Sahifa Alawiya
By:
Amirul Mo-mineen Ali Ibne Abi Talib (a.s.)
An Introduction
Seeing the usefulness of Sahifa Kamila - the collection of supplications of
Imam Zainul Aabedeen (a.s.), our scholars began to compile supplications of other
Masoomeen (a.s.). Abdullah bin Saleh Samahiji collected the supplications of Hazrat
Amirul Mo-mineen Ali Ibne Abi Talib (a.s.) and named the collection: Sahifa
Alawiya.
Other scholars also compiled their collections of Duas related from Imam
Ali (a.s.) but the collection that became most popular was that of Abdullah bin Saleh.
It had 160 Duas.
Sahifa Alawiya was first published in 1305 A.H. (1887 A.D.) from Bombay.
Then from Majmaul Bahrayn Press, Ludhiana and after this in 1311 A.H. (1893 A.D.)
from Tehran. The fourth time it was published from Nizami Press, Lucknow with
translation and commentary in 1371 A.H. (1951 A.D.). But it is regretful that it did
not mention the sources.
The supplications of Sahifa Alawiya can be broadly divided into two
sections. The expression of Allah's slaveship and the entreaties of the supplicant.
Each of the supplications is a masterpiece of the expression of ones helplessness
before the grandeur of the Almighty and only a personality like Ali (a.s.) could have
composed such Duas.
The present English Version is based on the Urdu translation of Sahifa
Alawiya by Maulana Sayyid Murtuza Husain Lakhnavi, republished by Hyderi Kutub
Khana.
We have tried our best to make the translation conform to original Arabic
text, however if the readers find any aberration they are requested to inform us, so
that we can make the necessary changes in later editions.
Wa Aakheru Dawana Anil Hamdolillahe Rabbil A'lameen