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INCIDENT OF ABD AL RAHMAN BIN SAYYABAH AND THE WILL OF IMAM SADIQ (A)

In fact, this supplicatory prayer comprises highly considerable contents. Its reporter is ‘Abd al-Rahman in Sayyabah whom was given a noteworthy advice by Imam al-Sadiq (‘a). Let us now refer to this event:

‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Sayyabah: When my father died, one of his friends came to us and knocked the door. When I opened the door, he expressed his sympathy to me and then asked whether my father had left any financial inheritance with us. When I answered in the negative, the man handed me over a bag of one thousand dirhams and advised me to keep them up, use them in commerce, and gain my living from their profits. Rejoicing at this, I hurried to my mother and informed her about what had just happened. Later on, I went to one of my father’s friends and asked him to teach me what kind of business I would do with the money. He therefore advised me to trade in a sort of fine cloth. He also purchased a quantity of this cloth and I chose a shop to work in. In fact, Almighty Allah provided me with very much profit in this business. In the season of the hajj pilgrimage, I intended to go on hajj. I therefore informed my mother about this intention of mine and she advised me to give back the amount of money to its owner. When I did, the man became very happy as if I would donate him the money for nothing. Nevertheless, he offered to me more money, but I thanked him and informed that I would go on the hajj pilgrimage. I then left for Makkah and then returned to al-Madinah. With a group of people, I intended to visit Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) who used to permit all people to visit him at that time. Within the group that visited the Imam (‘a), I sat in the last raw, since I was young. People began to ask the Imam (‘a), he would answer them all, and they would then leave. When a few people only remained, the Imam (‘a) pointed to me to come close to him. “Do you need anything?” asked the Imam (‘a). “May Allah accept me as ransom for you! I am ‘Abd al-Rahman the son of Sayyabah,” answered I. The Imam (‘a) asked about my father and I told him that he had died. Expressing sympathy to me, the Imam (‘a) asked, “Did he leave any financial inheritance with you?” “No, he did not,” answered I. “How could you then afford this journey of hajj pilgrimage?” asked the Imam (‘a). I then told him about the story of these dirhams. Interrupting me, the Imam (‘a) asked, “What have you done with these dirhams before you came on hajj pilgrimage?” I answered that I had given back the amount to its owner. “Well done,” said the Imam (‘a), “May I advise you of something?” “Yes, you may,” answered I. He thus said, “If you adhere to telling the truth and fulfilling your trusts, you will have a binding share in the properties of all people.”

To explain, the Imam (‘a) advised this man to keep up telling the truth in all of his words, to avoid telling lies, to fulfill his promises, to give back the debts to their owners in their limited times, to avoid devouring the others’ dues wrongfully. If one does all that to people, they will give him whenever you ask. If he does so, he will be as if he has a share in their properties.

Back to the event, ‘Abd al-Rahman added: As I committed myself with this advice of Imam al-Sadiq (‘a), I gained so many profits that the religious tax of which was three hundred thousand dirhams one year.

According to another tradition, the aforementioned supplicatory prayer is ascribed to Imam ‘Ali ibn al-Husayn Zayn al-’Abidin (‘a). However, it ends up with this sentence:

اٰمِيْنَ رَبَّ الْعَالَمِيْنَ۔

(Please) respond, O Lord of the worlds.

Twenty-eighth: Ibn Mahbub is reported to have said: Imam al-Sadiq (‘a) taught a man this supplicatory prayer to say it in his supplications:

اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّىْۤ اَسْئَلُكَ بِرَحْمَتِكَ الَّتِىْ لَاتُنَالُ مِنْكَ اِلَّا بِرِضَاكَ وَالْخُرُوْجَ مِنْ جَمِيْعِ مَعَاصِيْكَ وَالدُّخُوْلَ فِىْ كُلِّ مَا يُرْضِيْكَ وَالنَّجَاةَ مِنْ كُلِّ وَرْطَةٍ وَالْمَخْرَجَ مِنْ كُلِّ كَبِيْرَةٍ اَتٰى بِهَا مِنِّىْ عَمْدٌ اَوْ زَلَّ بِهَا مِنِّىْ خَطَاٌ اَوْ خَطَرَ بِهَا عَلَىَّ خَطَرَاتُ الشَّيْطَانِ اَسْئَلُكَ خَوْفًا تُوْقِفُنِىْ بِهِ عَلٰى حُدُوْدِ رِضَاكَ وَ تَشَعَّبَ بِهِ عَنِّىْ كُلُّ شَهْوَةٍ خَطَرَ بِهَا هَوَاىَ وَاسْتُزِلَّ بِهَا رَاْيِىْ لِيُجَاوِزَ حَدَّ حَلَالِكَ اَسْئَلُكَ اَللّٰهُمَّ الْاَخْذَ بِاَحْسَنِ مَا تَعْلَمُ وَ تَرْكَ سَيِّئِ كُلِّ مَا تَعْلَمُ اَوْ اُخْطِئُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا اَعْلَمُ اَوْمِنْ حَيْثُ اَعْلَمُ اَسْئَلُكَ السَّعَةَ فِى الرِّزْقِ، وَالزُّهْدَ فِى الْكَفَافِ وَالْمَخْرَجَ

بِالْبَيَانِ مِنْ كُلِّ شُبْهَةٍ وَالصَّوَابَ فِىْ كُلِّ حُجَّةٍ وَالصِّدْقَ فِىْ جَمِيْعِ الْمَوَاطِنِ وَ اِنْصَافَ النَّاسِ مِنْ نَفْسِىْ فِيْمَا عَلَىَّ وَلِىَ وَالتَّذَلُّلَ فِىْۤ اِعْطَاۤءِ النَّصَفِ مِنْ جَمِيْعِ مَوَاطِنِ السَّخَطِ وَ الرِّضَا وَ تَرْكَ قَلِيْلِ الْبَغْىِ وَ كَثِيْرِهِ فِى الْقَوْلِ مِنِّىْ وَالْفِعْلِ وَ تَمَامَ نِعَمِكَ فِىْ جَمِيْعِ الْاَشْيَاۤءِ وَ الشُّكْرَ لَكَ عَلَيْهَا لِكَىْ تَرْضَا وَ بَعْدَ الرِّضَا وَ اَسْئَلُكَ الْخِيَرَةَ فِىْ كُلِّ مَا يَكُوْنُ فِيْهِ الْخِيَرَةُ بِمَيْسُوْرِ الْاُمُوْرِ كُلِّهَا لَا بِمَعْسُوْرِهَا يَا كَرِيْمُ يَا كَرِيْمُ يَا كَرِيْمُ وَافْتَحْ لِىْ بَابَ الْاَمْرِ الَّذِىْ فِيْهِ الْعَافِيَةُ وَالْفَرَجُ وَافْتَحْ لِىْ بَابَهُ، وَ يَسِّرْلِىْ مَخْرَجَهُ وَ مَنْ

قَدَّرْتَ لَهُ عَلَىَّ مَقْدُوْرَةً مِنْ خَلْقِكَ فَخُذْ عَنِّىْ بِسَمْعِهِ وَ بَصَرِهِ وَ لِسَانِهِ وَ يَدِهِ وَ خُذْهُ عَنْ يَمِيْنِهِ وَ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ وَ مِنْ خَلْفِهِ وَ مِنْ قُدَّامِهِ وَامْنَعْهُ اَنْ يَصِلَ اِلَىَّ بِسُوْۤءٍ عَزَّ جَارُكَ وَ جَلَّ ثَنَاۤءُ وَجْهِكَ وَ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ غَيْرُكَ اَنْتَ رَبِّىْ وَ اَنَا عَبْدُكَ اَللّٰهُمَّ اَنْتَ رَجَاۤئِىْ فِىْ كُلِّ كُرْبَةٍ وَ اَنْتَ ثِقَتِىْ فِىْ كُلِّ شِدَّةٍ وَ اَنْتَ لِىْ فِىْ كُلِّ اَمْرٍ نَزَلَ بِىْ ثِقَةٌ وَ عُدَّةٌ فَكَمْ مِنْ كَرْبٍ يَضْعُفُ عَنْهُ الْفُؤَ ادُ وَ تَقِلُّ فِيْهِ الْحِيْلَةُ وَ يَشْمَتُ بِهِ الْعَدُوُّ وَ تَعْيٰى فِيْهِ الْاُمُوْرُ اَنْزَلْتُهُ بِكَ وَ شَكَوْتُهُ اِلَيْكَ رَاغِبًا اِلَيْكَ فِيْهِ عَمَّنْ سِوَاكَ قَدْ فَرَّجْتَهُ وَ كَفَيْتَهُ فَاَنْتَ وَلِىُّ كُلِّ نِعْمَةٍ وَ صَاحِبُ كُلِّ حَاجَةٍ وَ مُنْتَهٰى كُلِّ رَغْبَةٍ فَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ كَثِيْرًا وَ لَكَ الْمَنُّ فَاضِلًا

