Acts at Kūfa

Devotional Acts at the Third Column

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Walk to the seat of Imām ʿAlī b. Ḥusayn Zaynul ʿAbidīn(a), which is located near the third column, in the direction of Bāb Kindah (Gate of Kindah). Across from this location, facing the Qiblah, you will find Imām ʿAlī's(a) spot. To the west, you will see the now-sealed Bāb Kindah.

It is suggested that when praying at this spot, you should stand five arm-lengths away from the column, as this is believed to be the original position of Imām Zaynul ʿAbidīn's(a) seat. Feel free to offer a two-unit prayer here, reciting Sūrah Fātiḥa and any other Sūrah, followed by tasbīḥ. You may proceed with the following:

بِسْمِ الله الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ اَللَّهُمَّ إِنَّ ذُنُوبِي قَدْ كَثُرَتْ وَلَمْ يَبْقَ لَهَا إِلاَّ رَجَاءُ عَفْوِكَ

bismi allāhi alrra¦mān alrra¦¢mi allāhumma inna dhun£b¢ qad kathurat wa lam yabqa lahā illā rajā'u `afwika

In the Name of Allāh; the All-beneficent, the All-merciful. O Allāh, my sins have been growing and nothing can stand for them except the hope in Your pardon

وَقَدْ قَدَّمْتُ آلَةَ الْحِرْمَانِ إِلَيْكَ فَأنَا أسْألُكَ اللَّهُمَّ مَا لاَ أسْتَوْجِبُهُ

wa qad qaddamtu ālata al¦irmāni ilayka fa'anā as'aluka allāhumma mā lā astawjibuh£

although I have done things due to which I deserve deprivation of Your pardon. Therefore, I beseech You, O Allāh, for that which I do not deserve

وَأطْلُبُ مِنْكَ مَا لاَ أسْتَحِقُّهُ اَللَّهُمَّ إِنْ تُعَذِّبْنِي فَبِذُنُوبِي وَلَمْ تَظْلِمْنِي شَيْئاً

wa a§lubu minka mā lā asta¦iqquh£ allāhumma in tu`adhdhibn¢ fabidhun£b¢ wa lam ta¨limn¢ shay'an

and I seek from You that which I do not merit. O Allāh, If you chastise me, then this will be on account of my sins and You shall never be unjust to me.

وَإِنْ تَغْفِرْ لِي فَخَيْرُ رَاحِمٍ أنْتَ يَا سَيِّدِي

wa in taghfir l¢ fakhayru rā¦imin anta yā sayyid¢

But if You forgive me, then You are already the best of all those who show mercy, O my Master.

اَللَّهُمَّ أنْتَ أنْتَ وَأنَا أنَا أنْتَ الْعَوَّادُ بِالْمَغْفِرَةِ وَأنَا الْعَوَّادُ بِالذُّنُوبِ

allāhumma anta anta wa anā anā anta al`awwādu bilmaghfirati wa anā al`awwādu bildhdhn£bi

O Allāh, You are what You are and I am what I am: You always return with forgiveness and I always return with sinning.

وَأنْتَ الْمُتَفَضِّلُ بِالْحِلْمِ وَأنَا الْعَوَّادُ بِالْجَهْلِ

wa anta almutafa¤¤ilu bil¦ilmi wa anā al`awwādu biljahli

You always confer with forbearance and I always return with impatience.

اَللَّهُمَّ فَإِنِّي أسْألُكَ يَا كَنْزَ الضُّعَفَاءِ يَا عَظِيمَ الرَّجَاءِ يَا مُنْقِذَ الْغَرْقَى

allāhumma fa'inn¢ as’aluka yā kanza al¤¤u`afā’i yā `a¨¢ma alrrajā’i yā munqidha algharqā

O Allāh, I do beseech You, O treasure of the weak! O He in Whom great hope is put! O rescuer of the drowned!

يَا مُنْجِيَ الْهَلْكَى يَا مُمِيتَ الأحْيَاءِ يَا مُحْيِيَ الْمَوْتَى

yā munjiya alhalkā yā mum¢ta al-a¦yā’i yā mu¦yiya almawtā

O savior of those about to perish! O He Who cause the alive to die! O He Who causes the dead to live again!

