His Whispered Prayers in the Sacred House
Many whispered prayers in the Sacred House of Allah were related from Ima`m Zayn al-'Abidin, peace be on him. He used to recite them before his Lord in the darkness. The following is some of them:
1. Mohammed b. Abi Hamza reported: [I saw 'Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be on him, praying in the courtyard of the Kaaba. He lengthened standing in prayer to the extent that he sometimes leant on his right leg and sometimes on his left leg. Then I heard him weeping loudly and whispering to his Lord:]
"O my Master, will You chastise me (while) Your love is in my heart? By Your might, You shall not gather me with the people toward whom I have shown enmity for You!
2"
In this short whispered prayer, the Ima`m, peace be on him, expressed his absolute devotion and pleading to Allah, asking Him for pardon and good pleasure.
2. Al-Asma'i narrated: [While I was going around the Kaaba, I saw a young man clinging to its curtains and saying sad words:]
"The eyes have slept, and the stars have become high, and You are the King, the Living, the Self-subsistent. The kings have closed
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1. Nihayat al-Irab, vol. 21, p. 331.
2. Al-Kafi, vol. 2, p. 579.
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their gates, and their guards have stood by them, but Your gate is still open for the askers. I have come to You to, that You may look at me through Your mercy, O Most Merciful of the merciful."
[Then he composed:]
"O He who responds in the darkness to the supplication of
the distressed!
O He who removes affliction, tribulation, and illness!
All those have come to You have slept around the House,
and only You, O Self-subsistent, do not sleep!
I supplicate You, my Lord, with a supplication which You
have commanded!
Hence have mercy on my weeping, by the right of the House
and the Sanctuary!
If the immoderate do not expect Your pardon, then who
will bestows favor lavishly upon the disobedient!"
Al-Asma'i said: "I followed his traces, suddenly he was Zayn al-'Abidin.
1 I kissed him and said to him: You are 'Ali b. al-Husayn; your father is the martyr of Karbala`'; your grandfather is 'Ali al-Murtada`; your (grand) mother is Fa`tima, the chaste; your grandmother is Khadija al-Kubra` (the greatest one); your great grandfather is Mohammed al-Mustafa` (the chosen one), Hence why do you say such words?"
The Ima`m softly and kindly answered him: "Have you not read these words of Him, the Exalted:
Hence when the trumpet is blown, there shall be no ties of relationship between them on that day, nor
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1. Al-Majjlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 46, p. 80. Kashf al-Ghumma, vol. 4, pp. 150-151.
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shall they ask of each other?1 Have you not heard the words of my grandfather: The Garden has been created for the obedient even if they are from Ethiopia; the Fire has been created for the disobedient even if they are from Quraysh?
2"
This great Ima`m clung to Allah, the Exalted, devoted himself to him, obeyed him, and worshipped him because of knowledge, faith, and sincerity.
3. Ta`wus al-Yama`ni narrated: [I passed by the (Black) Stone. Suddenly, (I saw) a person bowing and prostrating. I carefully considered him, and I could realized that he was 'Ali b. al-Husayn, Hence I said to myself: He is a righteous man from among the Household of the Prophet. By Allah, I will wait until he finishes his prayers, that I may make use of his supplication. Then he raised his hands and began addressing Allah, saying:]
"O Allah, my Master, my Master! I have stretched out my hands full of sins toward You and looked (at You) with hope. The right of him who humbly supplicates you with regret is that You generously respond to him!
"My Master, have you created me as one of the miserable, Hence I will lengthen my weeping? Or have you created me as one of the happy, Hence I will be happy with my hope?
"My Master, have you created my limbs to be hit with whips (of iron)? Or have you created my bowels for drinking the boiling water (in the Fire)?
"My Master, if a servant was able to escape from his master, I
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1. Qur'an, 23, p. 101.
2. Roudat al-Jannat, vol. 5, p. 161. He ( the author of this book) commented on these words of al-Asma'i, saying: " This is the whole of the tradition which is strange, for it contradicts the class of al-Asma'i, the mentioned, the famous one, whose birth occurred many (years) after the death of al-Sajjad (Zayn al'Abidin) except that al-Asma'i was another man from among the old people who belong to his ancestor Asma'.
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would be the first of those who escaped from their master, but I know that I cannot escape from You!
"My Master, if I knew that my chastisement would increase Your kingdom, I would ask You for patience against it, but I know that the obedience of the obedient does not increase Your kingdom, nor does the disobedience of the disobedient decrease it.
