22- His Supplication in Hardship

His Supplication in Hardship, Effort, and Difficult Affairs

1 O God,            Thou hast charged me concerning myself                      with that which belongs more to Thee than to me.            Thy power over it and over me is greater than my power,                      so give me in myself                                what will make Thee pleased with me                      and take for Thyself                                Thy good pleasure in my self's well-being! 2 O God,            I have                      no endurance for effort,                      no patience in affliction,                      no strength to bear poverty.            So forbid me not my provision                      and entrust me not to Thy creatures,            but take care of my need alone                      and Thyself attend to sufficing me! 3           Look upon me and look after me in all my affairs,                      for if Thou entrustest me to myself,                                I will be incapable before myself                                and fail to undertake that in which my best interest lies.                      If Thou entrustest me to Thy creatures,                                they will frown upon me,                      and if Thou makest me resort to my kinsfolk,                                they will refuse to give to me;                      if they give,                                they will give little and in bad temper,                                          making me feel long obliged                                          and blaming me much. 4           So through Thy bounty, O God,                                free me from need,                      through Thy mightiness,                                lift me up,                      through Thy boundless plenty,                                open my hand,                      and with that which is with Thee,                                suffice me! 5 O God,            bless Muhammad and his Household,            rid me of envy,            encircle me against sins,            make me abstain from things unlawful,            give me not the boldness of disobedient acts,            assign me love for that which is with Thee                      and satisfaction with that which comes to me from Thee,            bless me in                      that which Thou providest me,                      that which Thou conferrest upon me,                      and that through which Thou favourest me,            and make me in all my states                      safeguarded, watched,                      covered, defended,                      given refuge, and granted sanctuary! 6 O God,            bless Muhammad and his Household            and let me accomplish everything which                                Thou hast enjoined upon me                                or made obligatory for me toward Thee,                                in one of the ways of Thy obedience,                                or toward one of Thy creatures,                      though my body be too frail for that,                                my strength too feeble,                                my power not able to reach it,                                and my possessions and what my hand owns                                          not encompass it,                      and whether I have remembered it or forgotten it. 7           It, my Lord, is among that which Thou hast counted against me                      while I have been heedless of it in myself.            Let me perform it                      through Thy plentiful giving                      and the abundance which is with Thee                      - for Thou art Boundless, Generous - so that nothing of                      it may remain against me,                      lest Thou wouldst wish                                to settle accounts for it from my good deeds                                or to compound my evil deeds                                          on the day I meet Thee, my Lord! 8 O God,            bless Muhammad and his Household            and provide me with desire to serve Thee                      for the sake of my state in the hereafter,            such that I know the truthfulness of that [desire] in my heart,                      be dominated by renunciation while in this world,                      do good deeds with yearning,                      and remain secure from evil deeds in fright and fear!            And give me a light whereby I may walk among the people , 108                      be guided in the shadows,                      and seek illumination in doubt and uncertainty! 9 O God,            bless Muhammad and his Household            and provide me with fear of the threatened gloom                      and yearning for the promised reward,            such that I may find                      the pleasure of that for which I supplicate Thee                      and the sorrow of that from which I seek sanctuary in Thee! 10 O God,            Thou knowest what will set my affairs right                      in this world and the next,            so be ever gracious toward my needs! 11 O God,            bless Muhammad and Muhammad's Household            and provide me with what is Thy right                      when I fall short in thanking Thee                      for that through which Thou hast favoured me                                in ease and difficulty,                                health and sickness,            such that I may come to know in myself                      repose in satisfaction                      and serenity of soul                                in that which Thou hast made incumbent upon me                                in whatever states may occur:                                          fear and security,                                          satisfaction and displeasure,                                          loss and gain! 12 O God,            bless Muhammad and his Household            and provide me with a breast safe from envy,            such that I envy none of Thy creatures                      and in anything of Thy bounty            and such that I see none of Thy favours            toward any of Thy creatures                                in religion or this world,                                well-being or reverential fear,                                plenty or ease,                      without hoping for myself better than it                                through and from Thee alone,                                who hast no associate! 13 O God,            bless Muhammad and his Household            and provide me in this world and the next                      with caution against offenses                      and wariness against slips                      in the state of satisfaction and wrath,            such that I may                      remain indifferent toward that which enters upon me                                from the two states, 109                      work toward Thy obedience,                      and prefer it and Thy good pleasure over all else                                in both friends and enemies.                      Then my enemy may stay secure                                from my wrongdoing and injustice                      and my friend may despair                                of my inclination                                and the bent of my affection. 14 Make me one of those who supplicate Thee with sincerity in ease                      with the supplication of those                      who supplicate Thee with sincerity in distress!            Verily Thou art Praiseworthy, Glorious.