The Book of Supplication
Insistence in Prayer and Waiting for Answers
4ـ عَنْهُ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ الْحَجَّالِ عَنْ حَسَّانَ عَنْ أَبِي الصَّبَّاحِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ كَرِهَ إِلْحَاحَ النَّاسِ بَعْضِهِمْ عَلَى بَعْضٍ فِي الْمَسْأَلَةِ وَأَحَبَّ ذَلِكَ لِنَفْسِهِ إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يُسْأَلَ وَيُطْلَبَ مَا عِنْدَهُ.
4. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Hajjal from Hassan from abu al-Sabbah from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, dislikes people insisting before one another for help but He likes it before Himself. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, loves that one begs and requests help from Him.”
5ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حُسَيْنٍ الأحْمَسِيِّ عَنْ رَجُلٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ لا وَالله لا يُلِحُّ عَبْدٌ عَلَى الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ إِلا اسْتَجَابَ الله لَهُ.
5. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Husayn al-Ahmasi from a man from abu Ja’far (a.s.) who has said the following: “Abu Ja’far (a.s.) has said, ‘By Allah, if a man insists before Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, on praying and pleading for help. He will accept his prayers.’”
6ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الأشْعَرِيِّ عَنِ ابْنِ الْقَدَّاحِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) رَحِمَ الله عَبْداً طَلَبَ مِنَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ حَاجَةً فَأَلَحَّ فِي الدُّعَاءِ اسْتُجِيبَ لَهُ أَوْ لَمْ يُسْتَجَبْ لَهُ وَتَلا هَذِهِ الآيَةَ وَأَدْعُوا رَبِّي عَسى أَلا أَكُونَ بِدُعاءِ رَبِّي شَقِيًّا.
6. 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: “The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘May Allah grant favors upon a servant who requests help from Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, and insists on praying and pleading before Him for help, accepted or not. He then read this verse of the Holy Quran: “. . . I worship my Lord and hope that my prayers will not be ignored.’” (19:48)
The Book of Supplication
Describing One’s Needs
1ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله الْفَرَّاءِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ إِنَّ الله تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى يَعْلَمُ مَا يُرِيدُ الْعَبْدُ إِذَا دَعَاهُ وَلَكِنَّهُ يُحِبُّ أَنْ تُبَثَّ إِلَيْهِ الْحَوَائِجُ فَإِذَا دَعَوْتَ فَسَمِّ حَاجَتَكَ. وَفِي حَدِيثٍ آخَرَ قَالَ قَالَ إِنَّ الله عَزَّ وَج��لَّ يَعْلَمُ حَاجَتَكَ وَمَا تُرِيدُ وَلَكِنْ يُحِبُّ أَنْ تُبَثَّ إِلَيْهِ الْحَوَائِجُ.
1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from abu ‘Abd Allah al-Farra’ from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Allah, the Most Blessed, the Most High, knows what a servant wants when he prays and pleads before Him for help, but He loves that one’s needs are brought before Him in detail. Whenever you pray, name your request. ’ In another Hadith it is said, ‘Allah, the Most Blessed, the Most High, knows your needs and what you want, but He loves that you name (identify) in detail your needs before Him.’”
The Book of Supplication
Secrecy in Prayer
1ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ أَبِي هَمَّامٍ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ هَمَّامٍ عَنْ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ دَعْوَةُ الْعَبْدِ سِرّاً دَعْوَةً وَاحِدَةً تَعْدِلُ سَبْعِينَ دَعْوَةً عَلانِيَةً. وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ أُخْرَى دَعْوَةٌ تُخْفِيهَا أَفْضَلُ عِنْدَ الله مِنْ سَبْعِينَ دَعْوَةً تُظْهِرُهَا.
1. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from abu Hammam Isma’Il ibn Hammam from abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.) who has said the following: “A servant’s praying and pleading before Allah for help, privately once, is equal to seventy such prayers in public.’ In another Hadith it is said: ‘A prayer that you (hide from people) is better before Allah than seventy prayers made in public.’”
