His Supplication in Fear

Supplication by Imam Zein AL Abideen

WA KAANA MIN DUA'AA-IHEE A'LAY-HIS-SALAAMU FIR-RAH-BAH

O God, Thou created me without fault,

أَللَّهُمَّ إنَّكَ خَلَقْتَنِي سَوِيّاً،

AL-LAAHUM-MA IN-NAK

KHALAQ-TANEE SAWEE-YAA

nurtured me when small, and provided me with sufficiency.

وَرَبَّيْتَنِي صَغِيراً، وَرَزَقْتَنِي مَكْفِيّاً.

WA RAB-BAY-TANEE S'AGHEERAA

WA RAZAQ-TANEE MAK-FEE-YAA

O God, I found in the Book which Thou sent down

أَللَّهُمَّ إنِّي وَجَدْتُ فِيمَا أَنْزَلْتَ مِنْ كِتَابِكَ،

AL-LAAHUM-MA IN-NEE WAJAT-TU FEEMAA

ANZAL-TA MIN KITAABIK

and through which Thou gave good news to Thy servants,

وَبَشَّرْتَ بِهِ عِبَادِكَ،

WA BASH-SHAR-TA BIHEE I'BAADAK

that Thou said, O My servants who hare been prodigal against yourselves,

أَنْ قُلْتَ: (يا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ

AN QUL-TA:

(YAA I'BAADEEAL-LAD'EENA AS-RAFOO A'LAAA ANFUSIHIM

do not despair of God's mercy, surely God forgives all sins,

لاَ تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللهِ إنَّ اللهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعا

LAA TAQ-NAT'OO MIR-RAH'-MATIL-LAAH

IN-NAL-LAAHA YAGH-FIRUD'-D'UNOOBA JAMEEA'A)

but there has gone ahead from me what Thou knowest

وَقَدْ تَقَدَّمَ مِنِّي مَا قَدْ عَلِمْتَ،

WAQAD T-TAQAD-DAMA MIN-NEE MAA QAD A'LIM-TA

(and of which Thou knowest more than I)!

وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي،

WA MAAA ANTA AA'-LAMU BIHEE MIN-NEE

O the shame of what Thy Book has counted against me!

فَيَا سَوْأَتا مِمَّا أَحْصَاهُ عَلَيَّ كِتَابُكَ،

FAYAA SAW-ATAA MIM-MAAA AH'-S'AAHOO A'LAY-YA KITAABUK

Were it not for the places where I expectantly hope for Thy pardon,

فَلَوْلاَ الْمَوَاقِفُ الَّتِي أُؤَمِّلُ مِنْ عَفْوِكَ

FALAW-LAAL-MAWAAQIFU AL-LATEEE OO-AM-MILU MIN A'F-WIK

which enfolds all things, I would have thrown myself down [in despair]!

الَّذِي شَمِلَ كُلَّ شَيْء لاَلْقَيْتُ بِيَدِي،

AL-LAD'EE SHAMILA KUL-LA SHAYIL-LA AL-QAY-TU BEEADEE

Were anyone able to flee from his Lord,

وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَحَداً اسْتَطاعَ الْهَرَبَ

WA LAW AN-NA AH'ADANA AS-TAT'AAA'L-HARABA

I would be the most obligated to flee from Thee!

مِنْ رَبِّهِ لَكُنْتُ أَنَا أَحَقُّ بِالهَرَبِ،

MIR-RAB-BIHEE LAKUNTU ANA AH'AQ-QA BIL-HARABI MINK

But not a secret in earth and heaven is concealed from Thee,

وَأَنْتَ لاَ تَخْفَى عَلَيْكَ خَافِيَةٌ فِي الاَرْضِ

WA ANTA LAA TAKH-FAA A'LAY-KA KHAAFEEATUN FIL-AR-Z''I

except that Thou bringest it.

وَلاَ فِي السَّمَآءِ إلاَّ أَتَيْتَ بِهَا،

WA LAA FIS-SAMAAA-I IL-LAAA ATAY-TA BIHAA

Thou sufficest as a recompenser! Thou sufficest as a reckoner!

وَكَفى بِكَ جَازِياً، وَكَفى بِكَ حَسِيباً.

WA KAFAA BIKA JAAZEEAA

WA KAFAA BIKA H'ASEEBAA

O God, surely Thou wouldst seek me if I flee

أللَّهُمَّ إنَّكَ طَالِبِي إنْ أَنَا هَرَبْتُ،

AL-LAAHUM-MA IN-NAK

T'AALIBEEE IN ANA HARAB-T

and catch me if I run.

وَمُدْرِكِي إنْ أَنَا فَرَرْتُ،

WA MUD-RIKEEE IN ANA FARAR-T

So here I am before Thee, abject, lowly, abased.

فَهَا أَنَا ذَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ خَاضِعٌ ذَلِيلٌ رَاغِمٌ،

FAHAAA ANA D'AA BAY-NA YADAY-K

KHAAZ''IU'N D'ALEELUR-RAAGHIM

If Thou chastisest me, I am worthy of that,

إنْ تُعَذِّبْنِي فَإنّي لِذلِكَ أَهْلٌ،

IN TUA'D'-D'IB-NEE FA IN-NEE LID'ALIKA AH-LOO

and it would be, my Lord, an act of justice from Thee.

