3 Dua From Nahjulbalgha
by Imam Ali(as)

There are three sermons in Nahjulbalagha which are in the nature of Duas 226,224,215 below :-
, Sermon 226: Supplication Seeking guidance to the right path

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّكَ آنَسُ الاْنِسِينَ لاِوْلِيَائِكَ،
O My God! Thou art the most attached to Thy lovers

وَأَحْضَرُهُمْ بِالْكِفايَةِ لِلْمُتَوَكِّلِينَ عَلَيْكَ،
and the most ready to assist those who trust in Thee.

تُشَاهِدُهُمْ فِي سَرَائِرِهِمْ،
Thou seest them in their concealments,

وَتَطَّلِعُ عَلَيْهِمْ فِي ضَمائِرِهِمْ،
knowest whatever is in their consciences,

وَتَعْلَمُ مَبْلَغَ بَصَائِرِهِمْ،
and art aware of the extent of their intelligence.

فَأَسْرَارُهُمْ لَكَ مَكْشُوفَةٌ،
Consequently, their secrets are open to Thee

وَقُلُوبُهُمْ إِلَيْكَ مَلْهُوفَةٌ،
and their hearts are eager from Thee.

إِنْ أَوْحَشَتْهُمُ الْغُرْبَةُ آنَسَهُمْ ذِكْرُكَ،
If loneliness makes them desolate, Thy remembrance gives them solace

وَإِنْ صُبَّتْ عَلَيْهِمُ الْمَصَائِبُ لَجأُوا إِلَى الاْسْتِجَارَةِ بِكَ،
If distresses befall them, they beseech Thy protection,

عِلْماً بَأَنَّ أَزِمَّةَ الاْمُورِ بِيدِكَ،
because they know that the reins of affairs are in Thy hands,

وَمَصَادِرَهَا عَنْ قَضَائِكَ.
and that their movements depend upon Thy commands.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ فَهِهْتُ عَنْ مسْأَلَتِي، أَوْ عَمِيتُ عَنْ طِلْبَتِي،
O My God! If I am unable to express my request or cannot see my needs,

فَدُلَّنِي عَلَى مَصَالِحِي، وَخُذْ بِقَلْبِي إِلَى مَرَاشِدِي،
then guide me towards my betterment and take my heart towards the correct goal,

فَلَيْسَ ذَاكَ بِنُكْر مِنْ هِدَايَاتِكَ، وَلاَ بِبِدْع مِنْ كِفَايَاتِكَ.
for this is not against (the mode of) Thy guidance nor anything new against Thy ways of support.

اللَّهُمَّ احْمِلْنِي عَلَى عَفْوِكَ، وَلاَ تَحْمِلْنِي عَلَى عدْلِكَ.
O My God! Deal with me through Thy forgiveness and do not deal with me according to Thy justice.


Alternative Sources for Sermon 226
(1) Al-Tusi, Misbah, 249;
(2) al-Samahiji, al-Sahifat al-’Alawiyyat al-'ula .
Sermon 224: O My God! Preserve (the grace of) my face… Supplication (seeking sufficiency from Allah)
اللَّهُمَّ صُنْ وَجْهِي بِالْيَسَارِ،
O My God! Preserve (the grace of) my face with easiness of life

وَلاَتَبْذُلْ جَاهِيَ بِالْاِقتَارِ،
and do not disgrace my countenance with destitution,

فَأَسْتَرْزِقَ طَالِبِي رِزْقِكَ،
lest I may have to beg a livelihood from those who beg from Thee,

وَأَسْتَعْطِفَ شِرَارَ خَلْقِكَ،وَأُبْتَلَى بِحَمْدِ مَنْ أَعْطَانِي،
try to seek the favour of Thy evil creatures, engage myself in praising those who give to me,

وَأُفْتَتَنَ بِذَمِّ مَنْ مَنَعَنِي،
and be tempted in abusing those who do not give to me,

وَأَنْتَ مِنْ وَرَاءِ ذلِكَ كُلِّهِ وَلِيُّ الاْعْطَاءِ والْمَنْعِ،
although behind all these Thou art the master of giving and denying.

