Sahifa Sajjadiya 37: Giving Thanks

Text and Translation

اللَّهُمَّ اِنَّ اَحَداً لَا يَبْلُغُ مِنْ شُكْرِكَ غَايَةً اِلَّا حَصَلَ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ اِحْسَانِكَ مَا يُلْزِمُهٗ شُكْراً

ALLAAHUMMA INNA AHADAN LAA YABLUGHU MIN SHUKRIKA GHAAYATAN ILLAA HASALA A'LAYHI MIN IHSAANIKA MAA YULZIMUHOO SHUKRAA

O God, no one reaches a limit in thanking Thee without acquiring that of Thy beneficence which enjoins upon him thanksgiving,

وَلَا يَبْلُغُ مَبْلَغاً مِنْ طَاعَتِكَ وَاِنِ اجْتَهَدَ اِلَّا كَانَ مُقَصِّراً دُونَ اسْتِحْقَاقِكَ بِفَضْلِكَ

WA LAA YABLUGHU MABLAGHAN MIN TAA'ATIKA WA INIJ TAHADA ILLAA KAANA MUQASSIRAN DOONAS TIHQAAQIKA BIFADLIK

nor does anyone reach a degree in obeying Thee, even if he strives, without falling short of what Thou deservest because of Thy bounty.

فَاَشْكَرُ عِبَادِكَ عَاجِزٌ عَنْ شُكْرِكَ، وَاَعْبَدُهُمْ مُقَصِّرٌ عَنْ طَاعَتِكَ

FA-ASHKARU I'BAADIKA A'AJIZUN A'N SHUKRIKA WA A'BADUHUM MUQASSIRUN A'N TAA'ATIK

The most thankful of Thy servants has not the capacity to thank Thee, and the most worshipful of them falls short of obeying Thee.

لَا يَجِبُ لِاَحَدٍ اَنْ تَغْفِرَ لَهٗ بِاسْتِحْقَاقِهٖ، وَلَا اَنْ تَرْضَى عَنْهُ بِاسْتِيجَابِهٖ

LAA YAJIBU LI-AHADIN AN TAGHFIRA LAHOO BISTIHQAAQIHEE WA LAA AN TARDAA A'NHU BISTEEJAABIH

To none of them is due Thy forgiveness through what he himself deserves or Thy good pleasure for his own merit.

فَمَنْ غَفَرْتَ لَهٗ فَبِطَوْلِكَ، وَمَنْ رَضِيتَ عَنْهُ فَبِفَضْلِكَ

FAMAN GHAFARTA LAHOO FABITAWLIKA WA MAN RADEETA A'NHU FABIFADLIK

When Thou forgivest someone, it is through Thy graciousness, and when Thou art pleased with someone, it is through Thy bounty.

تَشْكُرُ يَسِيرَ مَا شَكَرْتَهٗ، وَتُثِيبُ عَلَى قَلِيلِ مَا تُطَاعُ فِيهِ حَتَّى كَاَنَّ شُكْرَ عِبَادِكَ الَّذِي اَوْجَبْتَ عَلَيْهِ ثَوَابَهُمْ وَاَعْظَمْتَ عَنْهُ جَزَاءَهُمْ اَمْرٌ مَلَكُوا اسْتِطَاعَةَ الِامْتِنَاعِ مِنْهُ دُونَكَ فَكَافَيْتَهُمْ، اَوْ لَمْ يَكُنْ سَبَبُهٗ بِيَدِكَ فَجَازَيْتَهُمْ

TASHKURU YASEERA MAA SHAKARTAHOO WA TUTHEEBU A'LAA QALEELI MAA TUTAA'U FEEHI HATTAA KA-ANNA SHUKRA I'BAADIKAL LADHEE AWJABTA A'LAYHI THAWAABAHUM WA A'ZAMTA A'NHU JAZAA'AHUM AMRUN MALAKUS TITAA'ATAL IMTINAA'I MINHU DOONAKA FAKAAFAYTAHUM AW LAM YAKUN SABABUHOO BIYADIKA FAJAAZAYTAHUM

Thou showest gratitude for the paltry for which Thou showest gratitude and Thou rewardest the small act in which Thou art obeyed, so that it seems as if Thy servants' thanksgiving for which Thou hast made incumbent their reward and made great their repayment is an affair from which they could have held back without Thee, and hence Thou wilt recompense them, and whose cause is not in Thy hand, and hence Thou wilt repay them.

