prayer for assistance; intercession
Editorial introduction
Make my heart overflow with love for Thy creatures, ‘Abdu’l-Bahá prays, and let me become a sign of Thy mercy: the plea for help turns, almost at once, into a plea to be of help. Prayer for assistance in the Bahá’í writings carries every kind of need into the open. The weak one seeks the dayspring of power, the sick one the river of healing, a scattered and wounded people ask for a cure from the dispensary of mercy, a servant presses his brow into the dust at dawn and dusk while enemies scheme. Some petitions are urgent and exact; others, more searchingly, ask only for what is worthy, what is pleasing to God, what is best in this world and the next, leaving the measure of benefit in wiser hands. Many are offered for someone else, a friend, a leader, a household, a whole community. Moses, charged with a task beyond him, asked for an opened heart, clearer speech and his brother as companion, and the asking itself was the start of the work [1]. The journey continues toward God’s grace and bounty, His forgiveness, and the mercy that answers every supplicant.
My God, my God! Thou seest the weak one seeking the dawning-place of Thy strength and the dayspring of Thy power, the sick one the Kawthar of Thy healing, the weary one the kingdom of Thy utterance, and the poor one the heaven of Thy wealth and bounty.
O Lord! O Forgiving One! We are a group scattered and dispersed. We are Thine, and though we be strangers, yet are we Thy kindred. We are without head or refuge, helpless and remediless. We are wounded by every arrow, and cut by every sword. Bestow upon us a cure from the dispensary of Thy mercy, and grant us a healing balm from Thy supreme panacea, that these broken hearts may find solace, and these withered and dejected souls may find rest and gladness. May this night of sorrows be followed by a bright morn, and may this deadly poison be sweetened by wondrous honey.
Commune in prayer and say:
O Kind Lord! O Pure God! Grant this feeble servant a shelter beneath the shade of Thy Word of Mercifulness, and give this sorrowful one a refuge in the shadow of the Tree of Joy. Bestow a portion upon this portionless one, and confer a share upon this shareless one. From the ocean of Thy grace send forth a drop, and from the river of Thy bounty vouchsafe a sprinkling, that I may find fresh life and seek boundless favor.
O Lord! I am weak - strengthen me in Thy Cause. I am poor - enrich me from the treasures of Thy Kingdom. I am lowly - aid me through the sovereignty of Thy might.
O God! O God! We beg of Thee by all the Names by which Thou art known, to exalt the humiliation of Thy chosen ones by Thy glory, their weakness by Thy strength, their impotence by Thine omnipotence, their poverty by Thy wealth, and their fear by Thine assurance.
My Lord! Thou seest this weak one who hath clung to the cord of Thy power and raised his hands in supplication toward the heaven of Thy bounty and grace.
I beseech Thee, O Mystery of Being and O Thou in Whose grasp lie the reins of the seen and unseen, to aid me in that which befitteth Thy wondrous Cause and beseemeth Thy glorious Day. Then write down for me, through Thy bounty and favor, that which shall preserve me from the croaking which Thou hast foretold and from its transgression.
O my Lord! I am the helpless one, the wretched one, standing before the door of Thy mercy. I beseech Thee not to deny me [that which lieth with Thee].
O Lord! Thou seest Thy righteous servants beneath the claws of the wicked, Thou hearest the rumbling of their cannons, and Thou seest their scheming. I beseech Thee by Thy power which encompasseth all things, and by Him Whom Thou hast made the Manifestation of Thy Name, the First and the Last, the Outward and the Inward, through Whom Thou hast sealed the Manifestations of Thy Cause and the Repositories of Thy knowledge, to ordain for these weak ones that which will make them strong in Thy kingdom.
O Lord! Aid him through Your merciful confirmations, assist him in all affairs, and protect him from every treacherous transgressor and frustrated envier.
O my God! I press my brow and cover my face with the dust of lowliness, impotence and contrition, beseeching Thee at eventide and at dawn, supplicating before Thee in the darkness of night and the bright light of day, that Thou mayest assist Thy servant, who hath turned unto Thee in humility and submission and repentance, with the hosts of power and might and the armies of glory and dominion against every aggressive doubter and sinner mentioned in the Book and every contemptible impostor from among the people of the veil.