أنْتَ اللَّهُ الَّذِي لاَ إِلهَ إِلاَّ أنْتَ

anta allāhu alladh¢ lā ilāha illā anta

You are Allāh; there is no god but You.

أنْتَ الَّذِي سَجَدَ لَكَ شُعَاعُ الشَّمْسِ وَنُورُ الْقَمَرِ وَظُلْمَةُ اللَّيْلِ

anta alladh¢ sajada laka shu`ā`u alshshamsi wa n£ru alqamari wa ¨ulmatu allayli

It is You before Whom have prostrated the ray of the sun, the moonlight, the murk of night,

وَضَوْءُ النَّهَارِ وَخَفَقَانُ الطَّيْرِ

wa ¤aw'u alnnahāri wa khafaqānu al§§ayri

the light of daytime, and the flapping of birds.

فَأسْألُكَ اللَّهُمَّ يَا عَظِيمُ بِحَقِّكَ يَا كَرِيمُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِهِ الصَّادِقِينَ وَبِحَقِّ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِهِ الصَّادِقِينَ عَلَيْكَ

fa-as'aluka allāhumma yā `a¨¢mu bi¦aqqika yā kar¢mu `alā mu¦ammadin wa ālih¢ al¥¥ādiq¢n wa bi¦aqqi mu¦ammadin wa ālih¢ al¥¥ādiq¢na `alayka

I thus beseech You, O All-great, in the name of the duty of Muḥammad and his veracious Household towards You, O All-generous, in the name of Your duty towards Muḥammad and his veracious Household,

وَبِحَقِّكَ عَلَى عَلِيٍّ وَبِحَقِّ عَلِيٍّ عَلَيْكَ وَبِحَقِّكَ عَلَى فَاطِمَةَ وَبِحَقِّ فَاطِمَةَ عَلَيْكَ

wa bi¦aqqika `alā Alīyyin wa bi¦aqqi Alīyyin `alayka wa bi¦aqqika `alā fā§imata wa bi¦aqqi fā§imata `alayka

in the name of the duty of Alī towards You, in the name of Your duty towards Alī, in the name of the duty of Fāṭima towards You, in the name of Your duty towards Fāṭima,

وَبِحَقِّكَ عَلَى الْحَسَنِ وَبِحَقِّ الْحَسَنِ عَلَيْكَ وَبِحَقِّكَ عَلَى الْحُسَيْنِ وَبِحَقِّ الْحُسَيْنِ عَلَيْكَ

wa bi¦aqqika `alā al¦asani wa bi¦aqqi al¦asani `alayka wa bi¦aqqika `alā al¦usayni wa bi¦aqqi al¦usayni `alayka

in the name of the duty of al-Ḥasan towards You, in the name of Your duty towards al-Ḥasan, in the name of the duty of Al-Ḥusayn towards You, and in the name of Your duty towards Al-Ḥusayn.

فَإِنَّ حُقُوقَهُمْ مِنْ أفْضَلِ إِنْعَامِكَ عَلَيْهِمْ

fa'inna ¦uq£qahum min af¤ali in`āmika `alayhim

Verily, Your duty towards them is one of the greatest blessings that You conferred upon them.

وَبِالشَّأنِ الَّذِي لَكَ عِنْدَهُمْ وَبِالشَّأنِ الَّذِي لَهُمْ عِنْدَكَ صَلِّ يَا رَبِّ عَلَيْهِمْ صَلاَةً دَائِمَةً مُنْتَهَى رِضَاكَ

wa bilshsha'ni alladh¢ laka `indahum wa bilshsha'ni alladh¢ lahum `indaka ¥alli yā rabbi `alayhim ¥alātan dā'imatan muntahā ri¤āka

And (I beseech You) in the name of the position that You enjoy with them and in the name of the position that they enjoy with You to (please) bless them, O Lord, with blessings that are endless until they attain Your pleasure,

وَاغْفِرْ لِي بِهِمُ الذُّنُوبَ الَّتِي بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَكَ وَأتْمِمْ نِعْمَتَكَ عَلَيَّ كَمَا أتْمَمْتَهَا عَلَى آبَائِي مِنْ قَبْلُ

waghfir l¢ bihim aldhdhun£ba allat¢ bayn¢ wa baynaka wa atmim ni`mataka `alayya kamā atmamtahā `alā ābā'¢ min qablu

to forgive me, in their names, the sins that I committed concerning my duties towards You, to complete Your favors upon me in the same way as You had completed them upon my forefathers.

