THE DU`A TAWASSUL
("THE SUPPLICATION OF THE FERVENT PLEA") OF SAYYID `ALI MUHAMMMAD, THE BĀB (1819-1892).
Trans. Stephen Lambden UCMerced, 1994.
UNDER REVISION-2017,
The word tawassul has various meanings including, 'request, entreaty, fervent plea, petition, application'....
The Tablet or supplication translated here is wholly in Arabic
In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate!
Praise be unto God Who sends down whatsoever He Willeth through a command on His part. Praise be He and Exalted be He above whatsoever they do assert. O my God! How can I praise Thee befittingly after Thou hast taught me that Thou hast cut off everything from the knowledge (`irfān) of Thine own [transcendent] Self? How then can I supplicate Thee when mine inmost heart (fu'ad) is incapable of establishing itself save through the mention of Thee? I testify that Thou art indeed God, the Beloved One, Whom no single thing can possibly comprehend. No one hath a pathway unto Thee inasmuch as [the Reality of ] Thine Inmost Essence is a camphorated level of Being exisitng on its own level, a Reality cut off though expressive of the essential realities which are themselves beyond exposition! And Thy Beingness is Thine own Essence which is a pure Reality expressed through its own Logos-Self, abstracted above being fully comprehended.
So praise be unto Thee and Exalted art Thou for how can I be certain of these matters when there is no Path which leadeth unto Thee? How then can I turn unto Thee through Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, the bedrock of the gnosis (knowledge) of Thee and the foundations of Thy Bounty, the Signs of Thy Perpetuity, and the Self-Manifesting theophanies (ẓuhūrāt) of Thy Mercifulness?
O my God! Through their (Muhammad and the family of Muhammad) Ultimate Reality (haqq), which is expressed in Thy Book, and [through] their Ways which are consonant with Thy Knowledge, [I beseech Thee that] that Thou should bless them through every aspect of Thy Splendid Realities, Thy Breaths and Thy theophanic Realities as well as Thy Modes of Being, for which there is no interruption in any respect. And if Thou do decree mine inmost wish at this moment, this moment, this very moment, even the hope of its realization would indeed be cut off were it not for Thee. It would [indeed] be impossible for any difficulty to reach its ultimate level (become unbearable - impossible). Thou, verily, art my Lord and my God and my Master, and my Guide and my Pillar. If Thou doth not show mercy unto me, who will show me such mercy, and if Thou doth not show love unto me, who will love me?
O my God! I verily supplicate Thee through the Countenance of the Presence of Thy Beingness and the Bahā' (Beauty-Glory) of the might of Thy Perpetuity, that Thou make everything that is in Thy knowledge the instrumentality for the realization of the realization of this [my] hope. And do Thou enable me to attain unto it (this hope for) notwithstanding the sadness I witness in Thy Path, I remain fearless of Thine enemies, for Thou verily, O my God, art Powerful against them. No single thing weakens Thy power, and nothing is realized through the decree of Thy Divine Will, the operation of Thy desire, the magnitude of Thy power, and the realization of Thy decree, and what Thou didst ordain in the levels of creative being aside from that. For Thou, verily, encompasseth all things, and verily, if Thou desireth something, Thou wilt not withhold it in your domain and at this moment. Then it is indeed something existing between your hands (available to you).
So how can I bewail (gnash), O my God, in the light of what Thou know about me? And how can I bemoan (cry), O my Lord, on account of Thy Power over all things? And how can I be afraid of Thy Justice on account of my hope in Thy Decree? And how can I fail to hope for Thy Paradise (Ridvān) after Thou hast informed me about it? For Thine is the Power of Origination and of Termination. And how can I fail to be assured (Iqān) of the realization of my desire (hajati) in that Thou didst promise me intercession through Muhammad and his family, blessings and peace be upon them.
So Ah alas, alas! What then is the foregoing but mere speculation about Thee, for this is not something simply evident through Thy decree and Thy path (the prayer has no power in its own right - the individual is all weakness, he doesn't cause God to do anything, all power is in God). And I, verily, am certain that whoso placeth their trust upon them, verily thou art indeed His assured one (computing - hasb) and arte counted amongst such as hold fast to their (Muhammad and his family) cord. And thou indeed art His supporter (zahir) and are not among such as do away with them, and thou, verily art his cave and art among such as do seek intercession through them (tawassul - Muhammad and his family), and thou art in His embrace.
So praise be unto Thee! Praise be unto Thee! for Thine is the praise which is Praiseworthy, Splendiferous, Scintillating, Sanctified and wholly purified above such praise as relates to whatsoever is other than Thee. This in that Thou hast taught me the well-trodden Path of Thy kindness and Thou hast inspired me regarding the entreaty (tawassul) through the expanse of Thy Divine Will. So also the trustworthiness which is above the abodes of Thy Blessedness and the Protection which cometh through the Cord of the retreats of Thy Divine Grandeur.
