Supplication In the Eyes of the Ahl al-Bayt ('a) by Shaykh Muhammad Mahdi al-Asifi Translator and typesetter: Jabir Chandoo Project supervisor: Translation Unit, Cultural Affairs Department Ahl al-Bayt (‗a) World Assembly (ABWA) Published by: Ahlul Bayt World Assembly (ABWA) Keshavarz Blvd., Opposite to Laleh Park, P.O. Box: 14155-7368 Tehran, IRAN Site : www.ahl-ul-bayt.org E-mail: [email protected] © Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) World Assembly (ABWA) Supplication In the Eyes of the Ahl al-Bayt ('a) Title Preface Part 1 Definition of Prayer -The Meaning of Prayer 1. The One called upon 2. The Supplicant 3. The Act of Asking 4. The Object of Prayer -The Value of Prayer -Four Ways of Reaching Allah in the Qur’an -Prayer: the Essence of Worship -Disregard for Prayer is to Turn Away from Allah -Allah Yearns for the Supplication of His Servant -Asking one’s Needs from Other than Allah Part 2 Acceptance of the Prayer -Prayer is Surrounded by Success and Acceptance -Two Benefits of the Acceptance of Prayer -The Relation of the Response to Prayer -Prayer: the Key of Mercy -Action and Prayer: the Two Keys of Allah’s Mercy -The Relation between Prayer and Action -The Relationship between Prayer and the Response -The Need before its Perception and Presentation before Allah -The Need after its Perception and Request -The Three Laws Regarding the Relation between Prayer and the Response -Signs of the Realization of One’s Neediness to Allah -Obstacles of the First Kind -Obstacles of the Second Kind -Delay and Substitution in the Acceptance of a Prayer -Transformation of a Prayer into Deed -The Relation between Prayer and the Response -The Three Stations of Mercy Part 3 Etiquettes and Requisites of Supplication 1. Recognition of Allah 2. Entertaining a Good Opinion of Allah 3. Being in Need of Allah Desperately 4. Entering from the Doors Ordained by Allah -5. Turning of the Heart to Allah 6. Humiliation and Softening the Heart 7. Continuity in Praying in Adversity and Ease 8. Fulfilling the Covenant of Allah -9. Simultaneity of Prayer with Efforts 10. Supplication within the Framework of the Divine Norms 11. Abstinence from Sins 12. Congregation for Supplication and Asking the Believers to say Amin 13. Consistency in Praying to Allah 14. Preparing the Self for Prayer 15. Calling Allah by His Beautiful Names 16. Presenting the Needs before Allah 17. Persistence in Praying 18. Prayer for Others and from Others 19. Supplication at the Time of the Descent of Mercy 20. Praying in the Middle of the Night 21. Wiping the Face and Head after Supplication Part 4 Obstacles and Hindrances -The Role of Sins in Veiling Man from Allah -The Twofold Role of the Soul in Receiving and Giving -The Role of the Soul in Giving Out Guidance -Factors which Cause the Obscurity of the Heart -Sins Invert the Heart -Sins Deprive Man of the Sweetness of Remembrance -Sins that Withhold Prayer -Obstacles and Factors of the Ascension of Deeds -Obstacles of the Ascension of Deeds -Factors of the Ascension of Deeds Part 5 The Means to be Employed when Praying to Allah -Pleading with the Holy Prophet (S) and the Ahl al- Bayt (‘a) -Means of Recourse to Allah in the Supplication of Kumayl -General Frame of the Supplication of Kumayl -Structure of the Supplication of Kumayl -Four Means of Recourse in the Supplication of Kumayl Part 6 Lawful and Unlawful Requests A) Things we should pray for to Allah 1) Blessings on Muhammad (S) and His Progeny (‘a) -An Example of Invoking Blessings on Muhammad (S) and His Progeny (‘a) 2) Praying for the Believers a. Praying for the Believers in General -Examples of Generalization in Prayer -The Three Forms of Prayer in the Qur’an 1. The Prayer of a Person for Himself 2. The Prayer of a Person for Others 3. The Prayer of All for All -An Analysis and Explanation of the Third Form of Prayer b. Praying for Particular Believers 1. Praying for the Believers in their Absence 2. Praying for Forty Believers 3. Giving Preference to Others in Prayer 3) Praying for the Parents 4) Man’s Prayer for Himself 1. Generalization in Prayer 2. Great Needs Should not Stop us from Asking for Smaller Things 3. Praying for the Great Bounties 4. Reliance on the Divine Planning 5. Pleading for the Face of Allah from Allah B) Things We should not Pray for to Allah 1. Petition in Contrary to the Norms of Allah in the Universe and Life 2. Praying for Illegal Things 3. Wishing the Eradication of Blessings from Others 4. Petition Against the Advantage of the Supplicant 5. Seeking Refuge from Test 6. Not to Invoke Evil Upon the Believers -Loving Hearts Cause Allah’s Mercy -Harbouring Deceit for the Believers Causes the Wrath of Allah -Harbouring Evil for the Believers Witholds the Deed from Allah -Allah Never Looks at Those Who Hate the Believers