English
AAMAL AT MASJID AL-SAHLAH
It is highly recommended to offer at Masjid alSahlah a twounit prayer between the obligatory Maghrib (Sunset) and ‘Isha’ (Evening) prayers, for it has been reported that Imam alSadiq (‘a) said that Almighty Allah shall definitely save whoever offers this prayer and supplicates Almighty Allah from all grievances.
In the word of some guidebooks of ziyarah, when you intend to enter Masjid alSahlah, you may stop at its gate and say the following words:
وَ خَيْرُ الْاَسْمَاۤءِ لِلّٰهِ
تَوَكَّلْتُ عَلَى اللّٰهِ
وَ لَا حَوْلَ وَ لَا قُوَّةَ اِلَّا بِاللّٰهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيْمِ
اَللّٰهُمَّ اجْعَلْنِيْ مِنْ عُمَّارِ مَسَاجِدِكَ وَ بُيُوْتِكَ
اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّيْ اَتَوَجَّهُ اِلَيْكَ بِمُحَمَّدٍ وَ اٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
وَ اُقَدِّمُهُمْ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ حَوَاۤئِجِيْ
فَاجْعَلْنِيْ اَللّٰهُمَّ بِهِمْ عِنْدَكَ وَجِيْهًا
فِيْ الدُّنْيَا وَ الْاٰخِرَةِ وَ مِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِيْنَ
اَللّٰهُمَّ اجْعَلْ صَلٰوتِيْ بِهِمْ مَقْبُوْلَةً
وَ ذَنْبِيْ بِهِمْ مَغْفُوْرًا
وَ رِزْقِيْ بِهِمْ مَبْسُوْطًا
وَ دُعَاۤئِيْ بِهِمْ مُسْتَجَابًا
وَ حَوَاۤئِجِيْ بِهِمْ مَقْضِيَّةً
وَ انْظُرْ اِلَيَّ بِوَجْهِكَ الْكَرِيْمِ
نَظْرَةً رَحِيْمَةً اَسْتَوْجِبُ بِهَا الْكَرَامَةَ عِنْدَكَ
ثُمَّ لَا تَصْرِفْهُ عَنِّيْ اَبَدًا
بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَاۤ اَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِيْنَ
يَا مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوْبِ وَ الْاَبْصَارِ
ثَبِّتْ قَلْبِيْ عَلٰى دِيْنِكَ
وَ دِيْنِ نَبِيِّكَ وَ وَلِيِّكَ
وَ لَا تُزِغْ قَلْبِيْ بَعْدَ اِذْ هَدَيْتَنِيْ
وَ هَبْ لِيْ مِنْ لَدُنْكَ رَحْمَةً
اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ الْوَهَّابُ
اَللّٰهُمَّ اِلَيْكَ تَوَجَّهْتُ
اَللّٰهُمَّ فَاَقْبِلْ بِوَجْهِكَ اِلَيَّ
وَ اَقْبِلْ بِوَجْهِيْ اِلَيْكَ۔
In the Name of Allah (I begin), in Allah (I trust), from Allah (I derive power), to Allah (I refer all my affairs), only that which Allah wills shall come to pass, and the most excellent Names are Allah’s. I rely upon Allah. There is neither might nor power except with Allah the All-high and All-great. O Allah, (please) make me of those who construct Your mosques and houses. O Allah, I turn my face toward You, asking You in the name of Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad and I present them before my requests; so, O Allah, (please) make me worthy of Your regard in their names, in this world and the Hereafter and make me of those who are made near to You. O Allah, (please) accept my prayers in their names, forgive my sins in their names, expand sustenance for me in their names, respond to my supplications in their names, grant me all of my requests in their names, and look at me with Your All-noble Face; such a kind look due to which I shall attain Your honor, and (please) never turn Your Face away from me in the name of Your mercy, O most merciful of all those who show mercy. O He Who changes hearts and sights, (please do) make my heart permanently steady in following Your religion and the religion of Your Prophet and Intimate servant, do not cause my heart to deviate after You have guided me (to the true path), and grant me mercy from You, for You are the most liberal Giver. O Allah, I am turning my face towards You, seeking Your pleasure, desiring for Your reward, having full faith in You, and putting all trust in You. So, O Allah, meet me with Your face and allow me to meet You with my face.
وَ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اَلَّا اللهُ
You may then recite Ayah alKursi (2:255), Surah alFalaq, Surah alNas, each one seven times and then repeat the following doxology (zikr) (zikr) prayer seven times, too:
اَللّٰهُمَّ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ عَلٰى مَا هَدَيْتَنِيْ
وَ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ عَلٰى مَا فَضَّلْتَنِيْ
وَ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ عَلٰى مَا شَرَّفْتَنِيْ
وَ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ عَلٰى كُلِّ بَلَاۤءٍ حَسَنٍ ابْتَلَيْتَنِيْ
اَللّٰهُمَّ تَقَبَّلْ صَلٰوتِيْ وَ دُعَاۤئِيْ
اِنَّكَ اَنْتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيْمُ۔
All glory be to Allah. All praise be to Allah. there is no god save Allah. Allah is the Most Great.
