Shadhili | Hizb al-Bahr – حزب البحر

by Imam Abul Hasan al-Shadhili

In the name of Allah Most Merciful and Compassionate
O Allah, O High, O Great, O Clement, O All-knowing; You are my Lord and Your knowledge is my sufficiency; >how perfect is my Lord, how perfect my sufficiency: You give victory to whom You will, and You are the All-powerful, and the All-Compassionate.

We ask Your protection, in movements and rests, in words and desires and thoughts; from doubts and imaginings, and the illusions that veil hearts from beholding things unseen. The believers have been tried, and mightily shaken,ìand lo, the hypocrites and those with sickness in their hearts say: Allah and His messenger have promised us nothing but delusionî So make us steadfast, give us the victory, and subject to us this sea, as You subjected the sea to Moses, the fire to Abraham, the mountains and iron to David, the wind and demons and jinn to Solomon. And subject to us every sea You possess, in the earth and sky, the physical and the spiritual, the sea of this life and the sea of the life to come. And subject to us everything, O You in whose hand is mastery of everything.

Kaf Ha Ya ëAyn Sad

Give us victory, for You are the best who give victory.
Clear our vision, for You are the best who clear visions.
Forgive us, for You are the best of forgivers.
Have mercy on us, for You are the best of the merciful.
Give us sustenance, for You are the best of providers.
And guide us, and save us from the wrongdoing folk.
And give us a goodly wind, as may be in Your knowledge, and release it upon us from the storehouses of Your mercy; and carry us upon it a carrying of honor, with safety and well-being in the religion, in this world, and the world to come. Truly, You have power over all things.

O Allah, facilitate our affairs for us, with ease for our hearts and bodies, and security and well-being in our worldly life and religion.

And be our companion in our travels, while keeping watch behind in our families; And blind the faces of our enemies, and change them where they stand, so they can neither move nor reach us.

Had we willed, We would have obliterated their eyes, and they would race to the path, but how should they see? Or had We willed, We would have transformed them upon their place, so they could go neither forward nor return.î

Ya Sin. By the Wise Koran, Truly you are of the messengers, upon a straight path; The sending down of the All-powerful, the All-compassionate; To warn a people whose forefathers were unwarned, so they heed not. The word has truly been realized against most of them, so they believe not. Verily, We have placed fetters on their necks, even up to the chins, so they bend not. And We have placed a barrier before them, and a barrier behind them, and covered them over, so they see not.

May the faces be disfigured (3)

And faces shall be humbled to the Living, Through Whom All exists, while whoever bears wrongdoing shall have failed.
Ta Sin, Ha Mim, ëAyn Sin Qaf.
He has loosed the two seas that meet, between them is a barrier they do not cross.

Ha Mim (7)

The matter be done, the victory come. Against us they shall not be helped.
Ha Mim. The sending down of the Book from Allah, the All-powerful, the All-knowing: Forgiver of Sins, Accepter of Repentance, Terrible in Punishment, Infinite in Bounty: no god but He; unto Him is the final becoming.

Bismillah is our door,
Tabaraka our walls,
Ya Sin our roof,
Kaf Ha Ya ëAyn Sad our sufficiency,
Ha Mim ëAyn Sin Qaf our protection.
And Allah will suffice you against them, and He is the All-hearing, the All-knowing.

The veil of the Throne is lowered upon us, the eye of Allah is looking at us; By the power of Allah we shall not be overcome, and Allah encompasses them from behind:

Nay, it is a noble recitation, In a guarded tablet.î
For Allah is best as protector, and He is most merciful of the merciful (3)
Verily, Allah is my protector, who sent down the Book, and He looks after the righteous. (3)
Allah is my sufficiency, there is no god but He; on Him I rely, and He is Lord of the Mighty Throne. (3)

In the name of Allah with whose name nothing can cause harm in the earth or sky, and He is the All-hearing, the All-knowing. (3)

I take refuge in the consummate words of Allah from the evil of what He has created. (3)

And there is no power or strength except by Allah, the High, the Most Great.

