His Supplication in Confession

His Supplication in Confession and in Seeking Repentance toward God

1 O God,
          three traits have prevented me from asking Thee
          and one trait has urged me on:
2 I am prevented by
          a command Thou hast commanded
                    in which I have been slow,
          a prohibition Thou hast prohibited
                    toward which I have hurried,
          and a favour through which Thou hast favoured
                    for which I have not given sufficient thanks.
3 I am urged to ask Thee
          by Thy gratuitous bounty upon him who
                    turns his face toward Thee
                    and comes to Thee with a good opinion,
          since all Thy beneficence is gratuitous bounty
                    and every one of Thy favours a new beginning!
4 So here I am, my God,
          standing at the gate of Thy might,
                    the standing of the lowly, the surrendered,
          asking Thee in my shame,
                    the asking of the destitute, the pitiful,
5           admitting to Thee that
                    at the time of Thy beneficence I surrendered not
                              save through abstaining from disobedience toward Thee
                    and in none of my states was I ever without
                              Thy Kindness.
6 Will it profit me, my God,
                    to admit to Thee the evil of what I have earned?
          Will it save me from Thee
                    to confess the ugliness of what I have done?
          Or wilt Thou impose upon me in this my station Thy displeasure?
                    Will Thy hate hold fast to me in the time of my supplication?
7 Glory be to Thee!
          I do not despair of Thee,
                    for Thou hast opened the door of repentance toward Thyself.
          Rather, I say,
                    the words of a lowly servant,
                              having wronged himself
                              and made light of his Lord's inviolability,
8                               and whose sins are dreadful, great,
                              whose days have parted, fled,
          until, when he sees the term of his works expired
                    and the limit of his lifetime reached
          and knows with certainty that he has no escape from Thee,
                    no place to flee from Thee,
          he turns his face toward Thee in repeated turning,
                    makes his repentance toward Thee sincere,
                    stands before Thee with a pure and purified heart,
          then supplicates Thee with a feeble, quiet voice.
9           He is bowed before Thee, bent,
                    his head lowered, thrown down,
                    his legs shaking in fear,
                    his tears flooding his cheeks.
          He supplicates Thee:
          O Most Merciful of the merciful!
                    O Most Merciful of those toward whom seekers of mercy
                              keep on turning!
                    O Tenderest of those around whom run
                              seekers of forgiveness!
                    O He whose pardon is greater
                              than His vengeance!
                    O He whose good pleasure is more abundant
                              than His anger!82
10                     O He who seeks His creatures' praise
                              with excellent forbearance!
                    O He who has accustomed His servants
                              to the acceptance of their repeated turning!83
                    O He who seeks to heal their corruption
                              through repentance!
                    O He who is pleased with the easy
                              of their acts!
                    O He who recompenses with the much
                              their little!
                    O He who has made himself accountable to them
                              to respond to supplication!84
                    O He who pledged Himself by His gratuitous bounty
                              to give them excellent repayment!
11           I am not the most disobedient of those who have disobeyed Thee
                              and whom Thou hast forgiven,
                    nor am I the most blameworthy to offer excuses
                              which Thou hast accepted,
                    nor am I the most wrongdoing of those who have
                                                  repented to Thee,
                              and to whom Thou hast returned
12           I repent to Thee in this my station,
                    the repentance of one
                              remorseful over what preceded from him hastily,
                              apprehensive of what has gathered around him,
                              pure in shame for that into which he has fallen,
13           knowing that
                    pardoning great sins is nothing great for Thee.85
                              overlooking enormous misdeeds is not difficult for Thee,
                    putting up with indecent crimes does not trouble Thee,
                    and the most beloved of Thy servants to Thee is he who
                              refrains from arrogance before Thee,
                              pulls aside from persistence,
                              and holds fast to praying forgiveness!
14           I am clear before Thee of arrogance,
                    I seek refuge in Thee from persistence,
                    I pray forgiveness from Thee for shortcomings,
                    I seek help from Thee in incapacity!
15 O God,
          bless Muhammad and his Household,
          dispense with what is incumbent upon me toward Thee,
          release me from what I merit from Thee,
                    and grant me sanctuary from what the evildoers fear!
          For Thou art full of pardon,
                    the hoped-for source of forgiveness,
                    well known for Thy forbearance.
          My need has no object but Thee,
                    my sin no forgiver other than Thee
                    - could that be possible?
16           I have no fear for myself except from Thee;
                    Thou art worthy of reverential fear,
                    and worthy to forgive!86
          Bless Muhammad and his Household,
                    grant my need,
                    answer my request favourably,
                    forgive my sin,
                    and give me security from fear for myself!
          Thou art powerful over everything,87
                    and that is easy for Thee.
Amen, Lord of the worlds!

[Previous] [Top] [Next]