(إنَّكَ عَلى كُلِّ شَيء قَدِيرٌ)
. . . Verily Thou over all things, art the All-powerful. (Qur'an, 66:8)


Alternative Sources for Sermon 224 (1) Al-Rawandi, al-Da’awat, see Bihar, vol. 75, 297; (2) al-Yamani, al-Taraz, I, 119.
Sermon 215:Praise be to Allah! Who made me such…. A prayer which Amir al-mu'minin often recited
الْحَمْدُ لله الَّذِي لَمْ يُصبِحْ بِي مَيِّتاً وَلاَ سَقِيماً،
Praise be to Allah! Who made me such that I have not died nor am I sick,

وَلاَ مَضْرُوباً عَلَى عُرُوقِي بِسُوء،
nor have my veins been infected with disease,

وَلاَ مَأْخُوذاً بِأَسْوَاَ عَمَلِي،
nor have I been hauled up for my evil acts,

وَلاَ مَقْطُوعاً دَابِرِي،
nor am I without progeny,

وَلاَ مُرْتَدّاً عَنْ دِينِي،
nor have I forsaken my religion,

وَلاَ مُنْكِراً لِرَبِّي،
nor do I disbelieve in my Lord,

وَلاَ مُسْتَوْحِشاً مِنْ إِيمَانِي،
nor do I feel strangeness with my faith,

وَلاَ مُلْتَبِساً عَقْلِي،
nor is my intelligence affected,

وَلاَ مُعَذَّباً بَعَذابِ الاْمَمِ مِنْ قَبْلِي.
nor have I been punished with the punishment of peoples before me.

أَصْبَحْتُ عَبْداً مَمْلُوكاً ظَالِماً لِنَفْسِي،
I am a slave in Thy possession,I have been guilty of excesses over myself.

لَكَ الْحُجَّةُ عَلَيَّ وَلاَ حُجَّةَ لِي،
Thou hast exhausted Thy pleas over me and I have no plea (before Thee).

لاَ أَسْتَطِيعُ أَنْ آخُذَ إِلاَّ مَا أَعْطَيْتَنِي،
I have no power to take except what Thou givest me,

وَلاَ أَتَّقِيَ إِلاَّ مَا وَقَيْتَنِي.
and I cannot evade except what Thou savest me from.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ أَفْتَقِرَ فِي غِنَاكَ،
O My God! I seek Thy protection from becoming destitute despite Thy riches,

أَوْ أَضِلَّ فِي هُدَاكَ،
from being misguided despite Thy guidance,

أَوْ أُضَامَ فِي سُلْطَانِكَ، أَوْ أُضْطَهَدَ وَالاْمْرُ لَكَ!
from being molested in Thy realm and from being humiliated while authority rests with Thee.

اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ نَفْسِي أَوَّلَ كَرِيمَة تَنْتَزِعُهَا مِنْ كَرَائِمِي، وَأَوَّلَ وَدِيعَة تَرْتَجِعُهَا مِنْ وَدَائِعِ نِعَمِكَ عِنْدِي!
O My God! Let my spirit be the first of those good objects that Thou takest from me and the first trust out of Thy favours held in trust with me.

اللَّهُمْ إِنَّا نَعُوذُ بِكَ أَنْ نَذْهَبَ عَنْ قَوْلِكَ،أَوْ نُفْتَتَنَ عَنْ دِينِكَ،
O My God! We seek Thy protection from turning away from Thy command or revolting against Thy religion,

أَوْ تَتَابَعَ بِنَا أَهْوَاؤُنَا دُونَ الْهُدَى الَّذِي جَاءَ مِنْ عِنْدِكَ!
or being led away by our desires instead of by guidance that comes from Thee.


Alternative Sources for Sermon 215
(1) Al-Sayyid Ibn al-Baqi, al-'Ikhtibar;
(2) al-Majlisi, Bihar, vol. 94, 226.