Ziyarat Imam Ali(as) recited on on 21st of Ramadan

﷽

رَحِمَكَ اللهُ يَا أَبَا الْحَسَنِ

rahimakal-lahu ya abal-hasan

May Allah have mercy upon you, O Abu’l-hasan.

كُنْتَ أَوَّلَ الْقَوْمِ إسْلاَماً وَأَخْلَصَهُمْ إيمَاناً

kunta awwalal-qawmi islaman wa akhlasahum imana

You were the first of all in accepting Islam and the most sincere of all in faith,

وَأشَدَّهُمْ يَقِيناً وَأَخْوَفَهُمْ للهِ

wa ashaddahum yaqinan wa akhwafahum lillah

And you were the firmest in conviction and the most Allah-fearing,

وَأَعْظَمَهُمْ عَناءً وَأَحْوَطَهُمْ عَلَى رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ

wa a’zamahum ‘ana-an wa ahwatahum ‘ala rasulil-lahi sallal-lahum ‘alayhi wa alih

And you were the most steadfast (against ordeals for the sake of Islam) and the most watchful for Allah’s Messenger—peace be upon him and his Household,

وَآمَنَهُمْ عَلَى أصْحَابِهِ وَأَفْضَلَهُمْ مَنَاقِبَ

wa amanahum ‘ala ashabihi wa afdalahum manaqib

And you were the most careful for his companions and you were endowed with the most favorable merits,

وَأَكْرَمَهُمْ سَوَابِقَ وَأَرْفَعَهُمْ دَرَجَةً

wa akramahum sawabiqa wa arfa’ahum darajah

And you were the foremost of everyone else in everything, and the owner of the most elevated rank,

وَأَقْرَبَهُمْ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ

wa aqrabahum min rasulil-lahi sallal-lahu ‘alayhi wa alih

And you were the closest of them to Allah’s Messenger—peace be upon him and his Household,

وَأَشْبَهَهُمْ بِهِ هَدْياً وَخُلُقاً وَسَمْتاً وَفِعْلاً

wa ashbahahum bihi hadyan wa khuluqan wa samtan wa fi’la

And you were the most similar to him in guidance, morals, manners, and deeds,

وَأَشْرَفَهُمْ مَنْزِلَةً وَأَكْرَمَهُمْ عَلَيْهِ

wa ashrafahum manzilatan wa akramahum ‘alayh

And you were the owner of the most honorable position, and the most respected (by Almighty Allah and His Messenger).

فَجَزَاكَ اللهُ عَنِ الإسْلاَمِ وَعَنْ رَسُولِهِ وَعَنْ الْمُسْلِمِينَ خَيْراً.

fajazakal-lahu ‘anil-islami wa ‘an rasulihi wa ‘anil-muslimina khayra

May Allah reward you on behalf of Islam, His Messenger, and the Muslims with the best rewarding.

قَوِيت َحِينَ ضَعُفَ أصْحَابُهُ

qawita hina da’ufa ashabuh

You became stronger when his companions became weak,

وَبَرَزْتَ حِينَ اسْتَكَانُوا

wa barazta hinas-takanu

And you advanced when they surrendered,

وَنَهَضْتَ حِينَ وَهَنُوا

wa nahadta hina wahanu

And you stood up (to face difficulties) when they became weak-hearted,

وَلَزَمْتَ مِنْهَاجَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ إذْ هُمْ أَصْحَابُهُ

wa lazamta minhaja rasulil-lahi sallal-lahu ‘alayhi wa alihi idh hum ashabuh

And you abode by the course of Allah’s Messenger—peace be upon him and his Household—as they were his companions,

وَكُنْتَ خَلِيفَتَهُ حَقّاً

wa kunta khalifatahu haqqa

And you were truly his vicegerent.

لَمْ تُنَازِعْ وَلَمْ تُضْرَعْ

lam tunaza’ wa lam tudra’

No one could ever compete with you or vie with you in this position

بِرُغْمِ الْمُنَافِقِينَ وَغَيْظِ الكَافِرِينَ

birughmil-munafiqina wa ghayzil-kafirin

In spite of the existence of hypocrites and the despise of the unbelievers,

وَكُرْهِ الحاسِدِينَ وَصِغَرِ الفَاسِقِين.

wa kurhil-hasidina wa sigharil-fasiqin

And the malice of the enviers and the disgrace of the wicked ones.