Glorify thyself on My behalf, then beseech God to bestow upon us that which He hath bestowed upon thee and to deliver us from the world and its hardships and torments.
O Lord! Make affairs easy, expand our breasts, grant abundant grace, and admit us to the paradise of joy and delight, through Thy mercy, O Mighty One, O All-Forgiving One!
O Lord! Straighten for them the Path, appoint for them the guide which shall lead them to the door of Thy Inexhaustible Mercy, facilitate for them their affairs and shower upon them Thy heavenly Grace.
O Lord! Answer his prayer, facilitate his affairs, and perfect his joy through the attainment of his hopes.
I beseech Him, exalted be He, to open before your face the door of His bounty and generosity.
I beseech Thee by the ocean of Thy verses and by the Ark which Thou hast ordained for the people of Thy Baha, to open before my face the door of Thy bounty and to ordain for me that which shall profit me through Thy Name amidst Thy creation.
O God! By their right in Thy Book and their station in Thy knowledge, I beseech Thee to bless them with all Thy revelations, breezes, manifestations and stations which know no cessation, and to fulfill this need of mine now, now, now!
And I beseech Thee by the choosing of Moses and his firmness in religion, and I beseech Thee by Thy Christ Jesus son of Mary and his modesty, and by the purity of Fatima the Radiant, and by the martyrdom of Husayn at Karbila, that Thou convey my greeting to Thy righteous servants and Thy wanderers in the earth, and urge them to aid me and help me against my enemies.
O Succorer! O Fulfiller! O Deliverer! O Liberator! O Savior! O Reliever! O Opener! O Comforter! O Friend! O Compassionate One! O Kind One! O Clement One! O my Lord! O my Master! Answer!
I seek refuge, O my Lord, with Thy Presence from Thy wrath; unto Thee I flee, hoping for Thy bounty and the breadth of Thy mercy. I supplicate Thee, through Mua¸¥ammad and His kindred, by the majesty of Thy grandeur: look upon me with a near regard, as beseemeth the sovereignty of Thy might. Verily, Thou art the All-Bountiful, the All-Bestowing.
Remember God's favor to you, then give thanks to Him and say:
"Praise be to Thee, O my God, for having created me and manifested me and guided me to Thy straight path. I beseech Thee by Thy Prophets and the Seal of Thy Messengers to assist me in that which Thou lovest and art pleased with.
I beseech Thee by Him Who conversed upon Sinai, through Whom the trumpet was sounded and the resurrection appeared, to assist Thy loved ones and Thy chosen ones to accomplish that which Thou hast commanded them in Thy Book.
Verily, one servant can intercede for many, for the ocean of divine generosity is surging and the sun of bounty is manifest and radiant. Therefore thy intercession hath been accepted before God.
His honor Aqa Muhammad-'Ali is occupied with thy mention and all are beseeching and hoping from God that He may bestow such success that thou mayest attain to that which hath been the ultimate desire of thyself and all the friends of God.
At all times I am gladdened by thoughts of you and I beseech divine favors and assistance, that you may become the recipients of His aid and be encompassed by the bounties of Him Who is the Hidden Bestower of favors.
I implore God that they may be assisted in all conditions and attain that which is with Him. Verily, He is the best of hearers and the best of answerers.
We beseech God to assist all to serve Him and obey Him, and to ordain for His loved ones that which shall profit them in this world and the next.
I beseech Thee by the House wherein Thy call was raised, and by the Book which Thou didst send down from the heaven of Thy Will for the protection of Thy servants and the guidance of Thy creation, to ordain for Thy loved ones that which beseemeth Thy generosity and bounty.
Say: O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Name through which the Tree called out and the Rock spoke forth, to aid Thy servants who have turned towards Thy most exalted horizon and drawn nigh unto Thy most sublime Word.
I beseech Thee by the rain-showers of the clouds of Thy mercy and the lights of the splendor of Thy countenance, and by Thy Name through which Thou hast encompassed all created things and before Whose manifestation all beings have bowed down in submission, to assist Thy loved ones to remember Thee and praise Thee and to stand firm in their love for Thee.
O my Lord! Confirm these Thy servant and maid-servants with Thy ever-increasing mercy and complete bounty, ordain for all of them immersion in the seas of Thy mercy, attainment to Thy generosity and bestowal, fulfillment of Thy greatest hopes, possession of Thy grandest gifts and bounty in the beginning and in the end, so that the angels of Thy mercy may commune with them in the mornings and in the evenings.
