Imam Zayn al-’Abidin’s supplicatory prayer for urgent response:
Mentioning a supplication reported from Imam Ali ibn al-Husayn Zayn al-’Abidin (a.s.), Shaykh al-Kaf’ami, in al-Balad al-Amin, has added that Muqatil ibn Sulayman, reporting this supplication, said, “If one says this supplication one hundred times and still his need is not settled, one may then curse Muqatil. The supplication is as follows:
اِلٰهِيْ كَيْفَ اَدْعُوْكَ وَ اَنَا اَنَا
O my God, how can I pray You and I am what I am?
وَ كَيْفَ اَقْطَعُ رَجَاۤئِيْ مِنْكَ وَ اَنْتَ اَنْتَ
But how can I give up hope from You and You are what You are?
اِلٰهِيْۤ اِذَا لَمْ اَسْاَلْكَ فَتُعْطِيَنِيْ
O my God, if I do not beg You so that You may give me,
فَمَنْ ذَا الَّذِيْۤ اَسْاَلُهُ فَيُعْطِيْنِيْۤ
then whom else will I beg to give me?
اِلٰهِيْۤ اِذَا لَمْ اَدْعُكَ [اَدْعُوْكَ] فَتَسْتَجِيْبَ لِيْ
O my God, if I do not supplicate to You so that You may respond to me,
فَمَنْ ذَا الَّذِيْۤ اَدْعُوْهُ فَيَسْتَجِيْبُ لِيْۤ
whom else will I then supplicate to respond to me?
اِلٰهِيْۤ اِذَا لَمْ اَتَضَرَّعْ اِلَيْكَ فَتَرْحَمُنِيْ
O my God, if I do not implore You earnestly so that You may have mercy upon me,
فَمَنْ ذَا الَّذِيْۤ اَتَضَرَّعُ اِلَيْهِ فَيَرْحَمُنِيْۤ
whom else will I then implore to have mercy upon me?
اِلٰهِيْ فَكَمَا فَلَقْتَ الْبَحْرَ لِمُوْسٰى عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ وَ نَجَّيْتَهُ
O my God, just as You split asunder the sea for Moses—peace be upon him—and saved him,
اَسْاَلُكَ اَنْ تُصَلِّيَ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اٰلِهِ
I implore You to bless Muhammad and his Household,
وَ اَنْ تُنَجِّيَنِيْ مِمَّاۤ اَنَا فِيْهِ
save me from what I am suffering,
وَ تُفَرِّجَ عَنِّيْ فَرَجًا عَاجِلًا غَيْرَ اٰجِلٍ
and relieve me immediately without any delay,
بِفَضْلِكَ وَ رَحْمَتِكَ
in the name of Your grace and mercy,
يَاۤ اَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِيْنَ۔
O most merciful of all those who show mercy!
