Such an attitude can never be expected of Thee (O my
God) nor Thy Kindness and Grace will allow me to hold
such a belief, 0 Generous One!
15
O Lord! Thou art aware of my weakness to bear even
minor afflictions and calamities of this world or their
consequences, and also of adversities which befall men
inhabiting this world, though all those trials and afflictions
are momentary, short lived and transient.
(Lord!) How can I bear the retributions and the
punishments of the hereafter which are enormous and of
intensive sufferings, of prolonged period or of perpetual
duration, and which shall never be re-
56
duced or alleviated for those who deserve these pun-
ishments; because those retributions will be the result of
Thy Wrath, Thy Punishment and Thy Anger which neither
the heavens nor the earth can with-stand and bear.
O my Lord! how can I, a weak, insignificant, humble,
poor, and destitute creature of Thine bear them?
16
O my God! My Lord! My King and my Master! about
how many things (of hell) shall I complain to Thee and
about how many shall I bewail and weep;
About the pain and pangs of punishment and its intensity
or about the prolongation of sufferings and their duration.
Because, my Lord! if Thou wilt submit me to the
penalties (of Hell) together with Thy enemies and cast me
with those who deserved those punishments,
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and if Thou wilt separate me from Thy friends and from
those who love Thee, I realise that Thou hast the right to
do so, but my God, my Lord and my Master! (please let me
submit that) though I may patiently bear Thy punishments,
how can I calmly accept the separation from Thee (Thy
Grace and Mercy?)
(And) please Lord, let me submit that though I may
patiently endure the scorching fire of Thy hell, yet how can
I resign myself to the denial of Thy pity and clemency; how
can I remain in the fire (of hell) while I have hopes of Thy
forgiveness?
17
Truly do I swear by my honour, O my Lord and O my
Master that, if Thou wilt allow my power of speech to be
retained by me, I will, from amongst the inmates (of hell) ,
cry out unto Thee with the cry of those who have faith in
Thy Kindness and Compassion.
And I shall loudly beseech Thee for help and
58
mercy with the voice of those who shriek for succour, and I
shall lament like those who are desperately in need of Thy
help, and I shall keep on calling unto Thee; "Where art
Thou, 0 Friend of the believers! 0 (Thou who art) the last
hope and re-sort of those who have faith in Thy Clemency
and Kindness; 0 the Helper of those who seek Thy help! 0
(Thou who art) dear to the hearts of those who truly
believe in Thee and 0 (Thou who art) the Lord of the
Universe."
Seest Thou my plight, O my Lord! Glory and Praise be
unto Thee, Thou wilt be hearing from in-side hell the voice
of Thy humble creature (myself) who is thrown in there in
punishment for his disobedience and who tastes the
chastisements (of hell) for his sins, and who is confined
within its layers because of his crimes and vices and who
cries to Thee (my Lord) with the voice of one who has faith
in Thy Mercy and calls out to Thee in the language of those
who believe in Thy Unity, and who seeks Thy Grace and
Help (with a firm belief) in Thy Authority and Lordship.
59
18
O my Lord!
How could he remain in the abode of chastisement who
puts his confidence in Thy past Forbearance and Clemency?
How could the fire of hell hurt him who has hope in Thy
Kindness and Compassion?
How could the flames of hell burn anybody while Thou
hearest his voice and seest his plight?
How could the roaring (fires) of hell terrify any-one
whose weaknesses Thou art aware of?
How can he, whose sincerity is known to Thee, be tossed
into the layers of hell?
How can the flames of hell torture him who keeps on
calling Thee as his Lord?
How is it possible that while a person has faith in Thy
Kindness and Mercy to set him free from
60
hell, Thou shouldst abandon him there?
No, my Lord! nobody can believe Thee to be thus,
neither Thy Grace has such a reputation, nor has' Thou
through Goodness and Clemency ever dealt in this way
with those who have faith in Thy Unity.
19
I am positively certain (my Lord) that hadst Thou not
ordained punishment for those who disbelieve in Thee,
and hadst Thou not decreed Thy enemies to remain in
hell, Thou wouldst have turned the fire of hell cold and
pleasant, and it (the burning and blazing hell) would never
have become an abode or a halting place for any one.
But sanctified be Thy names, Thou hast sworn to fill
hell with all the. disbelievers from amongst the 'inns and
mankind and to throw in it (hell) all Thy enemies (and to
keep them there) forever.
Thou, exalted be Thy praise, bath said in the be-
61
ginning and, out of Thy Generosity and Kindness hath
come to the generous decision that faithful followers (of
Thy Orders) can never be (treated) like those who are
sinners.
20
my Lord! My Master!
