Al-Jaushan Al-Sagheer Supplication

This supplication is narrated on the authority of the seventh Imam Musa al-Kazim, peace be upon him, and it is said that it is a very effective supplication, having all the merits of al Jawshan al Kabir.

"Sayyid ibn Tawus in his book Muhaj al dawat have narrated that Imam Kazim (a.s.) used to recite this supplication when he knew that the Abbaside caliph was planning to kill him"

[1] My God, many an enemy drew up the sword of hostility against me, honed the dagger's edge, sharpened the arrows' points, made ready deadly poisons, leveled his bow at me, and, keeping an eye on me, harbored evil thoughts to force me to swallow, against my will, the deadly bitter poison.

Thou came to know that I am too weak to bear hardships and too exhausted to withstand misfortunes, and took notice of my shortcoming that I cannot confront the enemy who had planned to attack me, and perceived my isolation amid the multitude of gathering enemies, sitting in ditches, ready to pounce upon me, while I gave no thought to sitting in ambush and retaliating. So with Thy might, Thou came to stand by me, and Thy help made me strong and disappointed him in spite of the larger number [of his forces], by rendering his weapons unserviceable. And Thou gave me the upper hand over him by catching him in the very trap he laid for me, and threw him into the abyss he dug for me, and gave no hand to his grudging deed, and did not allow him to assuage the fury of his anger. Biting his thumb, he turned back on his heels, and his comrades, ashamed, dispersed in haste.

So praise be to Thee, O Lord, in [Thy] invulnerable Omnipotence, and prudent Forbearance. Bless Mohammad and the family of Mohammad, and let me be among those who thank Thee for Thy bounties and remember Thee for Thy favours.

[2] My God, many a disobedient tyrant has tried treacherously to oppress me, has laid traps to catch me, was continuously spying on me, and, like a beast of prey who lies in wait for his prey, has tried to surprise me, whereas in public he received me with open arms and a welcoming smile on his face, as if innocent.

So when Thou took notice of his clandestine trickery and foul play and the fact that in spite of professing the same faith he was devising schemes to injure me, then Thou contemptuously caught hold of him and threw him down headlong, completely destroying him; after which he found himself in the ditch he had dug for me, smeared with the dust below his feet poverty and disease overtook him. Thus Thou rewarded him in kind by making the stones and arrows he hurled at me rebound upon him, and by putting his own rope around his neck. Shame and disappointment came upon him, he suffered disgrace and dishonour, his pride and arrogance gave way to humility, his power turned into helplessness, and finally, at the last moment, when he was sure to overwhelm me, he fell into his own trap and was caught and bound with the rope made for me in the days of his authority.

In fact it was me who would have suffered likewise if Thou, O my Lord, had not come to my rescue with Thy mercy.
So praise be to Thee, O Lord, in [Thy] invulnerable Omnipotence, and prudent Forbearance. Bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, and let me be among those who thank Thee for Thy bounties and remember Thee for Thy favours.

[3] My God, many an envier, sick in his throat with grudges and choked up with anger, has cast a slur on me in an attempt to hurt me with his loose talk and to brand me unfairly with his own defects, slyly frowned upon me, exposed my integrity to his insinuating remarks, and wrongly put the burden of his sins on my shoulders. Therefore, I called upon Thee, O my Lord, expecting to receive Thy help, believing in Thy prompt response, confident of Thy immediate action to disperse the affliction, a fact of which I have always been aware, and knowing full well that whoever comes under Thy merciful protection is never betrayed, and whoever turns to Thee for help is never turned out. So Thou preserved me in safety from the harm of his threats, and through Thy All-Prevailing Power put an end to his evil schemes.

So praise be to Thee, O Lord, in [Thy] invulnerable Omnipotence, and prudent Forbearance. Bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, and let me be among those who thank Thee for Thy bounties and remember Thee for Thy favours.

[4] My God, many a dark cloud bearing sorrow and misery has been dispersed by Thee; Thy blessings have dropped from the heavens like gentle rain, and Thy favours have flowed like abounding rivers; Thou hast dried up the source of misfortune, bestowed extra benefits, made available reliable protection, kept away violent calamities, and set forth events [in my favour], in strict compliance with Thy commands, never going wayward, and moving on the appointed course, never overstepping.

