Concerning the Cordial Disciplines of the Qunut

Know that the Qunut (supplication in the salat with the hands raised) is one of the recommended supereregations which is not becoming to neglect, but to perform it is of precaution, such that some companions say that it is obligatory. Some narratives also confirm that, although from the juristic point of view it is not obligatory, as is common among the great scholars. It is performed as is particularly common among the Imamis [imamiya] (may Allah be pleased with them), i.e., by raising the hands near to the face, with the palms open towards the sky and reciting common or uncommon invocations. It is allowed to recite them in any language, Arabic or non-Arabic, though the Arabic is better and is according to precaution.

The jurisprudents say that the best du`a' (invocation) in this respect is du`a 'ul faraj [612], though its preference has not been proved to the writer by an authentic juristic evidence. Yet, the contents of the du`a' confirm its preference, because it includes tahlil, tasbih and tamhid, which are the spirit of tauhid as has been explained. It also includes the great Names of Allah, such as: Allah, al-Halim, al-Karim, al-Ally, al-Azim, and ar-Rabb, besides the dhikr (the wordings to be recited) in the ruku ` and the sujud, and the Names of Essence, Attributes and Acts, as well as the stages of the manifestations of Allah, Almighty and Most High, and sending salam to the Messengers though to neglect this is of the acts of precaution, but upon a stronger opinion it is allowed. It also includes sending blessings upon the Prophet and his offspring (AS). It seems that this noble dua', short as it is, covers all the salat's duties of rememberance.

Its merit can also be confirmed through the sayings of the jurisprudents (may Allah be pleased with them) or through "Tolerating the Proofs of the Traditions" [613] - although the writer has a second thought on that - or by means of discovering a creditable evidence-which has not occurred to us -regarded by the late-comers to be the basis of unanimity [ijma].

Among the noble du`as of great merit, which includes the polite manners of supplication to Allah, and also numerates the full divine gifts, and completely suits the state of qunut, which is a state of supplication and devotion to Allah, and some great men (may Allah have mercy upon them) almost continually practiced it, is the du`a' called 'ya man azharal jamil" (O, the One Who manifested the Beautiful), which is of the treasures of the Arsh and Allah's gift to His Messenger. Each one of its paragraphs has so much merits and rewards, as is stated in at-Tauhid by Shaykh as-Saduq (may Allah have mercy upon him). [614]

The best manner of servitude is that, in the state of qunut-which is a state of supplication and devotion to Allah in the salat, all of which is showing servitude and praising, and in this state the Holy Essence of Allah, the Exalted and Most High, specially opens the door of supplication and invocation to the servant and honours him so -the salik servant must also observe the discipline of the Holy State of Lordship, and take care that his du'a' should include glorifying and purifying Allah, the Exalted, and His remembrance. He should ask Allah, in this noble state, to give him those things that are of the kind of divine knowledge [ma`arif], and to open for him the door of supplication, intimacy, privacy and devotion to Him. He should avoid demanding this world, mean animal matters and selfish desires, so that he may not feel ashamed in the presence of the pure ones, and not debase himself in the gathering of pious ones.

O dear, qunut is giving up other than Allah, and completely turning towards the Lord's Might, and extending the empty hand of demand to the Absolute Self-Sufficient. During such a state of devotion, to talk of the stomach, private parts and mundane matters is but a shortcoming and a loss.

Darling, now that you are far away from your homeland, blocked from neighbouring the free people and captured in this dark house full of troubles and perils, do not spin around yourself, like a silkworm.

O dear, Allah, the Beneficent, has fermented your disposition with the light of knowledge and the fire of love, and supported you with the lights like the prophets, and the lovers like the walis [auliya], so, do not extinguish this fire with the dust and ashes of this low world, and do not tarnish and darken that light with a world which is a place of exile. Probably if you pay attention to the original home, and demand from Allah to be devoted to Him, and expose before Him your deprivation and dislike of separation, in a painful tone out of your heart, displaying the conditions of your helplessness, weakness and distress, an invisible assistance will reach you and an inside hand of help will be extended to you, and your shortcomings will be done away with, as it is His habit to be charitable, and it is His custom to be benefactor.

