NAJMUS SAAQIB Incident Thirty: Dua Faraj taught by Imam Asr (a.s.)

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Sayyid Raziuddin Ali bin Taaoos, in the book of Farajul
Mahmoon
,[1]
and Allamah Majlisi in the book of Behaarul Anwaar[2]
have quoted from the book of Dalaael[3]
of Shaykh Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Jarir Tabari that he said: Informed me
Abu Ja’far Muhammad bin Harun bin Moosa Talakbari that: Abul Husain bin Abul
Baghl Katib said:
I took on a duty from Abu Mansoor Ibne Salihan and then
something happened between me and him that caused me going into hiding. He
asked for me and threatened me. I waited in hiding with fear and then went to
the graveyard of Quraish in Baghdad
on a Friday eve. I intended to spend the night there, praying and supplicating.
It was a windy, rainy night. I asked Abu Ja’far, the
custodian, to lock the doors and make sure there remains no one, so I may pray
and supplicate in solitude and be safe from the entrance of anyone, because I
was fearful and did not feel safe.
He did that and locked the doors. Half past the night, the
winds and rains were so powerful that they made sure no one came to the place,
I stayed praying and reciting Ziyarat, and worshipping. As I was like that, I
heard footsteps there before the tomb of our Master Moosa (a.s.); there was a
man reciting Ziyarat. He greeted Adam, and the other great prophets, peace be
with them, and then the Imams, one after the other until he reached the Master of
the Age (a.s.), he did not mention him. I much wondered and said perhaps he has
forgotten or he does not know or maybe this is his belief.
When he finished his Ziyarat, he offered two rakats of
prayers. I was fearful of him, since I did not know him. He seemed a full young
man, appareled in white clothes, wearing a turban with its end coming down
under his chin and going over his shoulder, with braided hair, and had a cloak
with long threads at its margins on his shoulder. He said: “O Abu Husain Ibne
Abul Baghal, why are you not reading the supplication of Faraj?” “And which
supplication is that, my master?” I asked. He said: “Pray two rakats, and say:
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ.
يَا مَنْ اَظْهَرَ الْجَمِيْلَ، وَ سَتَرَ الْقَبِيْحَ، يَا مَنْ لَمْ يُؤَاخِذْ
بِالْجَرِيْرَةِ، وَ لَمْ يَهْتِكِ السِّتْرَ، يَا عَظِيْمَ الْمَنِّ، يَا كَرِيْمَ
الصَّفْحِ، يَا حَسَنَ التَّجَاوُزِ، يَا وَاسِعَ الْمَغْفِرَةِ، يَا بَاسِطَ
الْيَدَيْنِ بِالرَّحْمَةِ، يَا مُنْتَهَى كُلِّ نَجْوٰى، يَا غَايَةَ كُلِّ شَكْوٰى،
يَا عَوْنَ كُلِّ مُسْتَعِيْنٍ، يَا مُبْتَدِئًا بِالنِّعَمِ قَبْلَ
اسْتِحْقَاقِهَا،
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. O He, Who
reveals virtue, O He, Who conceals vice, O He, Who does not call to severe
account for sins, O He, Who does not disclose the disgrace of His servants, O
He, Who is the best forgiver, O He, Who overlooks errancy, O He, Whose
forgiveness extends over all, O He, Whose Hands are stretched forth in mercy, O
He, Who knows all secrets, O He, to Whom all complaints are directed. O one,
who is the helper of every seeker. O one, who bestows to one before one becomes
deserving.
Then say ten times:
يَا رَبَّاهْ
يَا غَايَةَ رَبَّاهُ
O Lord
And the extreme end of the desires
Then say:
اَسْاَلُكَ بِحَقِّ هَذِهِ الْاَسْمَاءِ،
وَ بِحَقِّ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ الطَّاهِرِيْنَ اِلَّا مَا كَشَفْتَ كَرْبِيْ، وَ
نَفَّسْتَ هَمِّيْ، وَ فَرَّجْتَ غَمِّيْ، وَ اَصْلَحْتَ حَالِيْ.
I ask You through these I ask You and by the right of
Muhammad and his purified progeny (a.s.). Except that You remove my sorrow and grief
and improve my circumstances.
And then you ask for your desire and ask your wish and then
you put your right cheek on the earth and say one hundred times in your Sajdah:
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
يَا مُحَمَّدُ يَا عَلِىُّ يَا عَلِىُّ يَا مُحَمَّدُ اِكْفِيَانِىْ فَاِنَّكُمَا
كَافِيَاىَ
وَانْصُرَانِىْ
فَاِنَّكُمَا نَاصِرَاىَ
.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. O
Muhammad, O Ali, O Ali, O Muhammad; suffice for me as you two are sufficient
and help me as you two are helpers.
Place your left cheek on the earth and say one hundred
times:
اَدْرِكْنِىْ
Reach me.
…and repeat it over and over and you say:
اَلْغَوْثَ الْغَوْثَ
Refuge, refuge!
…until you run out of breath and then raise your head. Allah
will fulfill your wish through His generosity.”
As I applied myself to the prayers and supplications, he
left. When I was finished, I decided to go out to Abu Ja’far to ask him about
the man and how he had entered. I saw all the doors had been locked the way
they were. I was perplexed much and said perhaps he had spent the night there
and I had not realized. I found Abu Ja’far, the custodian. He came out to me
from his room. I asked him about the gentleman and his entrance. He said: “The
doors are locked as you see them. I have not opened them.”
I told him about the incident. He said: “This is our master,
the Master of the Age, (a.s.). I have seen him many times in the nights like
this when there was no one in the shrine.” I became very sad for the
opportunity I had missed. I exited near dawn and went to Karkh towards the
place where I was hiding. It was but the daybreak when men of Ibne Salihan were
begging to meet me and asking my friends about me.
They were carrying a written pledge of protection from the
minister and a slip in his handwriting having every pleasant thing. I went to
him with a trustworthy friend of mine. He rose and embraced me and treated me
in a way that I had never seen from him before. He said: “Have things worsened
so much for you that you had to complain about me to the Master of the Age
(a.s.)? I said: “I simply prayed and supplicated.” “I saw my master the Master
of the Age,” he replied, “in my dream last night.” He meant the Friday eve. “He
was ordering me to do every good deed and expressed a dislike to me that
frightened me.”
I said: “La ilaaha illa Allah! I bear witness that
they are the truth and the pinnacle of righteousness. Last night I saw our
master, while I was awake. And he asked me to do such and such things.” I
explained to him what I had seen in the shrine. He was astounded. Great favors
he did to me with this respect and reached a level I did not anticipate; all of
this being from the blessings of our master, the Master of the Age.

Dua Faraj, which the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.)
taught to Ameerul Momineen (a.s.)

The author says: There are many supplications, which
are named as Dua Faraj:
First: The supplication mentioned in this incident.
Second: Supplication, which is narrated in the book
of Ja’fariyat[4]
from Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) when he came to the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.)
and complained to him about some need.
The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said: Did I not teach you the
words, which Jibraeel had brought as gift for me? They are nineteen words,
which are written on the forehead of Jibraeel (a.s.). From them four and four
are written on the forehead of Mikaeel; four are written on the forehead of
Israfeel (a.s.); four are inscribed around the Kursi and three are inscribed
around the circle of the Arsh. No one in distress prays through those words,
and no deprived person worships through those words, and no distressed man
invokes through them, and no one is fearful of a tyrant ruler or a satan, but
that the Almighty Allah suffices him against everything. The supplication is as
follows:
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
يَا عِمَادَ مَنْ لاَ عِمَادَ لَهٗ وَ يَا ذُخْرَ مَنْ لاَ ذُخْرَ لَهٗ، وَ يَا
سَنَدَ مَنْ لاَ سَنَدَ لَهٗ، وَ يَا حِرْزَ مَنْ لاَ حِرْزَ لَهٗ، وَ يَا غِيَاثَ
مَنْ لاَ غِيَاثَ لَهٗ، وَ يَا كَنْزَ مَنْ لاَ كَنْزَ لَهٗ، وَ يَا عِزَّ مَنْ
لاَ عِزَّ لَهٗ، يَا كَرِيْمَ الْعَفْوِ يَا حَسَنَ التَّجَاوُزِ، وَ عَوْنَ
الضُّعَفَآءِ يَا كَنْزَ الْفُقَرَآءِ، يَا عَظِيْمَ الرَّجَاءِ يَا مُنْقِذَ الْغَرْقٰی
يَا مُنْجِىَ الْهَلْكیٰ، يَا مُحْسِنُ يَا مُجْمِلُ يَا مُنْعِمُ يَا مُفْضِلُ
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. O
Supporter of the unsupported, O Helper of the helpless, O Protector of the
unprotected, O Shield for the defenseless, O Hearer of the unheard appeal, O
the treasure for Whom there is no treasure, O Pride of those without pride, O
Honor of the honorless, O the Merciful Forgiver O the best of the recompensers.
O helper of the weak, O treasure for the poor, O the greatest of hopes, O the
savior of the drowning one O the savior of those being destroyed O favor-giving
O beautifier, O giver of bounties, O favorer, I ask the one except whom there
is no God. For whom prostrate the blackness of the night and the whiteness of the
morning and the rays of the sun and the rays of the sun; and the light of the
sun. and the light of the moon and the sound of the water, and the rustling of
the tree. O Allah, O Beneficent, O One with majesty and nobility.
Ameerul Momineen (a.s.) named this supplication as Dua
Faraj.