So praise be to Thee, O Lord, in [Thy] invulnerable Omnipotence, and prudent Forbearance. Bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, and let me be among those who thank Thee for Thy bounties and remember Thee for Thy favours.

My God, many a hopeful expectation I cherished which Thou realized; and Thou blocked the inroad of poverty into my life, neutralized the severity of mortal calamities, and removed many a hardship.

Thou art not accountable for what Thou does, whereas others are. Thou give out everything but never run short of anything. Thou bestow whenever beseeched, and many a time takes the initiative. Thy benefaction never falls short of expectations. It is not for Thee, O Lord, to be less than rewarding, obliging, benevolent, and beneficent.

Although Thou went on bestowing benefits, favours, and bounties, I failed to observe Thy prohibitions, took liberties, and, unmindful of Thy warnings, gave in to my adversary and did not oppose Thy enemy.

My God and my helper, I was guilty of not being thankful for Thy beneficence, because of which I could not prevent myself making mistakes.

My God, here stands Thy humble servant, who knows and testifies that Thou art one, and makes admission of falling short of discharging his duty towards Thee, and gives evidence of Thy countless blessings and excellent kindness and abundant good. So, my God, my Master, mercifully give me what I want through Thy mercy, so that I may aspire for Thy mercy, and through it reach the height where Thy approval is available and where there is freedom from Thy displeasure, in the name of Thy Might and overswaying Power, and for the sake of Thy Prophet, Muhammad, may the blessings of Allah be upon him and upon his family.

So praise be to Thee, O Lord, in [Thy] invulnerable Omnipotence, and prudent Forbearance. Bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, and let me be among those who thank Thee for Thy bounties and remember Thee for Thy favours.

[6] My God, many a living being suffers the constant agony of death, day in, day out, and hears the rattling sound passing through his gasping throat. What he stands face to face with makes his heart tremble with fear, and a cold feverish shivering runs through the body, but I am kept free from this terrible experience.

So praise be to Thee, O Lord, in [Thy] invulnerable Omnipotence, and prudent Forbearance. Bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, and let me be among those who thank Thee for Thy bounties and remember Thee for Thy favours.

[7] My God, many a living being is ailing, day in, day out, suffering pain, on the threshold of death, restless and crying in anguish, finding no relief. Neither food nor drinks pass easily down his throat, both are tasteless, but I am safe and sound, living a peaceful and easy life, on account of Thy kind attention and care.

So praise be to Thee, O Lord, in [Thy] invulnerable Omnipotence, and prudent Forbearance. Bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, and let me be among those who thank Thee for Thy bounties and remember Thee for Thy favours.

[8] My God, many a living being is constantly in fear, terrified, sleepless, forsaken, alone, timid, fugitive, exiled, petrified, caught in distress, running away in frustration, and in the wide world, there is no place to rest for a while, neither can devise or find a way out, or escape, but I am safe, secure, satisfied, and comfortable.

So praise be to Thee, O Lord, in [Thy] invulnerable Omnipotence, and prudent Forbearance. Bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, and let me be among those who thank Thee for Thy bounties and remember Thee for Thy favours.

[9] My God and Master, many a living being is oppressed and kept prisoner, day after day, under the harsh control of ruthless enemies and infidels, separated from his family and children, cut off from his friends and home, imagining how death will come, and how torture will beset him, but I am safe from all this.

So praise be to Thee, O Lord, in [Thy] invulnerable Omnipotence, and prudent Forbearance. Bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, and let me be among those who thank Thee for Thy bounties and remember Thee for Thy favours.

[10] My God, many a living being is constantly in the midst of fierce wars, and is challenged in the battlefield. Surrounded by the armed enemy on all sides, shaking feverishly inside his amour, trying desperately to use artifices and schemes to get out of a tight situation, yet finding none is finally reduced to pieces with cuts and wounds, falling down on the ground in the pool of his own blood, struggling in vain under the pounding hooves and boots to lay hands on water, or to have a glimpse of those dear to him, but I am safe from all this.

[11] So praise be to Thee, O Lord, in [Thy] invulnerable Omnipotence, and prudent Forbearance. Bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, and let me be among those who thank Thee for Thy bounties and remember Thee for Thy favours.

My God, many a living being, day in, day out, drifts over the perilous seas, in the midst of terrifying hurricanes and surging waves, sure of death by drowning, yet is unable to attain safety. There are others who are hit by lightning, or buried alive under destroyed buildings, or consumed by fire, or thrown into deep waters, or suffocated, or drowned, or emaciated, or stoned to death. But I am safe from all this.

