DUA OF IMAM HUSAYN (A) ON THE DAY OF ASHURA

This is the supplicatory prayer the Holy Prophet (s) said on the days of the Battle of Badr and the Battle of the Allies (i.e. al-Ahzab). The chief of martyrs; namely, Imam al-Husayn (‘a), also said this supplicatory prayer in Karbala’ on the ‘Ashura’ Day.

Furthermore, two more supplicatory prayers were said by Imam al-Husayn (‘a) on that day. The first one is the supplicatory prayer he taught to his son Imam Zayn al-’Abidin (‘a) when he embraced him to his chest while blood was gushing from his body. Used in urgent cases, intense grief, harsh times, and difficult matters, the supplicatory prayer intended is as follows:

In the name of Yasln and the Qur'an full of wisdom

and in the name of Taha and the Great Qur'an (I beseech You).

O He Who has power to grant the requests of the beseechers!

O He Who knows what is in the inner selves!

O He Who alleviates the agonized ones!

O He Who relieves the distressed ones!

O He Who is merciful to the old ones!

O He Who provides the little babies with sustenance!

O He Who does not require explanation!

(Please) bless Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad and...

One may now submit his requests.

Fifth: Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have raised his hands towards the sky and said this supplicatory prayer:

O my Lord, never relegate me to myself even for a winking of an eye,

less than that, or more than that.

Sixth: Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is also reported to have advised of saying this supplicatory prayer:

(Please) have mercy upon me against what I am too feeble to do and what I am too impatient to stand.

Seventh: Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) is also reported to have advised of saying this supplicatory prayer:

Allah, I beseech You in the name of Your majesty, beauty, and generosity to...

One may now submit his requests.

Eighth: Fazl ibn Yunus has reported that Imam al-Kazim (‘a) advised him to repeat this supplicatory prayer very much:

O Allah, (please) do not make me of the unfixed-hearted

and do not make me feel not negligent.

To explain, the first statement is a prayer for not including with those whose faith is as irregular as loans, which means that faith is not fixed in their hearts. However, the statement may also stand for a prayer for not including with those whom are relegated to themselves and Allah the Almighty has no interference in their affairs, just like a horse whose rein is thrown freely on its wither and is left to graze uncontrollably.

The second statement is a prayer for not including with those who feel themselves to have carried out their duties towards their Lord flawlessly. In fact, one must always feel that he cannot carry out his duties towards his Lord fully whatever efforts he would exert.

Ninth: Imam al-Baqir (‘a) is reported to have said: Almighty Allah has forgiven a Bedouin man for two words he said in his supplicatory prayer. These two words are as follows:

O Allah, if You punish me, then this befits me,

but if You forgive me, then it befits You.

Tenth: Dawud al-Raqqi has said: Whenever he insisted in prayers, Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) would pray Almighty Allah in the name of the Five Persons: the Holy Prophet, Imam ‘Ali, Lady Fatimah, Imam al-Hasan, and Imam al-Husayn, peace be upon them.

Eleventh: Yazid al-Sa’igh is reported to have said: I asked Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) to pray Almighty Allah for our good. He therefore said:

O Allah, (please) endue them with truthfulness in speech,

fulfillment of trusts,

and constant attendance to prayers.

O Allah, they are the worthiest of all of Your creatures to obtain this from You;

therefore, O Allah, do it to them.

Twelfth: Say this supplicatory prayer, which Imam ‘Ali Amir al-Mu’minin (‘a) used to say:

O Allah, endue me with reliance on You,

entrusting (all my affairs) with You,

satisfaction with Your decree,

and submission to Your ordinance

so that I would not long for hastening what You delay

and delaying what You hasten.

O Lord of the worlds!

Thirteenth: It is reported that Archangel Gabriel came to the Holy Prophet (s) and conveyed to him the following message from Almighty Allah: If you want to worship Me a whole night and a whole day perfectly, you may raise your hands towards Me and say this supplicatory prayer:

O Allah, all praise be to You

that is as eternal as You are.

All praise be to You

that never ends save Your knowledge (about it).

All praise be to You

that has no limit save when You will.

All praise be to You

the recompense of whose sayer is nothing save Your pleasure.

O Allah, all praise entirely be to You,

all gratitude entirely is Yours,

all pride entirely is Yours,

all splendor entirely is Yours,

the whole light entirely is Yours,

all mightiness entirely is Yours,

all grandeur entirely is Yours,

all greatness entirely is Yours,

the whole world entirely is Yours,

the whole Hereafter entirely is Yours,

all nights and all days entirely are Yours,

all creation entirely is Yours,

the good entirely is in Your hand,

and all affairs entirely are returned to You,

both the open and the hidden.

O Allah, all praise eternally be to You.

You are the sympathetic in ordeals,

the lofty in praiseworthiness,

the abundant in bestowals,

the just in decreeing,

the opulent in donation,

the excellent in graces,

the god in the earth,

and the god in the heavens.

O Allah, all praise in the seven strong skies be to You,

all praise in the plain lands be to You,

all praise that is as much as the scope of the servants be to You,

all praise that is as extensive as lands be to You,

all praise in the mountains that are as projections be to You,

all praise in the night when it draws a veil be to You,

all praise in the daylight when it shines in brightness be to You,

all praise in the last and the first be to You,

and all praise in the oft-repeated verses and the Great Qur'an be to You.

All glory be to Allah and in praise of Him.

The whole earth shall be in His grip on the Resurrection Day

and the heavens rolled up in His right hand.

Glory be to Him and may He be exalted above what they associate with Him.

All glory be to Allah and in praise of Him.

Everything is perishable except His Face.

Glory be to You, O our Lord, exalted be You,

blessed be You, and holy be You.

You have created all things by Your omnipotence,

predominated over all things by Your almightiness,

towered above all things by Your elevation,

overcome all things by Your power,

fashioned all things by Your wisdom and knowledge,

sent the messengers with Your Books,

guided the righteous ones by Your permission,

aided the believers by Your victory,

and overpowered all the creatures by Your authority.

There is no god save You;

You are one and only and there is no associate with You.

We serve none but You,

we beseech none but You,

and we desire for none but You.

You are the target of our complaints,

the utmost of our desires,

the God, and the Master of us.