The last part of Iftitāḥ supplication
About al-Iftitāḥ Supplication
Al-Iftitāḥ Supplication (Arabic: دعاء الافتتاح) is a supplication that is narrated by Muhammad b. 'Uthman, one of the Four Deputies. The Shi'a recite this supplication during the nights of the month of Ramadan. It comprises lofty themes about God, and few scholars have written commentaries on this supplication. The last paragraph of this supplication points out aspects such as expressing affection for the Islamic government in the light of the Reappearance of Imam al-Mahdi (a) and describing the goal of the Islamic rule and our responsibilities in it.
Chain of Transmission
The al-Iftitah supplication is narrated by al-Sayyid b. Tawus in Iqbal al-a'mal[1], al-Shaykh al-Tusi in Misbah al-mutahajjid[2], al-Kaf'ami in Misbah[3] and al-Balad al-amin[4], al-Majlisi in Zad al-ma'ad[5] and Shaykh 'Abbas Qumi in Mafatih al-jinan[6]. The narrator of this supplication is Muhammad b. 'Uthman who narrates it from Imam al-Mahdi (a). Even though this supplication is not actually narrated by an infallible Imam, but by considering the fact that certain individuals like Muhammad b. 'Uthman, one of the Four Deputies of the Imam al-Mahdi (a), regularly recited this supplication, and by examining the lofty themes of this supplication, and al-Sayyid b. Tawus's reliance on it, one becomes confident that this supplication is from the Imam al-Mahdi (a) or other Imams (a).[7]
Etymology
The name of this supplication is "al-Iftitah" (beginning) because this supplication begins with the praise of God in this manner: "O God, I begin the glorification of you by praising you."[8]
Reward and Time of Recitation
Al-'Allama al-Majlisi has stated in his Zad al-ma'ad: "From an authentic chain, it has been narrated by Imam al-Mahdi (a), that he has written to his Shi'a telling them to recite this supplication during every night of the month of Ramadan as the angels listen to the supplication in this month and ask forgiveness for the one who is reciting it."[9]
Themes
• The al-Iftitah supplication begins with the praise of the Almighty, then touches upon choosing the right path and the approval of God, His mercy and anger, the necessity of hope and fear, the blessing of worship, God's grace upon the servant, the servant's sinning and His continued grace, a reminder of God's mercy, the lasting of blessings being in God's hands and the necessity of pondering over His blessings.
• Other parts explain God's wisdom for delaying the acceptance of supplication, man's arrogance and heedlessness towards God, the importance of affection towards and praying to God, and point towards the perpetually open doors to God's mercy. It reads: God never banishes his servant from Him and does not close the doors of His mercy, and does not render him hopeless.
• The last passages of this supplication, which have been heavily emphasized upon, are regarding expressing one's affection towards the Islamic government that will establish itself under the rule of Imam al-Mahdi (a) upon his reappearance. Alongside these stanzas, the goal of the Islamic rule and our responsibilities concerning it has also been explained. The supplication urges to take lessons from the past nations and emphasizes that Prophet Muhammad (s) and the infallibles (s) after him are the most precious blessing of God.
Commentaries
• Shahab al-Din Buzchilu'i Araki (b. 1313/1895-6), one of the students of Hakim Sabziwari has written a commentary on the al-Iftitah supplication. This commentary is published by Anjuman-i Tablighat-i Islami, Tehran, in 1324/1906-7.
• The book Bar dargah-i dust is the commentary on the verses from the al-Iftitah supplication and the supplication of Abu Hamzah al-Thumali, and is compiled from the moral lectures of Muhammad Taqi Misbah Yazdi.
• Ta'amulat fi du'a al-iftitah written by Muhammad Taqi Madrasi is another commentary on this supplication.
• Tarjuma wa sharh-i du'a-yi iftitah written by Muhammad Rida Mahdawi Kani delves into the translation and commentary of this supplication.
Notes
1. ↑ Sayyid b. Ṭāwūs, Iqbāl al-aʿmāl, p. 322-325.
2. ↑ Ṭūsī, Misbāḥ al-mutahajjid, p. 402-404.
3. ↑ Kafʿamī, al-Miṣbāḥ fī l-adʿīyya, p. 770-773.
4. ↑ Kafʿamī, al-Balad al-Amīn, p. 271-274.
5. ↑ Majlisī, Zād al-maʿād, p. 86-89.
6. ↑ Qummī, Mafātīḥ al-Jinān, p. 321.