So praise be to Thee, O Lord, in [Thy] invulnerable Omnipotence, and prudent Forbearance. Bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, and let me be among those who thank Thee for Thy bounties and remember Thee for Thy favours.

[12] My God, many a living being journeys in foreign lands, far away from kith and kin, wandering in frustration, alone, lost among the beasts and reptiles, unable to find a way out, enduring the torture of extreme cold, heat, and thirst, stripped of clothing, in addition to many other hardships which I have been spared.

So praise be to Thee, O Lord, in [Thy] invulnerable Omnipotence, and prudent Forbearance. Bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, and let me be among those who thank Thee for Thy bounties and remember Thee for Thy favours

My God and Master, many a living being is poor, needy, exposed, unemployed, trembling, striving, afraid, starving, thirsty, and looking for someone who may lend a hand, or expecting that one of Thy more devoted and close servants will come to his rescue, subdued by the heavy load of hard labour, tired from burdensome servitude, short of provisions, encumbered with taxes, surrounded by terrible calamities, and cannot turn to anyone but Thee to driving away disasters, but I have men who obey me, I enjoy a pleasant life, I am privileged and honoured, and I am safe from his misfortunes.

So praise be to Thee, O Lord, in [Thy] invulnerable Omnipotence, and prudent Forbearance. Bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, and let me be among those who thank Thee for Thy bounties and remember Thee for Thy favours.

[14] My God and Master, many a living being, day in, day out, wanders in exile, dismayed, bewildered, hungry, and scared, cut off from civilization, lost in deserts and jungles, burnt by the scorching sun and withered away by extreme cold, deprived of comforts, lifeless, reduced to abject humiliation, and looks at reality in frustration, having no control over gain or loss, but I am free from all this on account of Thy Generosity and Kindness.

There is no God save Thee, O Lord, in [Thy] invulnerable Omnipotence, and prudent Forbearance. Bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, and let me be among those who thank Thee for Thy bounties and remember Thee for Thy favours, and have mercy on me, through Thy mercy, O Most Merciful.

[15] My God, my Lord and my Master, many a living being is constantly disabled, sick, ailing, bedridden by chronic disease, writhing with pain under the bedsheets, knowing not what the taste of food or drinks is, and looks at reality in frustration, having no control over gain or loss, but I am free from all this, on account of Thy Generosity and Kindness.

There is no God save Thee, O Lord, in [Thy] invulnerable Omnipotence, and prudent Forbearance. Bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, and let me be among those who thank Thee for Thy bounties and remember Thee for Thy favours, and have mercy on me, through Thy mercy, O Most Merciful.

[16] My God, my Lord, my Master, many a living being, day in, day out, lies on his deathbed, in the clutches of the angel of death; and in the hour of death, among his friends, looks about, right and left, silently directing his attention upon his comrades, colleagues, and dear ones, not able to talk to and prevented from conversing, and looks at reality in frustration, having no control over gain or loss, but I am free from all this on account of Thy Generosity and Kindness.

There is no God save Thee, O Lord, in [Thy] invulnerable Omnipotence, and prudent Forbearance. Bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, and let me be among those who thank Thee for Thy bounties and remember Thee for Thy favours, and have mercy on me, through Thy mercy, O Most Merciful.

[17] My God, my Lord and my Master, many a living being, day after day, is kept a prisoner in narrow gloomy corners, crying, groaning, humiliated, chained, insulted, harshly treated, pushed around, not knowing what is lying in wait or what punishment will be inflicted to set an example; deprived of comforts, short of provisions, he looks at reality in frustration, having no control over gain or loss, but I am free from all this, on account of Thy Generosity, and Kindness.

There is no God save Thee, O Lord, in [Thy] invulnerable Omnipotence, and prudent Forbearance. Bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, and let me be among those who thank Thee for Thy bounties and remember Thee for Thy favours, and have mercy on me, through Thy mercy, O Most Merciful.

[18] My God, my Lord and my Master, many a living being is permanently bound to the unalterable destiny of death which surrounds him on all sides; set apart from friends, colleagues, near and dear ones, he is a petty and meek slave in the hands of non-believing enemies, who hold him by the leash and keep him in chains, locked up in dark and damp underground holes from where he cannot see the bright and beautiful world; and he looks at reality in frustration, having no control over gain or loss; but I am free from all this on account of Thy Generosity and Kindness.