اَنْتَ اللّٰهُ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اَنْتَ
مُبْدِئُ الْخَلْقِ وَ مُعِيْدُهُمْ
وَ اَنْتَ اللّٰهُ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اَنْتَ
خَالِقُ الْخَلْقِ وَ رَازِقُهُمْ
وَ اَنْتَ اللّٰهُ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اَنْتَ
وَ اَنْتَ اللّٰهُ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اَنْتَ
وَ بَاعِثُ مَنْ فِي الْقُبُوْرِ
اَنْتَ وَارِثُ الْاَرْضِ وَ مَنْ عَلَيْهَا
اَسْاَلُكَ بِاسْمِكَ الْمَخْزُوْنِ الْمَكْنُوْنِ
وَ اَنْتَ اللّٰهُ لَاۤ اِلٰهَ اِلَّاۤ اَنْتَ
عَالِمُ السِّرِّ وَ اَخْفٰىۤ
اَسْاَلُكَ بِاسْمِكَ الَّذِيۤ اِذَا دُعِيْتَ بِهِ اَجَبْتَ
وَ اِذَا سُئِلْتَ بِهِ اَعْطَيْتَ
وَ اَسْاَلُكَ بِحَقِّكَ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ
وَ بِحَقِّهِمُ الَّذِيْ اَوْجَبْتَهُ عَلٰى نَفْسِكَ
اَنْ تُصَلِّيَ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
وَ اَنْ تَقْضِيَ لِيْ حَاجَتِيْ
يَا سَيِّدَاهُ يَا مَوْلَاهُ يَا غِيَاثَاهُ
اَسْاَلُكَ بِكُلِّ اسْمٍ سَمَّيْتَ بِهِ نَفْسَكَ
اَوِ اسْتَأْثَرْتَ بِهِ فِيْ عِلْمِ الْغَيْبِ عِنْدَكَ
اَنْ تُصَلِّيَ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
وَ اَنْ تُعَجِّلَ فَرَجَنَا السَّاعَةَ
يَا مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوْبِ وَ الْاَبْصَارِ
يَا سَمِيْعَ الدُّعَاۤءِ۔
Then, you may say the following doxological (zikr) and supplicatory words:
اَللّٰهُمَّ بِحَقِّ هٰذِهِ الْبُقْعَةِ الشَّرِيْفَةِ
وَ بِحَقِّ مَنْ تَعَبَّدَ لَكَ فِيْهَا
قَدْ عَلِمْتَ حَوَاۤئِجِيْ
فَصَلِّ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اقْضِهَا
وَ قَدْ اَحْصَيْتَ ذُنُوْبِيْ
فَصَلِّ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اغْفِرْهَا
اَللّٰهُمَّ اَحْيِنِيْ مَا [اِذَا] كَانَتِ الْحَيَاةُ خَيْرًا لِيْ
وَ اَمِتْنِيْ [تَوَفَّنِيْ] اِذَا كَانَتِ الْوَفَاةُ خَيْرًا لِيْ
عَلٰى مُوَالَاةِ اَوْلِيَاۤئِكَ وَ مُعَادَاةِ اَعْدَاۤئِكَ
وَ افْعَلْ بِيْ مَاۤ اَنْتَ اَهْلُهُ
يَاۤ اَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِيْنَ۔
O Allah, all praise be to You for You have guided me. All praise be to You for You have favored me. All praise be to You for You have honored me. All praise be to You for all of the good turns that You have bestowed upon me. O Allah, (please do) accept my prayer and supplication, purify my heart, expand my breast for me, and accept my repentance. You are indeed the Oft-returning to mercy and the All-merciful.
اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّي صَلَّيْتُ هٰذِهِ الصَّلٰوةَ ابْتِغَاۤءَ مَرْضَاتِكَ
وَ رَجَاۤءَ رِفْدِكَ وَ جَوَاۤئِزِكَ
فَصَلِّ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
وَ تَقَبَّلْهَا مِنِّيْ بِاَحْسَنِ قَبُوْلٍ
وَ بَلِّغْنِيْ بِرَحْمَتِكَ الْمَأْمُوْلِ
وَ افْعَلْ بِيْ مَا اَنْتَ اَهْلُهُ
يَاۤ اَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِيْنَ۔
Sayyid Ibn Tawus says that if you intend to visit Masjid alSahlah, you may choose for this visit the time between the Maghrib and the ‘Isha’ obligatory prayers at the night before Wednesday. This is because this time is better than any other time. At Masjid alSahlah, you may offer the obligatory Maghrib Prayer and then offer the Maghrib supererogatory prayer. Then, you may stand up for offering a twounit prayer as the prayer of greeting the mosque. This prayer may be intended for seeking nearness to Almighty Allah. When you finish, you may raise your hands towards the sky and say the following supplicatory prayer:
اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنْ كَانَتِ الذُّنُوْبُ وَ الْخَطَايَا
قَدْ اَخْلَقَتْ وَجْهِيْ عِنْدَكَ
فَلَمْ تَرْفَعْ لِيْ اِلَيْكَ صَوْتًا
وَ لَمْ تَسْتَجِبْ لِيْ دَعْوَةً
فَاِنِّيۤ اَسْاَلُكَ بِكَ يَاۤ اَللّٰهُ
فَاِنَّهُ لَيْسَ مِثْلَكَ اَحَدٌ
وَ اَتَوَسَّلُ اِلَيْكَ بِمُحَمَّدٍ وَ اٰلِهِ
وَ اَسْاَلُكَ اَنْ تُصَلِّيَ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
وَ اَنْ تُقْبِلَ اِلَيَّ [عَلَيَ] بِوَجْهِكَ الْكَرِيْمِ
وَ تُقْبِلَ بِوَجْهِيْ اِلَيْكَ
وَ لَا تُخَيِّبَنِيْ حِيْنَ اَدْعُوْكَ
وَ لَا تَحْرِمْنِيْ حِيْنَ اَرْجُوْكَ
يَاۤ اَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِيْنَ۔
You are Allah; there is no god save You. You are the Beginner of the process of creation and the Repeater of it. You are Allah; there is no god save You. You are the Creator of creatures and the Sustainer of them. You are Allah; there is no god save You. You are the Straightener and the Expander. You are Allah; there is no god save You. You are the Manager of all affairs and the Resurrector of those who are in graves. You are the Inheritor of the earth and whatever and whoever is on it. I beseech You by Your Name: the concealed, the obscured, the ever-living, and the self-subsistent. You are Allah; there is no god save You. You are the Knower of secrets and what is yet more hidden. I beseech You by Your Name: the Name that You respond to him who beseeches You by it and the Name that You give him who asks You by it. And I beseech You in the name of the duty of Muhammad and his Household towards You and in the name of the duty that You have made incumbent upon Yourself towards them to send blessings upon Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad and to grant me my requests at this very hour! At this very hour! O Hearer of prayers! O my Master! O my Lord! O my Aide! I beseech You by all the Names that You used for Yourself and the Names that You take exclusively for Yourself in the Unseen Knowledge of You to send blessings upon Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad and to expedite our relief to this very hour. O He Who changes hearts and sights! O Hearer of prayers!
اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّيۤ اَسْاَلُكَ بِاسْمِكَ يَاۤ اَللّٰهُ
اَنْ تُصَلِّيَ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
وَ اَنْ تَجْعَلَ خَيْرَ عُمْرِيۤ اٰخِرَهُ
وَ خَيْرَ اَعْمَالِيْ خَوَاتِيْمَهَا
وَ خَيْرَ اَيَّامِيْ يَوْمَ اَلْقَاكَ فِيْهِ
اِنَّكَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيْرٌ
اَللّٰهُمَّ تَقَبَّلْ دُعَاۤئِيْ
صَلِّ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
وَ اغْفِرْ لِيَ الذُّنُوْبَ الَّتِيْ بَيْنِيْ وَ بَيْنَكَ
وَ لَا تَفْضَحْنِيْ عَلٰى رُؤُسِ الْاَشْهَادِ
وَ احْرُسْنِيْ بِعَيْنِكَ الَّتِيْ لَا تَنَامُ
وَ ارْحَمْنِيْ بِقُدْرَتِكَ عَلَيَّ
يَاۤ اَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِيْنَ
وَ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلٰى سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ
يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِيْنَ۔
You may then prostrate yourself, show submission to Almighty Allah, and supplicate Him for anything you need. Then, you may move to the westnorthern side of the mosque, which is the place of Prophet Abraham’s house, from where he used to ready himself for fighting against the giants. At this place, you may offer a twounit prayer after which you may say the Tasbih statements followed by this supplicatory prayer:
يَا مَنْ هُوَ اَقْرَبُ اِلَيَّ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيْدِ
يَا فَعَّالًا لِمَا يُرِيدُ
يَا مَنْ يَحُوْلُ بَيْنَ الْمَرْءِ وَ قَلْبِهِ
صَلِّ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اٰلِهِ
وَ حُلْ بَيْنَنَا وَ بَيْنَ مَنْ يُؤْذِيْنَا
يَا كَافِيْ مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ
وَ لَا يَكْفِيْ مِنْهُ شَيْءٌ
اِكْفِنَا الْمُهِمَّ مِنْ اَمْرِ الدُّنْيَا وَ الْاٰخِرَةِ
يَا ۤاَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِيْنَ۔
O Allah, (I beseech You) in the name of this holy area and in the name of him who used to worship You here. You know my needs; so, (please) send blessings upon Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad and settle them for me. You have accounted my sins; so, (please) send blessings upon Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad and forgive them for me. O Allah, (please do) keep me alive as long as life is better for me, cause me to die if death is better for me, cause me to die bearing loyalty to Your intimate servants and antagonism against Your enemies, and do to me that which befits You, O most merciful of all those who show mercy!
