O My God! I beseech Thee through (the medium of) Thy
Mercy which encompasses all things,
and through (the medium of) Thy Might which over-
powers all things, to which all things submit and compared
to which all things are humble,
and through (the medium of) Thy Power through which
Thou hast conquered all things,
45
and through (the medium of) Thy Greatness against
which nothing can stand up (or can rise),
and through (the medium of) Thy Grandeur which
prevails upon all things,
and through (the medium of) Thy Own self which will
continue existing when all things will pass away (cease to
exist),
and through (the medium of) Thy Names (attributes)
which manifest Thy Power over all things,
and through (the medium of) Thy Knowledge which
pervades all things,
and through the glory of Thy Person which illuminates all
things,
2
O Thou (who are) the Light, O Thou (who are the most
Holy) .
O Thou who existeth before the foremost things
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(from time without beginning), O Thou who shalt exist after
the last things will cease to exist (Thou art Eternal-no
beginning and no end) .
3
my Lord! forgive my such sins as would disgrace virtue;
my Lord! forgive my such sins as would bring down
retribution (from the Heavens) ;
my Lord! forgive my such sins as would change prosperity
and happiness (into afflictions and sorrows) ;
my Lord! forgive my such sins as would intercept my
invocations and prayers;
my Lord! forgive my such sins as would sup-press hope;
my Lord! forgive my such sins as would bring down
afflictions;
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my Lord! forgive all the sins that 1 have committed and all
the vices that I am guilty of.
4
my Lord! I endeavour to achieve Thy favour through Thy
praises and invocations to Thee; I pray to Thee to intercede
Thyself on' my behalf; I entreat of Thine benevolence to
grant me Thy nearness, to bestow on me the quality of
feeling (truly) grateful to Thee and to inspire me to keen on
remembering and invoking Thee.
my Lord! I entreat Thee begging submissively, humbly and
meekly to treat me mercifully, to take pity on me, to make
me contented, satisfied and pleased with what is allotted to
me by Thee, and to keep me gentle and modest in all
circumstances (in all phases of life) .
5
Lord! I beg Thee as one who is passing through extreme
privations and in his misery supplicates his
48
needs to Thee, and (as one) whose cravings are great for the
things which are Thine.
Lord! Great is Thy Kingdom, exalted is Thy please,
inscrutable are Thy Ways, evident is Thy Authority,
overwhelming is Thy Might, ever-operating (acting) is Thy
Power and no escape is possible from Thy Domain.
6
Lord! except Thee I do not find any one (so kind as) to
pardon my sins, to conceal my degradations (despicable
actions) and to divert me (my mind) from vices to virtues.
7
There is no God but Thou, Glory and praise be to Thee, I
have harmed myself (by foul deeds) , I have boldly taken to
sins and vices as I was ignorant (of Thy Wrath and Power)
and confident of my past prayers and invocations and Thy
(constant) mercies and blessings on me (which I took for
granted).
49
My God! O my Lord! How many of my vices hast Thou
covered (from public gaze), how many calamities (descending
upon me) hast Thou reduced the severity of; how many of my
mistakes hast Thou corrected, how many misfortunes hast
Thou averted (from me) how many elegant praises has Thou
allowed to be propagated about me which I did not merit!
8
O my Lord! my trials and misfortunes are great. and my
sorrow and sufferings are intense,
and my good deeds are few, and my manacles (liabilities and
responsibilities) lie heavily upon me.
And inordinate (remote) desires keep me away even from
lawful gains.
The world has deceived me with its vanities and my mind has
deceived me with dishonesty and procrastination.
Therefore, my Lord, I implore Thee in the name of Thy
50
greatness not to let my sins, and vices hinder my prayers from
access to Thy realm, and not to disgrace me by exposing my
(hidden) sins and vices of which Thou hast knowledge, and
not to hasten Thy retribution for the vices I have committed
secretly and which were due to evil-mindedness, sinfulness,
ignorance, lustfulness and negligence.
So my Lord (I crave Thee) for the sake of Thy Greatness
under all (those) circumstances before giving and under all
conditions be merciful unto me.
9
O my God! have I any one besides Thee, O my Lord! to
whom can I turn in my hour of afflictions to relieve me of my
sorrows and to put my affairs in order!
10
My God! My Master! Thy commandments came
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into force for me (to obey) but I followed (evil) intentions of
my (warped) mind, and I heeded not (those
commandments) on account of allurements staged by my
enemy who deceived me through my passions (evil desires)
, and my ill luck also favoured him (my enemy) in this.
Thus I transgressed some of the bonds set by Thee (for
human freedom) and I disobeyed some of Thy commands.
Praise be to Thee, my Lord! Thou hast proof against me
in all these matters, and I have no argument (no reasoning)
to protest against Thy Judgment and Thy Orders and
Afflictions (sent down by Thee).
11
I return to Thee, my Lord, after having committed the
sins of omission and commission against myself apologetic,
repentant, broken-hearted, imploring forgiveness, begging
pardon (for my sins) con-
52
fessing (my vices), submissive and admitting (my faults).
I see no escape from that which has been done by me, and
I find no refuge to which I may turn except that Thou mayest
(kindly) accept my excuse (plea).
And allow me to enter the realm of Thy Mercy.
12
O my Lord! accept my apology, and have pity on my
intense sufferings, and set me free from the strong fetters
(put on by my evil deeds) .
Lord! have mercy on the weakness of my body, and on the
tenderness of my skin and on the brittleness of my bones.
O Thou! Who originated my creation (and then) granted
me fame and honour, (Who) arranged for my upbringing and
ensured my welfare and made provisions for my food, as
Thou hast been generous
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to me from the very beginning of my life, please continue
Thy Favours and Blessings as before.
13
O my God! O my Master! wilt Thou see me punished in
Thy hell after I have faithfully believed in Thy Unity?
And when my heart has been truly and loyally filled with
knowledge about Thee?
And when my tongue has persistently praised Thee and
repeated Thy name, and I have conscientiously, faithfully,
and constantly loved Thee, and after sincere confessions (of
my sins and vices) and after the moving and humble
entreaties made by me?
No, My Lord! such an action is far from Thee, Thou art
far too kind and generous to lay waste one whom Thou has
nourished, maintained and supported or drive away from
Thyself one whom Thou h a t kept under Thy protection,
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or to scare away one whom Thou has given shelter, or to
abandon one to afflictions and trials whom Thou hast
protected and hast shown Kindness and Mercy.
14
O my Master! My God and my Lord! I can never believe
that Thou wilt empower the fire (of hell) to burn the faces
which have submissively bowed in prostration before Thy
Greatness.
Or (Thou wilt burn in the fire of hell) the tongues which
have sincerely declared Thy Unity and have been always
thankful (for Kindness and Mercy).
Or (Thou wilt permit the fires of hell to consume) the
hearts which have acknowledged Thy Divinity with
conviction,
Or (Thou wilt allow to be cremated in hell) the minds
which have gathered such knowledge about Thee as to feel
humble and submissive before Thee.
55
Or (Thou wilt consent to consumption by fire in hell) of
bodies whose endeavours, wherever they lived, were
directed towards obedience and service to Thee and which
have exerted themselves with deserving humility to seek
Thy Forgiveness.