And Allah bless our liege lord Muhammad, and his folk and Companions and give them peace.

Bismillahir rahmanir raheem.
Ya ‘Aliyyu, Ya ‘Adheemu, Ya Haleemu, Ya ‘Aleem.
Anta rabbi, wa ‘ilmuka hasbi, fa ni’mar-rabbu rabbi, wa ni’mal hasbu hasbi,
tan-suru man tashaa-u wa antal ‘azeezur raheem.
Nas-alukal ‘ismata fil harakati was-sakanati wal kalimati wal iradati wal
khatarati minash-shukuki wa-dhununi wal awhamis-satirati lil qulubi ‘an
mutala’atil ghuyub.
Faqadib tuliyal mu’minoona wa zulzilu zilzalan shadeeda.
Wa idh “yaqulul munafiquna wal-ladheena fi qulubihim maradun ma
wa’adanallahu wa rasuluhu illa ghurura.”
Fa thibbitna wan-surna wa sakh-khir lana hadhal bahr, kama sakh-khartal
bahra li Musa, wa sakh-khartan nara li Ibrahim. Wa sakh-khartal jibaala wal
hadeeda li Dawud. Wa sakh-khartar reeha wash-shayatina wal jinna li
Sulayman. Wa sakh-khir lana kulla bahrin huwa laka fil ardi was-samaa-i wal
mulki wal malakut. Wa bahrad-dunya, wa bahral akhira. Wa sakh-khir lana
kulla shay-in ya man bi yadihi malakutu kulli shay.
“Kaf ha ya ‘ain sad.
Kaf ha ya ‘ain sad.
Kaf ha ya ‘ain sad.”
Unsurna fi-innaka khayrun-nasireen.
Waf-tah lana fi-innaka khayrul fatiheen.
Wagh-fir lana fi-innaka khayrul ghafireen.
War-hamna fi-innaka khayrur-rahimeen.
War-zuqna fi-innaka khayrur-raziqeen.
Wahdina wanajjina minal qawmidh-dhalimeen.
Wa hab lana reehan tayyibatan kama hiya fi ‘ilmik.
Wan-shurha ‘alayna min khazaaini rahmatik.
Wahmilna biha hamlal karamati ma’assalamati wal ‘afiyati fid-deeni wad-dunya
wal akhira. Innaka ‘ala kulli shayin qadeer.
Allahumma yassir lana umurana ma’arrahati li qulubina wa abdanina
was-salamati wal ‘afiyati fi dunyana wa deenina. Wa kul-lana sahiban fi
safarina wa khaleefatan fi ahlina. Wat-mis ‘ala wujuhi a’daaina. Wam-sakh
hum ‘ala makanatihim fala yasta-ti’unal mudiyya walal majiyya ilayna.
“Wa law nashaa-u latamasna ‘ala a’yunihim fas-tabaqus-sirata fa-anna
yubsiroon. Wa law nashaa-u lamasakh nahum ‘ala makanatihim famas-tata’u
mudiyyaw-wa la yarji’oon.”
“Ya seen. Wal Qur’aanil hakeem. Innaka laminal mursaleen. ‘Ala
siratim-mustaqeem. Tanzeelal ‘azeezir-raheem. Li tunzira qawmam-ma undhira
aabaa-uhum fahum ghafiloon. Laqad haqqal qawlu ‘ala ak-tharihim fahum la
yu’minoon. Inna ja’alna fi a’naqihim aghlalan fa hiya ilal adhqani fahum
muqmahoon. Wa ja’alna mim-bayni aydihim saddaw-wa min khalfihim saddan