So Oh upon me be the blessedness, then Oh upon me be the blessedness!, since I have placed my hope in Thee under all Thy circumstances and I have consigned all my thoughts (imagination) to thy care. Under these conditions, there was no desire other than the theophanic disclosure of Thine Intention, perchance I should desire the postponement of what Thou hast expedited (hastened) and there is no expediting what Thou hast postponed. Nay, rather, it is my secret and my disclosure. This even as the body of the dead - in the care of the one attempting to perform ceremonial washing in the face of the surging sea of Thy decree and Thy power.
So praise be unto Thee, praise be unto Thee! since Thou art supremely great in thy Beneficence and matchless moreover in Thy Magnificence. I do not perceive good fortune for myself save in weakness before the magnitude of gratitude which should be expressed towards Thee. On account of my inadequacy, I cannot adequately appreciate the fullness of Thy praise.
So praise be unto Thee, praise be unto Thee! I confess before Thee that I am among His people and I take refuge in Thee and I repent before Thee and I beseech Thy Bounty, Thou indeed art Thou, for Thou indeed, Thou art assuredly of the people of piety (taqwa) and the people of forgiveness. So praise be unto God, Lord of the Throne beyond what they describe, and praise be upon the sent Messengers. And praise be unto God the Lord of all the Worlds!
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THE ARABIC TEXT OF THE DU`A AL-TAWASSUL AS POSTED ON THE BAHA'I WORLD CENTRE WEBSITE
URL = http://reference.bahai.org/ar/t/tb/ DOWNLOADS IN PDF AND M-WORD
بِسْم اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيمِ
الحَمْدُ للهِ الّذي يُنَزِّلُ ما يَشآءُ بِأمْرِهِ سُبحانَهُ وَتَعالَى عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ يَا إِلَهِي كَيْفَ أُثْنِي عَلَيْكَ بَعْدَ عِلْمِي بِقَطْعِ الكُلِّ عنْ عِرْفانِكَ وَكَيْفَ لا أَدْعُوكَ وَأَنَّ فُؤادِي لَمْ يَسْتَقِرّ إِلاَّ بِذِكْرِكَ فَأَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ أَنْتَ اللهُ المَحْبُوبُ الَّذِي لَنْ يَعْرِفَكَ شَيْءٌ وَلا قَدَّرْتَ لأحَدٍ سَبِيلاً إِلَيْكَ إِذَاً ذَاتِيَّتُكَ هِيَ الكَيْنُونِيَّةُ الكافُورِيَّةُ الَّتِي هِيَ بِنَفْسِها مُقَطَّعَةُ الجَوْهَرِيّاتِ عَنِ البَيَانِ وأنَّ كَينُونِيّتِكَ هِيَ الذَّاتِيَّةُ السَّاذَجِيَّةُ الَّتِي بِنَفْسِها مُمْتَنِعَةُ المادِّيَّاتِ عَنْ العِرْفانِ فسُبْحانَكَ وَتَعَالَيْتَ لَمَّا أَيْقَنْتُ بَأَنْ لا سَبِيلَ لِي إِلَيْكَ أَتَوَجِّهُ إِلَيْكَ بِمُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ مَحَالِّ مَعْرِفَتِكَ وَمَواقِعِ كَرامَتِكَ وَآياتِ صَمَدانِيَّتِكَ وَظُهُوراتِ رَحْمانِيَّتِكَ اللَّهُمَّ بِحَقِّهِمْ فِي كِتابِكَ وَشَأْنِهِمْ فِي عِلْمِكَ أَنْ تُصَلِّي عَلَيْهِم بِكُلِّ تَجَلِّياتِكَ وَنَفَحاتِكَ وَظُهُوراتِكَ وَمَقاماتِكَ الَّتِي لا تَعْطِيلَ لَها فِي شَأْنٍ وَأَنْ تَقْضِيَ حاجَتِي هذِهِ فِي الآنَ فِي الآنَ فِي الآنَ فَإِنَّ الرَّجاءَ قَدِ انْقَطَعَ عَمَّا سِواكَ وَإِنَّ الاضْطِرَارَ بَلَغَ إِلَى مُنْتَهَى مَقَامِ الامْتِنَاعِ وَإِنَّكَ رَبِّي وَإِلهِي وَسَيِّدِي وَمَوْلايَ وَمُعْتَمَدِي