ARABIC PRAYERS OF MAWLANA JALALUDDIN RUMI

Translated from Persian and Arabic (with transliterations of the prayers) by Ibrahim Gamard, 1/01 (revised 11/02)

Mawlânâ's prayer (No. 1): Likewise, the King of the Successors and the Saint of God on earth, Shaykh Mawlà 'l-Kâbî-- may God's Mercy be upon him-- who was among the great friends and able-bodied champions in the realm of the (Turcoman dynasty called) Dâneshmandiyya, related: "Accompanied by Mawlânâ Shamsu 'd-dîn Mârdînî-- may God's mercy (be upon him), we found (ourselves) to be in the religious college of Mawlânâ at the time of the dawn prayer. And of course the companions requested that Hazrat-i Mawlânâ act as the prayer leader-- for (it has been said that), 'Whoever prays behind a God-conscious prayer-leader, surely it is as if he were praying behind the Prophet." He replied (in consent). He uttered such unusual litanies and amazing prayers, which none of the shaykhs have had. And I have recollected out of (them) all these ten phrases as a memorial of that venerable (saint):

'I repeat in every (situation of) fear: There is no divinity except God! And in every (situation of) grief and sorrow: What God has willed (must be)! And in every (situation of) favor and blessing: The praise is to God! And in every (situation of) comfort and well-being: The thanks is to God! And in every (situation of) amazement and wonder: The glory is to God! And in every sin: I seek the forgiveness of God! And in every (situation of) lack and insufficiency: God suffices me! And in every (Divinely) Decreed and Destined (situation): I trust in God! And in every misfortune: "Truly, we belong to God and to Him is our return!' [Qur'an 2:156]. And in every (act of) obedience and disobedience: There is no power and no strength except in God, the Most High, the All-Mighty!'"

--from Aflaki, "The Glorious Talents and Abilities of the Knowers of God" [Manâqibu 'l-`ârifîn], I, pp. 286-287 (Chapter 3, section 201). (See also the translation by John O'Kane, "The Feats of the Knowers of God," 2002, pp. 198-99.)

a`dad-tu li-kulli hawl-in: lâ ilâha illâ 'llâh!
wa li-kulli hamm-in wa ghamm-in: mâ shâ' 'llâh!
wa li-kulli ni`mat-in: al-Hamdu li-llâh!

wa li-kulli rakhâ'in: ash-shukru li-llâh!
wa li-kulli 'u`jûbat-in: subHâna 'llâh!
wa li-kulli Zamb-in: astaghfiru 'llâh!
wa li-kulli Zîq-in: Hasbiya 'llâh!
wa li-kulli qaZâ'-in wa qadar-in: tawakkaltu `alà 'llâh!

wa li-kulli muSîbat-in: innâ li-llâhi wa 'innâ 'ilay-hi râji`ûn!
wa li-kulli Tâ`at-in wa ma`Siyat-in: lâ Hawla wa lâ quwwata illâ bi-llâhi 'l-`aliyyi 'l-`aZîm!


Mawlânâ's prayer (No. 2):

In a similar manner, from the service of the lordly friend, the Dervish [faqîr] of Insight, Sirâjuddîn Faqîh Tatarî-- may God be merciful to him, it has been related that at the time transition (into death), Mawlânâ called (him) forward and taught (him) this prayer [du`â]. And he said to always recite this prayer in every state of comfort and abundance or affliction and hardship:

"O God, truly I breathe in (only) for You and I exhale my breath (only) for You. O God, I truly yearn for Mawlânâ to be a means (for me) to (reach) You. And I wish for a prosperity to be a means to (reach) You-- so that I may glorify You often and remember You frequently. O God, do not make for me an illness which will cause me to forget Your remembrance [Zikr], ruin the yearning for You, or cut off from me the delight of praising Your Glory. And do not give me a health which will make me rebellious or will increase me in being smugly insolent and proud-- by Your (Infinite) Compassion, O Most Merciful of those who are merciful!"

--from Aflaki, "The Glorious Talents and Abilities of the Knowers of God" [Manâqibu 'l-`ârifîn], II, p. 585 (Chapter 3, section 575). (See also the translation by John O'Kane, "The Feats of the Knowers of God," 2002, p. 401.)

allâhumma innî 'tanaffasu la-ka wa 'muddu nafasî ilay-k.

allâhumma innî 'shtâqu ilà mawlânâ wasîlat-an ilay-ka wa 'shtâqu
ilà `âfiyat-in wasîlat-an ilay-ka Hatà usabbiHa-ka kathîr-an wa

'Zkura-ka kathîr-â. allâhumma lâ taj`al lî maraZ-an yunsîn-î
Zikra-ka wa yukhabbiTu `alayya shawqa-ka wa yaqTa`u `ann-î
laZZata tasbîHi-ka wa lâ tu`Tîn-î SiHHat-an yuTghîni-î wa

yazîdun-î baTar-an wa 'shar-â. bi-raHmat-ika yâ 'rHama 'r-
râHimîn.