fa-agh shaynahum fahum la yubsiroon.”
Shaahatil wujooh.
Shaahatil wujooh.
Shaahatil wujooh.
“Wa ‘anatil wujoohu lil hayyil qayyumi wa qad khaba man hamaladhulma.”
“Ta seen. Ha meem. ‘Ain seen qaaf.”
“Marajal bahrayni yaltaqiyaan. Baynahuma barzakhul-la yabghiyan.”
“Ha meem. Ha meem. Ha meem. Ha meem. Ha meem. Ha meem. Ha meem.”
Hummal amru wa ja-an-nasru fa’alayna la yunsaroon.
“Ha meem. Tanzeelul kitabi minallahil ‘azeezil ‘aleem. Ghafiridh-dhambi wa
qabilit-tawbi shadeedil ‘iqabi dhit-tawli la ilaha illa huwa ilayhil
maseer.”
Bismillahi, baabuna. Tabaraka, hitanuna. Ya seen, saqfuna.
Kaf Ha Ya ‘Ain Sad, kifayatuna. Ha Meem ‘Ain Seen Qaaf, himayatuna.
“Fasayakfikahumullahu wa huwas-sami’ul ‘aleem.
Fasayakfikahumullahu wa huwas-sami’ul ‘aleem.
Fasayakfikahumullahu wa huwas-sami’ul ‘aleem.”
Sitrul ‘arshi masbulun ‘alayna, wa ‘ainullahi nadhiratun ilayna, bi
hawlillahi la yuqdaru ‘alayna. Wallahu miw-waraaihim muheet. Bal huwa
Qura’anum-majeed. Fi lawhim-mahfoodh.
“Fallahu khayrun hafidhaw-wa huwa arhamur-rahimeen.
Fallahu khayrun hafidhaw-wa huwa arhamur-rahimeen.
Fallahu khayrun hafidhaw-wa huwa arhamur-rahimeen.”
“Inna waliy-yiyallahul-ladhee nazzalal kitaba wa huwa yatawallas-saliheen.”
“Inna waliy-yiyallahul-ladhee nazzalal kitaba wa huwa yatawallas-saliheen.”
“Inna waliy-yiyallahul-ladhee nazzalal kitaba wa huwayatawallas-saliheen.”
“Hasbiyallahu la ilaha illa huwa ‘alayhi tawakkaltu wa huwa rabbul ‘arshil
‘adheem
Hasbiyallahu la ilaha illa huwa ‘alayhi tawakkaltu wa huwa rabbul ‘arshil
‘adheem.”
“Hasbiyallahu la ilaha illa huwa ‘alayhi tawakkaltu wa huwa rabbul ‘arshil
‘adheem.”
Bismillahil ladhee la yadurru ma’asmihi shayun fil ardi wa la fis-samaa-i wa
huwas-sami’ul ‘aleem.
Bismillahil ladhee la yadurru ma’asmihi shayun fil ardi wa la fis-samaa-i wa
huwas-sami’ul ‘aleem.
Bismillahil ladhee la yadurru ma’asmihi shayun fil ardi wa la fis-samaa-i wa
huwas-sami’ul ‘aleem.
Audhu bi kalimatillahit-taammati min sharri ma khalaq.
Audhu bi kalimatillahit-taammati min sharri ma khalaq.
Audhu bi kalimatillahit-taammati min sharri ma khalaq.
Wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billahil ‘aliyyil ‘adheem.
Wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billahil ‘aliyyil ‘adheem.
Wa la hawla wa la quwwata illa billahil ‘aliyyil ‘adheem.
Wa sallallahu ‘ala sayyidina Muhammadiw-wa ‘ala aalihi wa sahbihi wa sallim.

