Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Du'a for Sahar (Dawn)

Du'a for Sahar
This is a very beautiful du'a. Its poetic language and heartfelt message makes for an outstanding prayer. The allencompassing mercy of the Almighty is analogized with the vastness of the sea, while the needy are passengers on a ship waiting to cross.
Humility is an essential part of the etiquette of Du'a. An acknowledgemnt of one's sins and shortcomings is most becoming to a supplicant. This is succintly expressed in the following Du'a.

In the name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful.
O Allah, bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad.
My God,
the beggars are standing at Your door,
the needy have taken refuge with Your Honor.
The ship carrying the poor and humble people,
is standing at the shores of the sea ,
of Your generosity and grace,
hoping for permission to cross ,
to the shores of Your mercy and blessings.
My God, if You do not forgive,
in this honored month,
except the one who has sincerely purified himself for You,
in his fasting and prayers,
then who is there for the negligent sinner,
when he drowns in the sea of his sins?
My God, if You do not have mercy on any,
except the obedient,
then who is there for the disobedient?
And if You do not accept from any,
except the performers of (good) actions,
then who is there for those who fall short?
My God, those who fast have profited,
those who stay up in prayer have won,
and those who are sincere have succeeded,
but we are Your sinful servants!
So be kind to us through Your mercy
and save us from the fire through Your forgiveness, O Gracious
O most merciful.
O Allah, bless Muhammad and his family, the purified ones.

Friday, March 25, 2011

In the name of Allah, The Beneficent, the Merciful
O Allah bless Muhammad and his family
I whisper unto You O One Who is present in every place so that You may hear my call for surely my sin is excessive and my shame is less My Master, O my Master which of the terrifying states shall I remember and which of them shall I forget for if there was nothing except death it would be enough then what about after death greater and much worse? My master O my Master up to when and till when will I say, I am to blame, again and again, but then You do not find any truth or loyalty in me? I call for help and I call for help, O Allah from desires which have overpowered me and from the enemy which has pounced on me and from the world which attracts me and from the soul that leads towards evil except that on which my Lord has mercy (12:53)
My master O my master if You have had mercy on the likes of me then have mercy on me and if You have accepted from the likes of me then accept from me O One Who accepts the early morning prayer accept me, O One who, I still know only good from Him O One who nourishes me with blessings morning and evening have mercy on me when I come to You alone, my glance fixed on You my actions carried on my neck When all of creation will withdraw away from me yes, even my father and mother and those for whom I worked and struggled then if You will not have mercy on me who will have mercy on me who will give me solace from the loneliness of the grave and who will make me speak when I am alone with my deeds and when You will ask me about what You know better than me? Then if I say yes (to my sins) where will be the escape from Your Justice? And if I say I did not commit it You will say was I not a witness over you? So (I beseech) Your Forgiveness Your Pardon O my master before the wearing of the clothes of Hell Your Forgiveness Your Pardon O my Master before the Hell and the Fire Your Forgiveness Your Forgiveness O my Master before the hands are tied to the necks O the most Merciful and the best of Forgivers