فَقُمْتَ بِالأمْرِ حِينَ فَشِلُوا

faqumta bil-amri hin fashilu

You thus managed the matters when they failed to do so

وَنَطَقْتَ حِينَ تَتَعْتَعُوا

wa nataqta hina tata’ta’u

And you spoke (the truth) when they stammered,

وَمَضَيْتَ بِنُورِ اللهِ إذْ وَقَفُوا

wamadayta binuril-lahi idh waqafu

And you carried on with the light of Allah when they stopped.

فَاتَّبَعُوكَ فَهُدُوا

fattaba’uka fahudu

As they followed you, they were guided (to the true path),

وَكُنْتَ أخْفَضَهُمْ صَوْتاً وَأعْلاهُمْ قُنُوتاً

wakunta akhfadahum sawtan wa a’lahum qunuta

Your voice was the lowest (out of politeness) and was the highest in supplication,

وَأَقَلَّهُمْ كَلاماً وَأَصْوَبَهُمْ نُطْقاً

wa aqallahum kalaman wa aswabahum nutqa

And you were the least in speaking and the most eloquent of them,

وَأكْبَرَهُمْ رَأْياً وَأَشْجَعَهُمْ قَلْباً

wa akbarahum ra-yan wa ashja’ahum qalba

And you were the most apposite in opinions and the most courageous,

وَأَشَدَّهُمْ يَقِيناً وَأَحْسَنَهُمْ عَمَلاً وَأَعْرَفَهُمْ بِالأُمُورِ.

wa ashaddahum yaqinan wa ahsanahum ‘amalan wa a’rafahum bil-umur

And you were the firmest in conviction, the best of them in deeds, and the most learned in questions.

كُنْتَ وَاللهِ يَعْسُوباً لِلدِّينِ أَوَّلاً وَآخِراً:

kunta wallahi ya’suban liddini awwalan wa akhira

By Allah (I swear), you were the true leader of the religion first and last:

اَلأوَّلَ حِينَ تَفَرَّقَ النَّاسُ وَالآخِرُ حِينَ فَشِلُوا

al-awwala hina tafarraqan-nasu wal-akhiru hin fashilu

You were thus the first (of the enduring ones) when the other people departed, and you were the last (in steadfastness) when they failed.

كُنْتَ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ أباً رَحِيماً إذْ صَارُوا عَلَيْكَ عِيَالاً

kunta lil-mu`minina aban rahiman idh saru ‘alayka ‘iyala

For the believers, you were merciful father, as they were your dependants;

فَحَمَلْتَ أَثْقَالَ مَا عَنْهُ ضَعُفُوا

fahamalta athqala ma ‘anhu da’ufu

So, you carried the burdens that they were too weak to carry,

وَحَفِظْتَ مَا أَضَاعُوا وَرَعَيْتَ مَا أَهْمَلُوا

wa hafizta ma ada’u wa ra’ayta ma ahmalu

And you preserved that which they forfeited, and you conserved that which they neglected,

وَشَمَّرْتَ إذْ اجْتَمَعُوا وَعَلَوْتَ إذْ هَلَعُوا

wa shammarta idhij-tama’u wa ‘alawta idh hala’u

And you prepared yourself for facing those who allied (against Islam) and you advanced when they were dismayed,

وَصَبَرْتَ إذْ أَسْرَعُوا وَأَدْرَكْتَ أَوْتَارَ مَا طَلَبُوا

wa sabarta idh asra’u wa adrakta awtara ma talabu

And you resisted when they hurried (in absconding) and you achieved the goals for which they fought,

وَنَالُوا بِكَ مَا لَمْ يَحْتَسِبُوا

wa nalu bika ma lam tahtasibu

And they tasted at your hands that which they had not expected.

كُنْتَ عَلَى الْكَافِرِينَ عَذَاباً صَبّاً وَنَهْباً

kunta ‘alal-kuffari ‘adhaban sabban wa nahba

You were thus incessant and relentless torment on the unbelievers

وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَمَداً وَحِصْناً

wa lil-mu`minina ‘amadan wa hisna

And you were support and shelter for the believers.

فُطِرْتَ واللهِ بِنَعْمَائِهَا وَفُزْتَ بِحَبَائِها

futirta wallahi bina’ma`iha wafuzta bihaba`iha

Thus, I swear by Allah that you won its bliss and gained its reward,

وَأَحْرَزْتَ سَوَابِغَهَا وَذَهَبْتَ بِفَضَائِلِهَا

wa ahrazta sawabighaha wa dhahabta bifada`iliha

And you attained its merits and prevailed on its worth.

لَمْ تَفْلُلْ حُجَّتُكَ وَلَا تَفَرَّقَ فِئَتُكَ

lam taflul hujjatuka wa la tafarraqa fi’atuka

Your argument never faltered and your group never dispersed.