Praise
Laka'l-Hamd
Praise be to You O Possessor of Kindness,
Pardoner, Who veils what is past.
Even my praise is just one of Your blessings,
You whose pure goodness is vast.
Praise be to You by the number of raindrops,
And by the stones and the sand,
And by the number of fish in the ocean,
And all the plants on the land.
Praise be to You by the ants beyond number
And all the jinn and mankind,
By the expanse of the Throne and the heavens,
Where countless stars pearl-like shine.
And by the vastness of space and the Tablet
And the Footstool and moist clay,
And by the number of all of the beings
Right up until the Last Day.
Praise be to You O my Lord and my Master
In the amount that You're due,
For if my praises last all time's duration
Still they will be far too few.
Praise be to You O Bestower of bounty,
Giver of gifts without end.
You are the One who gives help to Your people
From You their openings descend.
Praise be to You with each breath that comes from me,
And with my body and heart.
Look with compassion upon a poor servant,
Who is perplexed on his part.
While it is true that my many wrong actions
Are an impossible weight,
Yet good opinion of You gives me hope of
Healing for my broken state.
Grant us repentance, O Ever-Forgiving,
For all the wrong we have done,
To an extent that will undo the damage
Caused by the years that have gone.
Give us an increase of spiritual blessings
And of unveilings and light.
And make us firm through unfailing right guidance,
Passed on with idhn and insight.
Help us regarding the words which come from us
And in the way that we act.
Ease the way for us to gain our provision
From where we do not expect.
Here we are standing in front of the doorway
Of Your great favour and grace
Waiting expectantly for our Beloved's
Welcome without interface.
Let us taste swiftly Your unfettered blessing
Answerer of every prayer
For You are generous, Possessor of goodness,
Whose blessings reach everywhere.
Your endless bounty continues regardless
Whether we are there or no.
Your generosity pours out upon us
Never held back in its flow.
Give us sincerity in being thankful,
Something which from us is due,
Which, far from causing us loss, gives us increase,
And yet more blessings ensue.
Break us out from our imprisoning bodies
That, when our spirits have soared
Into the world of the spirits, we gather
Gratitude's priceless reward.
Then let us witness the meaning of essence
In all the things we perceive,
So that our witnessing grows ever stronger
Both in our hardship and ease.
Then let us die to our selves and continue,
Going on by You alone,
Joining by this all the heirs of the Secret -
People by whom it is known.
For Your command to a thing when You want it
Is merely "Be" and it is.
So please arrange things for us with intention
And with no subterfuges.
Pour out Your blessing with all of the various
Forms of perfection and grace
Down upon Ahmad our guide and our leader
To the pure light of Your Face.
And on his family and noble Companions
And upon all those who ask
For expansion for the writer who took on
Writing these lines as his task.
Teach us O Lord through your Prophet, Muhammad,
Gentle, compassionate guide,
Knowledges that will bring benefit to us
On the Day when we all rise.
And reinforce us with light from Your Presence
In every moment we have,
And make us firm at the seal of our lives and
At our deaths and in the grave.