اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلني عِنْدَكَ وَجِيهَاً بالحُسَيْنِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ فِي الدُّنْيا والآخِرَة

O Allah, make me distinguished near You through al-Husayn (‘a) in this world and the Hereafter.

اللَّهُمَّ

O Allah

Commentary

Originally, the phrase Allahumma was ya Allah, and thereafter the vocative partical ya was removed and the letter mim was affixed to “Allah” instead. This view is endorsed by Khalil al-Farahidi, Sibawayh, and all the grammarians of Basrah1.

The reason why the vocative particle ya is used despite Almighty Allah being nearer to the human being than his jugular vein is either for veneration or the expression of one’s remoteness. The za’ir realises that the distance between him and the Absolute Perfect Being is infinite, and thus, calls upon Him in veneration.

In some supplications we also address Almighty Allah as ya Ba’idu (O Remote One). For example, in a supplication recited while touching one’s chest with the pillar beside the black stone (al-hajar al-aswad) of the Ka’bah, we are taught to say:

يَا وَاحِدُ يَا أَحَدُ يَا صَمَدُ يَا قَرِيبُ يَا عَزِيزُ يَا مَاجِدُ يَا قَوِيُّ يَا عَزِيزُ يَا حَكِيمُ لاَ تَذَرْنِي فَرْداً وَأَنتَ خَيْرُ الْوَارِثِينَ هَبْ لي مِنْ لَدُنْكَ ذُرِّيَّةً طَيِّبَةً إِنَّكَ سَمِيعُ الدُّعَاء

O One, O Non-composite, O Glorious, O the Near One, O the Remote One, O Invincible, O Wise, do not leave me alone and you are the Best of Inheritors; gift me from Your proximity pleasant offspring; indeed, you are the Listener of supplication2.

In another supplication narrated in Iqbal al-A’mal, we are taught to say:

يا حَلِيمُ يَا معيد يا متداني يا بعيد يا رؤف يا رحيم يا كَرِيمُ يا غفور

O Forbearing One, O Returner, O Near One, O Remote One...3

In the well-known supplication of al-Iftitah we recite:

الذي بَعُدَ فَلاَ يُرَى وَقَرُبَ فَشَهِدَ النَّجْوَى تَبَارَكَ وتَعَالى

…Who is Distant and thus, cannot be seen, and Close, and thus, witnesses the whisperings [of the whisperers], the Plentiful and Exalted4.

In another supplication where we mention the Beautiful Names of Allah, we say:

يا بَعِيداً فِي قُرْبِهِ

O Distant in His Proximity5

Therefore, it is the general realisation of such remoteness that allows us to call Almighty Allah, and thus, venerate Him.

اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلني عِنْدَكَ وَجِيهَاً بالحُسَيْنِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلامُ

O Allah, make me distinguished near You through al-Husayn (‘a)

Ij’alni in the phrase “Allahumma ij’alni…” is an imperative verb which is employed here for supplication. It means “make me” or “render me”. The transitive verb ja’ala is of two kinds:

• Singly Transitive Ja’l (al-ja’l al-basit)

• Doubly Transitive Ja’l (al-ja’l al-murakkab)

The singly transitive ja’l refers to that transitive verb of ja’l which accepts only one object (maf’ul bihi), whereas the doubly transitive ja’l requires two objects.

An example of the first category is the following supplication:

اللّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ فِي قَلْبِي نُورًا

O Allah place in my heart a light6.

Notice the verb ij’al here is followed by only one object, which is “nuran” (a light).

Examples of the second category are the following supplications:

اللّهُمَّ اجْعَلْ عَمَلِي خَالِصًا لِوَجْهِكَ الْكَرِيمِ

O Allah, make my action purely for your Great Essence.7

Here the verb ij’al is followed by two objects, “‘amali” (my action) and “khalisan…” (purely…).

اللهمَّ اجعلْني تابِعاً لِصالِحي مَنْ مَضى مِنْ أَوْلِيائِكَ

O Allah, make me a follower of the righteous among your preceding close servants8.

Here again the verb ij’al is followed by two objects, “ya’” (me) attached to ij’al (which is a first-person singular pronoun that refers to the speaker) and “tabi’an” (which means one who follows). Hence, “ij’alni tabi’an…” means “make me a follower of…”.

