# Sahifa Sajjadiyya 53: Abasing Himself Before God

- **Arabic title:** ددُعَاؤُهُ فِي التَّذَلُّلِ
- **Type:** Dua
- **Categories:** [Sahifa Sajjadiyya](https://duasonline.org/category/sahifa-sajjadiyya.md), [Munajat](https://duasonline.org/category/munajat.md)
- **Recitation:** none yet
- **Web page:** https://duasonline.org/dua/sahifa-sajjadiya-dua-53

## Origin

Imam Zayn al-Abidin (a), al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya, supplication 53: abasement before Allah. Transmitted through the chain given in the Sahifa's preface; standard printed editions.

## Source

Arabic text, translation and transliteration from [duas.org](https://www.duas.org/mobile/sahifasajjadia-dua53-abasing-before-god.html).

## Text

Each line gives the Arabic, then the transliteration in italics, then the English.

1. رَبِّ أَفْحَمَتْنِيْ ذُنُوبِي، وَانْقَطَعَتْ مَقَالَتِي،\
   *Rabbī afḥamatnī dhunūbī, wa-nqaṭa‘at maqālatī,*\
   My Lord, my sins have rendered me speechless, and my speech is cut short,

2. فَلاَ حُجَّةَ لِي، فَأَنَا الأَسِيـرُ بِبَلِيَّتِي،\
   *fa-lā ḥujjata lī, fa-ana l-asīru bi-baliyyatī,*\
   so I have no argument (or plea), for I am the captive of my affliction,

3. الْمُـرْتَهَنُ بِعَمَلِي، الْمُتَرَدِّدُ فِي خَطِيئَتِي،\
   *al-murtahanu bi-‘amalī, al-mutaraddidu fī khaṭī’atī,*\
   the one held in pledge by my deed, the one faltering in my mistake,

4. الْمُتَحَيِّرُ عَنْ قَصْدِي، الْمُنْقَطَعُ بِي،\
   *al-mutaḥayyiru ‘an qaṣdī, al-munqaṭa‘u bī,*\
   the bewildered one away from my purpose, the one cut off (with no way out),

5. قَدْ أَوْقَفْتُ نَفْسِي مَوْقِفَ الأَذِلاَّءِ الْمُذْنِبِينَ،\
   *Qad awqaftu nafsī mawqifa l-adhillā’i l-mudhnibīn,*\
   I have surely made myself stand in the station of the humiliated sinners,

6. مَوْقِفَ الأَشْقِيآءِ الْمُتَجَرِّينَ عَلَيْكَ، الْمُسْتَخِفِّينَ بِوَعْدِكَ.\
   *mawqiqa l-ashqiyā’i l-mutajarrīna ‘alayk, al-mustakhiffīna bi-wa‘dik.*\
   the station of the wretched ones who dared against You, those who took Your promise lightly.

7. سُبْحَانَكَ! أَيَّ جُرْأَة اجْتَرَأْتُ عَلَيْكَ؟\
   *Subḥānak! Ayyu jur’atin ijtar’tu ‘alayk?*\
   Glory be to You! What daring did I dare against You?

8. وَأَيَّ تَغْرِير غَرَّرْتُ بِنَفْسِي\
   *wa-ayya taghrīrin gharrartu bi-nafsī*\
   And what deception did I deceive myself with?

9. مَوْلاَيَ إرْحَمْ كَبْوَتِيْ لِحُرِّ وَجْهِي،\
   *Mawlāya irḥam kabwatī li-ḥurri wajhī,*\
   My Master, have mercy on my fall (down) upon my noble face,

10. وَزَلَّةَ قَدَمِي، وَعُدْ بِحِلْمِكَ عَلَى جَهْلِي،\
   *wa-zallata qadamī, wa-‘ud bi-ḥilmika ‘alā jahlī,*\
   and the slip of my foot, and return with Your forbearance upon my ignorance,

11. وَبِإحْسَانِكَ عَلَى إسَآءَتِي، فَأَنَا الْمُقِرُّ بِذَنْبِي،\
   *wa-bi-iḥsānik ‘alā isā’atī, fa-ana l-muqirru bi-dhanbī,*\
   and with Your benevolence upon my wrongdoing, for I am the one confessing my sin,

12. الْمُعْتَرِفُ بِخَطِيئَتِي، وَهَذِهِ يَدِيْ وَنَاصِيَتِي،\
   *al-mu‘tarifu bi-khaṭī’atī, wa-hādhihī yadī wa-nāṣiyatī,*\
   the one acknowledging my mistake, and here is my hand and my forelock,

13. أَسْتَكِينُ بِالْقَـوْدِ مِنْ نَفْسِي .\
   *astakīnu bi-l-qawdi min nafsī.*\
   I humble myself to be led by myself (to submit to punishment).

