Research Methods in Anthropology

15PANC011

MA Anthropological Research Methods

(Year 1 of 2)
Assignment 1

“Dua Kumayl (The supplication of Kumayl)”

Jamie Wood BSc MSc

294935

Due: 16:00hrs 10/01/11

Word count: 2496

A Paper Having Been Written Concerning the Process of Data
Collection for a Mini Ethnography Focussed upon the ‘Dua
Kumayl (The Supplication of Kumayl)’ of the Ahl Al Bayt (Shia).

The holy Kumayl supplication [was recited] on Thursday nights, with tearful
eyes, broken heart, and in a divine tone, while it was completely dark. No one
attended that session except that he was greatly impressed by the Kumayl
supplication.
Ansariyan, 2007, p.15

The autoethnographer desires to qualify his work. Using the third person for author, beyond

objectified others, emphasises questions of objectivity juxtaposed subjectivity, and authority,

reflexively portraying him within the narrative/narration (Richardson, 2001) like ‘ethnographer as

other’ (Davies, 1998, p.198). The narration, a tale, evokes the process as internally/subjectively

experienced but also externally/objectively placed (Stoller, 1989). A curt, ironic, satirical, and surreal

form of ‘Lacanian aphanisis’ (Stewart, 1987, p.452) employed as communicative literary device for

‘writing up’ (Ellen, 1984, p,295), with narrator anonymising (Christians, 2000, p.139) all the cast,

behind signifiers (Manning, 2001) paradoxically exercising autoethnography (Ellis and Bochner,

2000). The writer doubts absolute objective reality is knowable, rather temporal shared subjective

phenomena, yet posits ‘truth always manifests itself in a structure of fiction’ (Durand, 1983, citing

Lacan, p.861). The short time within the field, and limited empirical data presented, requires that

‘theory...[must] “dance” with the personal in autoethnographic writing that is powerful, evocative’

yet rather than ‘theoretically sophisticated.’ (Gannon, 2006, p.476) ‘ontological parsimony and

theoretical simplicity’ are ‘virtues that need to be considered’ (Tallant, 2009, p.426); embedded

theory signposted. The narrative, produces psychoanalytical counter transference (Ihanus, 1998),

resultant in varied psychological states from mild amusement, to dissonance, and indeed outright

discomfort.

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 The field suggested while attending the Ahl Al Bayt (People of the House) masjid during the

month of Ramadan; the anthropologist entered the field, as it entered him, semiosis of

ethnography established as phenomenon (Gupta and Ferguson, 1997). A British Asian Shia

gatekeeper (Davies, 1998, p.55) from Ahl Al Bayt, advocated attendance for iftar (breaking of fast),

the site useful for the ethnographer’s planned research; on Thursdays the dua Kumayl was offered

as per the Shia tradition. The associate spoke of his recently passed father, who tried never to miss

the dua Kumayl (Kristmundsdottir, 2006), always welcomed by Ahl Al Bayt as Sayyid

(genealogically from the Prophet Muhammad; Hashim of the Quraish; of Abraham through

Ishmael).

The masjid’s threshold, socially and ethnographically liminal, (Van Gennep, 1961) crossed,

the collected brothers sat opposite each other in rows, rather than ranked as per the ritual of prayer;

long sheets between them as eating surface. Sat, the two were offered ‘black and white’, the dates

and milk preferred by the prophet Muhammad to break his fast. The anthropologist recalled an iftar

meal twenty years earlier with Muslims in Toxteth, Liverpool; here he was told of the two blacks,

dates and water (Sahih Bukhari, 2004, Vol. 7, Book 65, No. 295) and the two whites, milk and water;

inferred political subtext as analogous to race within the Medinan state contra the Jahiliyan Meccan

context (Mumisa, 2002). The hosts were black reverts to Ahl al Bayt, and presuppositions

manifested after the Maghrib prayer. Knowing the two were hungry, travellers the hosts appellated

recognising their passage and granting status beyond strangers/academics (Agar, 1996), a young

man arrived with iftar food. The assembled discussed how each had come to Islam, or the

individuals’ familial providence within the faith, punctuated with sipped sweet tea served to those

gathered by attendant young men carrying Ibreeq Shay (large tea pots), evidencing contextual

Islamic constructions of masculine etiquette (Al-Ghazali, 2000).

Talk of a visiting learnéd cleric from Qum, delivering the English lecture programme during

Ramadan; asking whether the guests wished to meet him. Conversations continued, interposed by

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tea until the approach of the cleric from the guests’ rear is announced. Stood to greet the scholar,

the anthropologist turned to be warmly greeted by the cleric, who was himself Black.