Twenty-ninth: Through a considerable chain of authority, Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (‘a) is reported to have taught this supplicatory prayer to Abu-Basir to say it in his supplications:

اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّىْۤ اَسْئَلُكَ قَوْلَ التَّوَّابِيْنَ وَ عَمَلَهُمْ وَ نُوْرَ الْاَنْبِيَاۤءِ وَ صِدْقَهُمْ وَ نَجَاةَ الْمُجَاهِدِيْنَ وَ ثَوَابَهُمْ وَ شُكْرَ الْمُصْطَفَيْنَ وَ نَصِيْحَتَهُمْ وَ عَمَلَ الذَّاكِرِيْنَ وَ يَقِيْنَهُمْ وَ اِيْمَانَ الْعُلَمَاۤءِ وَفِقْهَهُمْ وَ تَعَبُّدَ الْخَاشِعِيْنَ وَ تَوَاضُعَهُمْ وَ حُكْمَ الْفُقَهَاۤءِ وَ سِيْرَتَهُمْ وَ خَشْيَةَ الْمُتَّقِيْنَ وَ رَغْبَتَهُمْ وَ تَصْدِيْقَ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ وَ تَوَكُّلَهُمْ وَ رَجَاۤءَ الْمُحْسِنِيْنَ وَ بِرَّهُمْ اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّىْۤ اَسْئَلُكَ ثَوَابَ الشَّاكِرِيْنَ وَ مَنْزِلَةَ الْمُقَرَّبِيْنَ وَ مُرَافَقَةَ النَّبِيِّيْنَ اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّىْۤ اَسْئَلُكَ خَوْفَ الْعَامِلِيْنَ لَكَ وَ عَمَلَ الْخَاۤئِفِيْنَ مِنْكَ وَ خُشُوْعَ الْعَابِدِيْنَ لَكَ وَ يَقِيْنَ الْمُتَوَكِّلِيْنَ عَلَيْكَ وَ

تَوَكُّلَ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ بِكَ اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنَّكَ بِحَاجَتِىْ عَالِمٌ غَيْرُ مُعَلَّمٍ وَ اَنْتَ لَهَا وَاسِعٌ غَيْرُ مُتَكَّلِفٍ وَ اَنْتَ الَّذِىْ لَايُحْفِيْكَ سَاۤئِلٌ وَلَايَنْقُصُكَ نَاۤئِلٌ وَلَا يَبْلُغُ مِدْحَتَكَ قَوْلُ قَاۤئِلٍ اَنْتَ كَمَا تَقُوْلُ وَ فَوْقَ مَا نَقُوْلُ اَللّٰهُمَّ اجْعَلْ لِىْ فَرَجًا قَرِيْبًا وَ اَجْرًا عَظِيْمًا وَ سَتْرًا جَمِيْلًا، اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنَّكَ تَعْلَمُ اَنِّىْ عَلٰى ظُلْمِىْ لِنَفْسِىْ وَاِسْرَافِىْ عَلَيْهَا لَمْ اَتَّخِذْ لَكَ ضِدًّا وَلَا نِدًّا وَلَا صَاحِبَةً وَلَا وَلَدًا يَا مَنْ لَا تُغَلِّطُهُ الْمَسَاۤئِلُ وَيَا مَنْ لَايَشْغَلُهُ شَىْءٌ عَنْ شَىْءٍ وَلَاسَمْعٌ عَنْ سَمْعٍ وَلَابَصَرٌ عَنْ بَصَرٍ وَلَايُبْرِمُهُ اِلْحَاحُ الْمُلِحِّيْنَ اَسْئَلُكَ اَنْ تُفَرِّجَ عَنِّىْ فِىْ سَاعَتِىْ هٰذِهِ مِنْ حَيْثُ اَحْتَسِبُ وَ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَاۤ اَحْتَسِبُ اِنَّكَ تُحْيِى الْعِظَامَ وَ هِىَ رَمِيْمٌ اِنَّكَ عَلٰى كُلِّشَىْءٍ قَدِيْرٌ يَا مَنْ قَلَّ شُكْرٰى لَہُ فَلَمْ يَحْرِمْنِىْ وَ عَظُمَتْ خَطِيْۤئَتِىْ فَلَمْ يَفْضَحْنِىْ وَ رَانِىْ عَلَى الْمَعَاصِىْ