If you recite parts of the Sha'baniyah supplication by the Imam of the Pious and the Commander of the Believers and his infallible offspring, who are the Imams of the people of knowledge and truths, in your qunut, especially the part in which he says: "O Allah, grant me 'to be completely devoted to You," [615] etc., but in a state of necessity [idtirar], devotion and imploration, not with a dead heart, like the writer's, it will be quite becoming of the condition.

In short, the state of the qunut, according to the writer's opinion, is like the state of the sujud. The former is turning towards the humility of servitude and the rememberance of the state of the Lord's Might, and the latter is turning towards the Lord's Might and the rememberance of inability and the humility of servitude. This is in proportion to the state of the middle class. But according to the state of the perfect ones, since the sujud is the state of the servant's annihilation, and neglecting the other [ghair] and otherness, the qunut is the state of the exclusive devotion to Allah, and giving up depending on the other, which is the spirit of the state of "trust in Allah" [tawakkul]. In short, as qiyam is the state of the Unity of Acts, which is confirmed in the second rak`at, he displays in the qunut its result, and extends his begging bowl before Allah, and completely parts with, and runs away from, all creatures.

Notes:

[612]. The du`a' that begins with: "La ilaha illallah al-Halim al-Karim" (There is no god but Allah, the Clement, the Generous). Wasa'ilush Shi'ah, vol. 4, p. 906. "The Book of the Salat", chs. on "The Qunut", ch. 7, hadith 4. Mustadrakul Wasa'il, "The Book of the Salat", chs. on "The Qunut", ch. 6, hadith 4 and 9.

[613]. There are many narratives, to the limit of prolixity [istifadah], to the effect that if somebody gets the information - by hearing or reading - that to perform a certain act results in getting a reward, and he performs that act, he will receive the promised reward, even if his information turned to be incorrect. Such narratives are known as "the narratives of the attainer" and their contents are called "Tolerating the Proofs of the Traditions." Refer to Biharul Anwar, vol. 2, p. 256, "The Book of Knowledge", ch. 30. Usulul Kafi vol. 3, p. 139, "The Book of Faith and Disbelief', ch. on "The One Who Attained to a Reward from Allah for an Act".

[614]. At-Tauhid, ch. on "The Names of Allah, the Exalted", ch. 29, hadith 14.

[615]. "Munajat-i Shabaniyyah", Biharul Anwar, vol. 91, p. 99.

After-the-Salat Invocation

It is one of the confirmed mustahabs (supererogatories), and to neglect it is abominable. It is most recommended after the salats of the morning and of the afternoon. The after-the-salat invocations are so many, including the final three takbirs.

The great religious men take care to raise their hands in the takbirs, like the opening takbirs, to near their ears, with their palms open and facing the qiblah. To prove this is difficult, although some narratives refer to raising the hands three times. Probably raising the hands, saying the takbir three times and then reciting the du`a' which starts with :la ilaha illallah, wahdahu wahdah ... [616] (there is no god but Allah, alone, alone!) etc., will be enough. If raising the hands in the way the great men do is a supererogatory act, it confirms the same secrets which have already been stated, and maybe it refers to rejecting their salat and worshippings lest they may admit conceit and self-admiration into their hearts.

The three takbirs may be a reference to magnification (s) (takbir(s)) showing the shortcomings of the Three Unities which keep the spirit of the whole salat. So, the hearty discipline of these takbirs is to reject, with each raising of the hands, one of the three unities, and magnify and glorify Allah, Almighty and Most High, from his describings and unifications, displaying his inability, humility, failure and shortcomings before the Holy Presence of Allah, Almighty and Most High. In the Sirrus-Salat thesis we related, in a nice [latif] way, the spiritual secrets of these takbirs and raising the hands. It was of the graces of Allah, the Exalted, bestowed upon this helpless person. For Him are the thanks and praise.

