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِىْ