General Ta'qeebaat-1

Text and Translation

Tasbeeh al-Zahra

First: The traditions, reported from the Holy Imams (a.s.) about the merit of Tasbeeh al-Zahra, are too many to be counted. Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) is reported to have said, “We order our boys to do Tasbih al-Zahra’ in the same effect that we order them to perform the obligatory prayers. Hence, you should abide by it, because misery will never find a way to a servant who constantly say it.”

According to validly reported traditions, the “frequent remembrance” that is mentioned and ordered in the Holy Qur’an indicates Tasbeeh al-Zahra; therefore, whoever abides by it will have remembered Almighty Allah frequently and carried out the order decreed in this holy verse:

فَاذْكُرُوْا للهَ ذِكْرًا كَثِيْرًا

FAZ-KORUL LAAHA ZIKRAN KASEERAN

So remember Allah with much remembrance.

Through a valid chain of authority (i.e. sanad), Imam al-Baqir (a.s.) is reported to have said, “Whoever glorifies Almighty Allah with the doxology (zikr) (Tasbeeh) of Fatimah (a.s.) and then ends it with imploring Almighty Allah’s forgiveness, Almighty Allah will forgive him. This doxology (zikr) is one hundred (words) with tongues, but one thousand (rewards) in the Scale. It also dismisses Satan and pleases the Lord.”

Through an authentic (i.e. saheeh) chain of authority, Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) is reported to have said, “Whoever glorifies Almighty Allah with the doxology (zikr) (Tasbeeh) of Fatimah (a.s.) before he extends his legs after an obligatory prayer, Almighty Allah will forgive him and Paradise will be absolutely decided for him.”

Through another valid (i.e. mo’tabar) chain of authority, Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) is reported to have said, “The doxology (zikr) of Fatimah al-Zahra (a.s.) subsequent to every obligatory prayer is dearer to me than offering one thousand units of prayer every day.”

According to another validly reported tradition, Imam al-Baqir (a.s.) is reported to have said, “No statements of glorification and adoration through which Almighty Allah is worshipped can be better than the doxology (zikr) of Fatimah (a.s.). If there had been any thing better than this, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) would certainly have given to Fatimah (a.s.).”

In conclusion, the traditions about the merits of Tasbih al-Zahra are too numerable to be all mentioned here.

Although traditions have not mentioned a unanimous method of Tasbeeh al-Zahra, the most famous and apparent method is as follows:

Repeat the following phrase thirty-four times:

اَللهُ اَكْبَرُ

ALLAAHO AKBARO

Allah is the Greatest.

Repeat the following phrase thirty-three times:

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ

ALHAMDO LILLAAHE

All praise is due to Allah.

Repeat the following phrase thirty-three times:

سُبْحَانَ اللهِ

SUBHAANAL LAAHE

Glory be to Allah.

However, some traditions have mentioned that the last statement (i.e. سُبْحَانَ اللهِ) is preceded to the second (i.e. اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ). Some scholars have therefore tried to bring all the traditions to agreement, by saying that the earlier method may be said after the obligatory prayers while the latter may be said before sleep. However, the earlier method, which is the most famous, may be apparently applied before sleep and after obligatory prayers. It is a tradition (i.e. confirmedly recommended) to say the following statement after accomplishing Tasbeeh al-Zahra:

لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللهُ

LAA ELAAHA ILLAL LAAHO

There is no god but Allah.

Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) is reported to have said, “Whoever glorifies (Almighty Allah) with Tasbeeh al-Zahra after every obligatory prayer and follows it with لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللهُ, Almighty Allah will forgive him.”

Miscellaneous

Second: It is recommended to utter the Takbeer statement three times immediately after accomplishing any obligatory prayer, raising the hands to the level of the face at uttering each statement and then putting them down to the knees or a close place.

Ali ibn Tawus and Ibn Baabwayh (i.e. Shaykh al-Saduq) have reported through valid chains of authority that al-Mufazzal ibn Umar asked Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) to tell him why a performer of prayer, immediately upon the accomplishment of prayers, raises his hand three times while uttering the Takbeer statement. The Imam (a.s.) said:

This is because when the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) conquered Makkah, he led his companions in the Zohr prayer of that day near the Black Stone. When he accomplished the prayer, he raised his hands and uttered the Takbeer statement three times. He then said:

لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَحْدَهٗ وَحْدَهٗ وَحْدَهٗ اَنْجَزَ وَعْدَهٗ وَ نَصَرَ عَبْدَهٗ وَ اَعَزَّ جُنْدَهٗ وَ غَلَبَ الْاَحْزَابَ وَحْدَهٗ فَلَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ يُحْيِىْ وَيُمِيْتُ وَيُمِيْتُ وَيُحْيِيْ وَ هُوَ حَيٌّ لَا يَمُوْتُ بِيَدِهِ الْخَيْرُ وَ هُوَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيْرٌ.