فَلَمْ يَجْبَهْنِىْ وَ خَلَقَنِىْ لِلَّذِىْ خَلَقَنِىْ لَهُ فَصَنَعْتُ غَيْرَ الَّذِىْ خَلَقَنِىْ لَهُ فَنِعْمَ الْمَوْلٰۤى اَنْتَ يَا سَيِّدِىْ وَ بِئْسَ الْعَبْدُ اَنَا وَجَدْتَنِىْ وَ نِعْمَ الطَّالِبُ اَنْتَ رَبِّىْ وَ بِئْسَ الْمَطْلُوْبُ اَلْفَيْتَنِىْ عَبْدُكَ ابْنُ عَبْدِكَ ابْنُ اَمَتِكَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ مَا شِئْتَ صَنَعْتَ بِىْ، اَللّٰهُمَّ هَدَاَتِ الْاَصْوَاتُ وَ سَكَنَتِ الحَرَكَاتُ وَ خَلَا كُلُّ حَبِيْبٍ بِحَبِيْبِهِ وَ خَلَوْتُ بِكَ اَنْتَ الْمَحْبُوْبُ اِلَىَّ فَاجْعَلْ خَلْوَتِىْ مِنْكَ اللَّيْلَةَ الْعِتْقَ مِنَ النَّارِ يَا مَنْ لَيْسَتْ لِعَالِمٍ فَوْقَهُ صِفَةٌ يَا مَنْ لَيْسَ لِمَخْلُوْقٍ دُوْنَهُ مَنَعَةٌ يَاۤ اَوَّلُ قَبْلَ كُلِّشَىْءٍ وَ يَاۤ اٰخِرًا بَعْدَ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ يَا مَنْ لَيْسَ لَهُ عُنْصُرٌ وَ يَا مَنْ لَيْسَ لِاٰخِرِهِ فَنَاۤءٌ وَ يَاۤ اَكْمَلَ مَنْعُوْتٍ وَ يَاۤ اَسْمَحَ الْمُعْطِيْنَ وَ يَا مَنْ يَفْقَهُ بِكُلِّ لُغَةٍ يُدْعٰى بِهَا وَ يَا مَنْ عَفْوُهُ قَدِيْمٌ وَ بَطْشُهُ شَدِيْدٌ وَ مُلْكُهُ مُسْتَقِيْمٌ اَسْئَلُكَ بِاسْمِكَ الَّذِىْ شَافَهْتَ بِهِ مُوْسٰى يَاۤ اَللهُ يَا رَحْمٰنُ يَا رَحِيْمُ يَا لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّاۤ اَنْتَ اَللّٰهُمَّ اَنْتَ الصَّمَدُ اَسْئَلُكَ اَنْ تُصَلِّىَ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اَنْ تُدْخِلَنِى الْجَنَّةَ بِرَحْمَتِكَ

Thirtieth: Yunus is reported to have asked Imam al-Rida (‘a) for a brief supplicatory prayer; so, the Imam (‘a) taught him to say this:

يَا مَنْ دَلَّنِىْ عَلٰى نَفْسَهٖ

O He Who has guided me to Himself

وَ ذَلَّلَ قَلْبِىْ بِتَصْدِيْقِهٖ

and humiliated my heart by testifying to Him,

اَسْاَلُكَ الْاَمْنَ وَ الْاِيْمَانَ۔

I beseech You for security and faith.