Mawlânâ's prayer (No. 3):

And similarly, they said that our Sultan (Mawlânâ) would always say this prayer [du`â] very seriously after performing the required [farZ] dawn prayer:

"O God, make for me a light in my heart, a light in my ears, a light in my eyes, a light in my hair, a light in my skin's surface, a light in my flesh, a light in my blood, a light in front of me, a light behind me, a light below me, a light above me, a light from my right (side), and a light from my left (side). O God, increase for me a light, give me a light, and make me a light-- O Light of Light in Your (Infinite) Compassion! O Most Merciful of those who are merciful!" (from Aflaki, "The Virtues of the Saints" [Manâqibu

'l-`ârifîn] I, p. 287) --from Aflaki, "The Glorious Talents and Abilities of the Knowers of God" [Manâqibu 'l-`ârifîn], I, p. 287 (Chapter 3, section 201). (See also the translation by John O'Kane, "The Feats of the Knowers of God," 2002, p. 199.)

allâhumma 'j`al lî nûr-an fî qalbî wa nûr-an fî sam`î wa nûr-an fî

baSarî wa nûr-an fî sha`rî wa nûr-an fî basharî wa nûr-an fî laHmî

wa nûr-an fî dammî wa nûr-an min bayni yadayya wa nûr-an min
khalfî wa nûr-an min taHtî wa nûr-an min fawqî wa nûr-an `an

yaminî wa nûr-an `an shamâli. allâhumma zidnî nûr-an wa a`Tinî
nûr-an wa 'j`alnî nûr-an, yâ nûru 'n-nûri bi-raHmati-ka yâ 'rHama 'r-râHimîn.


Mawlânâ's prayer (No. 4):

In the same way, it has been quoted from (reliably) informed companions that Hazrat-i Mawlânâ, when the first day of the month of MuHarram-- which is the beginning of the Arab year-- would appear at the time of the sight of the (slender) new moon, he would say this prayer [du'â]:

"O Allah! You are the Beginningless, the Endless, the Most Ancient. This is the new year, (so) I ask You for protection during it from the accursed Devil and (for) help against this ego [nafs] which commands wrongdoing; (for) occupation with what will draw me nearer to You and (for) avoidance of what will distance me from You. O Allah, O Most Merciful, O Most Compassionate in Your Mercy, O Lord of Majesty and Honor!" --from Aflaki, "The Glorious Talents and Abilities of the Knowers of God" [Manâqibu 'l-`ârifîn], I, pp. 271-72 (Chapter 3, section 182). (See also the translation by John O'Kane, "The Feats of the Knowers of God," 2002, p. 188.)

allâhumma anta 'l-azaliyyu 'l-abadiyyu 'l-qadîm. haZihi sanat-un
jadîdah. as'alu-ka 'l-`iSmata fî-hâ mina 'sh-shayTâni 'r-rajîmi wa
'l-`awna `alà haZihi 'n-nafsi 'l-ammârati bi's-sû'i wa 'l-ishtighâla

bi-mâ yuqarriban-î ilay-ka wa 'l-ijtinâba mimmâ yuba``idan-î
`an-k. yâ allâhu yâ raHmânu yâ raHîmu bi-raHmati-ka yâ Zâ
'l-jalâli wa 'l-'ikrâm.


Prayer for Mawlânâ

In a similar manner, Mawlânâ Ikhtiyâru 'd-dîn had seen in a dream that God-- may He be glorified and exalted-- gave a prayer [du`â] for the deceased [Mawlânâ Jalaluddin Rumi] with this expression:

"O Allah, be merciful and kind toward my chief, my reliance, my shaykh, the place of the spirit in my body, the provision of my today and tomorrow, and Our Master [Mawlânâ], the Glory [Jalâl]

of the Truth [ul-Haqq] and the Religion [ud-Dîn]! And upon his fathers, his ancestors, his mothers, his children, his successors, and his followers until the Day of Resurrection!" --from Aflaki, "The Glorious Talents and Abilities of the Knowers of God" [Manâqibu 'l-`ârifîn], I, p. 380 (Chapter 3, section 311). (See also the translation by John O'Kane, "The Feats of the Knowers of God," 2002, p. 262.)

allâhumma 'arHam wa taHannan `alà sayyidî wa sanadî wa shaykhî
wa makâni 'r-rûHi min jasadî wa Zakhîrati yawmî wa ghadî wa
mawlânâ jalâlu 'l-Haqq wa 'd-dîn wa `alà âbâ'i-hi wa ajdâdi-hi wa
ummahâti-hi wa awlâdi-hi wa khulafâ'i-hi wa atbâ`i-hi ilà yawmi
'l-qiyâmah.