Sahifa Sajjadiyya 43: When He Looked at the New Crescent Moon

أَيُّهَا ٱلْخَلْقُ ٱلْمُطِيعُ

ayyuha alkhalqu almuti`u

O obedient creature,

ٱلدَّائِبُ ٱلسَّرِيعُ

aldda'ibu alssari`u

speedy and untiring,

ٱلْمُتَرَدِّدُ فِي مَنَازِلِ ٱلتَّقْدِيرِ

almutaraddidu fi manazili alttaqdiri

frequenter of the mansions of determination,

ٱلْمُتَصَرِّفُ فِي فَلَكِ ٱلتَّدْبِيرِ

almutasarrifu fi falaki alttadbiri

moving about in the sphere of governance!

آمَنْتُ بِمَنْ نَوَّرَ بِكَ ٱلظُّلَمَ

amantu biman nawwara bika alzzulama

I have faith in Him Who lights up darkness through you,

وَأَوْضَحَ بِكَ ٱلْبُهَمَ

wa awdaha bika albuhama

illuminates jet-black shadows by you,

وَجَعَلَكَ آيَةً مِنْ آيَاتِ مُلْكِهِ

wa ja`alaka ayatan min ayati mulkihi

appointed you one of the signs of His kingdom

وَعَلَامَةً مِنْ عَلَامَاتِ سُلْطَانِهِ

wa `alamatan min `alamati sultanihi

and one of the marks of His authority,

فَحَدَّ بِكَ ٱلزَّمَانَ

fahadda bika alzzamana

so, He identified time through You,

وَٱمْتَهَنَكَ بِالْزِّیَادَۃِ وَٱلنُّقْصَانِ

wa imtahanaka bilkamali walnnuqsani

and humbled you through increase and decrease,

وَٱلطُّلُوعِ وَٱلأُفُولِ

walttulu`i wal-ufuli

and rising and setting,

وَٱلإِنَارَةِ وَٱلْكُسُوفِ

wal-inarati walkusufi

and illumination and eclipse.

فِي كُلِّ ذٰلِكَ أَنْتَ لَهُ مُطِيعٌ

fi kulli dhalika anta lahu muti`un

In all of this you are obedient to Him,

وَإِلَىٰ إِرَادَتِهِ سَرِيعٌ

wa ila iradatihi sari`un

and prompt toward His will.

سُبْحَانَهُ مَا أَعْجَبَ مَا دَبَّرَ فِي أَمْرِكَ!

subhanahu ma a`jaba ma dabbara fi amrika

Glory be to Him! How wonderful is what He has arranged in Your situation!

وَأَلْطَفَ مَا صَنَعَ فِي شَأْنِكَ

wa altafa ma sana`a fi sha'nika

How subtle what He has made for Your task!

جَعَلَكَ مِفْتَاحَ شَهْرٍ حَادِثٍ لِأَمْرٍ حَادِثٍ

ja`alaka miftaha shahrin hadithin li'amrin hadithin

He has made You the key to a new month for a new situation.

فَأَسْأَلُ ٱللَّهَ رَبِّي وَرَبَّكَ

fa-as'alu allaha rabbi wa rabbaka

So I ask Allah, my Lord and Your Lord,

وَخَالِقِي وَخَالِقَكَ

wa khaliqi wa khaliqaka

my Creator and Your Creator,

وَمُقَدِّرِي وَمُقَدِّرَكَ

wa muqaddiri wa muqaddiraka

my Determiner and Your Determiner,

وَمُصَوِّرِي وَمُصَوِّرَكَ

wa musawwiri wa musawwiraka

my Form-giver and Your Form-giver,

أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِهِ

an yusalliya `ala muhammadin wa alihi

that He bless Muhammad and his Household

وَأَنْ يَجْعَلَكَ هِلاَلَ بَرَكَةٍ لاَ تَمْحَقُهَا ٱلأَيَّامُ

wa an yaj`alaka hilala barakatin la tamhaquha al-ayyamu

and appoint You a crescent of blessings not effaced by days

وَطَهَارَةٍ لَا تُدَنِّسُهَا ٱلآثَامُ

wa taharatin la tudannisuha al-athamu

and of purity not defiled by sins;

