Saturday, March 7, 2009

Pearls & Gem : A Du'a

O God ,we know that your command cannot be resisted and your decree cannot be contradicted. We are incapable of rebuffing what you have decreed or repealing what you have decided. So we ask only for your grace in what you decree. We ask only your support in bearing what you decide . In all this, we ask that you include us among those whom you guard and protect, O Lord of the universe.

O God, you have already measured out for us our provision and you alone bring each portion to us. So let us come to it with wellbeing. Let us be secure from all distress and preserved from all uncertainties and alienation, encompassed in receiving it by illumination of arriving near you. Let us bear witness that our provision is from you. Let us be thankful toward you and ascribe it to you alone and to nobody else in all worlds.

O God, from your hand comes all provision, in this world and in the world to come. So provide for us in both worlds, and give us only as much as you know to be good for us and only as much as will benefit us. O God, make us from among those who choose you, not from those who prefer anything else to you. Make us to be from among those who pass control back to you, not those who stand in opposition to you. O God, we stand in absolute dependence upon you, so give to us. We stand weak and unable to obey you thoroughly, so empower us. Give us the ability to carry out your will and turn us from rebellion against your will. Make us stand in peace, at peace with your lordship over us,patiently enduring the commands of your divinity, standing ennobled by our relationship to you, with repose in our hearts from our reposing complete trust in you. Make us to be among those who enter the courtyards of contentment. Let us wash our feet in the heavenly river of being at peace,plucking the right fruits of knowing you directly, wearing the sandals of being specially selected, rapt with the inscrutable delightful gift of intimacy with you, held open to presence of divine love. There, let us eternally serve you. Let us fully realize our knowledge of you. Let us faithfully live up to the example of your prophet, Muhammad. For we have striven to inherit his virtues and take allegiance to him. We come to realization through him, standing in for him with full responsibility. Seal for us a good fate, O Lord of all worlds.

May God bless the Prophet, our leader, Muhammad.
May God bless the people of Muhammad and give them peace.
Amen.


Ibn 'Ata' Allah al- Iskandari [ d.1309 ]
from Kitab al-Tanwir fi Isqat al Tadbir

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Amiin.Is the sufi's translated doa is already beautiful, I am sure the original arabic version will be tear- producing and ecstatic.The ultimate iman is doing all good things for the love of Him, not the fear of his fire...amiiin!

Pearls and Gem said...

I am not a language expert but I believe a language that has not changed over 20 centuries in its contextual content and its complexities ,must be very special indeed for Him to express His Divine advice via that mode .

I tried learning Quranic Arabic a few years back but gave up too early when I reach the complex 'adjective',verbs part .Arabic has different adjectives and verbs for gender and things are also 'gendered '! A complex language .

But that should not deter us from learning the meaning of the Quran .We have to start somewhere .

Yes Anon ,Rabiatul Adawiyeeh ,put her love for Him more succinctly :
"If loving you means I need to go to hell ,then give me hell ,burn me ! I do not need your heaven "....Not exactly like that but something to that effect .

Anonymous said...

Amin. You can only appreciate it after reaching at a certain age: after all the experiences and tribulations one has gone through.


Mat Ribut