As promised at the end of my blog, “On Libya,” here is the text of the Du’a al-Nasiri along with my English translation of the Arabic poem:
- The Du’a al-Nasiri with English Translation
- Transliteration of the Du’a al-Nasiri with English Translation
- Audio Recording of the Du’a al-Nasiri
- About the Translation and Recording of the Du’a al-Nasiri
About The Prayer of the Oppressed:
The power of this prayer of Imam Muhammad al-Dar’i lies in its simplicity, its purity, and its sincere supplication. It is essentially a plea to God that our transgressions be overlooked, that divine mercy be bestowed upon us, that social justice be restored in spite of us, that wrongs be righted, and that righteousness reign once again in our lands, so that the destitute may no longer be in need, the young may be educated, the animals’ purpose fulfilled, rain restored, and bounties poured forth. It is a plea to be freed from the aggression of foreigners in lands over which they have no right – a plea much needed in our modern world, rampant as it is with invasions and territorial occupations. Ultimately, it asks not that our enemies be destroyed, but simply that their plots, and the harm they cause, be halted. Its essence is mercy, which in turn is the essence of the Messenger of God, Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him: “And We have only sent you as a mercy to all the worlds.”
“Shaykh Hamza Yusuf has rendered a tremendous service to Islam with this translation of a powerful, deeply spiritual supplication, and passed it along to a community of Muslims far removed from its Moroccan roots. He has also augmented it with a riveting Introduction that examines the nature of oppression and its impact on human societies, while challenging us to admit our powerlessness to God.”
— Imam Zaid Shakir
Author, Co-founder of Zaytuna College
“Hamza Yusuf is in himself and his work, a beautiful, and absolutely necessary, living bridge between the Islamic and American cultures. His eloquence, and his brilliant intelligence, are vital energies, nourishment, we can share.”
— Coleman Barks
Author, The Essential Rumi
“The prayer of Imam al-Dar’i is a reminder that in all religions and all cultures there are men and women of wisdom and courage who rise to stand with the oppressed against the oppressor. The greatest virtue we possess, as the poet knows, is compassion, not only for the victim but also for the victimizer. It is the contradictory tension of justice and mercy, of law and forgiveness, which makes us complete human beings.”
— Chris Hedges
Author, War is a Force that Gives Us Meaning
Stunning. Imam Muhammad b. Nasir al-Dari’s prayer-poem is beautiful, the accompanying CD is beautiful, but what is most remarkable is the introduction by Hamza Yusuf. It is as thoughtful and erudite, as clever and as powerful, as honest and moving as anything ever written by a Muslim in North America. This guy isn’t building bridges; he’s revealing the ones that are already there. This is wonderful stuff by a scholar who needs to sit down and seriously start thinking about writing a book.
The Prayer of the Oppressed also contains an extensive essay by Shaykh Hamza Yusuf on oppression – including the causes of oppression and how to deal with oppression. Click here if you wish to purchase the book (which includes a CD of the Du’a al-Nasiri recitation by the renowned Fez Singers).
Ali Nuriev Posted on 12/13/2011
As-salam alaikum,
Sidi, I have a question about this dua. Some people said that it is haran to make dua for the forgiveness of sins of all muslims, because we know that some muslims are sure to go to Hell. And Ibn Hajar al-Haytami even said that this is kufr.
But in this dua we have “wa dhamba kulli muslimin ya rabban”… Can you explane this, please
Jazakallahu khairan
The Prayer of the Oppressed (ad-Du’āh an-Nāsirī) « Madani Timbukti Traditions' Blog Posted on 11/12/2011
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Tahir Ahmed Posted on 10/03/2011
Shaykh Hamza is a unique scholar in the west,T no doubt.
Ibraheem Shakfeh Posted on 06/02/2011
Jazakum Allahu khayr sidna for this. May Allah protect Syria and all of the Muslim lands by it.
Muslimah Posted on 05/22/2011
@Waleed Ahmed
Assalamu alaykum Wa Rahmatullah Wabarakatu
The Dua is called Salawaat Nariyah which is basically asking Allah thro the high status of our beloved Prophet(Sallallahu Alaihi Wassalam).According to the mainstream Islam,Tawassul is a highly desirable act in order for our Duas to be accepted.
Allah the Exalted said: { Seek ye the means to Him } and { Had they but come to thee when they had wronged themselves, and asked Allah forgiveness, and the Messenger had asked forgiveness for them, they would have found Allah Oft-Returning, Merciful, }.
Nobody in the Ummah of our beloved Prophet(Sallallahu Alaihi Wassalam) ever considered him as God or a son of God.Allah has protected the deen from that.Once you find a rightly guided scholar you just have to trust him!May Allah guide us all!
Wassalam
Muslimah
Jason Abdullah Monaco Posted on 05/12/2011
One of my posts was lost while you were updating your website. The post was a response to a comment by Waleed Ahmed. Also, I can not sign in as a member. I would have emailed you directly but I can’t find any contact info on the webpage since the update occurred.
Please let me know if I need to become a new member again. My sign in and password no longer work.
