THE WHISPERED PRAYER OF THE REPENTERS

THE WHISPERED PRAYER OF THE REPENTERS 

 مناجاة التائبين

(Taibeen)

Imam Zein Al Abideen

My God, offenses have clothed me in the garment of my lowliness,

ilaaheee al-basat-neel-khat'aayaa thaw-ba mad'al-latee

إلـٰهِي أَلْبَسَتْنِي الْخَطايا ثَوْبَ مَذَلَّتِي،

separation from You has wrapped me in the clothing of my misery!

wa jal-lalaneet-tabaau'du minka libaasa mas-kanatee

وَجَلَّلَنِي التَّباعُدُ مِنْكَ لِباسَ مَسْكَنَتِي،

My dreadful crimes have deadened my heart,

wa amaata qal-bee a'z'eemu jinaayatee

وَأَماتَ قَلْبِي عَظِيمُ جِنايَتِي،

so bring it to life by a repentance from You! O my hope and my aim!

faah'-yihee bitaw-batim-minka yaaa amalee wa bugh-yatee

فَأَحْيِه بِتَوْبَةٍ مِنْكَ يا أَمَلِي وَبُغْيَتِي،

O my wish and my want!

wa yaa soo-lee wa munyatee

وَيا سُؤْلِي وَمُنْيَتِي،

By Your might, I find no one but You to forgive my sins

fawai'z-zatik maaa ajidu lid'unoobee siwaaka ghafiraa

فَوَعِزَّتِكَ ما أَجِدُ لِذُنُوبِي سِواكَ غافِراً،

and I see none but You to mend my brokenness!

wa laaa araa likas-ree ghay-raka jaabiraa

وَلا أَرَىٰ لِكَسْرِي غَيْرَكَ جابِراً،

I have subjected myself to You in repeated turning,

wa qad khaz''aa'-tu bil-inaabati ilay-k

وَقَدْ خَضَعْتُ بِالإِنابَةِ إلَيْكَ

I have humbled myself to You in abasement.

wa a'naw-tu bilis-tikaanati laday-k

وَعَنَوْتُ بِالاسْتِكانَةِ لَدَيْكَ،

If You cast me out from Your door, in whom shall I take shelter?

fa in t'arat-tanee mim-baabika fabiman alood'

فَإنْ طَرَدْتَنِي مِنْ بابِكَ فَبِمَنْ أَلُوذُ؟

If You repell me from Your side, in whom shall I seek refuge?

wa ir-radat-tanee a'n janaabika fabiman au'wd'

وَإنْ رَدَدْتَنِي عَنْ جَنابِكَ فَبِمَنْ أَعُوذُ؟

O my grief at my ignominy and disgrace!

fawaaa asafaahoo min khaj-latee wa af-tiz''aah'ee

فَوَا أَسَفاهُ مِنْ خَجْلَتِي وَافْتِضَاحِي،

O my sorrow at my evil works and what I have committed!

wa waa lah-fahoo min sooo-i a'malee wa aj-tiraah'ee

وَوا لَهْفاهُ مِنْ سُوءِ عَمَلِي وَاجْتِراحِي.

I ask You, O Forgiver of great sins,

as-aluka  yaa ghaafirad'-d'ambil-kabeer

أَسْأَلُكَ يا غافِرَ الذَّنْبِ الْكَبِيرِ

O Mender of broken bones,

wa yaa jaabiral-a'z'-mil-kaseer

وَيا جابِرَ الْعَظْمِ الْكَسِيرِ،

to overlook my ruinous misdeeds

an tahaba lee

moobiqaatil-jaraaa-ir

أَنْ تَهَبَ لِي مُوبِقاتِ الْجَرائِرِ،

and cover my disgraceful secret thoughts!

wa tas-tura a'lay-ya faaz''ih'aatis-saraaa-ir

وَتَسْتُرَ عَلَيَّ فاضِحاتِ السَّرائِرِ،

At the witnessing place of the Resurrection, empty me not of the coolness of Your pardon and forgiveness,

wa laa tukh-linee fee mash-hadil-qeeaamati mim-bar-di a'f-wika wa ghaf-rik

وَلا تُخْلِنِي فِي مَشْهَدِ الْقِيامَةِ مِنْ بَرْدِ عَفْوِكَ وَغَفْرِكَ،

and strip me not of Your beautiful forbearance and covering!

wa laa tua'-rinee min jameeli s'af-h'ika wa sat-rik

وَلا تُعْرِنِي مِنْ جَمِيلِ صَفْحِكَ وَسَتْرِكَ.

My God, let the cloud of Your mercy cast its shadow upon my sins

ilaahee z'al-lil a'laa d'unoobee ghamaama rah'-matika

إِلـٰهِي ظَلِّلْ عَلَىٰ ذُنُوبِي غَمامَ رَحْمَتِكَ،

and send the billow of Your clemency flowing over my faults!

wa ar-sil a'laa u'yoobee sah'aaba raa-fatik

وَأَرْسِلْ عَلىٰ عُيُوبِي سَحابَ رَأْفَتِكَ

My God, does the fugitive servant return to anyone other than his Master?

ilaahee hal yar-jiu'l-a'b-dul-aaabiqu il-laaa ilaa maw-laahoo

إِلـٰهِي هَلْ يَرْجِعُ الْعَبْدُ الأَبِقُ إلاَّ إلَىٰ مَوْلاهُ

Or does anyone grant him sanctuary from his Master’s wrath other than his Master Himself?