لَوْ لَمْ تَرْحَمْنِي فَمَنْ يَرْحَمْنِي وَلَوْ لَمْ تُجِبْنِي فَمَنْ يُجِبْنِي اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أُقْسِمُكَ بِطَلْعَةِ حَضْرَتِ كَيْنُونِيَّتِكَ وَبَهَاءِ عِزِّ صَمَدانِيَّتِكَ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ كُلَّ مَا فِي عِلْمِكَ أَسْبابَ قَضاءِ هذِهِ الحاجَةِ وَتُبْلِغَنِي إِلَيْها مِنْ دُونِ أَنْ أَرَى حُزْنَاً فِي سَبِيلِكَ وَلا خَوْفَاً مِنْ أَعْدَائِكَ وَإِنَّكَ يا إِلهِي مُقْتَدِرٌ عَلِيمٌ لا يَعْجَزُ فِي قُدْرَتِكَ شَيْءٌ وَلا شَيْئاً إِلاَّ بِحُكْمِ مَشِيَّتِكَ وَهَنْدَسَةِ إِرَادَتِكَ وَتَحْدِيدِ قَدَرِكَ وَإِمْضَاءِ قَضَائِكَ وَما قَدَّرْتَ فِي مَرَاتِبِ الإِبْدَاعِ دُونَ ذلِكَ وَإِنَّكَ مُحِيطٌ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَإِنَّكَ إِنْ أَرَدْتَ بِشَيْءٍ فَلا مانِعَ لَهُ فِي مُلْكِكَ وَفِي الحِينِ إِنَّهُ مَوْجُودٌ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ فَكَيْفَ أَصْبِرُ يا إِلهِي بَعْدَ عِلْمِكَ بِي وَكَيْفَ أَضِجُّ يا مَوْلايَ بَعْدَ قُدْرَتِكَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَكَيْفَ أَخَافُ مِنْ عَدْلِكَ بَعْدَ رَجائِي بِفَضْلِكَ وَكَيْفَ لا أَرْجُو رِضْوانَكَ بَعْدَ عِلْمِي بِأَنَّ لَكَ بِدَاياتٍ وَنِهاياتٍ وَكَيْفَ لا أَيْقِنُ بِقَضَاءِ حَاجَتِي بَعْدَ ما اسْتَشْفَعْتُ بِمُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِهِ صَلَواتُكَ عَلَيْهِمْ عِنْدَكَ فَهَيْهاتَ هَيْهَاتَ ما ذلِكَ الظَّنُّ بِكَ وَمَا كَانَ ذلِكَ مَعْرُوفاً عَنْ فَضْلِكَ وَسُنَّتِكَ وَإِنِّي لَعَلَى يَقِينٍ بِأَنَّ مَنْ تَوَكَّلَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَإِنَّكَ كُنْتَ حَسْبَهُ وَمَنْ اعْتَصَمَ بِحَبْلِهِمْ فَإِنَّكَ كُنْتَ ظَهِيرَهُ وَمَنْ لاذَ بِجَنَابِهِمْ فَإِنَّكَ كُنْتَ كَهْفَهُ وَمَنْ تَوَسَّلَ بِهِمْ فَإِنَّكَ كُنْتَ مُجِيبَهُ فَسُبْحَانَكَ سُبْحَانَكَ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ حَمْدَاً شَعْشَعانِيَّاً لامِعَاً مُقَدَّسَاً مُتَنَزِّهاً عَنْ حَمْدِ ما سِواكَ لَمَّا عَرَّفْتَنِي مِنْهَاجَ مَحَبَّتِكَ وَأَلْهَمْتَنِي التَّوَسُّلَ بِمَحَالِّ مَشِيَّتِكَ وَالاتِّكَالَ عَلَى مَسَاكِنِ بَرَكَاتِكَ وَالاعْتِصَامَ بِحَبْلِ مَوَاقِعِ عَظَمَتِكَ فَيَا طُوبَى لِي ثُمَّ طُوبَى لِي بِما رَضِيتُ عَنْكَ فِي كُلِّ فِعَالِكَ وَاجْعَلْ حَالَتِي بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ حالَةَ مَا كَانَ لَهُ إِرَادَةٌ دُونَ تَجَلِّي إِرَادَتِكَ لَئَلاَّ أُحبُّ تَأْخِيرَ مَا عَجَّلْتَ وَلا تَعْجِيلَ مَا أَخَّرْتَ بَلْ يَكُونُ سِرِّي وَعَلانِيَّتِي بِمِثْلِ جَسَدِ المَيِّتِ عِنْدَ إِرَادَةِ المُغْتَسِلِ فِي تِلْقَاءِ طَمْطَامِ يَمِّ فَضَائِكَ وَقَدَرِكَ فَسُبْحَانَكَ سُبْحَانَكَ فَمَا أَعْظَمَ إِحْسَانَكَ وَأَكْبَرَ آلاءَكَ وَلا أَرَى حَظَّاً لِي إِلاَّ فِي العَجْزِ عَنْ أَدَاءِ شُكْرِكَ وَالاعْتِرَافِ بِالتَّقْصِيرِ عَنْ مَبْلَغِ حَمْدِكَ فَسُبْحَانَكَ سُبْحَانَكَ أعْتَرِفُ لَدَيْكَ بِمَا أَنَا أَهْلُهُ وَأَسْتَغْفِرُكَ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْكَ وَأَسْئَلُ مِنْ جُودِكَ كَمَا أَنْتَ أَنْتَ إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ أَهْلُ التَّقْوى وَأَهْلُ المَغْفِرَةِ وَسُبْحَانَ اللهِ رَبِّ العَرْشِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ وَسَلامٌ عَلَى المُرْسَلِينَ وَالْحَمْدُ للهِ رَبِّ العَالَمِينَ.
