The Book of Supplication
The Excellence of Prayers and Strong Recommendation about it
5ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ سَمِعْتُهُ يَقُولُ ادْعُ وَلا تَقُلْ قَدْ فُرِغَ مِنَ الأمْرِ فَإِنَّ الدُّعَاءَ هُوَ الْعِبَادَةُ إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَقُولُ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبادَتِي سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ داخِرِينَ وَقَالَ ادْعُونِي أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ.
5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Hammad ibn ‘Isa who has said the following: “I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘Pray and do not say that it (belief in predetermination) is already determined and the matter is settled; prayer is worshipping. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has said, ‘Those who consider themselves above the need to worship Me will soon go to hell in disgrace,’ (40:60) ‘Pray to Me, I will accept your prayers (first part of the above verse).”’
6ـ أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الأشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي نَجْرَانَ عَنْ سَيْفٍ التَّمَّارِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ بِالدُّعَاءِ فَإِنَّكُمْ لا تَقَرَّبُونَ بِمِثْلِهِ وَلا تَتْرُكُوا صَغِيرَةً لِصِغَرِهَا أَنْ تَدْعُوا بِهَا إِنَّ صَاحِبَ الصِّغَارِ هُوَ صَاحِبُ الْكِبَارِ.
6. Abu Ali al-Ash’ari has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from ibn Abu Najran from Sayf al-Tammar that he heard Abu ‘Abdillah (al-Sadiq) (as): "Cling to supplication, for you will not be able to draw as close [to Allah] by a means other than this. Do not neglect supplicating for the smallest of things due to its insignificance. Indeed, the one who is turned to for small matters, is also turned to for big matters."
7ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنِ النَّضْرِ بْنِ سُوَيْدٍ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ سُلَيْمَانَ عَنْ عُبَيْدِ بْنِ زُرَارَةَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ رَجُلٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) الدُّعَاءُ هُوَ الْعِبَادَةُ الَّتِي قَالَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبادَتِي الآيَة ادْعُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ وَلا تَقُلْ إِنَّ الأمْرَ قَدْ فُرِغَ مِنْهُ قَالَ زُرَارَةُ إِنَّمَا يَعْنِي لا يَمْنَعْكَ إِيمَانُكَ بِالْقَضَاءِ وَالْقَدَرِ أَنْ تُبَالِغَ بِالدُّعَاءِ وَتَجْتَهِدَ فِيهِ أَوْ كَمَا قَالَ.
7. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Husayn ibn Sa’Id from al-Nadr ibn Suwayd from al-Qasim ibn Sulayman from ‘Ubayd ibn Zurara from his father from a man who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, pleading before Allah for help is the form of worship about which Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, has said, ‘Those who consider themselves above the need to worship Me will soon go to hell in disgrace,’ (40:60) pray to Allah, the Majestic, the Glorious, and do not say that things are already determined and settled (due to predestination).’ “Zurara has said, ‘The Imam thereby has meant that your belief in Allah’s decision and His measures should not stop you from praying to Allah and pleading before Him for help with seriousness and enthusiasm just as he (the Imam) has said.’”
8ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الأشْعَرِيِّ عَنِ ابْنِ الْقَدَّاحِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) أَحَبُّ الأعْمَالِ إِلَى الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِي الأرْضِ الدُّعَاءُ وَأَفْضَلُ الْعِبَادَةِ الْعَفَافُ قَالَ وَكَانَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) رَجُلاً دَعَّاءً.
8. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Ash’ari from ibn al-Qaddah from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) has said, ‘The most beloved of deeds before Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, on earth is pleading before Him for help and the best worship is chastity.’ The Imam said, ‘Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) was a very prayerful man.’”
The Book of Supplication
Pleading Before Allah for Help Is a Believing Person’s Weapon
1ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ بْنِ أَيُّوبَ عَنِ السَّكُونِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) الدُّعَاءُ سِلاحُ الْمُؤْمِنِ وَعَمُودُ الدِّينِ وَنُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأرْضِ.
1. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from his father from Fadalah ibn Ayyub from al-Sakuni from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Pleading before Allah for help is believing people’s weapons, the pillar of religion and the light of the heavens and earth.’”
2ـ وَبِهَذَا الإسْنَادِ قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) الدُّعَاءُ مَفَاتِيحُ النَّجَاحِ وَمَقَالِيدُ الْفَلاحِ وَخَيْرُ الدُّعَاءِ مَا صَدَرَ عَنْ صَدْرٍ نَقِيٍّ وَقَلْبٍ تَقِيٍّ وَفِي الْمُنَاجَاةِ سَبَبُ النَّجَاةِ وَبِالإخْلاصِ يَكُونُ الْخَلاصُ فَإِذَا اشْتَدَّ الْفَزَعُ فَإِلَى الله الْمَفْزَعُ.
2. Through the same chain of narrators it is narrated from Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) who has said the following: “Pleading before Allah for help is the key to success and the input for one’s well being. The best prayer is what comes out of a clean chest and pious heart. In pleading before Allah for help there is the means for salvation, in sincerity there is freedom and when distress intensifies, Allah is the only One before Whom one must implore for protection.”
3ـ وَبِإِسْنَادِهِ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) أَ لا أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى سِلاحٍ يُنْجِيكُمْ مِنْ أَعْدَائِكُمْ وَيُدِرُّ أَرْزَاقَكُمْ قَالُوا بَلَى قَالَ تَدْعُونَ رَبَّكُمْ بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ فَإِنَّ سِلاحَ الْمُؤْمِنِ الدُّعَاءُ.
3. Through his chain of narrators the narrator has said the following: “The Holy Prophet (a.s.) once said, ‘Should I guide you to a weapon that will save you from your enemies and increase your means of living?’ They said, ‘Yes, (O Messenger of Allah).’ The Holy Prophet said, ‘Pray and plead before Allah for help night and day; prayer is the weapon of believing people.’”
4ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الأشْعَرِيِّ عَنِ ابْنِ الْقَدَّاحِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) الدُّعَاءُ تُرْسُ الْمُؤْمِنِ وَمَتَى تُكْثِرْ قَرْعَ الْبَابِ يُفْتَحْ لَكَ.
4. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Ash’ari from ibn al-Qaddah from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) has said, ‘Prayer is a shield for a believing person. When a door is knocked often it will sooner or later open up.’”
5ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ لأصْحَابِهِ عَلَيْكُمْ بِسِلاحِ الأنْبِيَاءِ فَقِيلَ وَمَا سِلاحُ الأنْبِيَاءِ قَالَ الدُّعَاءُ.
5. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Faddal from certain individuals of our people who has said the following: “Al-Rida (a.s.) would say to his disciples, ‘You must keep with you the weapons of the prophets.’ It was asked, ‘What are the weapons of the prophets?’ The Imam said, ‘It is prayer, pleading before Allah for help.’”
6ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْبَجَلِيِّ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ الدُّعَاءَ أَنْفَذُ مِنَ السِّنَانِ.
6. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Mughirah from abu Sa’Id al-Bajilli who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Prayer, pleading before Allah for help is more effective than spears.’”