There is no God save Thee, O Lord, in [Thy] invulnerable Omnipotence, and prudent Forbearance. Bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, and let me be among those who thank Thee for Thy bounties and remember Thee for Thy favours, and have mercy on me, through Thy mercy, O Most Merciful.

[19] My God, my Lord and my Master, many a living being, day in, day out, runs after mundane interests, until greed of worldly gains lands him in trouble, and [he is like one who] jumps into a boat and find it breaking into many pieces, and from the cruel waves of the sea look at reality in frustration, having no control over gain or loss.

And I am free from all this on account of Thy Generosity and Thy Kindness. So there is no god save Thee, glory be to Thee in [Thy] invulnerable omnipotence and unhurried forbearance. Send blessings on Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, and let me be among those who thank Thee for Thy bounties and remember Thee for Thy favours, and have mercy on me, through Thy mercy, O Most Merciful.

[20] My God, My Lord and my Master, many a living being is permanently bound to the unchangeable destiny of death, and is surrounded by ill luck; infidels and enemies, with spears, swords, and arrows, come suddenly upon him and throw him to the ground which sucks up his blood, and beasts and birds of prey devour his flesh; but I am free from all this on account of Thy Generosity and Kindness, though I do not deserve Thy favour.

There is no God save Thee, O Lord, in [Thy] invulnerable Omnipotence, and prudent Forbearance. Bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, and let me be among those who thank Thee for Thy bounties and remember Thee for Thy favours, and have mercy on me, through Thy mercy, O Most Merciful.

[21] And in the name of Thy Authority and Majesty, O Generous One, I beg repeatedly for what is with Thee, and turn to Thee, and I humbly beseech Thee with outstretched hands, hands which have sinned. So I take refuge with Thee only, O my Lord, because otherwise whose protection may I seek? Unto whom may I turn for shelter? Therefore, I come under Thy protection, and I devote myself entirely to Thee, and to no one else. Wilt Thou turn me out? Thou art my last resort. I rely upon Thee and beseech Thee in Thy name which set up the heavens, made the earth stable and steady, elevated the mountains, overshadowed the night, and illuminated the day.

Bless Muhammad and the family of Muhammad; and satisfy all my wants, and forgive all my major and minor sins, and give me sufficient livelihood so that I may win distinction in this world and the next, O Most Merciful.

[22] My Master, I seek Thy help; bless Muhammad and his family, and give me Thy patronage.

I turn to Thee; so keep me fully satisfied with [Thy] recompense, so that I may serve Thee and beseech Thee, instead of going to others; and give me honourable sufficiency in place of dishonourable poverty, and substitute the weakness of disobedience with the strength of obedience.

Thou has given me preference over many a creature, and bestowed upon me favours and benefits, although I did not deserve them.

My God, praise be to Thee for all this, bless Muhammad and on the family of Muhammad, and let me be like those who thank Thee for [Thy] bounties and remember Thee for Thy favours; and have mercy on me, through Thy Mercy, O Most Merciful.

Then Prostrate and recite the following: The lowly and meek turns his face towards the Highest and the Mightiest.
The withered mortal forehead prostrates before the Everlasting, the Everliving.

The impoverished forehead prostrates before the Richest and the Greatest.

Prostrate before the Lord of the worlds, O my face, ears, eyes, flesh, blood, skin, and bones, and all that which is mine on this earth.

My God, give me Thy indulgence in return for my ignorance, in return for my poverty Thy Plenty, in return for my helplessness Thy Power and Authority, in return for my weakness Thy Strength, in return for my fear Thy Amnesty, in return for my offenses and errors Thy Forgiveness and Mercy, O Beneficent, O merciful.

O my God, with Thy help I will drive away misfortunes towards . . . [Mention here the name of your enemy with his father's name], and take refuge with Thee from his mischief. So keep me safe from him, as Thou kept safe Thy pious prophets and close friends among Thy creatures from the clutches of the disobedient Pharaohs; and I seek Thy shelter from the evil of all created things, through Thy Mercy, O Most Merciful.

Verily Thou art able to do all things, and for us Allah is sufficient, [He] is the best protector.