LAA ELAAHA ILLAL LAAHO WAHDAHU WAHDAHU WAHDAHU ANJAZA WA’DAHU WA NASARA A’BDAHU WA A-A’ZZA JUNDAHU WA GHALABAL AHZAABA WAHDAHU FALAHUL MULKO WA LAHUL HAMDO YOHYEE WA YOMEETO WA YOMEETO WA YOHYEE WA HOWA HAYYUN LAA YAMOOTO BEYADEHIL KHAYRO WA HOWA A’LAA KULLE SHAY-IN QADEERUN.

There is no god but Allah, Alone, Alone, Alone. He fulfilled His promise, helped His servant, strengthened His army, and defeated the confederates Alone. To Him belongs the sovereignty and to Him belongs all praise. He gives life and causes death, and He causes death and gives life; He is the Ever-Living Who does not die. In His hand is all good, and He is powerful over all things.

The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) then faced his companions and said, “Do not miss uttering this Takbeer statement after every obligatory prayer, for whoever does so after the accomplishment of the prayer and says these words, will have thanked Almighty Allah as exactly as required for He has strengthened Islam and its troops.”

According to an authentic tradition, when Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) accomplished the prayer, he would raise the hands above the level of the head and supplicate Almighty Allah.

Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s.) is reported to have said, “Whenever a servant (of God) raises the hands towards Almighty Allah, the Almighty would be too shy to make that hand return empty. Hence, whenever you supplicate Him, do not return your hands to their natural position before you pass them over your faces.”

Third: Through a valid chain of authority, Shaykh al-Kulayni reports Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (a.s.) as saying, “Whoever repeats this imploration of forgiveness three times after the obligatory prayer before he changes the position of his feet, Almighty Allah will forgive his sins even if they were as massive as foams of oceans:

اَسْتَغْفِرُ اللّٰهَ الَّذِىْ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ الْحَىُّ الْقَيُّوْمُ ذُو الْجَلَالِ وَ الْاِكْرَامِ وَ اَتُوْبُ اِلَيْهِ

ASTAGHFERUL LAAHAL LAZEE LAA ELAAHA ILLAA HOWAL HAYYUL QAYYOOMO ZUL JALAALE WAL IKRAAME WA ATOOBO ELAYHE.

I seek forgiveness from Allah, other than Whom there is no god, the Ever-Living, the Self-Sustaining, the Possessor of Majesty and Honor, and I turn to Him in repentance.

According to another report, whoever says this imploration of forgiveness every day, Almighty Allah will forgive forty of his grand sins.

Fourth: Shaykh al-Kulayni reports Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) as saying, “Do not miss saying the following guard-seeking supplication after each prayer:

اُعِيْذُ نَفْسِىْ وَ مَا رَزَقَنِىْ رَبِّىْ بِاللّٰهِ الْوَاحِدِ الصَّمَدِ الَّذِىْ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُوْلَدْ وَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهٗ كُفُوًا اَحَدٌ وَ اُعِيْذُ نَفْسِىْ وَ مَا رَزَقَنِىْ رَبِّى بِرَبِّ الْفَلَقِ مِنْ شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ وَمِنْ شِرِّ غَاسِقٍ اِذَا وَقَبَ وَمِنْ شَرِّ النَّفَّاثَاتِ فِى الْعُقَدِ وَ مِنْ شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ اِذَا حَسَدَ وَ اُعِيْذُ نَفْسِىْ وَمَا رَزَقَنِىْ رَبِّى بِرَبِّ النَّاسِ مَلِكِ النَّاسِ اِلٰهِ النَّاسِ مِنْ شَرِّ الْوَسْوَاسِ الْخَنَّاسِ الَّذِىْ يُوَسْوِسُ فِىْ صُدُوْرِ النَّاسِ مِنَ الْجِنَّةِ وَالنَّاسِ.

O-E’EZO NAFSEE WA MAA RAZAQANEE RABBEE BILLAAHIL WAAHEDIS SAMADIL LAZEE LAM YALID WA LAM YOOLAD WA LAM YAKUL LAHU KOFOWAN AHAD, WA O-E’EZO NAFSEE WA MAA RAZAQANEE RABBEE BERABBIL FALAQE MIN SHARRE MAA KHALAQA WA MIN SHARRE GHAASEQIN EZAA WAQABA WA MIN SHARRIN NAFFAASAATE FIL O’QADE WA MIN SHARRE HAASEDIN EZAA HASAD, WA O-E’EZO NAFSEE WA MAA RAZAQANEE RABBEE BERABBIN NAASE MALEKIN NAASE ELAAHIN NAASE MIN SHARRIL WASWAASIL KHANNAASIL LAZEE YOWASWESO FEE SODOORIN NAASE MENAL JINNATE WAN NAAS.

