72. The Whispered Prayer of the Hopeful

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

1- O He who
gives to a servant
who asks from Him,
takes him to his wish
when he expectantly hopes for what is with Him,
brings him near and close
when he approaches Him,
covers over his sin and cloaks it
when he shows it openly,
and satisfies and suffices him
when he has confidence in Him!

2- My God,
who is the one who has come before Thee
seeking hospitality,
and whom Thou hast not received hospitably?
Who is the one who has dismounted at Thy door
hoping for magnanimity,
and to whom Thou hast not shown it?
Is it good that I come back from Thy door,
turned away in disappointment,
while I know of no patron qualified by beneficence but Thee?
How should I have hope in other than Thee,
when the good - all of it - is in Thy hand?312
How should I expect from others,
when Thine are the creation and the command?313
Should I cut off my hope for Thee,
when Thou hast shown me of Thy bounty
that for which I have not asked?
Wouldst Thou make me have need for my like?
But I hold fast to Thy cord!
O He through whose mercy
the strivers reach felicity
and through whose vengeance
the seekers of forgiveness are not made wretched!
How should I forget Thee,
while Thou never ceasest remembering me?
How should I be diverted from Thee
while Thou art my constant watcher?

3- My God,
I have fastened my hand
to the skirt of Thy generosity,
I have stretched forth my expectation
toward reaching Thy gifts,
so render me pure through the purest profession of Thy Unity,
and appoint me one of Thy choice servants!
O He who is the asylum of every fleer,
the hope of every seeker!
O Best Object of hope!
O Most Generous Object of supplication!
O He who does not reject His asker
or disappoint the expectant!
O He whose door is open to His supplicators
and whose veil is lifted for those who hope in Him!
I ask Thee by Thy generosity to show kindness toward me
through Thy gifts,
with that which will gladden my eye,
through hope in Thee,
with that which will give serenity to my soul,
and through certainty
with that which
will make easy for me the afflictions of this world
and lift from my insight the veils of blindness!
By Thy mercy,
O Most Merciful of the merciful!