The Fifteen Whispered Prayers
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The Fifteen Whispered Prayers (Arabic: مُناجاتُ خَمْسَ عَشَرَةَ), also known as The Fifteen Munajat, is a collection of fifteen prayers attributed to Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin (Imam Sajjad), the fourth Imam of Shia Muslims.[1] Imam Sajjad is also the author of Al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya, another collection of prayers, and some researchers regard the whispered prayers as a supplementary part of the latter collection.[2]
Contents
[S]eparation from You has wrapped me in the clothing of my misery! My dreadful crimes have deadened my heart, so bring it to life by a repentance from You![a]
... Act toward me with the forgiveness and mercy of which You are worthy! Act not toward me with the chastisement and vengeance of which I am worthy! By Your mercy, O Most Merciful of the merciful![b]
... My God, who can have tasted the sweetness of your love, then wanted another in place of You? Who can have become intimate with Your nearness, then sought removal from You?[c]
Every person experiences different feelings towards God throughout life. The Fifteen Whispered Prayers enable a person to recite the prayer which is in most accordance with his present mood and feeling.[3][4][5] The prayers start with 'repentance', as repentance is the first step towards a genuine communion with God.[4]
- The Whispered Prayer of the Repenters
- The Whispered Prayer of the Complainants
- The Whispered Prayer of the Fearful
- The Whispered Prayer of the Hopeful
- The Whispered Prayer of the Desirous
- The Whispered Prayer of the Grateful
- The Whispered Prayer of the Obedient Toward God
- The Whispered Prayer of the Devotees
- The Whispered Prayer of the Lovers
- The Whispered Prayer of the Mediation Seekers
- The Whispered Prayer of the Utterly Poor
- The Whispered Prayer of the Enlightened
- The Whispered Prayer of the Aware
- The Whispered Prayer of the Asylum Seekers
- The Whispered Prayer of the Ascetic
Background
In the time of Imam Ali ibn Husayn Zayn al-Abidin, Islam was characterized by ignorance and corruption.[6] Yazid and Marwan Ibn Hakam, who proclaimed themselves Amir al-Mu'minin, the leaders of Muslims, were, in fact, twisting the teachings of Islam. Nevertheless, no Muslim dared challenge their reign. The uprising of Imam Husayn ibn Ali against Yazid was mercilessly crushed. In a bloody encounter known as Battle of Karbala, all of Imam Husayn's men were slain except his young son, Ali, who was severely ill during that battle.[7] At such a time when all freedom movements had been crushed and no one felt safe to speak out, prayer was the only vehicle to promote the true essence of Islam without arousing the caliph's ire.[6][7]
Analysis
While some scholars regard The Fifteen Whispered Prayers as a supplementary part of Al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya,[2] the arrangement of the text draws a certain distinction between the 54 supplications that comprise the main body of Al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya and the additional supplications that make up The Fifteen Whispered Prayers.[2] The original 54 supplications show an undeniable unity of theme and style, while the latter add a certain orderliness and self-conscious artistry which may suggest the hand of an editor. The addenda are said to have been collected and added to the text by Muhammad Jamaluddin al-Makki al-Amili, known as al-Shahid al-Awwal (the 'first martyr'), the famous author of Al-Lum'ah al-Dimashqiyya (The Damascene Glitter) in jurisprudence (fiqh), who was killed in Aleppo in 1384.[2] The Fifteen Whispered Prayers have been added to several modern editions of the Sahifa, and seem to have been brought to the attention of the main body of Shi'ites by Allamah Muhammad Baqir Majlisi author of the monumental compilation of Shi'ite hadith, Bihar al-Anwar.[8]
Notes
See also
- Al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya
- Supplication of Abu Hamza al-Thumali
- Nahj al-Balagha
- Al-Risalah al-Dhahabiah
- Al-Risalah al-Huquq
References
- ^ a b Sharif al-Qarashi, Baqir. The Life of Imam Zayn al-abidin(a.s.). Ansarian publication. n.d. print. pp. 471–489.
- ^ a b c d Chirri, Mohamad Jawad (1986). "Al-Sahifat Al-Sajjadiyya" (Revised ed.). The Muhammadi Trust of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
- ^ "A glance at three translations and seyyed mehdi shojaee's viewpoint about the Ramadan's prayers" (in Farsi). IBNA. Retrieved 1 October 2014.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ a b Mesbah-Yazdi, Mohammad-Taqi (1390 Hijri Shamsi). "Sajjadeha-e Soluk" (in Farsi). The Imam Khomeini Education & Research Institute.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|date=(help); Missing or empty|url=(help)CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ Mesbah-Yazdi, Mohammad-Taqi (1390 Higri Shamsi). "Nasim-e Rahmat-e Elahi (2)". Marifat (in Farsi) (4): 5.
{{cite journal}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ a b Abu al-Faraj al-Isfahani (1418 Hijri Qamari). Kitāb al-Aghānī (in Arabic). Beirut: Dar Ihya al- Turath al-Arabi. p. 343.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help) - ^ a b Hoseini-e Jalali, Mohammad-Reza (1382 Hijri Shamsi). Jehad al-Imam al-Sajjad (in Farsi). Translated by Musa Danesh. Iran, Mashhad: Razavi, Printing & Publishing Institute. pp. 214–217.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)CS1 maint: unrecognized language (link) - ^ Majlesi, Muhammad Baqir (1403 Hejri Qamari). Bihar al-Anwar (2nd ed.). Beirut. p. 142.
{{cite book}}: Check date values in:|date=(help)