I seek refuge for myself and what my Lord has provided me with Allah, the One, on Whom all depend, Who neither begets nor is born, and And none is like Him. And I seek refuge for myself and what my Lord has provided me with the Lord of the daybreak, from the evil of that which He created, and from the evil of darkness when it settles, and from the evil of the blowers in knots, and from the evil of an envious when he envies. And I seek refuge for myself and what my Lord has provided me with the Lord of mankind, the Sovereign of mankind, the God of mankind, from the evil of the retreating whisperer—who whispers into the breasts of mankind—from among the jinn and mankind.

Fifth: In a valid tradition, al-Kulayni has reported on the authority of Ali ibn Mahziyar that Muhammad ibn Ibrahim wrote the following letter to (Imam) Abu’l-Hasan al-Naqi(a.s.): “If you do not mind, sir; teach me a supplicatory prayer that I may say after my prayers and due to which Almighty Allah may give me together the wealth of this worldly life and the goodness of the Hereafter.” Replying him, the Imam (a.s.) wrote back, “You may say (the following):

اَعُوْذُ بِوَجْهِكَ الْكَرِيْمِ وَعِزَّتِكَ الَّتِىْ لَا تُرَامُ وَقُدْرَتِكَ الَّتِىْ لَا يَمْتَنِعُ مِنْهَا شَىْءٌ مِنْ شَرِّ الدُّنْيَا وَالْاٰخِرَةِ وَمِنْ شَرِّ الْاَوْجَاعِ كُلِّهَا.

A-O’OZO BE-WAJHEKAL KAREEME WA I’ZZATEKAL LATEE LAA TORAAMO WA QUDRATEKAL LATEE LAA YAMTANE-O’ MINHAA SHAY-UN MIN SHARRID DUNYAA WAL AAKHERATE WA MIN SHARRIL AWJAA-E’ KULLEHAA.

I seek refuge in Your Noble Face, and Your Might which cannot be overcome, and Your Power from which nothing can escape, from the evil of this world and the Hereafter, and from the evil of all pains.

According to other forms of the tradition, the following has been added to the supplicatory prayer:

وَ لَا حَوْلَ وَ لَا قُوَّةَ اِلَّا بِاللّٰهِ الْعَلِىِّ الْعَظِيْمِ.

WA LAA HAWLA WA LAA QUWWATA ILLAA BILLAAHIL A’LIYYIL A’ZEEME.

And there is no power nor strength except with Allah, the High, the Great.

Sixth: Al-Kulayni and Ibn Baabwayh have both reported through authentic and inauthentic chains of authority that Imam al-Baqir and Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) said, “The least acceptable supplicatory prayer to be said after obligatory prayers is the following:

اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّىْ اَسْئَلُكَ مِنْ كُلِّ خَيْرٍ اَحَاطَ بِهٖ عِلْمُكَ وَاَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ كُلِّ شَرٍّ اَحَاطَ بِهٖ عِلْمُكَ اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّىْ اَسْئَلُكَ عَافِيَتَكَ فِىْ اُمُوْرِىْ كُلِّهَا وَ اَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ خِزْىِ الدُّنْيَا وَ عَذَابِ الْاٰخِرَةِ.

ALLAAHUMMA INNEE AS-ALOKA MIN KULLE KHAYRIN AHAATA BEHI I’LMOKA WA A-O’OZO BEKA MIN KULLE SHARRIN AHAATA BEHI I’LMOKA ALLAAHUMMA INNEE AS-ALOKA A’AFEYATEKA FEE OMOOREE KULLEHAA WA A-O’OZO BEKA MIN KHIZYID DUNYAA WA A’ZAABIL AAKHERATE.

O Allah, I ask You for every good that Your knowledge encompasses, and I seek refuge in You from every evil that Your knowledge encompasses. O Allah, I ask You for Your protection in all my affairs, and I seek refuge in You from the disgrace of this world and the punishment of the Hereafter.

According to Ibn Baabwayh’s report of the same tradition, you may begin the aforesaid supplicatory prayer with the following statement:

اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَاٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ.

ALLAAHUMMA SALLE A’LAA MOHAMMADIN WA AALE MOHAMMADIN.

O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad.