"My Master, Here I am! What is my importance? Pardon me through your bounty! Cover me over with Your cover! Forgive me my scolding through the generosity of Your face!
"My Allah and my Master, have mercy on me when I will be dead on my bed, (and when) the hands of my lovers turn me! Have mercy on me when I will be placed in the wash room, (and when) my righteous neighbors wash me! Have mercy on me when I will be carried, (and when) my relatives carry the ends of my coffin! Have mercy on my exile and my lonesomeness in that dark house!"
When Ta`wus heard these sad whispered prayers, he burst into tears, Hence the Ima`m turned to him and asked him:
"O Yama`ni, what makes you weep? Isn't this the standing place of the sinners?"
Ta`wus interrupted the Ima`m with submission and admiration, saying: "Your right against Allah is that He should respond to you.
1"
The Ima`m, peace be on him, loved the world of angels, clung to it, and devoted his life to it.
4. The narrators reported on the authority of al-Hasan al-Basri, who said: "I saw 'Ali b. al-Husayn in the Kaaba pleading to Allah and supplicating Him in repentance, Hence I came nearer to him and heard him reciting these soft lines:
O He who is expected for (fulfilling) every need!
I complained to You of affliction, Hence have mercy on my
complaint!
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1. Roudat al-Wa'izin, vol. 1, p. 237.
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O He who is my hope! Your are the Remover of my
distress, Hence forgive me every sin I have committed and
fulfill my request!
To You belong aim in every request! You are the Helper of
the askers and my goal!
I have made ugly acts the like of which none of the
creatures has made!
My provision is little; I do not think that it is enough!
Shall I weep for my provision or for my distant road!
Will You muster me along with the oppressive in the
standing places?
Therefore, where is my circumambulation, then where are
my visitations?
Will you burn me with the Fire, O Goal of hopes?
Therefore, where is my expectation, then where is my fear?
My Master, oblige me with repentance, for You, my Lord,
know my words!
These lines had a great effect on the soul of al-Hasan al-Basri, Hence he hurried to kiss the feet of the Ima`m and say:
"O grandson of the Prophet, why are you saying these whispered prayers and weeping? Are you not from among the Prophet's Household concerning whom Allah said: 'To take away the uncleanness from you and to purify thoroughly.'?"
The Ima`m explained to al-Hasan al-Basri the true Islam, which adopted good deeds and paid no attention to lineage, saying: "Leave this! The Garden has been created for him who obeys Allah even if he is from Ethiopia; the Fire has been created for him who disobeys Him even if he is from Quraysh. The Prophet, may Allah bless him and his family, said: 'Bring me your acts, not your lineage.'
1"
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1. Roudat al-Jannat, vol. 3, p. 29.
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Some writers thought that this narration was incorrect. This is because the narration contains weak lines of poetry. Besides it shows that al-Husayn al-Basri kissed the Ima`m's foot. They said that this action did not agree with the position of al-Basri, and that the Ima`m did not accepted it.
1 This view is weak for the following reasons:
First, the Ima`m, peace be on him, recited these lines. None knows that he composed them.
Second, we do not think that these lines are weak, for they are soft and good.
Third, as for that al-Hasan al-Basri kissed the Ima`m, it was not an insult; rather it was honor and pride for him. This is because the Ima`m was the remaining one of Allah in His earth, the lord of the pure Household (of the Prophet), and a piece of the liver of Allah's Apostle, may Allah bless him and his family. Al-Basri was the most knowledgeable of these authors in the Ima`m's position.
5. Ta`wus, the jurist, reported one of the Ima`m's whispered prayers to Allah in the Sacred House. He said: [I saw 'Ali b. al-Husayn going around (the Kaaba) from the evening to the early morning. As he was alone, he looked at the sky and said:]
"My Allah, the stars of Your heavens have set! The eyes of Your creatures have slept, but Your gates are open for the askers! I have come to You in order to pardon me, to have mercy on me, and to show me the face of my grandfather, Mohammed, may Allah bless him and his family, on the Day of Resurrection."
[Then he wept and addressed Allah, the Exalted, saying:]
"I (swear) by Your might and majesty, I do not want to disobey You through my disobedience. I do not doubt You when I disobey You nor am I ignorant of Your exemplary punishment nor do I want to subject myself to Your punishment. However, my soul entices me and Your cover which is over me helps me with this. Hence, now, who can save me from Your chastisement? If You cut Your rope from
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1. Al-Sila bayna al-Tasawuf wa al-Tashayya', vol. 1, p. 161.
