Praise belongs to God,
the First, without a first before Him,
the Last, without a last behind Him.
Beholders' eyes fall short of seeing Him,
describers' imaginations are not able to depict Him.

He originated the creatures through His power with an origination,
He devised them in accordance with His will with a devising.

Then He made them walk on the path of His desire,
He sent them out on the way of His love.
They cannot keep back
from that to which He has sent them forward,
nor can they go forward
to that from which He has kept them back.

He assigned from His provision to each of their spirits
a nourishment known and apportioned.
No decreaser decreases those whom He increases,
no increaser increases those of them whom He decreases.

Then for each spirit He strikes a fixed term in life,
for each He sets up a determined end;
he walks toward it through the days of his span,
he overtakes it through the years of his time.
Then, when he takes his final step
and embraces the reckoning of his span,
God seizes him to the abundant reward
or the feared punishment
to which He has called him,
That He may repay those who do evil for what they have done
and repay those who do good with goodness,27
as justice from Him
(holy are His names,and manifest His boons).
He shall not be questioned as to what He does,
but they shall be questioned.28

Praise belongs to God, for,
had He withheld from His servants the knowledge to praise Him
for the uninterrupted kindnesses
with which He has tried them29
and the manifest favours
which He has lavished upon them,
they would have moved about in His kindnesses
without praising Him,
and spread themselves out in His provision
without thanking Him.
Had such been the case,
they would have left the bounds of humanity
for that of beastliness
and become as He has described in the firm text of His Book:
They are but as the cattle -- nay, but they are further astray from the way!.30

Praise belongs to God, for
the true knowledge of Himself He has given to us,
the thanksgiving He has inspired us to offer Him,
the doors to knowing His Lordship He has opened for us,
the sincerity towards Him in professing His Unity
to which He has led us,
and the deviation and doubt in His Command
from which He has turned us aside;
a praise through
which we may be given long life
among those of His creatures who praise Him,
and overtake those who have gone ahead
toward His good pleasure and pardon;
a praise through which
He will illuminate for us the shadows of the interworld,31
ease for us the path of the Resurrection,
and raise up our stations
at the standing places of the Witnesses32
on the day when every soul will be repaid
for what it has earned -
they shall not be wronged;33
the day a master shall avail nothing a client,
and they shall not be helped;34
a praise
which will rise up from us to the highest of the 'Illiyun35
in a book inscribed,
witnessed by those brought nigh,36
a praise whereby
our eyes may be at rest when sight is dazzled,37
our faces whitened when skins are blackened,38
a praise through which
we may be released from God's painful Fire
and enter God's generous neighbourhood,
a praise by which
we may jostle the angels brought nigh
and join the prophets, the envoys,
in a House of Permanence that does not remove,
the Place of His Generosity that does not change.

Praise belongs to God,
who chose for us the good qualities of creation,
granted us the agreeable things of provision,
and appointed for us excellence
through domination over all creation;
every one of His creatures submits to us
through His power
and comes to obey us
through His might.39

Praise belongs to God,
who locked for us the gate of need
except toward Him.
So how can we praise Him?
When can we thank Him?
Indeed, when?

Praise belongs to God,
who placed within us the organs of expansion,
assigned for us the agents of contraction,
gave us to enjoy the spirits of life,
fixed within us the limbs of works,
nourished us with the agreeable things of provision,
freed us from need through His bounty,
and gave us possessions through His kindness.
Then He commanded us that He might test our obedience
and prohibited us that He might try our thanksgiving.
So we turned against the path of His commandments
and mounted the backs of His warnings.
Yet He hurried us not to His punishment,
nor hastened us on to His vengeance.
No, He went slowly with us through His mercy,
in generosity,
and awaited our return through His clemency,
in mildness.

Praise belongs to God,
who showed us the way to repentance,
which we would not have won save through His bounty.
Had we nothing to count as His bounty but this,
His trial of us would have been good,
His beneficence toward us great,
His bounty upon us immense.
For such was not His wont in repentance
with those who went before us.40
He has lifted up from us
what we have not the strength to bear,41
charged us only to our capacity,42
imposed upon us nothing but ease,
and left none of us with an argument or excuse.
So the perisher among us is he who perishes in spite of Him
and the felicitous among us he who beseeches Him.

And praise belongs to God
with all the praises of
His angels closest to Him,
His creatures most noble in His eyes,
and His praisers most pleasing to Him;
a praise that may surpass other praises
as our Lord surpasses all His creatures.

Then to Him belongs praise,
in place of His every favour upon us
and upon all His servants, past and still remaining,
to the number of all things His knowledge encompasses,
and in place of each of His favours,
their number doubling and redoubling always and forever,
to the Day of Resurrection;
a praise whose bound has no utmost end,
whose number has no reckoning,
whose limit cannot be reached,
whose period cannot be cut off;
a praise which will become
a link to His obedience and pardon,
a tie to His good pleasure,
a means to His forgiveness,
a path to His Garden,
a protector against His vengeance,
a security against His wrath,
an aid to obeying Him,
a barrier against disobeying Him,
a help in fulfilling His right and His duties;
a praise that will make us felicitous
among His felicitous friends,
and bring us into the ranks
of those martyred by the swords of His enemies.
He is a Friend, Praiseworthy!

اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الْاَوَّلِ بِلَا اَوَّلٍ كَانَ قَبْلَهٗ وَالْاٰخِرِ بِلَا اٰخِرٍ يَكُوْنُ بَعْدَهٗ الَّذِىْ قَصُرَتْ عَنْ رُؤْيَتِهٖ اَبْصَارُ النَّاظِرِيْنَ وَ عَجَزَتْ عَنْ نَعْتِهٖ اَوْهَامُ الْوَاصِفِيْنَ ابْتَدَعَ بِقُدْرَتِهِ الْخَلْقَ ابْتِدَاعًا وَ اخْتَرَعَهُمْ عَلٰى مَشِيَّتِهِ اخْتِرَاعًا ثُمَّ سَلَكَ بِهِمْ طَرِيْقَ اِرَادَتِهٖ وَ بَعَثَهُمْ فِىْ سَبِيْلِ مُحَبَّتِهٖ لَا يَمْلِكُوْنَ تَاخِيْرًا عَمَّا قَدَّمَهُمْ اِلَيْهِ وَ لَا يَسْتَطِيْعُوْنَ تَقَدُّمًا اِلٰى مَا اَخَّرَهُمْ عَنْهُ وَ جَعَلَ لِكُلِّ رُوْحٍ مِنْهُمْ قُوْتًا  مَعْلُوْمًا مَقْسُوْمًا مِنْ رِزْقِهٖ لَا يَنْقُصُ مَنْ زَادَهٗ نَاقِصٌ وَ لَا يَزِيْدُ مَنْ نَقَصَ مِنْهُمْ زَآئِدٌ ثُمَّ ضَرَبَ لَهٗ فِى الْحَيٰوةِ اَجَلًا مَوْقُوْتًا وَ نَصَبَ لَهٗ اَمَدًا مَحْدُوْدًا يَتَخَطَّاُ اِلَيْهِ بِاَيَّامِ عُمُرِهٖ وَ يَرْهَقُهٗ بِاَعْوَامِ دَهْرِهٖ حَتّٰى اِذَا بَلَغَ اَقْصٰى اَثَرِهٖ وَاسْتَوْعَبَ حِسَابَ عُمُرِهٖ قَبَضَهٗ اِلٰى مَا نَدَبَهٗ اِلَيْهِ مِنْ مَوْفُوْرِ ثَوَابِهٖ اَوْ مَحْذُوْرِ عِقَابِهٖ لِيَجْزِىَ الَّذِيْنَ اَسَآؤُا بِمَا عَمِلُوْا وَ يَجْزِىَ الَّذِيْنَ اَحْسَنُوْا بِالْحُسْنٰى عَدْلًا مِنْهُ تَقَدَّسَتْ اَسْمَآؤُهٗ وَ تَظَاهَرَتْ اٰلَآؤُهٗ لَا يُسْئَلُ عَمَّا يَفْعَلُ وَ هُمْ يُسْئَلُوْنَ وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِىْ لَوْ حَبَسَ عَنْ عِبَادِهٖ مَعْرِفَةَ حَمْدِهٖ عَلٰى مَا اَبْلَاهُمْ مِنْ مِنَنِهٖ الْمُتَتَابِعَةِ وَ اَسْبَغَ عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ نِعَمِهِ الْمُتَظَاهِرَةِ لَتَصَرَّفُوْا فِىْ مِنَنِهٖ فَلَمْ يَحْمَدُوْهُ وَ تَوَسَّعُوْا فِىْ رِزْقِهٖ فَلَمْ يَشْكُرُوْهُ وَ لَوْ كَانُوْا كَذٰلِكَ لَخَرَجُوْا مِنْ حُدُوْدِ الْاِنْسَانِيَّتِ اِلٰى حَدِّ الْبَهِيْمِيَّةِ فَكَانُوْا كَمَا وَصَفَ فِىْ مُحْكَمِ كِتَابِهٖ اِنْ هُمْ اِلاَّ كَالْاَنْعَامِ بَلْ هُمْ اَضَلُّ سَبِيْلًا وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ عَلٰى مَا عَرَّفَنَا مِنْ نَفْسِهٖ وَ اَلْهَمَنَا مِنْ شُكْرِهٖ وَ فَتَحَ لَنَا مِنْ اَبْوَابِ الْعِلْمِ بِرُبُوْبِيَّتِهٖ وَ دَلَّنَا عَلَيْهِ مِنَ الْاِخْلَاصِ لَهٗ فِىْ تَوْحِيْدِهٖ وَ جَنَّبَنَا مِنَ الْاِلْحَادِ وَالْشَكِّ فِىْ اَمْرِهٖ حَمْدًا نُعَمَّرُ بِهٖ فِيْمَنْ حَمِدَهٗ مِنْ خَلْقِهٖ وَ نَسْبِقُ بِهٖ مَنْ سَبَقَ اِلٰى رِضَاهُ وَ عَفْوِهٖ حَمْدًا يُضِىْٓءُ لَنَا بِهٖ ظُلُمَاتِ الْبَرْزَخِ وَ يُسَهِّلُ عَلَيْنَا بِهٖ سَبِيْلَ الْمَبْعَثِ وَ يُشَرِّفُ بِهٖ مَنَازِلَنَا عِنْدَ مَوَاقِفِ الْاَشْهَادِ يَوْمَ تُجْزٰى كُلُّ نَفْسٍ بِمَا كَسَبَتْ وَ هُمْ لَا يُظْلَمُوْنَ يَوْمَ لَا يُغْنِىْ مَوْلًى عَنْ مَوْلًى شَيْئًا وَّ لَا هُمْ يُنْصَرُوْنَ حَمْدًا يَرْتَفِعُ مِنَّا اِلٰى اَعْلٰى عِلِّيِّيْنَ فِىْ كِتَابٍ مَرْقُوْمٍ يَشْهَدُهُ الْمُقَرَّبُوْنَ حَمْدًا تَقَرُّ بِهٖ عُيُوْنُنَا اِذَا بَرِقَتِ الْاَبْصَارُ وَ تَبْيَضُّ بِهٖ وُجُوْهُنَا اِذَا اسْوَدَّتِ الْاَبْشَارُ حَمْدًا نُعْتَقُ بِهٖ مِنْ اَلِيْمِ نَارِ اللهِ اِلٰى كَرِيْمِ جِوَارِ اللهِ حَمْدًا نُزَاحِمُ بِهٖ مَلَائِكَتَهُ الْمُقَرَّبِيْنَ وَ نُضَامُّ بِهٖ اَنْبِيَآئَهُ الْمُرْسَلِيْنَ فِىْ دَارِ الْمُقَامَةِ الَّتِىْ لَا تَزُوْلُ وَ مَحَلِّ كَرَامَتِهِ الَّتِىْ لَا تَحُوْلُ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِى اخْتَارَ لَنَا مَحَاسِنَ الْخَلْقِ وَ اَجْرٰى عَلَيْنَا طَيِّبَاتِ الرِّزْقِ وَ جَعَلَ لَنَا الْفَضِيْلَةَ بِالْمَلَكَةِ عَلٰى جَمِيْعِ الْخَلْقِ فَكُلُّ خَلِيْقَتِهٖ مُنْقَادَةٌ لَنَا بِقُدْرَتِهٖ وَ صَائِرَةٌ اِلٰى طَاعَتِنَا بِعِزَّتِهٖ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِىْ اَغْلَقَ عَنَّا بَابَ الْحَاجَةِ اِلاَّ اِلَيْهِ فَكَيْفَ نُطِيْقُ حَمْدَهٗ اَمْ مَتٰى نُوَدِّىْ شُكْرَهٗ لَا مَتٰى وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِىْ رَكَّبَ فِيْنَا اٰلَاتِ الْبَسْطِ وَ جَعَلَ لَنَا اَدَوَاتِ الْقَبْضِ وَ مَتَّعَنَا بِاَرْوَاحِ الْحَيٰوةِ وَ اَثْبَتَ فِيْنَا جَوَارِحَ الْاَعْمَالِ وَ غَذَّانَا بِطَيِّبَاتِ الرِّزْقِ وَ اَغْنَا نَا بِفَضْلِهٖ وَ اَقْنَانَا بِمَنِّهٖ ثُمَّ اَمَرَنَا لِيَخْتَبِرَ طَاعَتَنَا وَ نَهَانَا لِيَبْتَلِىَ شُكْرَنَا فَخَالَفْنَا عَنْ طَرِيْقِ اَمْرِهٖ وَ رَكِبْنَا مُتُوْنَ زَجْرِهٖ فَلَمْ يَبْتَدِرْنَا بِعُقُوْبَتِهٖ وَ لَمْ يُعَاجِلْنَا بِنِقْمَتِهٖ بَلْ تَاَنَّانَا بِرَحْمَتِهٖ تَكَرُّمًا وَانْتَظَرَ مُرَاجَعَتَنَا بِرَافَتِهٖ حِلْمًا وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِىْ دَلَّنَا عَلَى التَّوْبَةِ الَّتِىْ لَمْ نُفِدْهَا اِلاَّ مِنْ فَضْلِهٖ فَلَوْ لَمْ نَعْتَدِدْ مِنْ فَضْلِهٖ اِلاَّ بِهَا لَقَدْ حَسُنَ بَلَاؤُهٗ عِنْدَنَا وَ جَلَّ اِحْسَانُهٗ اِلَيْنَا وَ جَسُمَ فَضْلُهٗ عَلَيْنَا فَمَا هٰكَذَا كَانَتْ سُنَّتُهٗ فِى التَّوْبَةٍ لِمَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَنَا لَقَدْ وَضَعَ عَنَّا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهٖ وَ لَمْ يُكَلِّفْنَا اِلاَّ وُسْعًا وَ لَمْ يُجَشِّمْنَا اِلاَّ يُسْرًا وَ لَمْ يَدَعَ لَاَحَدٍ مِنَّا حُجَّةً وَّ لَا عُذْرًا فَالْهَالِكُ مِنَّا مَنْ هَلَكَ عَلَيْهِ وَ السَّعِيْدُ مِنَّا مَنْ رَغِبَ اِلَيْهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ بِكُلِّ مَا حَمِدَهٗ بِهٖ اَدْنٰى مَلَآئِكَتِهٖ اِلَيْهِ وَ اَكْرَمُ خَلِيْقَتِهٖ عَلَيْهِ وَ اَرْضٰى حَامِدِيْهِ لَدَيْهِ حَمْدًا يَفْضُلُ سَآئِرَ الْحَمْدِ كَفَضْلِ رَبِّنَا عَلٰى جَمِيْعِ خَلْقِهٖ ثُمَّ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ مَكَانَ كُلِّ نِعْمَةٍ لَهٗ عَلَيْنَا وَ عَلٰى جَمِيْعِ عِبَادِهِ الْمَاضِيْنَ وَ الْبَاقِيْنَ عَدَدَ مَا اَحَاطَ بِهٖ عِلْمُهٗ مِنْ جَمِيْعِ الْاَشْيَآءِ وَ مَكَانَ كُلِّ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْهَا عَدَدُهَا اَضْعَافًا مُضَاعَفَةً اَبَدًا سَرْمَدًا اِلٰى يَوْمِ الْقِيٰمَةِ حَمْدًا لَا مُنْتَهٰى لِحَدِّهٖ وَ لَا حِسَابَ لِعَدَدِهٖ وَ لَا مَبْلَغَ لِغَايَتِهٖ وَ لَا انْقِطَاعَ لِاَمَدِهٖ حَمْدًا يَكُوْنُ وُصْلَةً اِلٰى طَاعَتِهٖ وَ عَفْوِهٖ وَ سَبَبًا اِلٰى رِضْوَاٰنِهٖ وَ ذَرِيْعَةً اِلٰى مَغْفِرَتِهٖ وَ طَرِيْقًا اِلٰى جَنَّتِهٖ وَ خَفِيْرًا مِنْ نَقِمَتِهٖ وَ اَمْنًا مِنْ غَضَبِهٖ وَ ظَهِيْرًا عَلٰى طَاعَتِهٖ وَ حَاجِزًا عَنْ مَعْصِيَتِهٖ وَ عَوْنًا عَلٰى تَادِيَةِ حَقِّهٖ وَ وَظَآئِغِهٖ حَمْدًا نَسْعَدُ بِهٖ فِى السُّعَدَآءِ مِنْ اَوْلِيَآئِهٖ وَ نَصِيْرُ بِهٖ فِىْ نَظْمِ الشُهَدَآءِ بِسُيُوْفِ اَعْدَآئِهٖ اِنَّهٗ وَ لِىٌّ حَمِيْدٌ.