69. The Whispered Prayer of the Repenters

In the Name of God, the All-merciful, the All-compassionate

1- My God, offenses have clothed me
in the garment of my lowliness,
separation from Thee has wrapped me
in the clothing of my misery!
My dreadful crimes have deadened my heart,
so bring it to life by a repentance from Thee!
O my hope and my aim!
O my wish and my want!
By Thy might,
I find no one but Thee to forgive my sins
and I see none but Thee to mend my brokenness!
I have subjected myself to Thee in repeated turning,
I have humbled myself to Thee in abasement.
If Thou castest me out from Thy door,
in whom shall I take shelter?
If Thou repellest me from Thy side,
in whom shall I seek refuge?
O my grief at my ignominy and disgrace!
O my sorrow at my evil works and what I have committed!

2- I ask Thee, O Forgiver of great sins,
O Mender of broken bones,
to overlook my ruinous misdeeds
and cover my disgraceful secret thoughts!
At the witnessing place of the Resurrection,
empty me not
of the coolness of Thy pardon and forgiveness,
and strip me not
of Thy beautiful forbearance and covering!

3- My God,
let the cloud of Thy mercy cast its shadow
upon my sins
and send the billow of Thy clemency
flowing over my faults!

4- My God does the runaway servant go back but to his master or does anyone grant sanctuary to him from HIS anger but HE

5- My God,
if remorse for sins is a repentance,306
I - by Thy might - am one of the remorseful!
If praying forgiveness for offenses is an alleviation,
I am one of those who pray forgiveness!
To Thee I return
that Thou may be well pleased!

6- My God,
through Thy power over me,
turn toward me,
through Thy clemency toward me,
pardon me,
and through Thy knowledge of me,
be gentle toward me!

7- My God,
Thou art He who hast opened a door to Thy pardon
and named it 'repentance',
for Thou said,
Repent to God with unswerving repentance.307
What is the excuse
of him who remains heedless of entering the door
after its opening?

8- My God,
though the sins of Thy servant are ugly,
Thy pardon is beautiful.

9- My God,
I am not the first
to have disobeyed Thee,
and Thou turned toward him,
or to have sought to attain Thy favour,
and Thou wert munificent toward him.
O Responder to the distressed!
O Remover of injury!
O Great in goodness!
O Knower of everything secret!
O Beautiful through covering over!
I seek Thy munificence and Thy generosity
to intercede with Thee,
I seek Thy side and Thy showing mercy
to mediate with Thee,
so grant my supplication,
disappoint not my hope in Thee,
accept my repentance,
and hide my offense,
through Thy kindness and mercy,
O Most Merciful of the merciful!