INTRODUCTION
PREFACE[1]
Praise and gratification be to the Lord who created us, and sent His messenger – who is the seal of all the prophets – towards us, and made the guardianship of all his guardians and the guiding leaders (peace be upon them) evident upon us, for the completion of religion[2] and for facing the actions[3]; and guided us towards the Ethical Secrets[4] and towards the path of achieving the retribution of deeds[5], so that we enter the Paradise[6] and live forever in the Eternal Eden Gardens[7], and reach the sublime and mighty grades of Heaven – the abode of tranquility[8],, to witness the angels[9], who will address us and say: سَلامٌ قَوْلًا مِنْ رَبٍّ رَحِيم (the word from a Merciful Lord is: Peace)[10],.
And peace be upon the seal of the prophets and the final messenger of Allah, Abul Qasim, Mohammad (peace be upon him and his holy progeny), those honorable men who arrived for propagating the human duties [11]with the best and purest of speeches[12] and to guide the servants towards the oceans of light[13]; with the rays of the lamp[14] which was lit like “the shining star kindled from a blessed tree of Olive”[15], which has illuminated the paths of mystics[16], those mystics who wished to reach the city of knowledge and wisdom, and entered it through the Gate of Prosperity[17].
And peace be upon the last of this progeny of Ligh and Mercy, the inheritor of the prophetic invitation, and the power and strength of Haider, and the piousness of Lady Fatima, and the forbearance of Hasan, and the bravery of Husain, and the servitude of Sajjad, and the good and impactful traditions of Baqir, and the signs of Jafar, and the sciences of Kazim, and the proofs of Reza, and the generosity of Taqi, and the purity of Naqi, and the glory of Askari, and the divine occultation, the true Avenger and inviter of people towards the absolute truth; the divine word, His Safety, Allah’s Argument, successful through His command and defender of His sanctity, the hidden and evident Imam, the dispeller of anger and hardships, the master of kindness and benevolence, the true Leader, Abul Qasim, Mohammad bin al-Hasan, the Master of time and era, the vicegerent of Allah and the Leader of Human beings and the Jinn, the shining star[18] in extremely dark nights, he himself is the protector from the dangers of journeys and times[19]. The protecting shield [20]in sorrows and entanglements.
This book is nothing but a valuless work of a weak and mortal servant presented as a gift to you, O kind Master. If you may accept it, I will consider it as a huge grace from the threshold of the Gracious Lord; who bestowed His grace upon me due to your holy existence and your everlasting bounties, O Master of Time. And this book, if accepted by you, will be the good remainders [21]and provision of the day of Judgment[22] for me, “the day when ones riches and children will not benefit anyone”[23]. Moreover, it will be a means of prosperity for the beseecher[24] and a lamp for the night worshippers[25], for all those who recite it and seek the key of prosperity[26] to open the gates of divine Mercy[27].
I hope that through your noble acceptance – O Master of blessings and greatness – this book will provide awareness to the friend[28] in the path of unveiling the keys of the hidden world[29], for those who recites it with focus and concentration; and by Allah’s will, he will join the group of His beloved friends, those who are the owners of the powerful means[30], who have been allotted by Allah for your assistance and support.
}مَسَّنا وَ أَهْلَنَا الضُّرُّ وَ جِئْنا بِبِضاعَةٍ مُزْجاةٍ فَأَوْفِ لَنَا الْكَيْلَ وَ تَصَدَّقْ عَلَيْنا إِنَّ اللَّهَ يَجْزِي الْمُتَصَدِّقِينَ{
“O Azeez, adversity has touched us and our family, and we have come with goods poor in quality, but give us full measure and be charitable to us. Indeed, Allah rewards the charitable.”[31]
This book is a collection of prayers, supplication and Ziyarats that have been issued from the holy threshold of Imam Mahdi (A.S.) and have reached, or have been narrated regarding the Remainder of Allah, Hujjat ibn al-Hasan al-Askari (peace be upon him), the owner of complete guardianship in the world of existence.
The author has exerted utmost effort for gathering the supplications, ziyarats etc. that have arrived in those authentic books[32] to which he had access. He does not claim that this book is a comprehensive collection of all the supplications etc. Because the age of occultation and our distance from his holiness (peace be upon him) has caused the loss of a large number of supplications from our hands that have been issued from his holy threshold just like many other supplications, ziyarats and recitals. With deep regret, we have to accept that because of our ignorance and distance from his noble threshold, we cannot found a large group of narrations issued from the direction of his holiness (peace be upon him).
It is very likely that some of these points might have reached his honorable friends but they concealed them from us and did not note them down due to reasons unkown.