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me, then to which rope shall I cling? How evil my standing before You will be tomorrow! If it is said to those who have small (sins): 'pass', and to those who have great (sins): 'stop', then shall I pass with those who have small (sins) or stop with those who have great (sins)? Woe unto me! The long my span is, the more my sins are! Still, I do not announce my repentance! Isn't it a time for me to feel shame of my Lord!"
[Then he burst into tears and recited:]
"Will you burn me with the Fire, O Goal of hopes? Therefore, where is my expectation, then where is my fear?
"I have done ugly works the like of which none of the creatures has done!
"Glory belongs to You! You are disobeyed as if You were not seen! You are clement as if You were not disobeyed! You show love toward Your creatures through (Your) kindness as if You were in need of them, while You, my Master, are in no need of them!"
[Then he prostrated himself (in prayer), Hence I (Ta`wus) came nearer to him, raised his head, put it on my lap, Hence a tear of mine fell onto his holy cheek. Then he sat down and said with a faint voice:]
"Who has distracted me from praising my Lord?"
Hence Ta`wus answered him with submission and magnification: "It is I, Ta`wus. Son of Allah's Apostle, what is this impatience and fear? It is we who should behave in this manner. We are disobedient and sinful, while your father is al-Husayn b. 'Ali, your (grand) mother is Fa`tima, the chaste, and your grandfather is Allah's Messenger."
[However, the Ima`m paid no attention to the clear lineage with which he was endowed, Hence he interrupted (me), saying:]
"How far! How far! Ta`wus, leave mentioning my father, my mother, and my grandfather. Allah has created the Garden to him who obeys Him and does good even if he is a Negro from Ethiopia, and He created the Fire for him who disobeys Him even if he is a chief from Quraysh. Have you not heard these words of Him, the Exalted:
Hence
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when the trumpet is blown, there shall be no ties of relationship between them on that day, nor shall they ask of each other. I swear by Allah that nothing will profit you tomorrow except your good acts.
1"
6. Ta`wus narrated another whispered prayers of the Ima`m's in the Sacred House. He said: [I entered the Stone (i.e., the Stone of Isma`'il) one night and there was 'Ali b. al-Husayn. He had come in and was standing praying. He prayed as Allah had wished. Hence I said: He is a righteous man, Hence I must listen to him, thus I heard him say:]
Your little servant is at Your courtyard;
Your miserable one is at Your courtyard:
Your poor one is at Your courtyard;
Your beggar is at Your courtyard.
Ta`wus memorized this short whispered prayer, which expressed self-denial and absolute obedience to Allah. He supplicated Allah with it when in need, and Allah removed his afflictions.
2
These are some whispered prayers of the Ima`m in the Sacred House of Allah. They show his great turning to Allah in repentance and his devotion to Him. The Ima`m has other whispered prayers. We will mention them when we talk about his supplications and his whispered prayers.
With a Man circumambulating the Kaaba
On circumambulating the Kaaba, the Ima`m heard a man asking Allah for patience, Hence he turned to the man and said to him: "You are asking (Allah) for tribulation. Say: O Allah, I ask You for well-being and gratitude for it.
3" The Ima`m taught the man how to supplicate Allah. He ordered him to ask Allah for well-being and
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1. Kashf al-Ghumma, vol. 1, p. 151. Al-Majjlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, vol. 46, p. 81. Tha'lab, al-Majjlisi, vol. 2, p. 462.
2. Nur al-Abbsar, p. 127. Nahjj al-Balagha, vol. 6, p. 192.
3. Quttub al-Ranwandi, Da'awat, p. 43.
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gratitude for it. He warned him against asking Allah for endurance, which he had to seek during tribulation and poverty.
The Ima`m blamed those who begged on the Day of 'Arafa
The Ima`m, peace be on him, saw some men asking the people to help them on the Day of 'Arafa. He rebuked them for this and said: "Woe unto you! Why do you ask other than Allah on such a day? Those who are in the wombs of the pregnant want to be happy on this day!
1"
His Freeing the Slaves on the Day of 'Arafa`t
He, peace be on him, bought black slaves though he had no need of them. He brought them to 'Arafat. When he returned from 'Arafat, he ordered the slaves to be released and to be given money gifts.
2