بَلْ مَلَكْتَ يَا اِلٰهِي اَمْرَهُمْ قَبْلَ اَنْ يَمْلِكُوا عِبَادَتَكَ، وَاَعْدَدْتَ ثَوَابَهُمْ قَبْلَ اَنْ يُفِيضُوا فِي طَاعَتِكَ، وَذٰلِكَ اَنَّ سُنَّتَكَ الْاِفْضَالُ، وَعَادَتَكَ الْاِحْسَانُ، وَسَبِيلَكَ الْعَفْوُ

BAL MALAKTA YAA ILAAHEE AMRAHUM QABLA AN YAMLIKOO I'BAADATAKA WA A'DADTA THAWAABAHUM QABLA AN YUFEEDOO FEE TAA'ATIKA WA DHAALIKA ANNA SUNNATAKAL IFDAALU WA A'ADATAKAL IHSAANU WA SABEELAKAL A'FW

Nay, my God, Thou hadst power over their affair before they had power to worship Thee, and Thou hadst prepared their reward before they began to obey Thee; and that because Thy wont is bestowal of bounty, Thy custom beneficence, Thy way pardon.

فَكُلُّ الْبَرِيَّةِ مُعْتَرِفَةٌ بِاَنَّكَ غَيْرُ ظَالِمٍ لِمَنْ عَاقَبْتَ، وَشَاهِدَةٌ بِاَنَّكَ مُتَفَضِّلٌ عَلَى مَنْ عَافَيْتَ، وَكُلٌّ مُقِرٌّ عَلَى نَفْسِهٖ بِالتَّقْصِيرِ عَمَّا اسْتَوْجَبْتَ

FAKULLUL BARIYYATI MU'TARIFATUN BI-ANNAKA GHAYRU ZAALIMIN LIMAN A'AQABTA WA SHAAHIDATUN BI-ANNAKA MUTAFADDILUN A'LAA MAN A'AFAYTA WA KULLUN MUQIRRUN A'LAA NAFSIHEE BIT TAQSEERI A'MMAS TAWJABT

So all creatures confess that Thou wrongest not him whom Thou punishest and bear witness that Thou bestowest bounty upon him whom Thou pardonest. Each admits that he has fallen short of what Thou meritest.

فَلَوْ لَا اَنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ يَخْتَدِعُهُمْ عَنْ طَاعَتِكَ مَا عَصَاكَ عَاصٍ، وَلَوْ لَا اَنَّهٗ صَوَّرَ لَهُمُ الْبَاطِلَ فِي مِثَالِ الْحَقِّ مَا ضَلَّ عَنْ طَرِيقِكَ ضَالٌّ

FALAW LAA ANNASH SHAYTAANA YAKHTADI'UHUM A'N TAA'ATIKA MAA A'SAAKA A'ASIN WA LAW LAA ANNAHOO SAWWARA LAHUMUL BAATILA FEE MITHAALIL HAQQI MAA DALLA A'N TAREEQIKA DAALL

Had Satan not misled them from Thy obedience, no disobeyer would have disobeyed Thee, and had he not shown falsehood to them in the likeness of truth no strayer would have gone astray from Thy path.

فَسُبْحَانَكَ مَا اَبْيَنَ كَرَمَكَ فِي مُعَامَلَةِ مَنْ اَطَاعَكَ اَوْ عَصَاكَ تَشْكُرُ لِلْمُطِيعِ مَا اَنْتَ تَوَلَّيْتَهٗ لَهٗ، وَتُمْلِي لِلْعَاصِي فِيمَا تَمْلِكُ مُعَاجَلَتَهٗ فِيهِ

FASUBHAANAKA MAA ABYANA KARAMAKA FEE MU'AAMALATI MAN ATAA'AKA AW A'SAAKA TASHKURU LIL MUTEE'I MAA ANTA TAWALLAYTAHOO LAHOO WA TUMLEE LIL A'ASEE FEEMAA TAMLIKU MU'AAJALATAHOO FEEH

So glory be to Thee! How manifest is Thy generosity in dealing with him who obeys or disobeys Thee! Thou showest gratitude to the obedient for that which Thou undertakest for him, and Thou grantest a respite to the disobedient in that within which Thou art able to hurry him.

اَعْطَيْتَ كُلًّا مِنْهُمَا مَا لَمْ يَجِبْ لَهٗ، وَتَفَضَّلْتَ عَلَى كُلٍّ مِنْهُمَا بِمَا يَقْصُرُ عَمَلُهٗ عَنْهُ

A'TAYTA KULLAN MINHUMAA MAA LAM YAJIB LAHOO WA TAFADDALTA A'LAA KULLIN MINHUMAA BIMAA YAQSURU A'MALUHOO A'NH

Thou givest to each of them that which is not his due, and Thou bestowest bounty upon each in that wherein his works fall short.