“Salaam Alaykum”

“Wa Alaykum Salaam wa Rahmat Allah wa Barakatu ya Sheikh”

No reason, other than pervasive ‘devalued identities’ (Lee, 2010, p.159), why a revert Black Shia

Muslim should not be a cleric fluent not only in English, but also suitably versant in classical Arabic

and Persian, as well as modern forms; the two blacks. The anthropologist could not help but be

struck that the cleric in his flowing robes minded him of the Jedi High council member, Mace Windu,

played by Samuel L. Jackson in the Star Wars films (Nama, 2008).

Fig. 1, Mace Windu (Samuel L. Jackson), 2007.

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Attending to the rest of the evening the ethnographer observed (Angrosino and de Perez, 2000) the

dua Kumayl for the first time.

Weeks later the anthropologist was again a student, the voice of a green man (albeit a small

one) entered his preconscious concerning the apprenticeship of anthropology; ‘When nine hundred

years old you reach, look as good, you will not, hmm?’. Yet it is not Al-Khidr (Ar., lit. Green) unto

whom the Dua Kumayl is originally attributed and from whom it is transmitted (Ansariyan, 2007).

Moses said: "Thou wilt find me, if Allah so will, (truly) patient: nor shall I disobey
thee in aught." The other said: "If then thou wouldst follow me, ask me no
questions about anything until I myself speak to thee concerning it."
The Holy Quran, Yusuf Ali, 2002, Surat Al Kayf (The Cave) 18:69-70.

Fig. 2, Al-Khidr, 2010.

The prospect of a reflexive account of the process of mini-ethnography arose, the Dua Kumayl

presented.
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 Kumayl said: “One day, I was with my master `Ali (a.s) in Kufah. We were
talking about Sha’ban the fifteenth. Imam said: “One who spends that night
worshipping and recites dua Khidhr, his prayer will be answered for sure.” When
Imam (a.s) returned home, I went to him. He said: “What do you want?” I
answered: “I’ve come to you to teach me dua Khidhr.” He told me to sit down.
Then he said: “O Kumayl! When you memorize this dua, recite it every Thursday
night, or once in a month, or once in a year or once in your lifetime, and Allah
will save you from enemies, help you, extend your sustenance, and forgive your
sins. O Kumayl! Your extended and faithful service made me teach you such a
blissful dua.” Then he said: “Write it down!” And recited it to me.
Ansariyan, 2007, p.31, citing Sayyid Ibn Tawus.

Ethnographer prepared himself through a Thursday. The hour approached, preparations

made, the anthropologist set out toward Maida Vale; by tube from Euston Square via Baker

Street close to Regent’s Park Sunni masjid, our anthropologist pondered the fitnah (tribulation)

between Ahl Al Bayt and Ahl Al Sunnah; thoughts regressed through consciousness as the tube

continued onward to Kilburn Park (Passaro, 1997). As a white reverted British Muslim the

journey through physical and cognitive landscapes is both strange and familiar; field of research

thus other; home so self (Hannerz, 2006).

Fig. 3, Islamic Centre of England, 2010, Writer.

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 The Islamic Centre of England, as the Ahl Al Bayt masjid is officially known, has connection

with the Islamic Republic of Iran. The director, Ayatollah Abdolhossein Moezi ‘personally appointed

by Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, to be his special envoy to the UK’ (Kerbaj, 2009);

the organisation could have been guarded in the current media and geopolitical context (Fine et al.,

2000). The masjid is an old cinema; ‘a theatre’ the anthropologist’s grandmother would have said;

the narrative, performative and dramaturgic nature of ritual and life (Goffman, 1990) crossed the

mind of the anthropologist. The structure was situated in an interesting location at a point of

passage between the affluent areas of Maida Vale and St. John’s Wood, and their earthier

neighbour with Kilburn Priory where Maida Vale becomes Kilburn High Road. Kilburn Park

tube situated to the area north of Ladbroke Grove and Harrow Road also close to Queen’s Park.

Maida Vale leads on from and again becomes Edgware Road by way of Kilburn High Road, figuring

in the consciousness of London (see Fig.8) in more recent times associated with diasporic and

(grand?) touring Muslim communities often from the Persian Gulf; the route built by Roman armies

used to advance into the less hospitable north; Iter II, London – Northward (Codrington, 2010). As

Saint Ambrose advised Saint Augustine ‘Si fueris Romae, Romano vivito more; Si fueris alibi, vivito

sicut ibi’ (Taylor, 1660, bk. 1, ch. 1, rule 5); herein the passage/passed/past stands as metaphysical

conceit (Rambus, 2004).

