[4]

IMAM’S PRAYER

(In the sanctuaries of his holiness in Hilla and No’maniya[1])

Mohaddis e Noori says: the great scholar Mirza Abdullah Isfahani (known as Aafandi), in the fifth volume of his book ‘Riyaaz ul Ulama’, writes regarding the life sketch of Sheikh Ibn e Abi Jawad No’mani that:

            “He is one of those men who have witnessed the Master of Time (a.s.) in during his bigger occultation period, and has also narrated from his holiness. On another place, I have also seen the writing of Sheikh Zain ud deen Ali bn Husain bn Muhammad Khazin Haaeri (student of Shaheed) that Ibn e Abi Jawad has met our master, Imam Mahdi (a.s.), and has asked his holiness that: My master, do you have a sanctuary in No’maniya and Hilla? When are your present in these places?

            Imam (a.s.) replied: I am present in No’maniya in the evening and morning of Tuesday, and in Hilla in the evening and morning of Friday. But the people of Hilla are not ethically careful towards me in that place; whoever enters that place observing the right ethics, greets upon me and the Imams (a.s.) with Salaam, recites Salawaat on me and them twelve times, then offers two Units prayer with two Surah and thereafter, supplicate in the courtyard of Allah (s.w.t.), he will be bestowed by Allah with whatever he demands, one of them will be His forgiveness and blessings.

I said: O’ my master, teach me that supplication.

His holiness (a.s.) said: Say:

أَللَّهُمَّ قَدْ أَخَذَ التَّأْديبُ مِنّي ، حَتَّى مَسَّنِيَ الضُّرُّ وَأَنْتَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمينَ، وَ إِنْ كانَ مَا اقْتَرَفْتُهُ مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ أَسْتَحِقُّ بِهِ أَضْعافَ أَضْعافَ ما أَدَّبْتَني بِهِ وَأَنْتَ حَليمٌ ذُو أَناةٍ ، تَعْفُو عَنْ كَثيرٍ حَتَّى يَسْبِقَ عَفْوُكَ وَرَحْمَتُكَ عَذابَكَ .

“O’ Allah! The retribution of my deeds chased me until I became entangled with hardships and miseries, and You are the most merciful of the merciful ones. Although the sins committed by me make me worthy of a much more excessive retribution than that with which you have disciplined me, but You are patient and forbearing, You forgive numerous sins as your forgiveness and mercy precedes your wrath.”

            His holiness repeated this supplication thrice for me until I memorized it.[2]