The Book of Supplication
The Times and Conditions in which there is Hope for Acceptance
1ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ يَحْيَى بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ أَبِي الْبِلادِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ زَيْدٍ الشَّحَّامِ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) اطْلُبُوا الدُّعَاءَ فِي أَرْبَعِ سَاعَاتٍ عِنْدَ هُبُوبِ الرِّيَاحِ وَزَوَالِ الأفْيَاءِ وَنُزُولِ الْقَطْرِ وَأَوَّلِ قَطْرَةٍ مِنْ دَمِ الْقَتِيلِ الْمُؤْمِنِ فَإِنَّ أَبْوَابَ السَّمَاءِ تُفَتَّحُ عِنْدَ هَذِهِ الأشْيَاءِ.
1. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Khalid from Yahya Ibn Ibrahim Ibn Abu al-Bilad from his father from Zayd al-Shahham that Abu 'Abdillah (al-Sadiq) (as) said: "Seek supplication at four times: during the blowing of the winds, the fading of the shadows, the descent of rain, and when the first drop of blood from a martyred believer has spilled, for indeed the gates of heaven open at these times."
2ـ عَنْهُ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَغَيْرِهِ عَنِ الْقَاسِمِ بْنِ عُرْوَةَ عَنْ أَبِي الْعَبَّاسِ فَضْلٍ الْبَقْبَاقِ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) يُسْتَجَابُ الدُّعَاءُ فِي أَرْبَعَةِ مَوَاطِنَ فِي الْوَتْرِ وَبَعْدَ الْفَجْرِ وَبَعْدَ الظُّهْرِ وَبَعْدَ الْمَغْرِبِ.
2. From him (Ahmad Ibn Muhammad Ibn Khalid), who narrated from his father and others, from al-Qasim Ibn ‘Urwah from Abu al-‘Abbas Fadl al-Baqbaq that Abu 'Abdillah (al-Sadiq) (as) said: "Supplications are answered at four periods: during Salat al-Witr, after Salat al-Fajr, after Salat al-Dhuhr, and after Salat al-Maghrib."
3ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّوْفَلِيِّ عَنِ السَّكُونِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) اغْتَنِمُوا الدُّعَاءَ عِنْدَ أَرْبَعٍ عِنْدَ قِرَاءَةِ الْقُرْآنِ وَعِنْدَ الأذَانِ وَعِنْدَ نُزُولِ الْغَيْثِ وَعِنْدَ الْتِقَاءِ الصَّفَّيْنِ لِلشَّهَادَةِ.
3. Ali Ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from al-Nawfali from al-Sakuni from Abu ‘Abdillah (al-Sadiq) (as) that Amir al-Mu'minin (as) said: "Take advantage of supplication at four times: during the recitation of the Quran, at the call to prayer (Adhan), when rain falls, and at the meeting of the two armies for battle."
4ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ جَمِيلِ بْنِ دَرَّاجٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ عَطَاءٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ كَانَ أَبِي إِذَا كَانَتْ لَهُ إِلَى الله حَاجَةٌ طَلَبَهَا فِي هَذِهِ السَّاعَةِ - يَعْنِي زَوَالَ الشَّمْسِ.
4. Ali Ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Jamil Ibn Darraj from Abdullah Ibn 'Ata that Abu Ja'far (al-Baqir) (as) said: "When my father had a need before Allah (swt), he would ask Him during this hour." - meaning declining of the sun from its peak position (i.e., dhuhr time).
5ـ عَنْهُ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنْ حُسَيْنِ بْنِ الْمُخْتَارِ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ إِذَا رَقَّ أَحَدُكُمْ فَلْيَدْعُ فَإِنَّ الْقَلْبَ لا يَرِقُّ حَتَّى يَخْلُصَ.
5. It is narrated from him (Ali ibn Ibrahim) from his father from Hammad ibn ‘Isa from al-Husayn ibn al-Mukhtar from Abu Basir that Abu ‘Abdillah (al-Sadiq (as) said: "When one of you feels tenderness in your heart, let him supplicate, for the heart does not become tender until it is sincere."