7. ↑ Mahdawī Kanī, Tarjuma wa sharḥ-i duʿā-yi Iftitāḥ, p. 2.
8. ↑ Mahdawī Kanī, Tarjuma wa sharḥ-i duʿā-yi Iftitāḥ, p. 2.
9. ↑ Majlisī, Zād al-maʿād, p. 86.
Source: https://en.wikishia.net/
The last part of Iftitāḥ supplication
أللَّهُمَّ وَ صَلِّ عَلَى وَليِّ أَمْرِكَ...
O Allah, (please do) send blessings to the custodian of Your commandments,
ٱلْقَائِمِ ٱلْمُؤَمَّلِ
the vigilant guardian, the reliable patron,
وَ ٱلْعَدْلِ ٱلْمُنْتَظَرِ
and the awaited establisher of justice.
وَ حُفَّهُ بِمَلائِكَتِكَ ٱلْمُقَرَّبِينَ
And (please) surround him with Your favorite angels
وَ أَيِّدْهُ بِرُوحِ ٱلْقُدُسِ
and assist him with the Holy Spirit
يَا رَبَّ ٱلْعَالَمِينَ
O Lord of the worlds!
اَللَّهُمَّ ٱجْعَلْهُ ٱلدَّاعِيَ إِلَى كِتَابِكَ
O Allah, (please) choose him to be the caller to Your Book
وَ ٱلْقَائِمَ بِدِينِكَ
and the establisher of Your religion;
ٱسْتَخْلِفْهُ فِي ٱلأَرْضِ
make him succeed in the earth
كَمَا ٱسْتَخْلَفْتَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ
as You caused those who were before him to succeed,
مَكِّنْ لَهُ دِينَهُ ٱلَّذِي ٱرْتَضَيْتَهُ لَهُ
establish for him his faith which You have approved for him,
أَبْدِلْهُ مِنْ بَعْدِ خَوْفِهِ أَمْناً
and give him in exchange safety after the fear.
يَعْبُدُكَ لاَ يُشْرِكُ بِكَ شَيْئاً
He serves You. He ascribes nothing as partner to You.
اَللَّهُمَّ أَعِزَّهُ وَ أَعْزِزْ بِهِ
O Allah, (please) grant him power, make him the source of power,
وَ ٱنْصُرْهُ وَ ٱنْتَصِرْ بِهِ
grant him support, make him the means of Your victory,
وَ ٱنْصُرْهُ نَصْراً عَزِيزاً
help him with a mighty help,
وَ ٱفْتَحْ لَهُ فَتْحاً يَسِيراً
make him prevail over all with easiness,
وَ ٱجْعَلْ لَهُ مِنْ لَدُنْكَ سُلْطَاناً نَصِيراً
and delegate him Your controlling authority.
اَللَّهُمَّ أَظْهِرْ بِهِ دِينَكَ وَ سُنَّةَ نَبِيِّكَ
O Allah, (please) make prevalent Your religion and the norms of Your Prophet through him
حَتَّى لاَ يَسْتَخْفِيَ بِشَيْءٍ مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ
so that he will not have to hide any item of truth
مَخَافَةَ أَحَدٍ مِنَ ٱلْخَلْقِ
for fear of any of the creatures.
اَللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَرْغَبُ إِلَيْكَ فِي دَوْلَةٍ كَرِيمَةٍ
O Allah, we ardently desire that You confer upon us a respectful government
تُعِزُّ بِهَا ٱلإِسْلاَمَ وَ أَهْلَهُ
through which You may give might to Islam and its followers,
وَ تُذِلُّ بِهَا ٱلنِّفَاقَ وَ أَهْلَهُ
humiliate hypocrisy and its people,
وَ تَجْعَلُنَا فِيهَا مِنَ ٱلدُّعَاةِ إِلَى طَاعَتِكَ
and include us among those who invite people to the obedience to You and
وَٱلْقَادَةِ إِلَى سَبِيلِكَ
and lead them to Your approved path.
وَ تَرْزُقُنَا بِهَا كَرَامَةَ ٱلدُّنْيَا و َٱلآخِرَةِ
Give us the good of this world and the world to come.
اَللَّهُمَّ مَا عَرَّفْتَنَا مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ فَحَمِّلْنَاهُ
O Allah, let us bear out that which You make known to us as the truth
وَ مَا قَصُرْنَا عَنْهُ فَبَلِّغْنَاهُ
and let us attain that which we fall short to do.