يَا كهيعص اَللَّهُمَّ كَمَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ فَاسْتَجِبْ لِي دُعَائِي فِيمَا سَألْتُكَ

yā kāf hā yā `ayn ¥ād allāhumma kamā ¥allayta `alā mu¦ammadin wa āli mu¦ammadin fastajib l¢ du`ā'¢ f¢mā sa'altuka

O kaf-ha-ya-‘ayn-sad! O Allāh, just as You have poured blessings upon Muḥammad and the Household of Muḥammad, (please) respond to my entreaty as regards that which I have asked from You.

Lower into prostration, placing your right cheek to the ground, and reverently, tearfully repeat the following as often as possible:

يَا سَيِّدِي يَا سَيِّدِي يَا سَيِّدِي صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَاغْفِرْ لِي وَاغْفِرْ لِي…

yā sayyid¢ yā sayyid¢ yā sayyid¢ ¥alli `alā mu¦ammadin wa āli mu¦ammadin waghfir l¢ waghfir l¢…

O my Master! O my Master! O my Master! Bless Muḥammad and the Household of Muḥammad and forgive me. Please, forgive me…

Shift to place your left cheek to the ground, echoing the same words. Feel free to make any personal supplication to Almighty Allah.

Certain texts suggest that a specific guidance from Imām Ṣādiq(a) to one of his followers can be applied to this location. However, this guidance isn't exclusively for this spot, but rather for the entire courtyard of Masjid al-Kūfa. As narrated, Imām Ṣādiq(a) advised one of his companions: "When you visit the grand mosque of Kūfa early in the morning, consider performing a four-unit prayer, followed by the ensuing supplication:

إِلهِي إِنْ كُنْتُ قَدْ عَصَيْتُكَ فَإِنِّي قَدْ أطَعْتُكَ فِي أحَبِّ الأشْيَاءِ إِلَيْكَ لَمْ أتَّخِذْ لَكَ وَلَداً وَلَمْ أدْعُ لَكَ شَرِيكاً

ilāh¢ in kuntu qad `a¥aytuka fa'inn¢ qad a§a`tuka f¢ a¦abbi al-ashyā'i ilayka lam attakhidh laka waladan wa lam ad`u laka shar¢kan

O Allāh, if I have disobeyed you, I have also obeyed you in the things that You most like. I have not claimed that You have child and I have not associated any one with You.

وَقَدْ عَصَيْتُكَ فِي أشْيَاءَ كَثِيرَةٍ عَلَى غَيْرِ وَجْهِ الْمُكَابَرَةِ لَكَ وَلاَ الِاسْتِكْبَارِ عَنْ عِبَادَتِكَ

wa qad `a¥aytuka f¢ ashyā'a kath¢ratin `alā ghayri wajhi almukābarati laka wa lā alistikbāri `an `ibādatika

Yet, I have disobeyed You in many things on account of neither defiance, nor my being too arrogant to serve You,

وَلاَ الْجُحُودِ لِرُبُوبِيَّتِكَ وَلاَ الْخُرُوجِ عَنِ الْعُبُودِيَّةِ لَكَ وَلَكِنِ اتَّبَعْتُ هَوَايَ

wa lā alju¦£di lirub£biyyatika wa lā alkhur£ji `an al`ub£diyyati laka wa lākin ittba`tu hawāya

nor denial of Your Godhead, nor mutiny against my servitude to You; rather, I only followed my lusts

وَأزَلَّنِيَ الشَّيْطَانُ بَعْدَ الْحُجَّةِ وَالْبَيَانِ فَإِنْ تُعَذِّبْنِي فَبِذُنُوبِي غَيْرَ ظَالِمٍ أنْتَ لِي

wa azallaniya alshshay§ānu ba`da al¦ujjati walbayāni fa'in tu`adhdhibn¢ fabidhun£b¢ ghayra ¨ālimin anta l¢

and Satan caused me to slip although You have clear argument against me. Thus, if You chastise me, then it is on account of my sins and You are never unjust to me.