am hal yujeeruhoo min sakhat'iheee ah'dun siwaah

أَمْ هَلْ يُجِيرُهُ مِنْ سَخَطِهِ أَحَدٌ سِواهُ؟

My God, if remorse for sins is a repentance,

ilaahee in kanan-nadamu a'laad'-d'ambi taw-batan

إِلـٰهِي إنْ كانَ النَّدَمُ عَلَىٰ الذَّنْب تَوْبَةً،

I - by Your might - am one of the remorseful!

fa in-nee wa i'z-zatika minan-naadimeen

فَإِنِّي وَعِزَّتِكَ مِنَ النَّادِمِينَ،

If praying forgiveness for offenses is an alleviation,

wa in kaanalis-tigh-faaru minal-khat'ee-ati h'it'-t'atan

وَإِنْ كَانَ الاسْتِغْفارُ مِنَ الْخَطيئَةِ حِطَّةً،

I am one of those who pray forgiveness!

fa in-nee laka minal-mus-tagh-fireena

فَإِنِّي لَكَ مِنَ الُمُسْتَغْفِرِينَ،

To You I return that You may be well pleased!

lakal-u't-baa h'at-taa tar-z''aa

لَكَ الْعُتْبىٰ حَتَّىٰ تَرْضَىٰ.

My God, through Your power over me, turn toward me,

ilaahee biqud-ratika a'lay-ya tub a'lay

إِلـٰهِي بِقُدْرَتِكَ عَلَيَّ تُبْ عَلَيَّ،

through Your clemency toward me, pardon me,

wa bih'il-mika a'n-nee aa'-fu a'n-nee

وَبِحِلْمِكَ عَنِّي اعْفُ عَنِّي،

and through Your knowledge of me, be gentle toward me!

wa bii'l-mika bee ar-fuq bee

وَبِعِلْمِكَ بِي ارْفَقْ بِي.

My God, You are He who has opened a door to Your pardon and named it 'repentance',

ilaaheee antal-lad'ee fatah'-ta lii'baadika baaban ilaa a'f-wika sam-may-tahut-taw-bata:

إِلـٰهِي أَنْتَ الَّذِي فَتَحْتَ لِعِبادِكَ بَابَاً إلَىٰ عَفْوِكَ سَمَّيْتَهُ التَّوْبَةَ،

for You said, Repent to God with unswerving repentance.

faqul-ta( tooboo ilaal-laahee taw-batan-nas'ooh'a)

فَقُلْتَ: ( تُوبُوا إلَىٰ اللَّهِ تَوْبَةً نَصُوحَاً )،

What is the excuse of him who remains heedless of entering the door after its opening?

famaa u'd'-ru man agh-fala dukhoolal-baabi baa'-da fat-h'ih

فَما عُذْرُ مَنْ أَغْفَلَ دُخُولَ الْبابِ بَعْدَ فَتْحِهِ.

My God, though the sins of Your servant are ugly,

ilaaheee in kaana qabuh'ad'-d'ambu min a'b-dika

إِلـٰهِي إنْ كانَ قَبُحَ الذَّنْبُ مِنْ عَبْدِكَ

Your pardon is beautiful.

fal-yah'-sunil-a'f-wu min i'ndik

فَلْيَحْسُنِ الْعَفْوُ مِنْ عِنْدِكَ.

My God, I am not the first to have disobeyed You, and You turned toward him,

ilaahee maaa ana biw-wali man- a's'aaka fatub-ta a'lay-h

إِلـٰهِي ما أَنَا بِأَوَّلِ مَنْ عَصاكَ، فَتُبْتَ عَلَيْهِ،

or to have sought to attain Your favour, and You were munificent toward him.

wa taa'r-raz''a limaa'-roofika fajud-ta a'lay-h

وَتَعَرَّضَ بِمَعْرُوفِكَ، فَجُدْتَ عَلَيْهِ،

O Responder to the distressed!

yaa mujeebal-muz''-t'ar

يا مُجِيبَ الْمُضْطَرِّ،

O Remover of injury!

yaa kaashifaz''-z''ur

يا كَاشِفَ الضُّرِّ،

O Great in goodness!

yaa a'z'eemal-bir

يا عَظِيمَ الْبِرِّ،

O Knower of everything secret!

yaa a'leemam-bimaa fis-sir

يا عَليمَاً بِما فِي السِّرِّ،

O Beautiful through covering over!

yaa jameelas-sit-r

يا جَمِيلَ السِّتْرِ

I seek Your munificence and Your generosity  to intercede with You,

is-tash-faa'-tu bijoodika wa karamika ilay-k

اسْتَشْفَعْتُ بِجُودِكَ وَكَرَمِكَ إلَيْكَ،

I seek Your side and Your showing mercy to mediate with You,

wa tawas-sal-tu bijanabika wa tarah'-h'umika laday-ka

وَتَوَسَّلْتُ بِجَنابِكَ وَتَرَحُّمِكَ لَدَيْكَ،

so grant my supplication,

fas-tajib dua'aa-ee

فَاسْتَجِبْ دُعائِي،

disappoint not my hope in You,

wa laa tukhay-yib feeka rajaaa-ee

وَلا تُخَيِّبْ فِيكَ رَجَائِي

accept my repentance,

wa taqab-bal taw-batee

وَتَقَبَّلْ تَوْبَتِي

and hide my offense,

wa kaf-fir khat'ee-atee

وَكَفِّرْ خَطيئَتِي،

through Your kindness and mercy,

biman-nika wa rah'-matika

بِمَنِّكَ وَرَحْمَتِكَ

O Most Merciful of the merciful

yaaa ar-h'amar-raah'imeen

يا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ.