YA ‘ALIMAL HAL

Written by:

Imam Abdullah bin ‘Alawi al-Haddad 

يَا عَالِمَ السِّرِ مِنَّا   لَا تَهْتِكِ السِّتْرَ عَنَّا
وَعَافِنَا وَاعْفُ عَنَّا   وَكُنْ لَّنَا حَيْثُ كُنَّا

O Knower of our secrets, do not remove (Your) protective veil from us. Exempt us, forgive us, and be there for us wherever we are.

يَا رَبِّ يَا عَالِمَ الْحَالْ   إِلَيْكَ وَجَّهْتُ الْآمَالْ
فَامْنُنْ عَلَيْنَا بِالْاِقْبَالْ   وَكُنْ لَّنَا وَاصْلِحِ الْبَالْ

O my God, Knower of our condition, I direct my hopes to You. Grace us with Your attention, be with us and set right our affairs.

يَا رَبِّ يَا رَبَّ الْاَرْبَابْ   عَبْدُكْ فَقِيرُكْ عَلَى الْبَابْ
أَتَى وَقَدْ بَتَّ الْاَسْبَابْ   مُسْتَدْرِكًا بَعْدَ مَامَالْ

O my God! God of all gods! Your bondsman, Your destitute one is at Your door. He has come while all causes have been severed, realising the error of his ways after having faltered.

يَا عَالِمَ السِّرِ مِنَّا   لَا تَهْتِكِ السِّتْرَ عَنَّا
وَعَافِنَا وَاعْفُ عَنَّا   وَكُنْ لَّنَا حَيْثُ كُنَّا

O Knower of our secrets, do not remove (Your) protective veil from us. Exempt us, forgive us, and be there for us wherever we are.

يَا مُوجِدَ الْخَلْقِ طُرًّا   وَمُوسِعَ الْكُلِّ بِرَّا
أَسْأَلُكَ اسْبَالَ سِتْرَا   عَلَى الْقَبَا ئِحْ وَالْاَخْطَالْ

O Originator of creations, Your Goodness suffices all existence. I beg of You to cover up our vile deeds and idle speech.

يَا عَالِمَ السِّرِ مِنَّا   لَا تَهْتِكِ السِّتْرَ عَنَّا
وَعَافِنَا وَاعْفُ عَنَّا   وَكُنْ لَّنَا حَيْثُ كُنَّا

O Knower of our secrets, do not remove (Your) protective veil from us. Exempt us, forgive us, and be there for us wherever we are.

يَا مَنْ يَرَى سِرَّ قَلْبِي   حَسْبِي اطِّلَا عُكَ حَسْبِي
فَامْحُ بِعَفْوِكَ ذَنْبِي   وَاصْلِحْ قُصُودِي وَالْاَعْمَالْ

O Seer of the secrets of my heart, it is enough for me that You look at me. Wipe away my sins with Your forgiveness, and set my intentions and actions aright.

رَبِّي عَلَيْكَ اعْتِمَادِي   كَمَاإِلَيْكَ اسْتِنَادِي
صِدْقًا وَأَقْصَى مُرَادِي   رِضَاؤُكَ الدَّائِمُ الْحَالْ

O my God! I rely on You, just as much as I depend on You. Truly, my utmost desire is Your Eternal Satisfaction.

يَا عَالِمَ السِّرِ مِنَّا   لَا تَهْتِكِ السِّتْرَ عَنَّا
وَعَافِنَا وَاعْفُ عَنَّا   وَكُنْ لَّنَا حَيْثُ كُنَّا

O Knower of our secrets, do not remove (Your) protective veil from us. Exempt us, forgive us, and be there for us wherever we are.

 يَا رَبِّ يَا رَبِّ إِنِّي   أَسْأَلُكَ الْعَفْوَ عَنِّي
وَلَمْ يَخِبْ فِيكَ ظَنِّي   يَا مَالِكَ الْمُلْكِ يَاوَالْ

O my God! O my God! I beg Your forgiveness. My good opinion of You will never waiver, O Sovereign, King of the Dominion.

أَشْكُو إِلَيْكَ وَأَبْكِي   مِنْ شُؤْمِ ظُلْمِي وَإِفْكِي
وَسُوءِ فِعْلِي وَتَرْكِي   وَشَهْوَةِ الْقِيلْ وَالْقَالْ

I complain to You and I cry over my wrongdoings and falsehoods. My evil deeds and negligence, my lust for idle gossip.

يَا عَالِمَ السِّرِ مِنَّا   لَا تَهْتِكِ السِّتْرَ عَنَّا
وَعَافِنَا وَاعْفُ عَنَّا   وَكُنْ لَّنَا حَيْثُ كُنَّا

O Knower of our secrets, do not remove (Your) protective veil from us. Exempt us, forgive us, and be there for us wherever we are.

وَحُبِّ دُنْيَا ذَمِيمَةْ   مِنْ كُلِّ خَيْرٍ عَقِيمَةْ
فِيهَا الْبَلَايَا مُقِيمَةْ   وَحَشْوُهَا آفَاتْ وَاشْغَالْ

And my love for this wicked world which is barren of all virtue. Loaded with calamities, filled with troubles and distractions.

يَا وَيْحَ نَفْسِي  الْغَوِيَّةْ   عَنِ السَّبِيلِ السَّوِيَّةْ
أَضْحَتْ تُرَوِّجْ عَلَيَّةْ   وَقَصْدُهَا الْجَاهْ وَالْمَالْ

Woe upon my deviating soul, straying from the right path. Goading me on to chase after fame and fortune.

يَا عَالِمَ السِّرِ مِنَّا   لَا تَهْتِكِ السِّتْرَ عَنَّا
وَعَافِنَا وَاعْفُ عَنَّا   وَكُنْ لَّنَا حَيْثُ كُنَّا

O Knower of our secrets, do not remove (Your) protective veil from us. Exempt us, forgive us, and be there for us wherever we are.

يَا رَبِّ قَدْ غَلَبَتْنِي   وَبِالْأَمَا نِي سَبَتْنِي
وَفِي الْحُظُوظِ كَبَتْنِي   وَقَيَّدَتْنِي بِالْاَكْبَالْ

O my God, it has overpowered me and imprisoned me with desires. It subdues me with prosperity, and shackles me in chains.

قَدِاسْتَعَنْتُكَ رَبِّي   عَلَى مُدَاوَاةِ قَلْبِي
وَحَلِّ عُقْدَةِ كَرْبِي   فَانْظُرْ إِلَى الْغَمِّ يَنْجَالْ

I beg You, O my God, cure my heart. Release me from distress, look (kindly) on my sorrow and dispel it.

يَا عَالِمَ السِّرِ مِنَّا   لَا تَهْتِكِ السِّتْرَ عَنَّا
وَعَافِنَا وَاعْفُ عَنَّا   وَكُنْ لَّنَا حَيْثُ كُنَّا

O Knower of our secrets, do not remove (Your) protective veil from us. Exempt us, forgive us, and be there for us wherever we are.

يَا رَبِّ يَا خَيْرَ كَافِي   أُحْلُلْ عَلَيْنَا الْعَوَافِي
فَلَيْسَ شَيءْ ثُمَّ خَافِي   عَلَيْكَ تَفْصِيلْ وَاجْمَالْ

O my God! Your Goodness suffices us, grace us with well-being. There is nothing in existence, whether general or specific, hidden from Your Sight.

يَا رَبِّ عَبْدُكْ بِبَابِكْ   يَخْشَى أَلِيمَ عَذَابِكْ
وَيَرْتَجِي لِثَوَا بِكْ   وَغَيْثُ رَحْمَتِكْ هَطَّالْ

O my God! Your bondsman is at Your door, fearing the pain of Your Punishment. Longing for Your Reward when the relief of Your Mercy rains down.

يَا عَالِمَ السِّرِ مِنَّا   لَا تَهْتِكِ السِّتْرَ عَنَّا
وَعَافِنَا وَاعْفُ عَنَّا   وَكُنْ لَّنَا حَيْثُ كُنَّا

O Knower of our secrets, do not remove (Your) protective veil from us. Exempt us, forgive us, and be there for us wherever we are.

