Imām Mahdī(a)

Seeking Aid from Imām al-Mahdī(a)

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In his esteemed book, "al-Kalim al-Ṭayyib", Sayyid ʿAlī Khān Madanī outlines a particular method for seeking assistance from Allāh's Proof, Imām Mahdī(a): Wherever you might be, perform ghusl, and then offer a prayer of two units beneath the open sky. While reciting Sūra Fātiḥa and another sura in each unit is acceptable, it is recommended to recite Sūra Fatḥ1 in the first unit and Sūra Naṣr2 in the second. After completing the prayer, stand facing the Qiblah under the sky, and recite the following:

سَلاَمُ الله الْكَامِلُ التَّامُّ الشَّامِلُ الْعَامّ

salamu allāhi alkamilu alttammu alshshamilu al`ammu

Peace of Allāh—perfect, complete, comprehensive, and thorough;

وَصَلَوَاتُهُ الدَّائِمَةُ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ الْقَائِمَةُ التَّامَّةُ

wa salawatuhu aldda’imatu wa barakatuhu alqa'imatu alttammatu

and His endless benedictions and His everlasting, perfect blessings

عَلَىٰ حُجَّةِ الله وَوَلِيِّهِ فِي ارْضِهِ وَبِلادِهِ وَخَلِيفَتِهِ عَلَىٰ خَلْقِهِ وَعِبَادِهِ

`ala hujjati allāhi wa waliyyihi fi ardihi wa biladihi wa khalifatihi `ala khalqihi wa `ibadihi

be upon Allāh’s proof, His representative in His lands and realm, His viceroy among His creatures and servants,

وَسُلالَةِ النُّبُوَّةِ وَبَقِيَّةِ الْعِتْرَةِ وَالصَّفْوَةِ

wa sulalati alnnubuwwati wa baqiyyati al`itrati walssafwati

the offspring of Prophethood, the completion of the (Holy) Progeny and the Chosen Ones,

صَاحِبِ الزَّمَانِ وَمُظْهِرِ الإِيـمَانِ وَمُلَقِّنِ احْكَامِ الْقُرْآنِ

sahibi alzzamani wa muzhiri al-imani wa mulaqqini ahkami alqur'ani

the Patron of the Age, the demonstrator of the (true) faith, the teacher of the laws of the Qur’an,

وَمُطَهِّرِ الارْضِ وَنَاشِرِ الْعَدْلِ فِي الطُّولِ وَالْعَرْضِ

wa mutahhiri al-ardi wa nashiri al`adli fi alttuli wal`ardi

the purger of the earth, the spreader of justice all over the earth,

وَالْحُجَّةِ الْقَائِمِ الْمَهْدِيِّ الإِمَامِ الْمُنْتَظَرِ الْمَرْضِيِّ وَابْنِ الائِمَّةِ الطَّاهِرِينَ

walhujjati alqa'imi almahdiyyi al-imāmi almuntazari almardiyyi wabni al-a'immati alttahirina

the Argument (al-Hujjah), the Riser (al-Qa’im), the Well-guided (al-Mahdi), the Leader, the Awaited, the Pleased, the descendant of the Infallible Imāms,

الْوَصِيِّ ابْنِ الاوْصِيَاءِ الْمَرْضِيِّينَ الْهَادِي الْمَعْصُومِ ابْنِ الائِمَّةِ الْهُدَاةِ الْمَعْصُومِينَ

alwasiyyi ibni al-awsiya'i almardiyyina alhadi alma`sumi ibni al-a'immati alhudati alma`sumina

the Successor, the son of the Pleased Successors (of the Prophets), the Guide, the Immaculate, and the son of the Imāms—the guides and immaculate.

السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَا مُعِزَّ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ الْمُسْتَضْعَفِينَ

alssalamu `alayka ya mu`izza almu'minina almustad`afina

Peace be upon you, O grantor of dignity to the oppressed and faithful ones.

السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا مُذِلَّ الْكَافِرِينَ الْمُتَكَبِّرِينَ الظَّالِمِينَ

alssalamu `alayka ya mudhilla alkafirina almutakabbirina alzzalimina

Peace be upon you, O humiliator of the arrogant and oppressing unbelievers.

السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا مَوْلايَ يَا صَاحِبَ الزَّمَانِ

alssalamu `alayka ya mawlaya ya sahiba alzzamani

Peace be upon you, O my master, the Patron of the Age.

السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا بْنَ رَسُولِ الله السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا بْنَ امِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ

alssalamu `alayka yabna rasuli allāhi alssalamu `alayka yabna amiri almu'minina

Peace be upon you, O son of Allāh’s Messenger. Peace be upon you, O son of the Commander of the Believers.

السّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا بْنَ فَاطِمَةَ الزَّهْرَاءِ سَيِّدَةِ نِسَاءِ الْعَالَمِينَ

alssalamu `alayka yabna fatimata alzzahra’i sayyidati nisa'i al`alamina

Peace be upon you, O son of Fāṭima the Luminous and the Doyenne of the women of the world.

السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا بْنَ الائِمَّةِ الْحُجَجِ الْمَعْصُومِينَ وَالإِمَامُ عَلَىٰ الْخَلْقِ اجْمَعِينَ

alssalamu `alayka yabna al-a'immati alhujaji alma`sumina wal-imāmu `ala alkhalqi ajma`ina

Peace be upon you, O son of the Imāms—the arguments (of Allāh) and Immaculate and the leader of all creatures.

السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا مَوْلايَ سَلامَ مُخْلِصٍ لَكَ فِي الْوِلايَةِ

alssalamu `alayka ya mawlaya salama mukhlisin laka fi alwilayati

Peace be upon you, O my master addressed by him who is loyal to your (divinely commissioned) leadership.

اشْهَدُ انَّكَ الإِمَامُ الْمَهْدِيُّ قَوْلاً وَفِعْلاً

ash-hadu annaka al-imāmu almahdiyyu qawlan wa fi`lan

I bear witness that you are the well-guided Imām in word and deed,

وَانْتَ الَّذِي تَمْلَا الارْضَ قِسْطاً وَعَدْلاً بَعْدَ مَا مُلِئَتْ ظُلْماً وَجَوْراً

wa anta alladhi tamla'u al-arda qistan wa `adlan ba`dama muli'at zulman wa jawran

it is you who shall fill the earth with justice and impartiality after it will be filled with wrong and partiality.

فَعَجَّلَ الله فَرَجَكَ وَسَهَّلَ مَخْرَجَكَ وَقَرَّبَ زَمَانَكَ

fa`ajjala allāhu farajaka wa sahhala makhrajaka wa qarraba zamanaka

So, may Allāh hasten your reappearance, make easy your advent, make nearer the time of your coming,

وَكَثَّرَ انْصَارَكَ وَاعْوَانَكَ وَانْجَزَ لَكَ مَا وَعَدَكَ فَهُوَ اصْدَقُ الْقَائِلِينَ:

wa kaththara ansaraka wa a`wanaka wa anjaza laka ma wa `adaka fahuwa asdaqu alqa'ilina

increase the number of your supporters and backers, and fulfill for you all that which He has promised you. He is surely the most truthful of all those who can speak (and He has said):

(وَنُرِيدُ انْ نَمُنَّ عَلَىٰ الَّذِينَ اسْتُضْعِفُوا فِي الارْضِ وَنَجْعَلَهُمْ ائِمَّةً وَنَجْعَلَهُمُ الْوَارِثِينَ)

wa nuridu an namunna `ala alladhina istud`ifu fi al-ardi wa naj`alahum a'immatan wa naj`alahumu alwarithina

“We desired to bestow a favor upon those who were deemed weak in the land, make them the Imāms, and make them the heirs.”

يَا مَوْلايَ يَا صَاحِبَ الزَّمَانِ يَا بْنَ رَسُولِ الله حَاجَتِي…

ya mawlaya ya sahiba alzzamani yabna rasuli allāhi hajati…

O my master! O Patron of the Age! O son of Allāh’s Messenger! My request is…

Mention your need and then go on saying:

فَاشْفَعْ لِي فِي نَجَاحِهَا فَقَدْ تَوَجَّهْتُ إِلَيْكَ بِحَاجَتِي

fashfa` li fi najahiha faqad tawajjahtu ilayka bihajati

So, intercede for me so that it will be settled, for I am turning my face towards you for settling my request,

لِعِلْمِي انَّ لَكَ عِنْدَ الله شَفَاعَةً مَقْبُولَةً وَمَقَاماً مَحْمُوداً

li`ilmi anna laka `inda allāhi shafa`atan maqbulatan wa maqaman mahmudan

since I know for sure that you enjoy with Allāh admissible word of intercession, and praiseworthy standing.

فَبِحَقِّ مَنِ اخْتَصَّكُمْ بِامْرِهِ وَارْتَضَاكُمْ لِسِرِّهِ وَبِالشَّانِ الَّذِي لَكُمْ عِنْدَ الله بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُ

fabihaqqi man ikhtassakum bi-amrihi wartadakum lisirrihi wa bilshsha'ni alladhi lakum `inda allāhi baynakum wa baynahu

So, I ask you in the name of Him who granted you (i.e. the Ahl al-Bayt) exclusively the right of representing Him, and admitted you all to keep His secrets, and I ask you in the name of the standing that you exclusively enjoy with Allāh,

سَلِ اللَّهَ تَعَالَىٰ فِي نُجْحِ طَلِبَتِي وَإِجَابَةِ دَعْوَتِي وَكَشْفِ كُرْبَتِي

sali allāha ta`ala fi nujhi talibati wa ijabati da`wati wa kashfi kurbati

to ask Allāh, the Exalted, to render successful my request, to answer my prayer, and to relieve my grief.

You may then ask for whatever you want, and it will be settled for you, by Allāh's permission.

Footnotes

  1. Sūra 48

  2. Sūra 110