In our case, the ja’l employed in the phrase “Allahumma ij’alni ‘indaka…” is of the second category of ja’l. Its first object is the first-person pronoun ya’ attached to ij’al, and its second object is wajihan, the meaning of which we shall soon discuss.

The word ‘inda in the phrase ‘indaka is an adverb of place which signifies proximity and closeness. Hence, when the second person masculine pronoun kaf which denotes Almighty Allah is attached to it, it signifies the neighbourhood of Allah. Therefore, when we say ij’anli ‘indaka, we mean “make me near You…” or “make me in Your proximity…”

The word wajih is defined as “one who is in possession of a rank, loftiness, and standing (dhu al-jahi wa al-sharafi wa al-qadr).”9

Almighty Allah says with regard to Prophet Musa (‘a):

وَكَانَ عِندَ اللَّهِ وَجِيهًا

“…And he was distinguished near Allah” (33:69).

And about Prophet ‘Isa (‘a) He says:

إِذْ قَالَتِ الْمَلَائِكَةُ يَا مَرْيَمُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ يُبَشِّرُكِ بِكَلِمَةٍ مِّنْهُ اسْمُهُ الْمَسِيحُ عِيسَى ابْنُ مَرْيَمَ وَجِيهًا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةِ وَمِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ

“When the angels said, ‘O Mary, God gives you the good news of a Word from Him whose name is Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, distinguished in the world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near [to God]’” (3:45).

‘Allamah Tabataba’i in his monumental exegesis of the Qur’an, al- Mizan, under this verse says:

قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى: وَجِيهًا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ وَمِنَ الْمُقَرَّبِينَ الوجاهة في المقبولية

Allah says: ‘distinguished (wajihan) in the world and the Hereafter, and one of those brought near [to God]’. Al-wajahah means al-maqbuliyyah (acceptability)10.

The Holy Prophet (S) and his noble progeny too are distinguished near Allah. In the well-known prayer of tawassul we address each of the Infallibles (‘a) as follows:

يَا وَجِيهًا عِنْدَ اللّٰه، اشْفَعْ لَنَا عِنْدَ اللّٰه ِ

O distinguished near Allah, intercede for us near Allah11.

The Holy Prophet (S) is reported to have said to Umm Ayman one day:

وَاللّٰه ِ يَا أُمَّ أَيْمَنَ، زُوِّجَتْهَا كفؤا شريفا وَجِيهًا فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ وَمِنَ المُقَرَّبِينَ.

I swear by Allah, O Umm Ayman, I have married her [i.e. Hadrat Fatimah (‘a)] to an exalted suitor [i.e. ‘Ali], who is distinguished in this world and the Hereafter and is from the close servants of God12.

Hence, when we say Allahummaj’alni ‘indaka wajihan we mean “O Allah make me distinguished near You” or “make me one who is accepted near You”. And being accepted and distinguished near Allah is not through attribution and concoction (al-wad’), but rather actualization and epitomisation (al-tahaqquq). In one of the very inspiring statements, Imam al-Baqir (‘a) is reported to inform Jabir as follows:

يَا جَابِرُ، أَبْلِغْ شِيعَتَنَا السَّلَامَ، وَأَعْلِمْهُمْ أَنَّهُ لَا قَرَابَةَ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ اللّٰه (عَزَّ وَجَلَّ)، وَلَا يَتَقَرَّبُ إِلَيْهِ إِلَّا بِالطَّاعَةِ لَهُ.

O Jabir, convey greetings to my followers, and inform them that there is no filial relationship between us and Allah (the Invincible and Majestic), and proximity to Him is not attained save through His obedience13.

In other words, if there is any kind of proximity attained by anyone, it is through obedience to Allah and through observing God-wariness.

In another tradition, Imam al-Baqir (‘a) is reported to have told Khaythamah:

أبْلِغْ شِيعَتَنا أَنَّهُ لا يُنالُ ما عِنْدَ اللهِ إِلّا بالْعَمَل

Convey to our followers that what is with Allah is not attained save through actions14.

The Holy Qur’an teaches us that the path towards being accepted by Allah is God-wariness and piety:

إِنَّمَا يَتَقَبَّلُ اللَّهُ مِنَ الْمُتَّقِينَ

“Allah accepts only from the God wary” (5:27).

Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib (‘a)15 is reported to have said:

النّاسُ في الدُّنْيا عامِلانِ: عامِلٌ عَمِلَ في الدُّنْيا لِلدُّنْيا، قَدْ شَغَلَتْهُ دُنْياهُ عَنْ آخِرَتِهِ، يُخْشَى على من يخلفه الفقر، ويأمنه على نفسه، فيفني عمره في منفعة غيره. وعامِلٌ عَمِلَ في الدُّنْيا لِما بَعْدَها، فَجاءَهُ الذي لَهُ مِنَ الدُّنْيا بَغَيْرِ عَمَلٍ، فَأَحْرَزَ الحَظَّيْنِ مَعاً، ومَلَكَ الدّارَيْنِ جَميعاً، فَأَصْبَحَ وَجِيهَاً عِنْدَ اللهِ، لا يَسْأَلُ اللهَ حاجَةً فَيُمْنَعَهُ

People in this world are categorised into two kinds of workers: [1] One who works in this world for the sake of this world, and his world occupies him from his Hereafter; he fears poverty for the one who would succeed him, and feels safe about that for himself. Hence, he wastes his lifetime for the advantage of other than himself; and [2] One who works in this world for the Hereafter, attains his part of this world without action, and gets both the shares together and achieves both the worlds; and [as a result] becomes distinguished near Allah (wajihan ‘inda Allah), such that he never asks Allah for a need and is deprived16.

This tradition reveals a broader and detailed exposition of the truth. It tells us that one must realise that attaining a status and rank near Allah requires one to understand the difference between the means and the goal, and to act accordingly. Those who take the world as a means to attain the sublime goal of Divine proximity are always successful and distinguished.

Seeking status near Allah through al-Husayn (‘a), who is the epitome of taqwa and virtue, therefore, is equivalent to struggling to harmonise oneself with the thoughts, words and deeds of the Imam (‘a). He is one of the excellent exemplars of those who took this world as a means and not a goal. Hence, he personifies the path towards nobility and sublimity and the path towards dignity near Almighty Allah.

اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلني عِنْدَكَ وَجِيهَاً

O Allah, make me distinguished near You …

Mentioning the phrase “‘indaka wajihan” (near You, distinguished) enables the za’ir to declare that what is important to him is having a status and position near Allah. Once he has realised this, then the za’ir would not sacrifice that for any worldly position that the people may offer him.

وَجِيهًا بِالْحُسَيْنِ

…distinguished through al-Husayn (‘a)

The preposition ba’ in phrase wajihan bi al-Husayn (‘a) is for mediation (al-sababiyyah). Hence, one of the variable meanings of the phrase is: “[O Allah, make us in Your proximity] distinguished through [the power of] al- Husayn (‘a)”. It can also confer the meaning of taking al-Husayn as one’s guardian and master, and following whatever he says. Consequently, it would mean, “[O Allah, make us in Your proximity] distinguished through [obeying] al-Husayn (‘a)”. Terminologically, we can say that the ba’ in “bi al-Husayn (‘a)” either signifies al-wilayah al-takwiniyyah (ontological guardianship) or al-wilayah al-tashri’iyyah (legal guardianship) of Imam al-Husayn (‘a). In other words, both of these kinds of guardianship are intermediaries for acquiring a status near Almighty Allah.

فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ

In this world and the Hereafter

The word dunya is the feminine equivalent for word adna (the lowest). It signifies the lowest realm of existence, which is the material world.

In Bihar al-Anwar Al-’Allamah al-Majlisi narrates:

فَيما سَأَلَ يَزِيدُ بْنُ سَلاَمٍ النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللّٰه عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ سأله عَنْ الدنيا لِمَ سمِّيَت الدُّنْيَا؟ قَالَ: لِأَنَّ الدُّنْيَا دَنِيَّةٌ تَخَلَّفَتْ مِنْ دُونِ الآخِرَةِ، وَلَوْ خُلِقَتْ مَعَ الآخِرَةِ لَمْ يفْنَ أَهْلُهَا كَمَا لَمْ يفنى أَهْلُ الآخِرَةِ. قَالَ: فَأخبرني لِمَ سُمِّيَتِ الآخِرَةُ آخرة؟ قَالَ: لِأَنَّهَا متأخرة تجيء من بَعْدِ الدُّنْيَا، لَا تُوصَفُ سِنِينُهَا، وَلَا تُحْصَى أيَامُهَا، وَلَا يَبُوثُ سَاكِنُهَ!

