Bidding Farewell to Imam Ali (a.s.) — Najaf

Text and Translation

Bidding Farewell to Imam `Ali (as)

One who intends to leave the holy shrine of Imam `Ali (‘a) may say the following form of bidding farewell, which has been mentioned by the scholars after the previously cited fifth form of ziyarah:

اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ وَرَحْمَةُ ٱللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ

alssalamu `alayka wa rahmatu allahi wa barakatuhu

Peace and Allah’s mercy and blessings be upon you.

أَسْتَوْدِعُكَ ٱللَّهَ وَأَسْتَرْعِيكَ وَأَقْرَأُ عَلَيْكَ ٱلسَّلاَمَ

astawdi`uka allaha wa astar`ika wa aqra'u `alayka alssalama

I entrust you with Allah and ask Him to keep you under His custody and to send blessings upon you.

آمَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَبِٱلرُّسُلِ وَبِمَا جَاءَتْ بِهِ

amanna billahi wa bilrrusuli wa bima ja'at bihi

We believe in Allah, in the Messengers, and in what they have conveyed to us,

وَدَعَتْ إِلَيْهِ وَدَلَّتْ عَلَيْهِ

wa da`at ilayhi wa dallat `alayhi

in that to which they have called, and in that to which they have guided.

فَٱكْتُبْنَا مَعَ الشَّاهِدِينَ

faktubna ma`a alshshahidina

So, (please, our Lord,) include us with the witnesses.

اَللَّهُمَّ لاَ تَجْعَلْهُ آخِرَ الْعَهْدِ مِنْ زِيَارَتِي إِيَّاهُ

allahumma la taj`alhu akhira al`ahdi min ziyarati iyyahu

O Allah, (please) do not decide this visit of mine to him (i.e. the Imam) to be the last,

فَإِنْ تَوَفَّيْتَنِي قَبْلَ ذٰلِكَ

fa'in tawaffaytani qabla dhalika

and if you cause me to die before that,

فَإِنِّي أَشْهَدُ فِي مَمَاتِي

fa'inni ashhadu fi mamati

then I bear witness in my death

عَلَىٰ مَا شَهِدْتُ عَلَيْهِ فِي حَيَاتِي

`ala ma shahidtu `alayhi fi hayati

to the same things to which I have born witness in my lifetime:

أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ أَمِيرَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلِيّاً

ashhadu anna amira almu'minina `aliyyan

I bear witness that `Ali the Commander of the Faithful,

وَٱلْحَسَنَ وَٱلْحُسَيْنَ

walhasana walhusayna

and al-Hasan, al-Husayn,

وَعَلِيَّ بْنَ ٱلْحُسَيْنِ

wa `aliyya bna alhusayni

`Ali ibn al-Husayn,

وَمُحَمَّدَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ

wa muhammada bna `aliyyin

Muhammad ibn `Ali,

وَجَعْفَرَ بْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ

wa ja`fara bna muhammadin

Ja`far ibn Muhammad,

وَمُوسَىٰ بْنَ جَعْفَرٍ

wa musa bna ja`farin

Musa ibn Ja`far,

وَعَلِيَّ بْنَ مُوسَىٰ

wa `aliyya bna musa

`Ali ibn Musa,

وَمُحَمَّدَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ

wa muhammada bna `aliyyin

Muhammad ibn `Ali,

وَعَلِيَّ بْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ

wa `aliyya bna muhammadin

`Ali ibn Muhammad,

وَٱلْحَسَنَ بْنَ عَلِيٍّ

walhasana bna `aliyyin

al-Hasan ibn `Ali,

وَٱلْحُجَّةَ بنَ الْحَسَنِ

walhujjata bna alhasani

and al-Hujjah (the Argument of Allah) ibn al-Hasan—

صَلَوَاتُكَ عَلَيْهِمْ أَجْمَعِينَ أَئِمَّتِي

salawatuka `alayhim ajma`ina a'immati

may Your blessings be upon all of them—are my Imams.

وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مَنْ قَتَلَهُمْ وَحَارَبَهُمْ مُشْرِكُونَ

wa ashhadu anna man qatalahum wa harabahum mushrikuna

I also bear witness that all of those who have slain and fought against them are polytheists

وَمَنْ رَدَّ عَلَيْهِمْ فِي أَسْفَلِ دَرَكٍ مِنَ ٱلْجَحِيمِ

wa man radda `alayhim fi asfali darakin min aljahimi

and that all of those who reject them shall be in the lowest class of Hellfire.

وَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مَنْ حَارَبَهُمْ لَنَا أَعْدَاءٌ

wa ashhadu anna man harabahum lana a`da'un

I also bear witness that those who have fought against the Imams are our enemies

وَنَحْنُ مِنْهُمْ بُرَاءُ

wa nahnu minhum bura'u

and we disavow them,

وَأَنَّهُمْ حِزْبُ ٱلشَّيْطَانِ

wa annahum hizbu alshshaytani

because they are indeed the party of Satan.