A Kasidah of Prayers to Conceal Personal Flaws

REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA – The kasidah Ya Alima Sirri Minna, authored by Yemeni scholar Habib Abdullah bin Alawi Al Haddad, is one of the most popular religious poems in Indonesian prayer gatherings.

The kasidah not only contains praises and worship of Allah SWT but also deep prayers for the concealment of faults, forgiveness of sins, and the purification of the heart and deeds.

The verses of this kasidah are frequently recited in dhikr gatherings as they touch upon the most personal aspects of humanity: fear of sin, hope for Allah’s mercy, and anxiety over one’s own weaknesses.

The following excerpts are taken from the book Al Khulashoh fi Adzkarin wa Ad’iyatin Waaridatin wa Matsuratin compiled by Habib Umar bin Muhammad bin Salim Al Hafidz:

Prayer for Concealment of Faults

ﻳَﺎﻋَﺎﻟِﻢَ ﺍﻟﺴِّﺮِّﻣِﻨَّﺎ ، ﻟَﺎﺗَﻬْﺘِﻚِ ﺍﻟﺴِّﺘْﺮَﻋَﻨَّﺎ

Ya ’alima sirri minna, la tahtikis sitra ’anna

‘O Knower of our secrets, do not expose our faults before mankind.’

ﻭَﻋَﺎﻓِﻨَﺎﻭَﺍﻋْﻒُ ﻋَﻨَّﺎ ، ﻭَﻛُﻦْ ﻟَﻨَﺎﺣَﻴْﺚُ ﻛُﻨَّﺎ

Wa ’afina wa’fu ’anna, wa kun lana haitsu kunna

‘Heal us and forgive us, and be with us wherever we may be.’

This opening verse is the most popular as it reflects a servant’s acknowledgment of their weaknesses and sins. In Sufi tradition, requesting the concealment of faults is considered the highest form of etiquette towards Allah SWT.

A Servant’s Lament

ﻳَﺎﺭَﺏِّ ﻳَﺎﻋَﺎﻟِﻢَ ﺍﻟْﺤَﺎﻝْ ، ﺍِﻟَﻴْﻚَ ﻭﺟَّﻬْﺖُ ﺍﻟْﺂﻣَﺎﻝْ

Ya Rabbi ya ’alimal hal, ilaika wajjahtul aamaal

‘O my Lord, Knower of my state, to You I have directed all my hopes.’

ﻓَﺎﻣْﻨُﻦْ ﻋَﻠَﻴْﻨَﺎ ﺑِﺎﻟْﺎِﻗْﺒَﺎﻝْ ، ﻭَﻛُﻦْ ﻟَﻨَﺎﻭﺍﺻْﻠِﺢِ ﺍﻟْﺒَﺎﻝْ

Famnun ’alaina bil iqbal, wa kun lana washlihil baal

‘Bestow Your favour upon us and rectify all our affairs.’

This verse depicts total surrender of a human who recognises that Allah is the sole reliance in all circumstances.

Acknowledging One’s Humility Before Allah

ﻳَﺎﺭَﺏِّ ﻳَﺎﺭَﺏِّ ﺍﻟْﺎَﺭﺑَﺎﺏْ ، ﻋَﺒْﺪُﻙْ ﻓَﻘِﻴْﺮُﻙْ ﻋَلى اﻟْﺒَﺎﺏْ

Ya Rabbi ya Rabbal arbab, ’abduka faqiruka ’alal baab

‘O Lord of all lords, Your impoverished servant stands at Your door.’

ﺍَﺗَﻰ ﻮَﻗَﺪْﺑَﺖَّ ﺍﻟْﺎَﺳْﺒَﺎﺏْ ، ﻣُﺴْﺘَﺪْﺭِﻛًﺎﺑَﻌْﺪَ ﻣَﺎﻣَﺎﻝْ

Ataa wa qad battal asbaab, mustadrikan ba’da ma maal

‘He comes after all paths have been closed, seeking return after long straying.’

This section portrays the spiritual state of a human who feels powerless except in hoping for Allah’s mercy.