وَإِنْ تَعْفُ عَنِّي وَتَرْحَمْنِي فَبِجُودِكَ وَكَرَمِكَ يَا كَرِيمُ

wa in ta`fu `ann¢ wa tar¦amn¢ fabij£dika wa karamika yā kar¢mu

And if You pardon me and have mercy upon me, then this is out of Your magnanimity and generosity, O All-generous!

Also, consider saying the following:

غَدَوْتُ بِحَوْلِ الله وَقُوَّتِهِ غَدَوْتُ بِغَيْرِ حَوْلٍ مِنِّي وَلاَ قُوَّةٍ وَلَكِنْ بِحَوْلِ الله وَقُوَّتِهِ

ghadawtu bi¦awli allāhi wa quwwatih¢ ghadawtu bighayri ¦awlin minn¢ wa lā quwwatin wa lākin bi¦awli allāhi wa quwwatih¢

I begin this day with the might and power of Allāh. I do not begin it with my might or power; rather, with Allāh’s might and power.

يَا رَبِّ أسْألُكَ بَرَكَةَ هذَا الْبَيْتِ وَبَرَكَةَ أهْلِهِ وَأسْألُكَ أنْ تَرْزُقَنِي رِزْقاً حَلاَلاً طَيِّباً

yā rabbi as'aluka barakata hādhā albayti wa barakata ahlih¢ wa as'aluka an tarzuqan¢ rizqan ¦alālan §ayyiban

O my Lord, I beseech You for the blessing of this house and the blessing of its people and I pray You to grant me sustenance from Your sustenance; sustenance that is legal and pleasant,

تَسُوقُهُ إِلَيَّ بِحَوْلِكَ وَقُوَّتِكَ وَأنَا خَائِضٌ فِي عَافِيَتِكَ

tas£quh£ ilayya bi¦awlika wa quwwatika wa anā khā'i¤un f¢ `āfiyatika

and that You bring it to me by Your might and Power, while I experience good health.

In their discussions about the recommended activities at the fourth column, Shaykh Shahīd and Muḥammad b. Mashhadī seamlessly incorporate this act along with other activities carried out in the mosque's courtyard. They propose offering a four-unit prayer, reciting Sūrah Fātiḥa and Sūrah Tawḥīd in the first two units and Sūrah Fātiḥa and Sūrah Qadr in the final two. Upon completion, you may perform Tasbīḥ al-Zahrā and so forth.

An authoritative narration from Abū Ḥamza Thumālī recounts an instance at the grand mosque of Kūfa. One day, a man entered from the Bāb Kindah gate. His face radiated beauty, he smelled of the finest perfume, and his clothing was immaculate. He wore a turban, a shirt, a jubbah1, and Arabian slippers which he removed upon entering the mosque. He then approached the sixth column, raised his hands to his ears, and recited a takbīr so profound that it sent shivers down my spine. Following that, he performed a four-unit prayer with commendable genuflection and prostration. After completion, he commenced a supplication that started with the following words:

إِلهِي إِنْ كُنْتُ قَدْ عَصَيْتُكَ فَإِنِّي قَدْ أطَعْتُكَ فِي أحَبِّ الأشْيَاءِ إِلَيْكَ…2

When he reached the statement:

يَا كَرِيمُ يَا كَرِيمُ يَا كَرِيمُ3

he went into prostration and repeated this as much as one breath may take. He then said while prostrating:

يَا مَنْ يَقْدِرُ عَلَى حَوَائِجِ السَّائِلِينَ…4

He then repeated the following seventy times:

يَا سَيِّدِي5

When he raised his head, I looked at him closely and realised that he was Zaynul ʿAbidīn(a). I kissed his hand and asked him what had caused him to come to the mosque. The Imām(a) answered, "As you see." (i.e. I came here to offer prayers at Kūfa Mosque)...

Footnotes

  1. A type of long open cloth coat with wide sleeves

  2. O my God, if I have disobeyed You, I have indeed obeyed You in the nearest thing to You…

  3. O All-generous! O All-generous! O All-generous!

  4. O He Who has full power over granting the requests of the beseechers…

  5. O my Master (yā sayyidī)