Supplement

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.

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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

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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-

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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

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(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.

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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!

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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

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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-

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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.