Regards,
Jason Abdullah Monaco
ahmed Posted on 05/12/2011
Sorry for the inconvenience, as you well know we are transitioning to a new website http://www.sandala.org. Registered members of the old website(www.sandalaproductions.com) will not be able to login into the new site. The new website was created without migrating information from old website’s database. To utilize the new website (sandala.org). You will need to create a new login and password.
Thank You for your support and business,
info@sandala.org
18888583238
Jason Abdullah Monaco Posted on 05/13/2011
Thanky you. I understand. Could you explain what happened to my second post. The one which was a response to Waleed’s comment. This is the only comment which was not reprinted. Did I fail to meet criteria. It was posted before the web site work. Please advise.
ahmed Posted on 05/16/2011
Old administrator of the web site probably did not approve of the comment could be a possibility. Administrative duties have been transferred to me now. Do apologize for any inconvenience i will try my best to stay current with all member’s posts and comments
Jason Abdullah Monaco Posted on 05/17/2011
As-salaamu a’laikum.
Dear Brother Ahmed,
The post was published on the site. It went up a few days before the website conversion began. I am thinking it may have been lost in the shuffle.
Take Care,
Jason Abdullah
Seth Laffey Posted on 05/11/2011
Bismi Llah
@Waleed Ahmed:
As-salaamu ‘alaykum.
It’s not shirk. It’s called tawassul, and it’s part of our tradition. Please see this article:
http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.asp?HD=7&ID=1925
Anonymous Posted on 05/05/2011
brilliant translation, translating the Qur’an, or at least parts of it, is incumbant upon you dear Shaykh…
Anonymous Posted on 05/05/2011
aselemu aleikum wa rahmatullah, barak allahu fiek for these wonderfull dua and translations..
typicall moroccan invocations, 1 of few things im proud of as a moroccan..
may ALLAH azza wajall accept from us our invocations..AMIN
al hamdulilaah i have had the chance to attend these gatherings when i visit morocco, true poetry, words of wisdom and at the same time nice and serene melody and vocals
aselemu aleikum
Anonymous Posted on 05/05/2011
Salamu Alaikum Sheikh Hamza,
Thank you for dedicating time and effort into translating this Dua, in addition to all the other beautiful works you do. The fruits of your efforts are seen now, and they’ll become even more ripe as time passes. Alhamdulilah and may Allah swt bless you.
While reading the first verses of the Dua I was reminded of another beautiful dua attributed to Imam Ali called “Dua Kumail”, translated by professor William Chittick. I was wondering if you’ve also come across it? I find it to be extremely moving and effective.
We often hear about ahadith and stories that our tradition has to offer, but rarely is any significance given to our supplications.
Shukran!
Anonymous Posted on 05/05/2011
May Allah reward you infinitely Shaykh Hamza! What a beautiful gift to the ummah of the Best of Creation (salawaatu rabi wa salaamu `alayh).
Anonymous Posted on 05/05/2011
Salam,
This is so beautiful and powerful, thank you for sharing this with us Shaykh. The du’a is much needed these days, both in the West ad in Muslim countries. May I add, the translation is amazing! I can tell you love anything that is related to poetry and literature. I’m a graduate in translation and I hope my work will be as (or half will do) decent as what you’ve delivered!
Regards,
Dieynaba
Waleed Ahmed Posted on 05/05/2011
Asalam o alaykum,
Jazakallah Shayh Hamza for sharing this. May Allah reward you immensely and accept the hardwork you put into this project.
I had a question about the dua. The introductory supplication in the attached file it reads,
‘O God, shower our master, Muhammad, with the
full extent of mercy, and with the full expanse of serenity, by
whom all entanglements are disentangled, by whom all
distress is allayed, by whom all needs are met…..’
By reading this, it sounded to me like ‘by whom distress is allayed, by whom all needs are met…’ refers to the Prophet. Please correct me if I am interpreting this incorrectly, because my reading implies that the prophet can ease distress and fulfill our needs. I am a bit scared, for my understanding of this excerpt is tantamount to shirk as I was taught we believe that aid and relief can be granted by Allah alone.
I’d really appreciate you clarifying this for me.
Waleed
Anonymous Posted on 05/05/2011
BarakAllahu feek, Shaykh. Very timely, and much needed.
Jason Monaco Posted on 05/05/2011
As-salaamu a’laikum.
Dear Sheikh Hamza,
After reading the translation of Imam Muhammad al Dar’i's The Prayer of the Oppressed one can’t help but have a melting heart. True poetry is that which brings the reader closer to their Lord. Poetry truly owns a place within our deen. Inshallah, this poem can be an inspiration to all American Muslim poets.
In this poem, the voice of Muhammad al Dar’i becomes our voice. As you read his words you can’t help but feel them flow through you; they are cleansing. I firmly believe that true poetry has no ego, no alterior motive and no desire for praise. This is a reminder to all us who write poetry that our verse should be written with Allah as our audience. Is there any other audience with which we should strive to gain acceptance?
May Allah preserve Sheikh Hamza and allow the Sheikh to continue this important work.
Jason Abdullah Monaco
Allentown, Pennsylvania