16- Then through Thy reminding me...

16- Then through Thy reminding me, I was aroused from my heedlessness, through Thy giving success, I stood up from my slip, and through Thy pointing the way, I returned and withdrew from my stumble. 17- I said: Glory to my Lord! How can the needy ask from the needy? How can the destitute beseech the destitute? 18- So I went straight to Thee, my God, in beseeching, and I sent Thee my hope with trust in Thee.

19- I came to know that the many I request from Thee are few before Thy wealth, the weighty I ask from Thee is vile before Thy plenty; Thy generosity is not constrained by anyone's asking, Thy hand is higher in bestowing gifts than every hand! 20- O God, so bless Muhammad and his Household, take me through Thy generosity to Thy gratuitous bounty and take me not through Thy justice to what I deserve!

I am not the first beseecher to beseech Thee and Thou bestowed upon him while he deserved withholding, nor am I the first to ask from Thee and Thou wast bounteous toward him while he merited deprivation.

21- O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, respond to my supplication, come near my call, have mercy on my pleading, listen to my voice, 22- cut not short my hope for Thee, sever not my thread to Thee, turn not my face in this my need, and other needs, away from Thee, 23- attend for my sake to the fulfillment of my request, the granting of my need, and the attainment of what I have asked before I leave this place through Thy making easy for me the difficult and Thy excellent ordainment for me in all affairs!

24- Bless Muhammad and his Household with a permanent, ever-growing blessing, whose perpetuity has no cutting off and whose term knows no limit, and make that a help to me and a cause for the granting of my request! Thou art Boundless, Generous! 25- And of my needs, My Lord, are such and such.

HERE YOU SHOULD STATE YOUR NEEDS, THEN PROSTRATE YOURSELF, AND SAY IN YOUR PROSTRATION Thy bounty has comforted me and Thy beneficence has shown the way, So I ask Thee by Thee and by Muhammad and his Household (Thy blessings be upon them) that Thou sendest me not back in disappointment! [^1]: Reference to such Qur'anic verses as: O people, you are the poor toward God, and He is without need, praiseworthy (35:15). Previous…