Hizb al-Bahr (Litany of the Sea) a unique litany made of Quranic verses and supplications, it is a powerful invocation read by multitudes throughout the Muslim world, it was taught by the Prophet to Sidi Abul Hasan al-Shadhili – the renowned Wali’Allah (“Friend of Allah”) whilst travelling to Hajj. On the litany, the Shaykh Abul Hassan al-Shadhili said, “By Allah, I did not utter it except as it came from the Holy Prophet, from whose instruction I learned it. ‘Guard it;’ the Holy Prophet(SAW) said to me, ‘for it contains the greatest name of Allah.’ It is not recited in any place without security reigning there. If it had been with the inhabitants of Baghdad, the Tatars would not have taken the city.” “Whoever recites it every day at sunrise, Allah hears his prayer, relieves his distress, raises his standing among people, expands his breast with knowledge of the divine oneness, facilitates his concerns, lifts his hardship, keeps from him the evil of man and jinn, and protects him from the harm of mishaps of the night and day.”

from Ibn al-Sabbagh’s Durrat al-Asrar
translated by Elmer H. Douglas
View on damas-original.nur.nu

The worthy Shaykh Abu al-‘Aza’im Madi ibn Sultan related to me in the city of Tunis, may God the Exalted watch over it, as did also the worthy and blessed Shaykh Sharaf al-Din, son of the Shaykh (al-Shadhili) in the city of Damanhur al-Wahsh of Egypt in the year A.H. 715 that shaykh was on the point of setting out from Cairo to perform the pilgrimage to Mecca a short time after the departure of the pilgrims.
He said, ”I have been divinely ordered to go on pilgrimage this year. So find for us a Nile vessel in which to make the journey by way of Upper Egypt:’ They looked about for a vessel, but found only one belonging to Christians on which was an elderly Christian man with his sons.

He said, “Let us get on board:”
We entered the vessel and set sail from Cairo and traveled for two or three days. Then the wind shifted so that we were sailing into it. So we tied up to the bank of the Nile at an uninhabited spot. We remained there about a week within sight of the hills of Cairo.

One of the pilgrims accompanying us asked, “How is it that the Shaykh says that he was ordered to perform the pilgrimage this year when the time for it has passed? And how long will this journey take? ”

In the middle of the day the shaykh slept and awoke, and then offered this prayer [known as Litany of the Sea].

“Where is the captain of the vessel?” he inquired.

“Yes” he answered, “here I am:’

“What is your name?” the shaykh asked. “Mismar:’

“O blessed Mismar, unfurl the sail:’ the shaykh ordered.

“O my master:’ the captain objected, “[lf I do that], we shall come again to Cairo by sailing before the wind:’

“We shall again become travelers:’ the shaykh replied, “if God wills:’

Again the captain objected, “This wind will drive us back to Cairo before the end of this day, and, furthermore, with the wind as it is, to get the ship under sail will be absolutely impossible:’

“Unfurl the sail;’ the shaykh ordered him, “with the blessing of God:”

So we unfurled the sail, and God [He is exalted] commanded the wind so that it shifted and filled the sail [so quickly that they] were unable to cast off the rope from the stake. They cut it and we departed under a gentle breeze. The captain converted to Islam, both he and his brother. Their father did not cease to lament and say, “I have lost my two sons on this journey:’ “On the contrary;’ the Shaykh said to him, “you have gained them:’

That night the Christian had a vision in which the day of resurrection, as it were, had come, and he was beholding the Garden and the fire. He witnessed the shaykh (al-Shadhili) conducting to the Garden a large crowd of people. Among them were the Christian’s sons. He wanted to follow them, but he was prevented. He was told, “You are not of them until you enter their religion:’

The Christian related that to the shaykh, and he [the Christian] converted to Islam. Then the shaykh told him, “The people whom you saw with me are my companions to the day of resurrection.”

We continued our journey easily and successfully with incidents the telling of which would consume a long time. They finished the pilgrimage that year.

My master, Madi, related, according to a report from the shaykh, The Christian became one of the great saints of God. Consequently, he sold his vessel and performed the pilgrimage with us, along with his sons. He had a zawiya (worship place) in Upper Egypt and was one of those who were endowed with charismatic powers. This blessed journey was an occasion for the manifestation of such a power. May God have mercy on him and be pleased with him.

The shaykh said: ‘By God, I did not utter it [the Litany of the Sea] except as it came from the Prophet of God, from whose instruction I learned it. “Guard it;’ he said to me, “for it contains the greatest name of God.’

It is not recited in any place without security reigning there. If it had been with the inhabitants of Baghdad, the Tatars would not have taken the city.

Source: The Mystical Teachings of al-Shadhili from Ibn al-Sabbagh’s Durrat al-Asrar wa Tufat al-Abarar translated by Elmer H. Douglas