Dua Faraj, which the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.)
taught to a person for removing sorrow and poverty

Third: Shaykh Ibrahim Kafami has narrated in Jannatul
Waqiya
that a man came to the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and said: O Messenger
of Allah (s.a.w.a.), indeed, I was rich, after that I became poor; I was in
health; after that I became sick; I was accepted by the people after that I
became unpopular; and I was light upon their hearts; thus I became serious and
previously I was happy; I fell into hardships; the earth became narrow for me
due to that and I was waiting for happy times again for seeking sustenance. I
did not find anything with which to gain strength; as if my name was erased
from the register of sustenance.
The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) told him: O man, perhaps you
will use the inheritance of sorrow? He asked: What is the inheritance of
sorrow? He replied: May be you tie the turban on the head in the seated
position and wear the lower garment in the standing position or chew at your nails
or wipe your cheek with are skirt or urinate in stagnant water or sleep in the
head down position.
I asked: I commit these acts.
His Eminence said: Adopt the path of sincerity and purify
your conscience and recite the following supplication and it is Dua Faraj:
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
اِلٰهِيْ طُمُوْحُ الْآمَالِ قَدْ خَابَتْ اِلَّا لَدَيْكَ وَ مَعَاكِفُ الْهِمَمِ
قَدْ تَعَطَّلَتْ اِلَّا اِلَيْكَ وَ مَذَاهِبُ الْعُقُوْلِ قَدْ سَمَتْ اِلَّا اِلَيْكَ
فَاَنْتَ الرَّجَاءُ وَ اِلَيْكَ الْمُلْتَجَاُ يَا اَكْرَمَ مَقْصُوْدٍ وَ يَا اَجْوَدَ
مَسْئُولٍ هَرَبْتُ اِلَيْكَ بِنَفْسِي يَا مَلْجَاَ الْهَارِبِيْنَ بِاَثْقَالِ
الذُّنُوْبِ اَحْمِلُهَا عَلٰى ظَهْرِيْ وَ مَا اَجِدُ لِيْ اِلَيْكَ شَافِعًا سِوٰى
مَعْرِفَتِيْ‏ اَنَّكَ اَقْرَبُ مَنْ لَجَاَ إِلَيْهِ الْمُضْطَرُّوْنَ وَ اَمَّلَ
مَا لَدَيْهِ الرَّاغِبُوْنَ يَا مَنْ فَتَقَ الْعُقُوْلَ بِمَعْرِفَتِهٖ وَ اَطْلَقَ
الْاَلْسُنَ بِحَمْدِهٖ وَ جَعَلَ مَا امْتَنَّ بِهٖ عَلٰى عِبَادِهٖ كِفَاءً
لِتَأْدِيَةِ حَقِّهٖ اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ لَا
تَجْعَلْ لِلْهُمُوْمِ عَلٰى عَقْلِيْ سَبِيْلًا وَ لَا لِلْبَاطِلِ عَلٰى عَمَلِيْ
دَلِيْلًا وَ افْتَحْ لِيْ بِخَيْرِ الدُّنْيَا وَ الْآخِرَةِ يَا وَلِيَّ
الْخَيْرِ
.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. O my God,
all ambitions of expectations are disappointed, except those addressed to You,
all resolute determinations are paralyzed, except those relied on You and all
reason-based tendencies are wasted, except those directed to you. So, You are
the ultimate hope and to you is the resort. O He Who is the noblest objective
and the most magnanimous desired. I am fleeing to You from myself. O Shelter of
those, who flee overburdened with the heavy loads of sins, carrying my sins on
my back, I cannot find any interceder for me, except that I know for sure that
You are the nearest of all those who are hoped by beseechers and of all those
whose donations are expected by the desirous. O He Who his split the intellects
on the recognition of Him, made tongues articulate with praising Him and made
that which He has conferred upon His servants enough means for the fulfillment
of their duties towards Him; (please) send blessings to Muhammad and his
Household, do not give Satan any way (of success) over my reason and do not
give wrongness a way to reach my deeds. And open for me the good of the world O
the giver of good.[5]
Fourth: The respected scholar, Sayyid Ali Khan, in
his book of Kalematut Tayyab has narrated from his grandfather that the
following is Dua Faraj:
بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
اَللّٰهُمَ يَا وَدُوْدُ يَا وَدُوْدُ يَا ذَا الْعَرْشِ الْمَجِيْدَ يَا
فَعَّالًا لِمَا يُرِيْدُ اَسْاَلُكَ بِنُوْرِ وَجْهِكَ الَّذِي مَلَاَ اَرْكَانَ
عَرْشِكَ وَ بِقُدْرَتِكَ الَّتِيْ قَدَرْتَ بِهَا عَلٰى جَمِيْعِ خَلْقِكَ وَ
بِرَحْمَتِكَ الَّتِيْ وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْ‏ءٍ لَا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اَنْتَ يَا مُبْدِيُ
يَا مُعِيْدُلَا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اَنْتَ يَا اِلٰهَ  الْبَشَرِ يَا عَظِيْمُ الْخَطَرِ مِنْكَ
الطَّلَبِ وَ اِلاَيْكَ الْهَرَبِ وَقَعَ بِالْفَرَجِ يَا مُغِيْثُ اَغِثْنِيْ.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. O Allah,
O the Loving, the Loving. O Lord of the Glorious Throne. O He, Who is the
mighty doer of whatever He wills, I ask You through the light of Your face;
through which You raised the pillars of Your Arsh. And through Your power,
which You destined for all Your creatures and through Your mercy, which
encompasses all the things. There is no god, except You. O the initiator and
the returner. There is no god, except You. O the God of humans O the one of
great consequence. From You is the entreaty and flight is towards You. Which is
there with wideness. O refuge-giver give refuge to me. O refuge-giver give
refuge to me. O refuge-giver give refuge to me.
Fifth: Dua Faraj narrated in the book of Mafatihun
Najaah
of Mohaqqiq Sabzawari and its initial words being:

بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّیْ اَساَلُكَ يَا اللهُ يَا اللهُ يَا

اللهُ يَا مَنْ عَلاَ فَقَهَرَ يَا مَنْ مَلَكَ فَقَدَرَ يَا مَنْ بَطَنَ
فَخَبَرَ يَا مَنْ عُبِدَ فَشَكَرَ يَا مَنْ عُصِيَ فَغَفَرَ يَا مَنْ لاَ
تَحْوِيْهِ الْفِكَرُ يَا مَنْ لاَ يُدْرِكُهُ بَصَرٌ يَا مَنْ لاَ يَخْفٰى
عَلَيْهِ اَثَرٌ يَا رَازِقَ الْبَشَرِ يَا مُقَدِّرَ كُلِّ قَدَرٍ.
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. O Allah!
Indeed I ask You O Allah, O Allah, O Allah. O God of the entire Creation, O He,
Who is high and dominant, O He, Who is masterful and powerful, O He, Who is
hidden and aware, O He, Who is worshipped and who appreciates, O He, Who is
disobeyed and yet forgives, O He, Whom thought cannot encompass, O He, Whom
eyes cannot see, O He, from Whom nothing is concealed, O Provider of sustenance
to mankind, O He, Who ordained all destinies.
And so on, and it is a long Dua.

[1]
  Farajul Mahmoon fee Taareekh Ulama
Nujoom
, pp. 245-247
[2]
  Behaarul Anwaar, vol. 92, pp.
200-201; and, vol. 88, pp. 349-350; and, vol. 51, pp. 304-305.
[3]
  Dalaaelul Imaamah, pp. 551-552
[4]
  Ja’fariyat, p. 248
[5]
  Behaarul Anwaar, vol. 84, p. 281