وَهُوَ يَارَبِّ مِنْكَ عَدْلٌ،

-WA HUWA YAA RAB-BI MINKA A'D-L

But if Thou pardonest me, anciently has Thy pardon enfolded me

وَإنْ تَعْفُ عَنِّي فَقَدِيماً شَمَلَنِي عَفْوُكَ،

WA IN TAA'-FU A'N-NEE FAQADEEMANA SHAMALANEE A'F-WUK

and Thy well-being garmented me!

سْتَنِي عَافِيَتَكَ.

WA AL-BAS-TANEE A'AFEEATAK

So I ask Thee, O God, by Thy names stored in Thy treasury

فَأَسْأَلُكَ اللَّهُمَّ بِالْمَخْزونِ مِنْ أَسْمائِكَ،

FAAS-ALUKAL-LAAHUM-MA

BIL-MAKH-ZOONI MIN AS-MAAA-IK

and Thy splendour masked by the veils!

وَبِمَا وَارتْهُ الْحُجُبُ مِنْ بَهَائِكَ،

WA BIMAA WAARAT-HUL-H'UJUBU MIM-BAHAAA-IK

If Thou hast no mercy upon this anxious soul

إلاَّ رَحِمْتَ هذِهِ النَّفْسَ الْجَزُوعَةَ،

IL-LAA RAH'IM-TA HD'IHIN-NAF-SAL-JAZOOA'H

and these uneasy, decaying bones -

وَهَذِهِ الرِّمَّةَ الْهَلُوعَةَ،

WA HD'IHIR-RIM-MATAL-HALOOA'H

he cannot endure the heat of Thy sun,

الَّتِي لاَ تَسْتَطِيعُ حَرَّ شَمْسِكَ،

AL-LATEE LAA TAS-TAT'EEU' H'AR-RA SHAM-SIK

so how can he endure the heat of Thy Fire?

فَكَيْفَ تَسْتَطِيعُ حَرَّ نارِكَ؟

FAKAY-FA  TAS-TAT'EEU' H'AR-RA NAARIKA?

He cannot endure the sound of Thy thunder,

وَالَّتِي لاَ تَسْتَطِيعُ صَوْتَ رَعْدِكَ،

WAL-LATEE LAA TAS-TAT'EEU' S'AW-TA RAA'-DIK

so how can he endure the sound of Thy wrath?

فَكَيْفَ تَسْتَطِيعُ صَوْتَ غَضَبِكَ؟

FAKAY-FA  TAS-TAT'EEU' S'AW-TA GHAZ''ABIKA?

So have mercy upon me, O God, for I am a vile man and my worth is little.

فَارْحَمْنِي اللَّهُمَّ فَإنِّي امْرُؤٌ حَقِيرٌ، وَخَطَرِي يَسِيرٌ،

FAR-H'AM-NEEL-LAAHUM

FA IN-NEE AM-ROO-UN H'AQEER

WA KHAT'AREE YASEER

Chastising me will not add the weight of a dust mote to Thy kingdom.

وَلَيْسَ عَذَابِي مِمَّا يَزِيدُ فِي مُلْكِكَ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّة،

WA LAY-SA A'D'AABEE MIM-MAA YAZEEDU FEE MUL-KIKA MITH-QAALA D'AR-RAH

Were chastising me something that would add to Thy kingdom,

وَلَوْ أَنَّ عَذَابِي مِمَّا يَزِيدُ فِي مُلْكِكَ

WA LAW AN-NA A'D'AABEE MIM-MAA YAZEEDU FEE MUL-KIK

I would ask Thee for patience to bear it

لَسَأَلْتُكَ الصَّبْرَ عَلَيْهِ،

LASAAL-TUKAS'-S'AB-RA A'LAY-H

and would love for it to belong to Thee;

وَأَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ يَكُونَ ذلِكَ لَكَ،

WA AH'-BAB-TU AY-YAKOONA D'ALIKA LAK

but Thy authority, my God, is mightier,

وَلكِنْ سُلْطَانُكَ اللَّهُمَّ أَعْظَمُ،

WA LAKIN-NA SUL-T'AANUKAL-LAAHUM-MA AA'-Z'AM

and Thy kingdom more lasting, than that the obedience of the obeyers should increase it

وَمُلْكُكَ أَدْوَمُ مِنْ أَنْ تَزِيـدَ فِيْهِ طَاعَةُ الْمُطِيعِينَ،

WA MUL-KUKA AD-WAM

MIN AN TAZEEDA FEEHEE T'AAA'TUL-MUT'EEE'EN

or the disobedience of the sinners diminish it!

أَوْ تُنْقِصَ مِنْهُ مَعْصِيَةُ الْمُذْنِبِينَ.

AW TANQUS'A MIN-HOO MAA'-S'EEATUL-MUD'-NIBEEN

So have mercy upon me, O Most Merciful of the merciful!

فَارْحَمْنِي يا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ،

FAR-H'AM-NEE

YAAA AR-H'AMAR-RAAH'IMEEN

Show me forbearance, O Possessor of majesty and munificence!

وَتَجاوَزْ عَنِّي يا ذَا الْجَلاَلِ وَالإكْرَامِ،

WA TAJAAWAZ A'N-NEE

YAA D'AAL-JALAALI WAL-IK-RAAM

And turn toward me, Surely Thou art Ever-turning, All-compassionate!

وَتُبْ عَلَيَّ إنَّكَ أَنْتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ.

WA TUB A'LAY-YA

IN-NAKA ANTAT-TAW-WAABUR-RAH'EEM