The Book of Supplication
Delay in the Acceptance of Prayer
4ـ ابْنُ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ سُلَيْمَانَ صَاحِبِ السَّابِرِيِّ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ قَالَ قُلْتُ لأبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ يُسْتَجَابُ لِلرَّجُلِ الدُّعَاءُ ثُمَّ يُؤَخَّرُ قَالَ نَعَمْ عِشْرِينَ سَنَةً.
4. Ibn abu ‘Umayr has narrated from Sulayman Sahib al-Sabiri from Ishaq ibn ‘ Ammar who has said the following: “Once I asked Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) ‘Can a man’s prayer that is accepted be kept on hold and delayed?’ The Imam said, ‘Yes, it can remain on hold for up to twenty years.’”
5ـ ابْنُ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ كَانَ بَيْنَ قَوْلِ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ قَدْ أُجِيبَتْ دَعْوَتُكُما وَبَيْنَ أَخْذِ فِرْعَوْنَ أَرْبَعِينَ عَاماً.
5. Ibn abu ‘Umayr has narrated from Hisham ibn Salim from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Between the words of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, ‘Your prayer is accepted,’ (10:89) and the time the Pharaoh was seized there was a forty-year timespan.’”
6ـ ابْنُ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْحَمِيدِ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) يَقُولُ إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ لَيَدْعُو فَيُؤَخَّرُ إِجَابَتُهُ إِلَى يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ.
6. Ibn abu ‘Umayr has narrated from Ibrahim ibn ‘Abd al-Hamid from abu Basir who has said the following: “I heard Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) saying, ‘A believing person prays and its (the prayer’s) acceptance may be delayed up to the next Friday [Day of Judgment].”’
7ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ عَنْ غَيْرِ وَاحِدٍ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ الْعَبْدَ الْوَلِيَّ لله يَدْعُو الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِي الأمْرِ يَنُوبُهُ فَيَقُولُ لِلْمَلَكِ الْمُوَكَّلِ بِهِ اقْضِ لِعَبْدِي حَاجَتَهُ وَلا تُعَجِّلْهَا فَإِنِّي أَشْتَهِي أَنْ أَسْمَعَ نِدَاءَهُ وَصَوْتَهُ وَإِنَّ الْعَبْدَ الْعَدُوَّ لله لَيَدْعُو الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِي الأمْرِ يَنُوبُهُ فَيُقَالُ لِلْمَلَكِ الْمُوَكَّلِ بِهِ اقْضِ لِعَبْدِي حَاجَتَهُ وَعَجِّلْهَا فَإِنِّي أَكْرَهُ أَنْ أَسْمَعَ نِدَاءَهُ وَصَوْتَهُ قَالَ فَيَقُولُ النَّاسُ مَا أُعْطِيَ هَذَا إِلا لِكَرَامَتِهِ وَلا مُنِعَ هَذَا إِلا لِهَوَانِهِ.
7. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Mughirah from more than one individual of our people who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘A servant who is a friend of Allah may pray to Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, for a matter in his intention and Allah says to the angel guarding him, “Provide help to My servant but keep it on hold and do not hurry; I desire to hear his call and voice.” On the other hand a servant who is not a friend of Allah may pray to Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, for a matter in his intention and Allah says to the angel guarding him, ‘Provide him help quickly; I dislike his call and voice.’ “The Imam said, ‘People will say, “This person received help due to his merit and honor and he was denied due to his worthlessness.’”
8ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عِيسَى عَنِ ابْنِ مَحْبُوبٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ لا يَزَالُ الْمُؤْمِنُ بِخَيْرٍ وَرَجَاءٍ رَحْمَةً مِنَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مَا لَمْ يَسْتَعْجِلْ فَيَقْنَطَ وَيَتْرُكَ الدُّعَاءَ قُلْتُ لَهُ كَيْفَ يَسْتَعْجِلُ قَالَ يَقُولُ قَدْ دَعَوْتُ مُنْذُ كَذَا وَكَذَا وَمَا أَرَى الإجَابَةَ.
8. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Isa from ibn Mahbub from Hisham ibn Salim from abu Basir from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “A believing person is fine and hopeful through the favors of Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, as long as he does not rush to despair and give up prayer.’ I (the narrator) then asked the Imam (a.s.) ‘How can he rush?’ The Imam said, ‘He may say, “I have been praying for such and such period of time and I do not see any sign of acceptance.’”
9ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ إِسْحَاقَ عَنْ سَعْدَانَ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ إِسْحَاقَ بْنِ عَمَّارٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ إِنَّ الْمُؤْمِنَ لَيَدْعُو الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ فِي حَاجَتِهِ فَيَقُولُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ أَخِّرُوا إِجَابَتَهُ شَوْقاً إِلَى صَوْتِهِ وَدُعَائِهِ فَإِذَا كَانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ قَالَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ عَبْدِي دَعَوْتَنِي فَأَخَّرْتُ إِجَابَتَكَ وَثَوَابُكَ كَذَا وَكَذَا وَدَعَوْتَنِي فِي كَذَا وَكَذَا فَأَخَّرْتُ إِجَابَتَكَ وَثَوَابُكَ كَذَا وَكَذَا قَالَ فَيَتَمَنَّى الْمُؤْمِنُ أَنَّهُ لَمْ يُسْتَجَبْ لَهُ دَعْوَةٌ فِي الدُّنْيَا مِمَّا يَرَى مِنْ حُسْنِ الثَّوَابِ.
9. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ahmad ibn Ishaq from Su’Dan ibn Muslim from Ishaq ibn ‘Ammar from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “A believing person may pray to Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, for help and Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, will say, ‘Hold back the answer to his prayer for the desire in his voice and prayer.’ When it will be the Day of Judgment Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, will say, ‘My servant, you prayed to Me and I delayed your answer. So and so is your reward. You prayed to Me in such and such matters and I delayed your answer. Your reward is so and so.’ The Imam said, ‘The believing person then wishes that none of his prayers had been accepted in the worldly life. He will say so on finding such handsome rewards.’”
The Book of Supplication
Asking Favors from Allah for the Holy Prophet, Muhammad and his Family, recipient of divine supreme covenant
1ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ هِشَامِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ لا يَزَالُ الدُّعَاءُ مَحْجُوباً حَتَّى يُصَلَّى عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ.
1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from Hisham ibn Salim from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “A supplication remains barred until one sends blessings on Muhammad (sw) and the family of Muhammad (sw).”
2ـ عَنْهُ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّوْفَلِيِّ عَنِ السَّكُونِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ مَنْ دَعَا وَلَمْ يَذْكُرِ النَّبِيَّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) رَفْرَفَ الدُّعَاءُ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ فَإِذَا ذَكَرَ النَّبِيَّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) رُفِعَ الدُّعَاءُ.
2. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from his father from al- Nawfali from al-Sakuni from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Whoever prays and does not mention the Holy Prophet, his prayer remains dangled over his head. When he mentions the Holy Prophet only then his prayer is raised up (to heavens).”’
3ـ أَبُو عَلِيٍّ الأشْعَرِيُّ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الْجَبَّارِ عَنْ صَفْوَانَ عَنْ أَبِي أُسَامَةَ زَيْدٍ الشَّحَّامِ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) أَنَّ رَجُلاً أَتَى النَّبِيَّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) فَقَالَ يَا رَسُولَ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) إِنِّي أَجْعَلُ لَكَ ثُلُثَ صَلَوَاتِي لا بَلْ أَجْعَلُ لَكَ نِصْفَ صَلَوَاتِي لا بَلْ أَجْعَلُهَا كُلَّهَا لَكَ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) إِذاً تُكْفَى مَئُونَةَ الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ.
3. Abu Ali al-Ash’ari has narrated from Muhammad ibn ‘Abd al-Jabbar from Safwan from abu ‘Usamah Zayd al-Shahham from Muhammad ibn Muslim from Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Once a man came to the Holy Prophet and said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, “I assign one third of my prayer to you. No, in fact, I assign half of my prayer to you. No, I assign all of my prayer to you.” The Messenger of Allah said, ‘That means that you have complete supplies for this and the next life.’”
4ـ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحَكَمِ عَنْ سَيْفٍ عَنْ أَبِي أُسَامَةَ عَنْ أَبِي بَصِيرٍ قَالَ سَأَلْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) مَا مَعْنَى أَجْعَلُ صَلَوَاتِي كُلَّهَا لَكَ فَقَالَ يُقَدِّمُهُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ كُلِّ حَاجَةٍ فَلا يَسْأَلُ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ شَيْئاً حَتَّى يَبْدَأَ بِالنَّبِيِّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) فَيُصَلِّيَ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ يَسْأَلَ الله حَوَائِجَهُ.
4. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Sayf from abu ‘Usamah from abu Basir who has said the following: “Once I asked Abu ‘Abdillah (a.s.) ‘What is the meaning of, “I assign all of my prayer to you?’’ The Imam said, ‘He mentions the Holy Prophet before asking any help. He does not ask Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most Holy, anything until he begins with the Holy Prophet. He asks from Allah favors for the Holy Prophet and then asks Allah for help.”’