Yazid Ibn Salam is reported to have asked the Holy Prophet (S) about why the world was known as al- dunya? The Prophet (S) said: It is because the world (al- dunya) is low, and was created lower than the Hereafter (al- akhirah); and if it would have been created together with the Hereafter (al- akhirah), its inhabitants would not perish in the same way that the inhabitants of the Hereafter do not perish. Ibn Salam said: Then inform me why the Hereafter is known as al-akhirah? The Prophet (S) said: This is because it is later and comes after the dunya, its years cannot be described, nor its days enumerated, nor do its inhabitants die17.

In another narration, a Jew asked Amir al-Mu’minin ‘Ali Ibn Abi Talib (‘a) the reason why al-dunya was known as al-dunya and al-akhirah as al- akhirah, and the Imam (‘a) is reported to have said:

وَإِنَّما سُمِّيَتِ الدُّنْيا دُنْيا: لِأَنَّها أَدْنَى مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، وَسُمِّيَتِ الآخِرَةُ آخِرَةً لِأَنَّ فيها الْجَزاءَ وَالثَّوابَ

Indeed, dunya was called dunya because it is lower than every thing, and akhirah was known as akhirah because therein is recompense and reward18.

The Interrelation Between the World & the Hereafter

It is imperative for us to know that although al-dunya is separate from al- akhirah, they are the same reality but of different levels. The Hereafter

(which includes the intermediate realm of existence and the realm of qiyamah) reflects the higher reality of this world. Hence, those who feel that it is possible for one to attain a rank near Allah in the Hereafter although he is deprived of the same in this world are mistaken. This is because the virtue of the Hereafter is determined by the virtue of this world. If one strives to totally submit to Allah’s will in this world, he would realise how great he always was near Almighty Allah.

فِي الدُّنْيَا وَالآخِرَةِ

In this world and the Hereafter

Perhaps the reason why we mention “in this world and the Hereafter” is to seek such “acceptability” that would always remain. Whosoever is wajih near Allah in this world, is also the same in the Hereafter, because the Hereafter is the kernel of this world. The challenge however is to maintain that station near Allah until one leaves this world.

• 1. Al-Qurtubi, Tafsir al-Qurtubi, v.4, p. 53.
• 2. Al-Shaykh al-Kulayni, al-Kafi, v.4, p. 530.
• 3. Sayyid Radi al-Din Ibn Tawus, Iqbal al-A’mal, v.3, p. 206.
• 4. Al-Shaykh al-Tusi, Tahdhib al-Ahkam, v.3, p. 109.
• 5. Al-Maqam al-Asna fi Tafsir al-Asma’ al-Husna, p. 88.
• 6. Al-Shaykh al-Tusi, Misbah al-Mutahajjid, p. 689.
• 7. Al-Ahsa’i,’Awali al-La’ali, v.1, p. 5.
• 8. Al-Sayyid Ibn Tawus, Iqbal al-A’mal, v.1, p. 117.
• 9. Al-Razi, Tafsir al-Razi, v.8, p. 53.
• 10. ‘Allamah al-Tabataba’i, al-Mizan, v.3, p. 195.
• 11. Al-’Allamah al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, v.99, p. 247.
• 12. Al-Shaykh al-Tusi, Al-Amali, pp. 354-355; Al-’Allamah al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, v.43, p. 105.
• 13. Al-Shaykh al-Tusi, Al-Amali, p. 296.
• 14. Al-’Alla Imam ‘Ali (‘a) in another tradition is reported to have said: Beware of hypocrisy, for a person who has two faces cannot be distinguished near Allah (iyyaka wa al-nifaqu fa inna dhal wajhayni la yakunu wajihan inda Allahi): Al-Najafi, Mawsu’at Ahadith Ahl al-Bayt (‘a), v.1, p. 408.mah al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, v.2, p. 29.
• 15.
• 16. Al-’Allamah al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, v.90, p. 360.
• 17. Al-’Allamah al-Majlisi, Bihar al-Anwar, v.54, p. 356.
• 18. Al-Shaykh al-Saduq, ‘Ilal al-Sharayi’, v.1, p. 2.