اَللَّهُمَّ ٱلْمُمْ بِه شَعَثَنَا
O Allah, through him, set in order our disorder,
وَ ٱشْعَبْ بِهِ صَدْعَنَا
gather and unite our flock,
وَ ٱرْتُقْ بِهِ فَتْقَنَا
stitch together our ripped open separation,
وَ كَثِّرْ بِهِ قِلَّتَنَا
increase our few numbers,
وَ أَعْزِزْ بِهِ ذِلَّتَنَا
lift us up from our degradation,
وَ أغْنِ بِهِ عَائِلَنَا
grant wealth to the needy among us,
وَ ٱقْضِ بِهِ عَنْ مُغْرَمِنَا
pull us out from our debts,
وَ ٱجْبُرْ بِهِ فَقْرَنَا
set up our poverty,
وَ سُدَّ بِهِ خَلَّتَنَا
fill the gap of confusion among us,
وَ يَسِّرْ بِهِ عُسْرَنَا
make easy all difficulties we may face,
وَ بَيِّضْ بِهِ وُجُوهَنَا
refine our substance and style,
وَ فُكَّ بِهِ أَسْرَنَا
release us from captivity,
وَ أَنْجِحْ بِهِ طَلِبَتَنَا
make successful our applications,
وَ أَنْجِزْ بِهِ مَوَاعِيدَنَا
fulfill Your promises to us,
وَ ٱسْتَجِبْ بِهِ دَعْوَتَنَا
give answer to our prayers,
وَ أَعْطِنَا بِهِ سُؤْلَنَا
respond to our requests,
و َبَلِّغْنَا بِهِ مِنَ ٱلدُّنْيَا وَٱلآخِرَةِ آمَالَنَا
make us attain our hopes in this world as well as the world to come,
وَ أَعْطِنَا بِهِ فَوْقَ رَغْبَتِنَا
and grant us beyond our wishes.
يَا خَيْرَ ٱلْمَسْؤُولِينَ
O Most Favorable of all those whom may be besought
وَ أَوْسَعَ ٱلْمُعْطِينَ
and Most magnanimous of all those who may grant requests!
إشْفِ بِهِ صُدُورَنَا
Through him, heal our breasts,
وَ أَذْهِبْ بِهِ غَيْظَ قُلُوبِنَا
remove the rage of our hearts,
وَ إهْدِنَا بِهِ لِمَا ٱخْتُلِفَ فِيهِ مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ بِإِذْنِكَ
and in the event of dispute in the matter of truth, show us the right path.
إِنَّكَ تَهْدِي مَنْ تَشَاءُ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ
Verily, You guide whosoever You will to the Right Path.
وَ ٱنْصُرْنَا بِهِ عَلَى عَدُوِّكَ وَ عَدُوِّنَا
Grant us victory over Your and our enemy.
إِلهَ ٱلْحَقِّ آمِينَ
O God of Truth, respond to us!
اَللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَشْكُو إِلَيْكَ
O Allah, we complain to You
فَقْدَ نَبِيِّنَا صَلَوَاتُكَ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ
about the departure of our Prophet, Your blessings be on him and on his Household,
وَ غَيْبَةَ وَلِيِّنَا
the absence of our leader,
وَ كَثْرَةَ عَدُوِّنَا
the big numbers of our enemies,
وَ قِلَّةَ عَدَدِنَا
the few number of us,
وَ شِدَّةَ ٱلْفِتَنِ بِنَا
widespread disorder,
وَ تَظَاهُرَ ٱلزَّمَانِ عَلَيْنَا
and vicissitudes of time against us.
فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِهِ
So, (please do) send blessings to Muhammad and his Household
وَأَعِنَّا عَلَى ذلِكَ بِفَتْحٍ مِنْكَ تُعَجِّلُهُ
and help us overcome all that through victory from You that You expedite,
وَ بِضُرٍّ تَكْشِفُهُ
through relieving us from our injuries,
وَ نَصْرٍ تُعِزُّهُ
through Your help that You confirm,
وَ سُلْطَانِ حَقٍّ تُظْهِرُهُ
through bringing in the rule of justice and fair-play,
وَ رَحْمَةٍ مِنْكَ تُجَلِّلُنَاهَا
through mercy that You expand over us,
وَ عَافِيَةٍ مِنْكَ تُلْبِسُنَاهَا
and through good health that You cover us with,
بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ ٱلرَّاحِمِينَ
in the name of Your mercy, O most Merciful of all those who show mercy!