Of the other noble after-the-salat du`a's are the tasbihat of the Pure Siddiqah (Fatimah) (AS), the daughter of the Prophet (SA), which was taught to her by the Messenger of Allah (SA). It is the best of the after-the-salat duas. It is in the hadith that had there been a better one , the Messenger of Allah (SA) would have taught it to Fatimah (AS) [617]. Imam as-Sadiq (AS) is quoted to have said that these tasbihs every day after every salat are more loved by me than a thousand rak`ats of the salat every day. [618] It is known among the companions that these tasbihs are arranged as follows: takbir thirty-four times, tahmid thirty-three times and tasbih thirty-three times. It is most probable that this arrangement is the best, not positively imposed. One is free to change the successions of, say, the tahmid and the tasbih, or replace the takbir by the tasbih. But the best, and according to precaution, is the said known arrangement.

The relevant cordial disciplines are the same as have been stated concerning "the Four Tasbihs". Furthermore, as these noble recitations are for after the salat, and as their tasbih is magnification [takbir] and glorification [tanzih] showing failure in due servitude, and magnification [takbir] and glorification [tanzih] showing incapability in servitude before His Holy Presence, and magnification [takbir] and glorification [tanzih] showing the shortcomings of knowledge [ma'rifat] (in knowing Him), which is the objective of servitude, the salik servant should, in the after-the-salat invocation, think about his shortcomings, his incomplete worship and his negligences during the state of presence, which are regarded to be sins in the school of love and affection. He is to think about his being deprived of his share of the Holy Presence of Allah, the Exalted, so that he may, in the after-the-salat recitations, which open a new door leading to the mercy of Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, compensate as much as possible, conveying those noble recitations to his heart and revive it with them, in which case his end may be sealed with goodness and happiness. In the tahmid (praising) of the tasbihs of the (pure) Siddiqah (AS), he is to prove this praising, too, which is the performance of servitude, for the Divine Ipseity (huwiyat-i ilahiyah], taking it to be a support, a power and a success from that Holy Essence. He is to convey the truths of these matters to the inside of his heart, letting it taste the secret of these graces, so that the heart may be enlivened with the rememberance of Allah, and get eternal life by it.

As the morning is the beginning of being engaged in the multiplicity and entering the world, where man is faced with the danger of getting busy with the creatures and neglecting Allah, the conscious salik, in this crucial situation of entering this dark house, has to turn to Allah, the Exalted, and be devoted to Him. And as he finds himself not so dignified in the Holy Presence, he is to resort to the guardians of the affairs, the guards of the times, the intercessors of ins and jinn, i.e., the Seal of the Messengers (SA) and the infallible Imams (AS), asking those honourable personalities to be his intermediates to, and his intercessors with, Allah. Now each day has its guard and shelterer: for Saturday it is the blessed being of the Messenger of Allah (SA), for Sunday it is Amirul Mu'mimn, 'Ali (AS), for Monday are the two magnificent Imams, the grandsons [of the Messenger of Allah (SA), al-Hasan and al-Husayn (AS)], for Tuesday Imams as-Sajjad, al-Baqir and as-Sadiq (AS), for Wednesday Imams al-Kazim, ar-Rida, at-Taqi and an-Naqi (AS), for Thursday Imam al-`Askari (AS), and for Friday waliyul amr (may Allah hasten his happy advent) (The 12th Imam (AS) [619]. So, it is suitable for one, in the after-the-salat recitations in the morning, and for the purpose of entering this deadly dark sea, the awful Satanic trap-place, to resort to the guards of that day, and, with their intercession-as they are close to the Holy Court and are the favourate confidents at the door of intimacy-ask Allah, the Exalted, to remove the evils of Satan and the evil-commanding soul, and to have those great ones as his intermediates for the completion and acceptance of incomplete worshippings and unworthy rites. Naturally, if Allah, Highly Exalted, made Muhammad (SA) and his offspring our means of guidance, and through their blessings He saved the ummah from ignorance and straying, He would, because of their intercession, amend our inability and complete our shortcomings, and accept our unworthy obediences and worshippings, "He is the Lord of grace and bounty." Other reported after-the-salat du`a's are stated in the relevant books of invocations. Everybody may select those which suit him best in order to bring this honourable journey to its good and happy destination.