وَلَوْ كَافَاْتَ الْمُطِيعَ عَلَى مَا اَنْتَ تَوَلَّيْتَهٗ لَاَوْشَكَ اَنْ يَفْقِدَ ثَوَابَكَ، وَاَنْ تَزُولَ عَنْهُ نِعْمَتُكَ، وَلٰكِنَّكَ بِكَرَمِكَ جَازَيْتَهٗ عَلَى الْمُدَّةِ الْقَصِيرَةِ الْفَانِيَةِ بِالْمُدَّةِ الطَّوِيلَةِ الْخَالِدَةِ، وَعَلَى الْغَايَةِ الْقَرِيبَةِ الزَّائِلَةِ بِالْغَايَةِ الْمَدِيدَةِ الْبَاقِيَةِ

WA LAW KAAFA'TAL MUTEE'A A'LAA MAA ANTA TAWALLAYTAHOO LA-AWSHAKA AN YAFQIDA THAWAABAKA WA AN TAZOOLA A'NHU NI'MATUKA WA LAAKINNAKA BIKARAMIKA JAAZAYTAHOO A'LAL MUDDATIL QASEERATIL FAANIYATI BIL MUDDATIT TAWEELATIL KHAALIDATI WA A'LAL GHAAYATIL QAREEBATIZ ZAA'ILATI BIL GHAAYATIL MADEEDATIL BAAQIYAH

Wert Thou to counterbalance for the obedient servant that which Thou Thyself hadst undertaken, he would be on the point of losing Thy reward and seeing the end of Thy favour, but through Thy generosity Thou hast repaid him for a short, perishing term with a long, everlasting term, and for a near, vanishing limit with an extended, abiding limit.

ثُمَّ لَمْ تَسُمْهُ الْقِصَاصَ فِيمَا اَكَلَ مِنْ رِزْقِكَ الَّذِي يَقْوَى بِهٖ عَلَى طَاعَتِكَ، وَلَمْ تَحْمِلْهُ عَلَى الْمُنَاقَشَاتِ فِي الْآلَاتِ الَّتِي تَسَبَّبَ بِاسْتِعْمَالِهَا اِلَى مَغْفِرَتِكَ، وَلَوْ فَعَلْتَ ذٰلِكَ بِهٖ لَذَهَبَ بِجَمِيعِ مَا كَدَحَ لَهٗ وَجُمْلَةِ مَا سَعَى فِيهِ جَزَاءً لِلصُّغْرَى مِنْ اَيَادِيكَ وَمِنَنِكَ، وَلَبَقِيَ رَهِيناً بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ بِسَائِرِ نِعَمِكَ، فَمَتَى كَانَ يَسْتَحِقُّ شَيْئاً مِنْ ثَوَابِكَ لَا مَتَى

THUMMA LAM TASUMHUL QISAASA FEEMAA AKALA MIN RIZQIKAL LADHEE YAQWAA BIHEE A'LAA TAA'ATIKA WA LAM TAHMILHU A'LAL MUNAAQASHAATI FIL AALAATIL LATEE TASABBABA BISTI'MAALIHAA ILAA MAGHFIRATIKA WA LAW FA'ALTA DHAALIKA BIHEE LADHAHABA BIJAMEE'I MAA KADAHA LAHOO WA JUMLATI MAA SA'AA FEEHI JAZAA'AN LIS SUGHRAA MIN AYAADEEKA WA MINANIKA WA LABAQIYA RAHEENAN BAYNA YADAYKA BISAA'IRI NI'AMIKA FAMATAA KAANA YASTAHIQQU SHAY'AN MIN THAWAABIKA LAA MATAA

Then Thou dost not visit him with a settling of accounts for Thy provision through which he gained strength to obey Thee, nor dost Thou force him to make reckonings for the organs he employed to find the means to Thy forgiveness. Wert Thou to do that to him, it would take away everything for which he had laboured and all wherein he had exerted himself as repayment for the smallest of Thy benefits and kindnesses, and he would remain hostage before Thee for Thy other favours. So how can he deserve something of Thy reward? Indeed, how?

