This poem is a poetically refracted rhymed English rendition of supplication 24 of Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him), known as “A Dua for His Parents”.
This poem is a poetically refracted rhymed English rendition of supplication 24 of Imam Sajjad (peace be upon him), known as “A Dua for His Parents”.
In the name of Allah, the Source of Mercy to all of creation
The Source of Mercy to the believing congregation
Oh Allah Bless Muhammad’s Soul And Rain Down Peace Oh His Household.
Oh You who rules over the Earth, seas, and skies,
Who sustains every creature that walks, swims, and flies,
Bless Muhammad, Your Messenger, Your most perfect slave,
And his most holy Household, the guiltless and brave;
And Grace Them With Blessings Befitting Their Rank
With Mercy Filled Favors From Your Limitless Bank.
Make Plain Their Distinction In The Eyes Of All Others.
Thus distinguish our parents, our fathers and mothers.
Though they’re not nearly as perfect as Our Prophet’s Chaste Kin,
Though they’re subject to wrong, and the wages of sin,
We beg You for Mercy, By The Grace Of This Prayer.
Please grace them with blessings that’s more than just fair,
Oh Source Of All Mercy To All Of Creation,
Oh Source Of The Mercy To The Faithful Congregation.
Oh Allah Bless Muhammad’s Soul
And Rain Down Peace On His Household.
Move us through knowledge to think, say and do
Towards mother and father what surely is due,
By The Rules Of What’s Right That Were Laid Down By You,
Oh Source Of All Rightness And All That Is True.
Perfect every defect in our duty towards them.
Don’t let us grow weary in spirit or limb…
Not too lazy, too weak, too bored nor too tired
To dutifully act as Your Knowledge Inspired
By the dignified spirit our persons acquired
Through the Ahlul Bayt’s Intercession Which Is Surely Required.
Oh Allah Bless Muhammad’s Soul
And Rain Down Peace On His Household
And Bless Us For Believing In His Household.
And Thus Bless Muhammad’s Prophetic Chaste Soul,
And Rain Down Peace On His Household.
Because Of The Worthiness Of His Mission’s Goal,
And Due To The Preeminence of His Prophetic Chaste Soul
And The Angelic Nature Of His Charismatic Features
And Because He’s The Premier of The God-Ordained Teachers,
We Have An Edge Over Some Of Your Creation And Creatures.
Oh Allah!
With The Grace That This Light Of Muhammad Doth Bring
Make me respect my folks’ rule as one would a king,
And love them with the love of a mother’s heart-string.
Make my taste for obeying them a most pleasant thing
More precious to me than a grand diamond ring.
Make me want to obey them like obeying them is a thirst
That can only be quenched by putting their wishes first
prioritizing their will over my will, and their needs over mine…
Realizing this relationship is God’s Cosmic Design.
So let me express that when I assess even the small good they’ve done for me,
What they chose to invest is the best, most blessed, manifest magnanimity
Compared to the seemingly big things that I’ve managed to do for them,
Which is comparatively fluff, but not enough… rather light-weight and super slim.
Oh Allah!
Move me to lower my voice when my parents are near.
Make their presence a remembrance that You Domineer.
Make my words warm them with tones sweet and sincere,
Using soft words, and phrases that are pleasant to hear,
Never loud, rude nor angry, and not cavalier
Always love-filled… respectful… with reverent good cheer
A tone that bespeaks that their presence is dear.
Make me soft towards my parents with all of my heart.
Make my parents my companions with whom I won’t part.
Friends to The End In Love Ever More,
The source of my life whom I’ll always adore.
Oh Allah!
Give them a great gratuity for their most gracious Care
Their ingenuity In rearing me, and for just being there.
And watch over them… as they watched over me
Throughout my needy vulnerability in the helplessness of my infancy.
Oh Allah!