Part 7 Divine Love in the Supplications of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) -The Relation with Allah -Love of Allah -Belief and Love -The Pleasure of Love -Love Compensates the Deficiency of the Deed -Love of Allah Protects Man from the Punishment -Levels of Love -The State of Yearning and Intimacy in Love -Another Illustration -Inspirations and Outflows of the Heart -The Principle of Choice -A Return to the Whispered Prayer of Al-muridin -The Peak and Trough of the Prayer -The Three Means -The First Means: Neediness -The Second Means: Supplication -The Third Means: Love -Another Illustration of the State of Yearning to Allah -Sincerity in Love of Allah -The Jealousy of Allah for His Servant -Love 'of' Allah and 'for' Allah -The First Source of Love 1. Allah Loves His Servants 2. Allah Confers upon His Servants His Love and Affection 3. Allah Shows His Affection toward His Servants Part 8 Sources of Supplications in the Heritage of the Ahl al- Bayt (‘a) -The Importance given by the Companions of the A’immah to the Recording of the Ahadith -The Four Hundred Treatises of Hadith -The Burning of the Heritage of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) at the Hands of Tughril Beg -Immunity of Part of the Heritage of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) from being Destroyed -Immunity of Part of the Source Books on Supplication from being Lost -Supplications handed down to Us Intact through Misbah al-Mutahajjid -Sources of Supplication that reached Ibn Tawus -One Thousand Five Hundred Sources of Hadith and Du‘a’ with Ibn Tawus -Fifteen Books of Sayyid Ibn Tawus on Supplication and Adhkar -Later Source Books of Supplication Part 9 Supplication and the Divine Decree and Destiny -The Law of Causality in History and the Universe -The Relation between the Divine Will and the Law of Causality -The Reign of the Divine Will over the Law of Causality by Itself -The Law of Mediate Causation -The Law of Facilitation -The Absolute Reign of Allah’s Will in the Universe -The Relation between the Will of Allah and the Law of Causality -Change in Allah’s Decree in Creation -Obliteration and Affirmation -The Effect of Belief in Bada’ -Supplication and Bada’ Part 10 Visitation: Its Monotheistic and Political Dimensions -The Family of Monotheism in History -The Inter-connectedness and Reunion between Generations of this Family -The Visitation -A Study of the Concepts which have Appeared in the Texts of the Ziyarat -The Political and Dynamic Aspect in the Ziyarat -Ziyarat within the General Political Relationship 1. Testimony a. Testimony to the Messengership of the Prophet (S) in the First Stage of the Conflict b. Testimony for the Imam (‘a) in the Second Stage of the Conflict c. Testimony on the Second Part of the Dispute on the Interpretation d. Testimony for the Inheritance -The Witness and the Witnessed for 2. The Stand -Friendship and Dissociation -Pleasure and Anger -Peace and Submission -Praying for the Triumph of the Revenge -Prayer for the Revenge -Ziyarat within the Framework of Personal Relationship Part 11 Bibliography Preface In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful The precious legacy left behind by the Holy Prophet‘s Household {ahl al-bayt} (may peace be upon them all) and their followers‘ preservation of this legacy from the menace of extinction is a perfect example of an all-encompassing school {maktab}, which embraces the different branches of Islamic knowledge. This school has been able to train many talented personalities by quenching them with this gushing fountain. This school has presented scholars to the Muslim ummah who, by following the Holy Prophet‘s Household (‘a), have occupied the station of clarifying doubts and skepticisms brought forth by various creeds and intellectual currents both inside and outside Muslim society. Throughout the past centuries, they have presented the firmest answers and solutions to these doubts. Anchored in the responsibilities it is shouldering, the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a) World Assembly has embarked upon defending the sanctity of risalah {messenger ship} and its authentic beliefs— truths which have always been opposed by the chiefs and leaders of anti-Islamic sects, religions and trends. In this sacred path, the Assembly regards itself as a follower of the upright pupils of the school of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a)—those who have always been ready to refute those accusations and calumnies and have tried to be always in the frontline of this struggle on the basis of the expediencies of time and space. The experiences in this field, which have been preserved in the books of scholars belonging to the school of the Ahl al-Bayt (‘a), are unique in their own right.