You may then move to the other side, which is in the kiblah direction, and offer a twounit prayer. You may then raise your hands towards the sky and say the following supplicatory words:
O Allah, I have offered this prayer seeking Your pleasure, wishing for Your gift, and hoping for Your prizes and rewards; so, (please do) send blessings upon Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad, accept it from me with the best acceptance, make me gain what I hope, out of Your mercy, and do to me that which befits You, O most merciful of all those who show mercy!
اَللّٰهِمَّ اِنِّىْ اَسْاَلُكَ يَا مَنْ لَا تَرَاهُ الْعُيُوْنُ ۔۔۔
You may then prostrate yourself and put your cheek on the ground. Then, you may walk to the eastern side of the mosque where you may offer a twounit prayer. After that, you may extend your hands and say the following supplicatory words:
O Allah, if my sins and faults have caused my face to be tattered in Your view; therefore, they impeded my voice from reaching You and You thus have not responded to any of my prayers, I then beseech You in Your Name, O Allah, for there is verily nothing like You, I seek the intercession of Muhammad and his Household to You, and I beseech You to send blessings upon Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad, to come to me with Your Noble Face, to accept my turning my face towards You, not to let me down when I supplicate You, and not to deprive me (of Your response) when I please You. O most merciful of all those who show mercy!
سَلَامُ اللهِ الْكَامِلُ التَّآمُّ ۔۔۔
According to an anonymous guidebook of Ziyarah, it has been mentioned that you may then walk to the other eastern corner of the mosque and offer there a twounit prayer and then say the following supplicatory prayer:
O Allah, I do beseech You by Your Name, O Allah, to send blessings upon Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad, to cause the best of my lifetime to be the last of it, the best of my deeds to be the last of them, and the best of my days to be the day on which I meet You. Verily, You have power over all things. O Allah, (please) accept my prayer and listen to my confidential speech (with You). O All-high! O Allgreat! O All-powerful! O All-prevalent! O He Who is Ever-living and never dies, (please) send blessings upon Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad, forgive my sins that I have committed between You and me, do not expose me in the presence of the witnesses, guard me with Your Eye that never sleeps, and have mercy upon me as You have full power over me. O most merciful of all those who show mercy! May Allah send blessings upon our master Muhammad and upon his Immaculate Household. O Lord of the worlds!
Then, you may offer a twounit prayer in the house that is situated in the middle of Masjid alSahlah. Upon accomplishment, you may say the following supplicatory words:
O He Who is nearer to me than my life-vein! O He Who does whatever He wills! O He Who intervenes between man and his heart! (Please do) send blessings upon Muhammad and his Household and intervene between us and those who intend harm to us, in the name of Your might and power. O He Who saves from all things and nothing can ever save from Him! (Please do) relieve us from whatever aggrieves us from our worldly and religious affairs. O most merciful of all those who show mercy!
You may then put both your cheeks on the ground.
This holy area of Masjid alSahlah is currently known as maqam zayn al’Abidin (the Place of Imam Zayn al’Abidin).
In the book of alMazar alQadim, it is mentioned that one may offer at this place a twounit prayer and then say the previously mentioned supplicatory prayer, which begins with the following statement:
O Allah, I beseech You, O He Whom cannot be seen by eyes...
Next to this place, there is an area known as maqam almahdi (the Place of Imam alMahdi). It is thus appropriate to visit Imam alMahdi (‘a) from this place.
However, some books of ziyarah have instructed that one, while standing up at this place, may visit Imam alMahdi (‘a) with the ziyarah formula that begins with the following statements:
Peace of Allah-perfect, complete, comprehensive, and thorough...
This form of ziyarah has been mentioned in the seventh chapter of the first section of this book under the title, Seeking Aid From Imam alMahdi (pp. 458 of vol. 1).
Sayyid Ibn Tawus has included this form of ziyarah with the other forms that are used for visiting Imam alMahdi (‘a) in the Holy Vault (sirdab) in Samarra’ after offering a twounit prayer.