Therefore send down, O my God, at this moment from the treasuries of Thy wondrous Lordship and the repositories of Thy eternal glory upon the households whose inhabitants glorify Thee morning and evening, and let them grieve in the path of Thy love in such wise as to tranquilize their hearts, spirits, souls and [loved ones], and [entrust] to Thee the affairs of their last and their first, for all this is within Thy grasp, O my God, not in the grasp of any besides Thee, and in Thy right hand, O my Beloved, not in the right hand of any other than Thee.
O my God, my God! These are sincere servants, attracted and enkindled by the fire of Thy love, calling out in Thy name and speaking Thy praise, ablaze with the fire burning in the Tree of Thy mercy, receiving the rain from the clouds of Thy oneness, and supplicating to the Kingdom of Thy unity, seeking naught but Thy good pleasure and content with Thy decree. Lord! Assist them with hosts from the Concourse on High and strengthen them with mighty power and make their faces radiant with the lights of guidance that they may be signs of Thy mercy amidst humanity.
May this assemblage tread Thy path, seek Thy mystery, behold Thy face, acquire Thy characteristics. O Lord! Grant infinite favors, make the treasure of guidance free that these helpless ones may find help.
O noble Lord! Protect the righteous from every affliction, and preserve the free beneath Thy sheltering care. Grant confirmation, bestow success, make them proud, make them privy to mysteries, make them free from want, and attune them to Thy grace and favors. Grant them pure hearts, make them fearless, and rend their collars with Thy love, that they might all become the gift of the human world and become hopeful through Thy ancient grace.
O Lord! Send successive confirmations and success from the Kingdom of Mysteries to these righteous ones, and make them successful in every good endeavor, for they are deserving of every bounty and worthy of every gift.
O Lord! Make them successful in that which is befitting, O Forgiver! Confirm them in that which is worthy.
O Lord! Confirm us, grant us success, send down Thy clear proof, bestow Thy favors and consume us with the fire of Thy love.
Rather, he needs prayers at the threshold of the All-Glorious, that the confirmation of the Abha Beauty may grant such strength to this weak leader that he may manage to answer some of them.
I sat in darkness softly reciting the prayer of the Bab until near dawn when sleep finally overtook me.
And if thou shouldst read any of the blessed prayers with devotion, supplication and detachment, seeking divine assistance, thy prayer will be answered. Verily, He answereth him who calleth upon Him, and He is the Hearer of Prayer.
O Kind Lord! The friends are self-sacrificing and the loved ones are radiant. They are captives of Thy love and seek refuge at the gate of Thy mercy. They seek Thy good-pleasure and speak of Thy mysteries and walk in Thy path. O Lord! Forgive our sins and teach us humility and supplication, that we may all engage in servitude unto Thee and seek the outpourings of Thy mercy and act according to Thy counsels and exhortations.
I beseech Thee to assist me in that which Thou lovest and art pleased with, and to withhold from me that which is unworthy of Thee, O Lord of all men and Master of the hereafter and the former times!
He spoke, and His sweetest words were: "We beseech God to assist him in what he desires and enable him to achieve what He loves and is pleased with.
O my Lord! Ordain for me what is best in this world and the world to come.
O Lord! Thou seest me turning unto Thee and holding fast to the cord of Thy bounty. I implore Thee by Thine ancient generosity and by Thy Most Great Name to ordain for me that which befitteth Thy grace, Thy bounty and Thy bestowal.
I beseech Thee, O God of Names and Creator of earth and heaven, by Thy Most Great Name through which Thou hast subdued the nations, and by the power of Thy supreme Word and the lights of Thy Throne, O Lord of all humanity, to ordain for me by Thy Most Exalted Pen that which will aid and benefit me.
I beseech Thee by that which is within Thy knowledge, which none hath known except Thyself, and by the winds through whose rushing sound Thy remembrance and praise are heard, to assist Thy servant who hath cast away all else save Thee, turning toward the horizon of Thy bestowals. Then ordain for him every good thing which Thou hast sent down in Thy Book.
I beseech Thee by the suns of the heaven of Thy wisdom and the waves of the ocean of Thy grace to make me in all circumstances turned toward the lights of Thy countenance and holding fast to the hem of the robe of Thy generosity.
