The First Ziyarah for the Day of Ashura

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

Peace be upon you, O Shining Light, the Gleaming Radiance, the Piercing Meteor, the Proof over the world, the Firmest Handle, the Door of Certainty, and the Strong Rope. I bear witness that you were not killed, nor overcome, nor conquered, nor did you die, nor did you sleep. Rather, you manifested the Occultation by Your power, and veiled Yourself from the eyes of the observers by Your wisdom. You, O my Master, are present and not absent, a witness not far; You hear the speech and return the answer. Upon You, O my Master, is peace, and from You is peace.

I have come to You, O my Master, as a visitor knowing Your merit, acknowledging Your manifestation, seeking refuge in You, worshipping Your images, dissociating from those who set themselves up for Your war and intended to fight You. I have dissociated from him, while You are too majestic for his will, too great for his intent, and too mighty by Your power for killing, captivity, defeat, or compulsion. You give life to whom You will, bring death to whom You will, and provide for whom You will without account. Glory be to You above what the oppressors say with a great exaltation, and above what the atheists fabricate—that You are buried in this spot, or overcome, or conquered, or killed. Rather, You are the Creator of death and annihilation, and You are the Living, the Everlasting, the Eternal, the Pre-existent, the Lord of Lords, the God of Gods, and the Compeller of Compellers. How could annihilation befall You when You are its Creator? How could killing settle upon You when You are its Originator? Or how could Your enemies be destined against You when You give them life and bring them death, upon what You will, however You will? You are exalted above the saying of those who say You are overcome, or conquered, or besieged, or persecuted, with a great exaltation. Your image was cast upon Your chosen one, Hanzala, Your likeness (Shabah); You obligated Your Paradise for him by that, promised him Your pardon and forgiveness, and gave him the elevated station and the high, virtuous degree. So upon him from You is the greeting, the prayer, the submission, and the peace, throughout the passage of ages and times. Upon the believers, the Unitarians (Muwahhidin), the Knowers (Arifin), from their Creator is mercy and forgiveness.

(Then you prostrate and supplicate for what you love for yourself and your brothers; it will be answered, Allah the Exalted willing).¹