To prove this point, we will mention the incident that occurred with the divine scholar, Late Ayatullah Hajj Sheikh Murtada Haeri (R.A.); he says:
I had a friend who was in contact with Imam Mahdi (A.S.). He used to come and meet me once in a while and we were in contact with each other until the beginning phase of the Islamic Revolution. But after the revolution, he never came to me and I never met him. Anyhow, at some point of time, a problem occurred in my life and in those very days, I mentioned it to him and requested him to give me a solution for it. The problem was that a few Islamic students as well as other men used to visit me and ask me for help, I did not know some of them and therefore remained sceptical about whether I should help them or not?
Because if I help someone whom I don’t know about, he can possibly turn out to be a non-deserving person, and if I don’t help him, it is possible that he may truly be the deserving one.
When I explained this problem to him – who was in contact with Imam Mahdi (A.S.) – he said to me: by Allah’s will, I shall seek the solution to this problem from Imam (A.S.) and bring it for you.
He went away and returned after a few days with a supplication from the holy threshold of Imam Mahdi (A.S.). He gifted it to me and said: if someone asks you for something and you do not know him, first recite this supplication and then give it to him. Indeed his holiness (A.S.) said:
“When he will recite this supplication, it is not possible for the person seeking help to spend the wealth on something that is against our will.”
It was a small supplication and I have witnessed it myself that Late Ayatullah used to recite it everytime an unknown person came to him with a request.
The purpose of narrating this important incident, which some accept with difficulty, was that we should understand that all that has been issued from the threshold of his holiness (A.S.) has not reached us, and many such supplications, ziyarats and prayers have remained concealed inside the pure hearts of his holiness’ dear friends, which they did not disclose for the people till their demise.
Mohaddith e Noori (R.A.) says: a group of reliable and authentic scholars have reported to me that they have witnesses Imam Mahdi (A.S.) in the state of awakening and have also witnessed several miracles from him. His holiness has informed them regarded many untold and hidden reports and have prayed for them in his accepted supplication; and have also rescued them from devastating dangers, which cannot be mentioned and described here.[33]
That which we have collected in this book has arrived in the authentic and reliable books, and this work is nothing but Allah’s grace and mercy upon $me. The merits and beauty that you will witness in this book are due to the support and confirmation of his holiness (A.S.), and the demerits and mistakes that you will witness is because of the author.
We request the Almighty Allah to bless us with truth and pure intention, and regard this book as a means of remembrance and a way of attaining proximity to Allah and His Friend, the Master of Age and Time.
Apart from preface and conclusion, this book[34] comprises of twelve chapters, just like:
إنّ الشهور عند اللّه اثنى عشر شهرا، و أنّ الأئمّة اثنى عشر إماما، و
أنّ النقباء اثنى عشر نقيبا.[35]
Indeed the months with Allah are twelve months, and the Imams are twelve Imams, and verily the leaders are twelve.
And one must understand that:
}إِنَّ هذِهِ تَذْكِرَةٌ فَمَنْ شاءَ اتَّخَذَ إِلى رَبِّهِ سَبِيلًا[36]{. }فَاقْرَؤُا ما تَيَسَّر مِنْهُ وَ أَقِيمُوا الصَّلاةَ وَ آتُوا الزَّكاةَ وَ أَقْرِضُوا اللَّهَ قَرْضاً حَسَناً وَ ما تُقَدِّمُوا لِأَنْفُسِكُمْ مِنْ خَيْرٍ تَجِدُوهُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ هُوَ خَيْراً وَ أَعْظَمَ أَجْراً وَ اسْتَغْفِرُوا اللَّهَ إِنَّ اللَّهَ غَفُورٌ رَحِيمٌ{.[37]
Indeed, this is a reminder, so whoever wills may take to his Lord a way. So recite what is easy from it and establish prayer and give zakah and loan Allah a goodly loan. And whatever good you put forward for yourselves – you will find it with Allah. It is better and greater in reward. And seek forgiveness of Allah. Indeed, Allah is Forgiving and Merciful.
[1] It is worth mentioning that honorable author has utilized the arts of Balaghat (Eloquence) here, such that under the preface, he has mentioned the names of some of the books he has brought into use in this script; its actual beauty can be felt in the Arabic text of this book. This art is known in the sciences of Badee’ and Eloquence as “Baraa’at e Is’tehlaal”
[2] The book ‘Kamal ud deen’, author: the great narrator Sheikh Sadooq (R.A.)
[3] The book ‘Iqbal ul Aa’maal’, author: the honorable Sayyid bin Taoos (R.A.)
[4] The book ‘Makarim ul Akhlaq’; author: Abu Nasr Hasan Tabrisi (R.A.)
[5] The book ‘Thawab ul Aa’maal’, author: Sheikh Sadooq (R.A.)
[6] The book ‘Dar us Salaam’, auhor: Mohaddith e Noori (R.A.), and the other one authored by Sheikh Mahmood Iraqi (R.A.)
[7] The book ‘Jannatul khulood’, author: Khatoon Abadi (R.A.)
[8] The book ‘Al Maqamul Usna’, author: the great scholar, Kaf’ami (R.A.)