O my Lord! I am Thy servant and the son of Thy servant. I have turned unto the ocean of Thy bounty and the sun of Thy grace. I beseech Thee by the pearls treasured within the vaults of Thy Most Exalted Pen and the lights shining from the horizons of Thy most exalted Words to aid me in that which beseemeth Thy days.
We beseech God, exalted be He, to assist thee in that which is befitting for His days. Verily, He is the Helper, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.
We beseech God to assist thee and make thee successful at all times in that which will draw thee near unto Him. Verily He is the Generous, the All-Bountiful in the beginning and in the end.
I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Countenance and Thy Most Pure Hem to assist me in that which Thou lovest and with which Thou art well-pleased.
I beseech Thee by Thy bounty and grace to aid me in that which Thou lovest and art pleased with.
O Lord! Praise be unto Thee for all this. Aid Thy servant who hath turned unto Thee, clung to Thy cord, and held fast to Thy robe, to achieve that which He loveth and is pleased with in the world to come and in this first life.
Say: Glory be unto Thee, O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great Name to make me successful in that which Thou hast sent down in Thy manifest Book.
I beseech Thee by the might of Thy Cause and the power of Thy Word to aid him who desires to carry out that which Thou hast commanded him in Thy Book and to perform that which will diffuse the fragrance of Thy good pleasure. Verily, Thou art the Mighty, the All-Bountiful, the Forgiving, the Generous.
Say:
My God, my God! Thou seest me turning toward Thee and voicing Thy praise. I beseech Thee to assist me in that which Thou hast commanded me in Thy Mighty Book, and to send down upon me from the heaven of Thy generosity a blessing from Thy presence and a grace from Thy side. Verily Thou art the Giver, the Forgiving, the Merciful.
Then aid, O my God, Thy servant who seeketh no helper other than Thee and desireth no supporter besides Thee.
Say: "My God, my God! I beseech Thee by Thy greatest favors, and Thy mighty signs, and the waves of the ocean of Thy forgiveness, and the effulgences of the Orb of Thy pardon, to ordain for me that which will draw me nigh unto Thee. Then assist me, O my God, in that whereby Thy Cause may be exalted.
Say: O my God! I beseech Thee by Thy power and might, Thy sovereignty and dominion, to assist me to serve Thy Cause, that there may appear from me that which will establish my remembrance in Thy kingdom and Thy dominion, through the perpetuity of Thy most beautiful names and Thy most exalted attributes.
O Lord! Grant me Thy confirmation and bestow upon me Thy grace, that I may arise to serve, don the robe of bounty, and drink from the spring of Thy favors.
Rejoice thou in this Most Great Remembrance and say: Praise be unto Thee, O Thou through Whose Name the heaven of utterance was raised up and adorned with the stars of wisdom and knowledge. I beseech Thee to assist me to remember Thee and to arise to serve Thee, and to ordain for me what Thou hast ordained for Thy chosen ones.
Say: "My God, my God! Aid me to remember Thee and to praise Thee, and to serve Thy Cause. Thou art, verily, powerful over whatsoever Thou willest. Then ordain for me that which will exalt me through Thy greatness and sovereignty, and will assist me among Thy creatures. Verily, Thou art the Strong, the Triumphant, the Almighty."
We beseech God to assist thee in His Cause, to rain down mercy upon thee from His presence, and to grant thee a seat of truth with His near servants.
O my Lord! Thou seest me clinging to the cord of Thy grace and standing before the door of Thy bounty. I beseech Thee by the mysteries of Thy Cause, the power of Thy Will, and the ascendancy of Thy Purpose, to assist the heedless to return unto Thee and to repent before the manifestation of Thy Revelation. Verily, Thou art the Almighty, the Powerful, the All-Bountiful.
Say: "My Lord, cause me to enter with truth, and cause me to depart with truth, and grant me from Thy presence an authority to assist."...
I beseech Thee by Thy Most Great and Most Glorious Name to assist me in that which will elevate my station and my rank among Thy servants and Thy creation.
Further quotations · supplied wording and references
I entreat Thee, by Him who is the Day-Spring of Thy names and the Dawning-Place of Thine attributes, to ordain for me what will enable me to arise to serve Thee and to extol Thy virtues.
For thought and discussion