هِلاَلَ أَمْنٍ مِنَ ٱلآفَاتِ

hilala amnin min al-afati

a crescent of security from blights

وَسَلاَمَةٍ مِنَ ٱلسَّيِّئَاتِ

wa salamatin min alssayyi'ati

and of safety from evil deeds;

هِلاَلَ سَعْدٍ لاَ نَحْسَ فِيهِ

hilala sa`din la nahsa fihi

a crescent of auspiciousness containing no misfortune,

وَيُمْنٍ لاَ نَكَدَ مَعَهُ

wa yumnin la nakada ma`ahu

of prosperity accompanied by no adversity,

وَيُسْرٍ لاَ يُمَازِجُهُ عُسْرٌ

wa yusrin la yumazijuhu `usrun

of ease not mixed with difficulty,

وَخَيْرٍ لَا يَشُوبُهُ شَرٌّ

wa khayrin la yashubuhu sharrun

of good unstained by evil;

هِلالَ أَمْنٍ وَإِيـمَانٍ

hilala amnin wa imanin

a crescent of security and faith,

وَنِعْمَةٍ وَإِحْسَانٍ

wa ni`matin wa ihsanin

favor and good-doing,

وَسَلاَمَةٍ وَإِسْلاَمٍ

wa salamatin wa islamin

safety and submission!

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِهِ

allahumma salli `ala muhammadin wa alihi

O Allah, bless Muhammad and his Household,

وَٱجْعَلْنَا مِنْ أَرْضَىٰ مَنْ طَلَعَ عَلَيْهِ

waj`alna min arda man tala`a `alayhi

place us among the most satisfied of those over whom the crescent has risen,

وَأَزْكَىٰ مَنْ نَظَرَ إِلَيْهِ

wa azka man nazara ilayhi

the purest of those who have looked upon it,

وَأَسْعَدَ مَنْ تَعَبَّدَ لَكَ فِيهِ

wa as`ada man ta`abbada laka fihi

the most fortunate of those who have worshiped You under it;

وَوَفِّقْنَا ٱللَّهُمَّ فِيهِ لِلطَّاعَةِ وَٱلتَّوْبَةِ

wa waffiqna allahumma fihi liltta`ati walttawbati

give us the success during [the new month] to repent,

وَٱعْصِمْنَا فِيهِ مِنَ ٱلْحَوْبَةِ

wa`simna fihi min al-hawbati

preserve us within it from misdeeds,

وَاحْفَظْنَا فِيهِ مِنْ مُبَاشَرَۃِ مَعْصِیَتِکَ

wahfazna fihi min mubasharati ma’siyatika

guard us therein from pursuing disobedience to You,

وَأَوْزِعْنَا فِيهِ شُكْرَ نِعْمَتِکَ

wa awzi`na fihi shukra ni`matika

allot to us within it thanksgiving for Your favor,

وَأَلْبِسْنَا فِيهِ جُنَنَ ٱلْعَافِيَةِ

wa albisna fihi junana al`afiyati

clothe us during it in the shields of well-being,

وَأَتْمِمْ عَلَيْنَا بِٱسْتِكْمَالِ طَاعَتِكَ فِيهِ ٱلْمِنَّةَ

wa atmim `alayna bistikmali ta`atika fihi alminnata

and complete for us Your kindness by perfecting therein obedience to You!

إِنَّكَ ٱلْمَنَّانُ ٱلْحَمِيدُ

innaka almannanu alhamidu

Surely You are All-kind, Praiseworthy.

وَصَلَّىٰ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِهِ ٱلطَّيِّبِينَ ٱلطَّاھِرِیْنَ۔

wa salla allahu `ala muhammadin wa alihi alttayyibina alttahirina.

And bless Muhammad and his Household, the good, the pure.