[9] The book ‘Jannatul Ma’wa’, author: Mohaddis e Noori (R.A.)
[10] Chapter Yaseen, verse 58
[11] The book ‘Takaleef ul Anaam’, author: the honorable scholar Ali Akbar Hamadani (R.A.)
[12] The book ‘Al Kalimut Tayyib’, author: Sayyid Ali Khan Madani (R.A.)
[13] The book ‘Bihar ul Anwaar’, author: Allama Majlisi (R.A.)
[14]The book ‘Al Misbah’, author: the honorable scholar Kaf’ami (R.A.)
[15]كَوْكَبٌ دُرِّيٌّ يُوقَدُ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ مُبارَكَةٍ زَيْتُونَة, chapter Noor, verse 35
[16] The book ‘Minhaj ul Aarifeen’, author: the great scholar, Mohammad Hasan Simnaani (R.A.)
[17] The book ‘Baab us Sa’aadah’, author: the renowned scholar, Faiz e Kashani (R.A.)
[18] The book ‘Najm us Saqib’, author: Mohaddis e Noori (R.A.)
[19] The book ‘Al Amaan min Akhtaar il Asfaar wal Azmaan’, author: the great scholar, Sayyid bin Taoos (R.A.)
[20] The book ‘Al Jannatul Waqiyah’, associated to the honorable scholar, Mir Damad (R.A.), and similarly, Kaf’ami (R.A.)
[21] The book ‘Al Baqiyaatus Salihaat’, author: Mohaddis e Qummi (R.A.)
[22] The book ‘Zaad ul Ma’aad’, author: Allama Majlisi (R.A.)
[23] يَوْمَ لا يَنْفَعُ مالٌ وَ لا بَنُون chapter Sho’arah, verse 88
[24] The book ‘Falah us Saael’, author: the great scholar, Sayyid ibn e Taoos (R.A.)
[25] The book ‘Misbah ul Muta’hajjid’, author: the great scholar Sheikh Toosi (R.A.)
[26] The book ‘Miftah ul Falaah’, author: the renowned scholar Sheikh Bahaayi
[27] The book ‘Fathul Abwaab’, author: the great scholar Sayyid ibn e Taoos (R.A.)
[28]The book ‘Tabsiratul Wali’, author: Allama Sayyid Hashim Bahrani (R.A.)
[29] The book ‘Mafatih ul Ghayb’, author: Allama Majlis (R.A.)
[30] The book ‘Al Adad ul Qawiyya’, author: Allama Majlisi (R.A.)
[31] Chapter Yusuf, verse 88[32] As per the ruling ‘Tasamuh fil Adillatis sunan’ as well as ‘Akhbaaro man balagh’, much precision is not necessarily required in the authenticity of supplications and Ziyarats. But it doesn’t mean that we can regard the ruling of ‘Tasamul fil Adillatis Sunan’ and ‘Akhbaaro man balagh’ as a document proving those supplications and ziyarats that have been concoted, and narrate it for others or begin to recite it ourselves. Instead, we should distance ourselves from such supplications and ziyarats. Because apart from the fact that many of such supplications and ziyarats possess inappropriate messages, we are needless of them as we have a large number of supplications and ziyarats within our acces which have arrived from the threshold of the progeny of revelation (peace be upon them); and we also do not require any kind of reference and narration or even recitation of those supplications and ziyarats that do not have any source of authentication.
Keeping this fact in mind, we will not narrate those supplications and ziyarats that haven’t been narrated in the reliable sources, and mention only those prayers, supplications and ziyarats which have been reported in the old sources and reliable books. And except for a few places, we will also not mention the differences that are present between the texts in different sources so that the reciters do not wander and feel lost. Those who wish to gain knowledge regarding the differences of texts, can refer to the book ‘As Sahifatul Mubarakatul Mahdiyyah’.
[33] Dar us Salaam: 137/2
[34] The book ‘As Sahifatul Mubarakatul Mahdiyah’, with additions after its first publication, comprises of more than four hundred and fifty prayers, supplications, ziyarats, istekharah etc. As its fourth, fifth, eleventh and twelfth chapter - i.e. those supplications which have been issued by Imam Mahdi (A.S.) for other men and similarly, the supplications which he has recited at the time of his birth and those which are mentioned under other supplications as well as the ziyarats that have arrived with reference to his holiness - possesses an aspect of specialization and is benfitial for the researchers, and not for the recitation of the common people. Therefore, it has been omitted and compiled with slight alteration in the sequence and chapters in the book ‘As Sahifatul Mahdiyya’ or ‘Al Mukhtar minas Sahifatil Mubarakatil Mahdiyah’, so that it can be utilizied by everyone. And this book, ‘Sahifa e Mahdiya’, is its translation.
[35] Bihar ul Anwar: 399/36
[36] Chapter Muz’zammil, verse 19
[37]Chapter Muz’zammil, verse 20
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