14. إرْحَمْ شَيْبَتِي، وَنَفَادَ أَيَّامِي،\
   *Irḥam shaybatī, wa-nafāda ayyāmī,*\
   Have mercy on my gray hair, and the running out of my days,

15. وَاقْتِرَابَ أَجَلِي، وَضَعْفِي،\
   *wa-qtirāba ajalī, wa-ḍa‘fī,*\
   and the nearness of my term (of death), and my weakness,

16. وَمَسْكَنَتِي، وَقِلَّةَ حِيلَتِي.\
   *wa-maskanatī, wa-qillata ḥīlatī.*\
   and my wretchedness, and the fewness of my resourcefulness.

17. مَوْلاَيَ وَارْحَمْنِي إذَا انْقَطَعَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا أَثَرِي،\
   *Mawlāya wa-rḥamnī idhā nqaṭa‘a mina d-dunyā atharī,*\
   My Master, and have mercy on me when my trace is cut off from the world,

18. وَامَّحى مِنَ الْمَخْلُوقِينَ ذِكْرِي،\
   *wa-mmaḥā mina l-makhlūqīna dhikrī,*\
   and my mention is wiped away from the creatures,

19. وَكُنْتُ فِي الْمَنْسِيِّينَ، كَمَنْ قَدْ نُسِيَ.\
   *wa-kuntu fī l-mansiyyīn, ka-man qad nusī.*\
   and I am among the forgotten, like one who has been forgotten.

20. مَوْلاَيَ وَارْحَمْنِي عِنْدَ تَغَيُّرِ صُورَتِي\
   *Mawlāya wa-rḥamnī ‘inda taghayyuri ṣūratī*\
   My Master, and have mercy on me when my form changes

21. وَحَالِي إذَا بَلِيَ جِسْمِي، وَتَفَرَّقَتْ أَعْضَائِي،\
   *wa-ḥālī idhā baliya jismī, wa-tafarraqat a‘ḍā’ī,*\
   and my state, when my body wears out, and my limbs disperse,

22. وَتَقَطَّعَتْ أَوْصَالِيْ، يا غَفْلَتِي عَمَّا يُرَادُ بِيَ.\
   *wa-taqaṭṭa‘at awṣālī, yā ghaflatī ‘ammā yurādu biya.*\
   and my joints are severed. Oh, my heedlessness concerning what is intended for me!

23. مَوْلاَيَ وَارْحَمْنِي فِي حَشْرِي وَنَشْرِي،\
   *Mawlāya wa-rḥamnī fī ḥashrī wa-nashrī,*\
   My Master, and have mercy on me at my gathering and resurrection,

24. وَاجْعَل فِي ذَلِكَ الْيَومِ مَعَ أَوْلِيَآئِكَ مَوْقِفِي،\
   *wa-j‘al fī dhālika l-yawmi ma‘a awliyā’ika mawqifī,*\
   and make my station on that Day with Your friends,

25. وَفِي أَحِبَّائِكَ مَصْدَرِي،\
   *wa-fī aḥibbā’ik maṣdarī,*\
   and my proceeding (or return) with Your beloved ones,

26. وَفِي جِوَارِكَ مَسْكَنِي يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ.\
   *wa-fī jiwārik maskanī yā Rabba l-‘Ālamīn.*\
   and my dwelling place in Your vicinity, O Lord of the Worlds.

## Related

- [Sahifa Sajjadiyya 51: Supplication in Pleading and Abasement](https://duasonline.org/dua/sahifa-sajjadiya-dua-51.md)
- [Sahifa Sajjadiyya 52: His Supplication in Imploring God](https://duasonline.org/dua/sahifa-sajjadiya-dua-52.md)
- [Munajat Sha'baniyya](https://duasonline.org/dua/munajat-shabaniyyah.md)
- [Munajat al-Ta'ibin (Whispered Prayer of the Penitent)](https://duasonline.org/dua/sahifa-sajjadiya-munajat-tabeen.md)