هٰذَا يَا اِلٰهِي حَالُ مَنْ اَطَاعَكَ، وَسَبِيلُ مَنْ تَعَبَّدَ لَكَ، فَاَمَّا الْعَاصِي اَمْرَكَ وَالْمُوَاقِعُ نَهْيَكَ فَلَمْ تُعَاجِلْهُ بِنَقِمَتِكَ لِكَيْ يَسْتَبْدِلَ بِحَالِهٖ فِي مَعْصِيَتِكَ حَالَ الْاِنَابَةِ اِلَى طَاعَتِكَ، وَلَقَدْ كَانَ يَسْتَحِقُّ فِي اَوَّلِ مَا هَمَّ بِعِصْيَانِكَ كُلَّ مَا اَعْدَدْتَ لِجَمِيعِ خَلْقِكَ مِنْ عُقُوبَتِكَ

HAADHAA YAA ILAAHEE HAALU MAN ATAA'AKA WA SABEELU MAN TA'ABBADA LAKA FA-AMMAL A'ASEE AMRAKA WAL MUWAAQI'U NAHYAKA FALAM TU'AAJILHU BINAQIMATIKA LIKAY YASTABDILA BIHAALIHEE FEE MA'SIYATIKA HAALAL INAABATI ILAA TAA'ATIKA WA LAQAD KAANA YASTAHIQQU FEE AWWALI MAA HAMMA BI-I'SYAANIKA KULLA MAA A'DADTA LIJAMEE'I KHALQIKA MIN U'QOOBATIK

This, my God, is the state of him who obeys Thee and the path of him who worships Thee. But as for him who disobeys Thy command and goes against Thy prohibition, Thou dost not hurry him to Thy vengeance, so that he may seek to replace his state in disobeying Thee with the state of turning back to obey Thee, though he deserved from the time he set out to disobey Thee every punishment which Thou hast prepared for all Thy creatures.

فَجَمِيعُ مَا اَخَّرْتَ عَنْهُ مِنَ الْعَذَابِ وَاَبْطَاْتَ بِهٖ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ سَطَوَاتِ النَّقِمَةِ وَالْعِقَابِ تَرْكٌ مِنْ حَقِّكَ، وَرِضًى بِدُونِ وَاجِبِكَ،

FAJAMEE'U MAA AKHKHARTA A'NHU MINAL A'DHAABI WA ABTA'TA BIHEE A'LAYHI MIN SATAWAATIN NAQIMATI WAL I'QAABI TARKUN MIN HAQQIKA WA RIDAN BIDOONI WAAJIBIK

Through each chastisement which Thou hast kept back from him and each penalty of Thy vengeance and Thy punishment which Thou hast delayed from him, Thou hast refrained from Thy right and shown good pleasure in place of what Thou hast made obligatory.

فَمَنْ اَكْرَمُ يَا اِلٰهِي مِنْكَ، وَمَنْ اَشْقَى مِمَّنْ هَلَكَ عَلَيْكَ لَا مَنْ فَتَبَارَكْتَ اَنْ تُوصَفَ اِلَّا بِالْاِحْسَانِ، وَكَرُمْتَ اَنْ يُخَافَ مِنْكَ اِلَّا الْعَدْلُ، لَا يُخْشَى جَوْرُكَ عَلَى مَنْ عَصَاكَ، وَلَا يُخَافُ اِغْفَالُكَ ثَوَابَ مَنْ اَرْضَاكَ، فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِهٖ، وَهَبْ لِي اَمَلِي، وَزِدْنِي مِنْ هُدَاكَ مَا اَصِلُ بِهٖ اِلَى التَّوْفِيقِ فِي عَمَلِي، اِنَّكَ مَنَّانٌ كَرِيمٌ

FAMAN AKRAMU YAA ILAAHEE MINKA WA MAN ASHQAA MIMMAN HALAKA A'LAYKA LAA MAN FATABAARAKTA AN TOOSAFA ILLAA BIL IHSAANI WA KARUMTA AN YUKHAAFA MINKA ILLAL A'DLU LAA YUKHSHAA JAWRUKA A'LAA MAN A'SAAKA WA LAA YUKHAAFU IGHFAALUKA THAWAABA MAN ARDAAKA FASALLI A'LAA MUHAMMADIN WA AALIHEE WA HAB LEE AMALEE WA ZIDNEE MIN HUDAAKA MAA ASILU BIHEE ILAT TAWFEEQI FEE A'MALEE INNAKA MANNAANUN KAREEM

So who is more generous, my God, than Thou? And who is more wretched than he who perishes in spite of Thee? Indeed, who? Thou art too blessed to be described by any but beneficence and too generous for any but justice to be feared from Thee! There is no dread that Thou wilt be unjust toward him who disobeys Thee, nor any fear of Thy neglecting to reward him who satisfies Thee. So bless Muhammad and his Household, give me my hope, and increase me in that of Thy guidance through which I may be successful in my works! Surely Thou art All-kind, Generous.