Whatever pain has touched my parents through my omission or commission,
Whatever displeasure I caused them through my lack of submission,
Whatever duty I neglected which would have improved their condition,
Count all the burdens I’ve laid on them as sincere acts of contrition
Which will make them ultimately free from Your Infernal Perdition.
Oh You Who Turns Wrong Views away from Right States of Mind,
Whatever my folks said to me that was unjust or unkind,
Whatever they did to me that was way out of line,
Whatever right which they trampled or chose to decline,
Whatever debt that they still owe me after the final deadline,
Through careless mismanagement or wrong-headed design
I forgive and remit every consequent fine.
To my parents’ possession I henceforth consign
Everything that they owe me of the debt You assigned.
Thus their debts are wiped clean on The Last Bottom Line.
For I have no wish, nor cause to indict them for harming me in any way,
Neither by omission or commission have they caused me dismay.
So Oh Lord Who Guides The Guided And Calls Those Astray!
I wish not to pursue a petition to sue my parents now or on The Deyn’s Day.
Their claims upon me are much more intense.
Because the good they have done for me is so right and immense,
I can’t ever begin to pay them an appropriate recompense.
Oh my God, Lord Of The Heavens And Lord Of The Earth!
What can I pay them that’s equal in worth
For taking the God-chosen role and being the means of my birth?
What’s worthy as a wage for rearing me in the best way that they could…
For the long, hard, self-sacrificial task of nurturing me through the helplessness of infancy, and the difficulties of childhood.
The very thought is ridiculously absurd. Unquestionably, I cannot.
I cannot even repay them for what they’ve done that I’ve forgotten.
I can never repay my parents. I owe an indelible, all-encompassing debt.
I’m duty-bound to serve them long as winter ice is cold and spring time rain is wet.
So Allah, Bless Muhammad’s Soul
And Rain Down Peace On His Household.
Oh You for Whom Helping Is the Most Famous Role
Please Give Us Your Help
Oh Best Of All Helpers Whom Eyes Can’t Behold
Oh Greatest Guide Whom We Turn To For Perfect Assistance
On The Day Of The Deyn Which None Can Out Distance,
Don’t place me with those who dishonored their parents with bratty resistance,
When Each Soul Will Be Fined Or Paid Their Promised Recompense
When Souls Will Reap What They Sowed… The Ultimate Consequence.
So Oh Allah, Bless Muhammad’s Soul
And Rain Down Peace On His Household.
And reward my mother and father with a great commendation
Like Momin parents are favored in each Dispensation
Of Father Ibrahim Khaleelul Lah’s Blessed Momin Nation,
And Help Me, Oh Loving Helper In Each Situation,
Oh One Whose Folks Pray To In Awed Supplication.
Oh Merciful Creator Of the Heavens And the Earth,
Whose Word Becomes Flesh And Enters Through Birth,
Make me remember my parents after each prayer
In day time or night time… anytime, everywhere.
Oh Allah Bless Muhammad’s Soul
And Rain Down Peace On His Household.
For the sake of my prayer for them pardon me,
So that consequently my prayer is more worthy.
And for the sake of the good they have done for me
Give them Everlasting Peace, and Security.
Please grace my parents with Your Pleasure And Purity.
Through my intercession make Your Pleasure A Surety.
And if You’ve already forgiven them before this du’a was prayed,
Make their plea for me be an un-passable blockade
That keeps me from hell which Man’s Evil Has Made
Then we can gather together
In Your Most Clement Presence Forever And Ever
With Our Mothers And Fathers In A Bond That Won’t Sever,
Where’s there’s no remorse, strife nor grief… no evil whatsoever.
Surely Yours Is A Rich Boundless Treasure, Impossible To Measure
And Your Generosity Spans Eternity – No Beginning And No End
And You Are The Merciful Source Of All Mercy… The Most Formidable Ally.
The Most Valued Friend.
Oh Allah Bless Muhammad’s Soul
And Rain Down Peace On His Household.