I, therefore, implore Thee by that Power and Might
which Thou possesseth and by that faith of Thine (not to
treat alike the good and bad) which Thou hast finalised and
ordained and thereby hath overpowered those upon whom
Thou hast imposed it, to forgive tonight and during this
very hour all the transgressions that I am guilty of,
All the sins that I have committed, all the vices that I
have kept secret and all the evil deeds that I have done,
which I may have done secretly or openly, and which I may
have tried to keep hidden or may have committed publicly,
and all my evil actions that Thou hast ordered the two
immaculate
62
(and accurate) Scribes to not down, they are appointed by
Thee to keep a correct record of all of my actions and to act
along with the limbs of my body as witnesses to all of my
doings and beside them all Thou (my Lord) doeth. keep a
watch over me.
And Thou knowest the things which have been hidden
from them, but hast through Thy Mercy kept my vices
secret (from everybody) and through Thy Kindness drawn a
curtain over them.
And I pray to Thee (my Lord) to increase my share in all
the good that Thou dost bestow; and all the favours that
Thou dost grant; all the virtues that Thou dost allow to be
known everywhere; all the sustenance and livelihood that
Thou dost distribute (in greater and greater quantities) ;
All the sins that Thou dost forgive and all the vices that
Thou dost cover up.
63
21
O Lord! O Lord! O Lord!
O my God! my Lord! my King!
O Master of my freedom! O Thou! who holdeth my
destiny and art aware of my suffering and my poverty, O
Thou! who knoweth my destitution and starvation, O Lord!
O Lord! O Lord!
I beseech Thee by Thy Glory and Thy Honour, by Thy
Supremely high attributes and Thy Names to make me busy
day and night with Thy Remembrance, engaged in serving
Thee (Thy Cause) and to let my deeds be such as to be
acceptable to Thee, so much so that all my actions and
offerings (prayers) may be transformed into one continuous
and sustained effort and my life may take the form of
constant and perpetual service to Thee (Thy Cause) .
22
O My Master! O Thou! on whom I rely, O Thou!
64
unto whom I supplicate about (the miseries and sufferings
of) my life.
O my Lord! my Lord! my Lord!
Strengthen my limbs for Thy service and sustain my'
strength and perseverance to continue it.
(Lord) Grant me that I may continuously endeavour to
keep Thy fear (in my mind) and to be occupied constantly
in Thy service,
till I can successfully compete (with nose striving) to reach
Thee (Thy Grace) faster and quicker than the ones who are
in the first rank; and I may has-ten with those who eagerly
surge to be near Thee, so that I may be as close to Thee as
those sincere ones who are attained Thy nearness, and I
may on fearing Thee like those sincere believers who
constantly keep Thy fear in their minds and thus I may join
the assemblage of the faithful (gathered) near Thee.
0 Allah, (please) let ill befall on him who wishes
65
me ill, (please) bring distress to him who plots against me.
And assign unto me a place in Thy presence with the best
of Thy servants whose place is nearest to Thee. for verily
that position cannot be attained except through Thy Favour.
Lord! please treat me benevolently and through Thy
Greatness extend Thy Favour towards me, and through Thy
Mercy protect me and let my tongue be constantly busy in
Thy Remembrance and let my heart be filled with Thy love
and be kind to me with Gracious acceptance ,of my service
and prayers), and weaken the force and intensity of my vices
and forgive my evil doings.
For verily, Thou hast ordained that Thy creatures should
obey Thee and hast bidden them to pray unto Thee and hast
assured their acceptance.
24
So, my Lord! I have fixed my gaze upon Thee
66
and my Lord! I have extended my hands (in sup-
plications) towards Thee.
Therefore, for the sake of Thy Honour accept my prayers
and allow me to attain my objective; and by Thy Favour (I
implore Thee) do not frustrate my hopes, and thoroughly
protect me from the enmity and malice of my foes, from
among the Jinn and mankind.
O Thou! Who art readily pleased, forgive one who
owes nothing but prayers, verily Thou doest what Thou
wilt.
O Thou! Whose name is the remedy (for all ills) and
whose Remembrance is a sure cure for all ailments, and
whose obedience will make one independent of all, have
Mercy on one whose only asset is his hope (in Thy
Kindness and Mercy) and whose only armament is
supplication to Thee.
O Thou! Who bestoweth cure and happiness, Who
granteth remedy and blessings and Who war-
67
deth off misfortunes, O Light Who illuminateth those who
are in darkness (of sins and sorrows), O Omniscient! Who
knoweth without (acquisition of) learning, bless
Muhammad and the descendants of Muhammad and do
that unto me which befitteth Thee (Thy Mercy, Kindness
and Grace) .
And my Lord! bless Muhammad and the blessed leaders
amongst his descendants and bestow upon them peace and
tranquillity to the utmost extent that Thou canst.