Notes:

[616]. Wasa'ilush-Shi`ah, vol. 4, p. 1030, "The Book of the Salat" chs. on "After-the-Salat Invocation" ch. 14, hadith 2.

[617.] Furu `ul Kafi, vol. 3, p. 343, "The Book of the Salat" ch. on "The After-the-Salat Du'a"', hadith 14.

[618]. Biharul Anwar, vol. 83, p. 332, quoting Thawabul A'mal, p. 149. Wasa'ilush-Shi'ah, vol. 4. p. 1024, " The Book of as-Salat ", chs. on "After the-Salat Invocation", ch. 9, hadith 2.

[619]. Biharul Anwar, vol. 24, p. 239, quoting al-khisal, vol. 2, p. 394, ch.7.

Conclusion and Inocation (Du’a)

Conclusion and Invocation (Du'a')

It was appropriate to finish this thesis by stating the salat's moral obstacles, such as imposture, conceitedness and the like, but as I have given some explanations in the book The Forty Hadiths [620] about some hadiths connected to this subject, and also, now, being too much busy, and owing to distraction of mind, I apologize for not being able to offer this service. So, I end these papers by admitting my inability and shortcomings, and ask forgiveness from the people of pure insight for my mistakes, and request their good du'a' and generous attention.

O Allah. You Who have clothed us, Your weak servants, with the dress of existence, through Your grace and favour and pure mercy and generosity, prior to any service and worship on our part, and without needing our worshipping and servitude. You have bestowed upon us diverse kinds of spiritual and corporeal favours, and different sorts of internal and external mercies, although our non-existence causes no flaw in Your power and strength, nor our existence adds anything to Your greatness and prestige. Now that the headspring of Your beneficence gushed forth, and the sun of Your Beautiful Beauty effulged, drowning us in the seas of mercy and illuminating us with the lights of Your Beauty, make up for our shortcomings, sins and failures with the light of internal success and Your secret help and guidance, and relieve our fully attached hearts from mundane attachments, and make them cling to Your Holy Might.

O Allah, our unworthy worshipping expands nothing of Your domain. Our disobedience decreases nothing of Your kingdom, and torturing and punishing the sinners benefit You not a bit, and forgiving the fallen and having mercy upon them lessen nothing of Your power. The immutable essences of the sinners implore for mercy, and the dispositions of the imperfect ask for perfection. You Yourself treat us with Your comprehensive kindness and disregard our inefficiency.

"O Allah, if I am unworthy to receive Your mercy, You are worthy of granting me of Your vast favour. O Allah, You have covered for me in this world sins which I need more to be covered in the Hereafter. O Allah, grant me to be completely devoted to You, and light our hearts' eyes with the light of witnessing You until the hearts' eyes penetrate the veils of light, to reach the source of greatness." [621]

Our talk has come to an end here, according to the taqdir of Allah, Almighty and Most High, with praises and thanks for His graces, asking Him to send His blessings upon Muhammad and his pure progeny, on the date of Monday, 2nd of (the month of) Rabi'uth-Thani , thirteen-hundred and sixty-one of Lunar year (1361 L.H.). [622]

Notes:

[620]. Refer to footnote No. 63.

[621]. "The Sha'baniyah Supplication", Biharul Anwar, vol. 91, p. 99.

[622]. Conformable to 30th of Farwardin, 1321 Solar Hijri Year.