Seventh: It is a strongly confirmed tradition to say the following supplicatory prayer upon the accomplishment of prayers:

اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَاٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اَجِرْنِىْ مِنَ النَّارِ وَ اَدْخِلْنِى الْجَنَّةَ وَ زَوِّجْنِى الْحُوْرَ الْعِيْنَ.

ALLAAHUMMA SALLE A’LAA MOHAMMADIN WA AALE MOHAMMADIN WA AJIRNEE MENAN NAARE WA ADKHILNIL JANNATE WA ZAWWIJNIL HOORAL E’ENA.

O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad; grant me protection from the Fire, admit me into Paradise, and join me in marriage with the Hoor al-Iyn.

According to a valid tradition, Imam Ali Ameer al-Momineen (a.s.) is reported to have said, “A servant (of Allah) must not finish his prayer before beseeching Allah to grant him Paradise, save him from Hellfire, and give him in marriage the Paradisiacal women.”

Merits of reciting Aayah al-Kursi, Aayah al-Shahaadah, Aayah al-Mulk

Eighth: Through an authenticated (i.e. muwassaq) chain of authority, Imam al-Sadiq (a.s.) is reported to have said:

When the following verses (of the Holy Qur’an) were ordered by Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, to descend to the earth, they held fast to the Divine Throne and said, “O Lord! Where are ordering us to descend? Is it to the people of evildoings and sins?” Therefore, Allah, the Almighty and Majestic, revealed to them, saying, “Descend! By My Almightiness and Majesty I take this oath; no one of Muhammad’s family and their adherents (Shi’ah) reads you but that I shall most certainly look at him with my Hidden Eye seventy times every day. In each look, I settle seventy of his needs and accept him despite of his acts of disobedience (to Me).”

According to another form of the same tradition, Almighty Allah has said, “Whoever recites these verses immediately after each prayer, I will allow him to dwell under the shed of My Sacredness despite of his acts of disobedience to Me. If I do not do that, I will settle seventy of his needs every day, the least of which is that I forgive his sins. If I do not do that either, I will protect him from Satan and from every enemy of his, I will grant him victory against these enemies, and nothing will prevent him from entering Paradise except death.”

These verses are the following:

(1) Surah al-Faatehah.

(2) Ayah al-Kursi along with the two verses (2:255-257)

اَللّٰهُ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ الْحَىُّ الْقَيُّوْمُۚ لَا تَاْخُذُهٗ سِنَةٌ وَّلَا نَوْمٌؕ لَهٗ مَا فِى السَّمٰوٰتِ وَمَا فِى الْاَرْضِؕ مَنْ ذَا الَّذِىْ يَشْفَعُ عِنْدَهٗۤ اِلَّا بِاِذْنِهٖؕ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ اَيْدِيْهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْۚ وَلَا يُحِيْطُوْنَ بِشَىْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهٖۤ اِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَالْاَرْضَۚ وَلَا يَئُوْدُهٗ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَ هُوَ الْعَلِىُّ الْعَظِيْمُ‏(255)

ALLAAHO LAA ELAAHA ILLAA HOWAL, HAYYUL QAYYOOM, LAA TAA-KHOZOHU SENATUNW WA LAA NAUM, LAHU MAA FIS SAMAAWAATE WA MAA FIL ARZE, MAN ZAL LAZEE YASHFAO’ I’NDAHU ILLAA BE-IZNEH, YA’LAMO MAA BAYNA AYDEEHIM WA MAA KHALFAHUM, WA LAA YOHEETOONA BE-SHAY-IM MIN I’LMEHI ILLAA BEMAA SHAA-A, WASEA’ KURSIYYOHUS SAMAAWAATE WAL ARZ, WA LAA YA-OODOHU HIFZOHOMAA WA HOWAL A’LIYYUL A’ZEEM.

Allah is He besides Whom there is no god, the Everliving, the Self-subsisting by Whom all subsist; slumber does not overtake Him nor sleep; whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth is His; who is he that can intercede with Him but by His permission? He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they cannot comprehend anything out of His knowledge except what He pleases, His knowledge extends over the heavens and the earth, and the preservation of them both tires Him not, and He is the Most High, the Great.

لَاۤ اِكْرَاهَ فِى الدِّيْنِۙ  قَد تَّبَيَّنَ الرُّشْدُ مِنَ الْغَىِّۚ فَمَنْ يَّكْفُرْ بِالطَّاغُوْتِ وَيُؤْمِنْۢ بِاللّٰهِ فَقَدِ اسْتَمْسَكَ بِالْعُرْوَةِ الْوُثْقٰى لَا انْفِصَامَ لَهَا ؕ وَاللّٰهُ سَمِيْعٌ عَلِيْمٌ‏(256)