وَقَدْ أَتَاكَ بِعُذْرِهِ   وَبِانْكِسَارِهْ وَفَقْرِهْ
فَاهْزِمْ بِيُسْرِكَ عُسْرِهْ   بِمَحْضِ جُودِكْ وَالْاِفْضَالْ

Coming to You with an apology, humble and poor. So with Your Felicity, Generosity and sheer Favour, ease the supplicant’s distress.

وَامْنُنْ عَلَيْهِ بِتَوْبَةْ   تَغْسِلْهُ مِنْ كُلِّ حَوْبَةْ
وَاعْصِمْهُ مِنْ شَرِّ أَوْبَهْ   لِكُلِّ مَا عَنْهُ قَدْ حَالْ

And bless him to repent in such a way that it will wash away his sins. And keep him from relapsing into evil, which he has resolved to turn away from.

يَا عَالِمَ السِّرِ مِنَّا   لَا تَهْتِكِ السِّتْرَ عَنَّا
وَعَافِنَا وَاعْفُ عَنَّا   وَكُنْ لَّنَا حَيْثُ كُنَّا

O Knower of our secrets, do not remove (Your) protective veil from us. Exempt us, forgive us, and be there for us wherever we are.

فَأَنْتَ مَوْلَى الْمَوَالِي   اَلْمُنْفَرِدْ بِالْكَمَالِ
وَبِالْعُلَى وَالتَّعَالِي   عَلَوْتَ عَنْ ضَرْبِ الْاَمْثَالْ

You are the Sovereign of all sovereigns, Alone in Perfection. In Exaltation and Sublimity, You transcend all comparison.

جُودُكْ وَفَضْلُكْ وَبِرُّكْ   يُرْجَى وَبَطْشُكْ وَقَهْرُكْ
يُخْشَى وَذِكْرُكْ وَشُكْرُكْ   لَازِمْ وَحَمْدُكْ وَالْاِجْلَالْ

Your Generosity, Bounty and Munificence are longed for. Your Punishment and coercive Power are feared. You are forever worthy of Remembrance, Thanks, Praise and Exaltation.

يَا عَالِمَ السِّرِ مِنَّا   لَا تَهْتِكِ السِّتْرَ عَنَّا
وَعَافِنَا وَاعْفُ عَنَّا   وَكُنْ لَّنَا حَيْثُ كُنَّا

O Knower of our secrets, do not remove (Your) protective veil from us. Exempt us, forgive us, and be there for us wherever we are.

يَا رَبِّ أَنْتَ نَصِيرِي   فَلَقِّنِي كُلَّ خَيْرِ
وَاجْعَلْ جِنَا نَكْ مَصِيرِي   وَاخْتِمْ بِالْاِيمَانِ الْآجَالْ

O my Lord! You are my Helper, so allow me to meet with all good. Make Your Paradise my destination, and bring my life to a close upon faith.

وَصَلِّ فِي كُلِّ حَالَةْ   عَلَى مُزِيلِ الضَّلَالَهْ
مَنْ كَلَّمَتْهُ الْغَزَالَةْ   مُحَمَّدٍ الْهَادِي الدَّالْ

And bestow Your Salutations always upon the dispeller of misguidance. Whom the gazelle has spoken to Muhammad, the guide.

يَا عَالِمَ السِّرِ مِنَّا   لَا تَهْتِكِ السِّتْرَ عَنَّا
وَعَافِنَا وَاعْفُ عَنَّا   وَكُنْ لَّنَا حَيْثُ كُنَّا

O Knower of our secrets, do not remove (Your) protective veil from us. Exempt us, forgive us, and be there for us wherever we are.

وَالْحَمْدُ اللّٰهِ شُكْرَا   عَلَى نِعَمْ مِنْهُ تَتْرَى
نَحْمَدْهُ سِرًّا وَجَهْرَا   وَبِالْغَدَايَا وَالْآصَالْ

Praise and Thanks be to Allah for His boundless Bounties. We Praise Him secretly and openly, day and night.