Anthropologist walked the surrounding area comprising the broader field and thus context

(Lee and Ingold, 2006), an energy drink consumed, his nicotine addiction attended. Outside the

Islamic Centre a portakabin, beloved of the UK’s department of education, and as if in tribute to

Britain’s high esteem of scholasticism containing the masjid’s bookshop. Slowly poking his head

around the door, eye contact made with the attendant, he saluted ‘Salaam Alaykum’, allowing his

body to follow his head. The vendor’s head raised, the anthropologist lost as if thinking ‘I often

wonder what the Vintners buy, one half so precious as the Goods they sell?’; collecting his thoughts,

he explained his presence for Dua Kumayl; ‘‘inside’...secondary sources’ (Hammersley and Atkinson,

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1995, pp.158-159). The bookseller confirmed and gestured to the shelf immediately left, the

anthropologist turned, his eyes fallen upon Ansariyan’s (2007) work on the dua. Having entered the

masjid the researcher performed two raka’ah of prayer, sat and observed the interior of the masjid;

it has retained the architectural features from its previous life. Above the entrance three elaborate

chandeliers, the central one directly above the screens dividing the masjid for reasons of Purdah

(Cox, 2006). Wind caught chandelier crystals which rang out subtle melody and rhythm as if guided

by the invisible hand of the arch angel Israfel waiting upon his duty as herald; Muslims sat pursuing

knowledge; performing devotions. The anthropologist conscious of difficulty in note taking/jotting

(Brewer, 2000), realised the freedom that 1400 years of scholastic tradition afforded him. The

associate who stayed during Ramadan advised him to carry his prayer beads, and such devices

established status and impression managed (Goffman, 1990), facilitating informed consent of the

study (Hammersley and Atkinson, 1995) to the centre and all met.

Fig. 4, Writer’s Notebook, Khorasani Prayer Mat,

and Misbaha, 2010, Writer.

7
 Muslims entered the masjid for prayers. Prayer begun, the anthropologist noted differences

in practice unnoticed by him previously. The ethnographer’s crossed arms over his torso, right over

left, then during the 2nd Raka’ah of the Maghrib prayer, where Sunnis enter Ruku' (bowing down,

hands on knees) the anthropologist followed his tradition. The Shia recited a Qunut (stood to recite

a dua); the collected Shia were aware they had a Sunni guest. Anthropologist’s status confirmed he

was pointed toward the director of the English language programme, an Italian revert. The director

was rushed, but invited the anthropologist to attend a lecture to commemorate the birth of the 8th

Imam of the Ahl Al Bayt.

Fig. 5, ICE Lecture Poster, 2010.

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Congregation ebbed and flowed, again the ethnographer observed the Dua Kumayl, this time as

participant (Castaneda, 2006). The performance of the dua broadcasted over the public address

system of the masjid, the Arabic text and associated English highlighted throughout the recital

upon a large screen situated where once cinematographic images had entertained.

Fig. 6, Dua Kumayl, Qum, 2008.

The day of the lecture arrived and the ethnographer departed for the masjid. The 16 bus

from Victoria up the Edgware Road, the anthropologist typically early decided to disembark the bus

at Little Venice, to the south of Maida Vale. This area of London the first the anthropologist had

visited, with aforementioned grandmother, staying with family who lived close to the canal that

gave the area its name; thirty years later London had become home. Slowly the anthropologist

walked the canal, took photographs of routes which echoed back and forth through time. The green

trees interspersed through the journey, reminder of the matter at hand, mindful of proposed future

research. He stopped at a school of psychotherapy teaching the transpersonal processes of such

research interest to him, enquiring about conducting focus groups; but more of this in the second

part of this course’s coursework requirement.

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 Fig. 7, CCPE School, Little Venice, 2010, Writer.

A casual stroll to the masjid, having conducted ablutions in the provided washroom, the

anthropologist entered the masjid again, prayed, sat, conducted dhikr, and awaited the lecture in

the upstairs library. Ascending the stairs, he took his position on the provided chairs in a room

covered to the four quarters by countless tomes. Quranic recital, and the Cleric began his lecture on

the life of the 8th Imam of the Ahl Al Bayt, Imam Reza (765-818 CE). The celebrated biography of the

Imam recounted, the cleric spoke of his martyrdom and burial in Mashhad (Ar. & Per., lit. the place

of martyrdom) within the area of Greater Khorasan. Interest in the Islamic scholar Al Ghazali (1058–

1111 CE), of Tus in Khorasan, lead the anthropologist to invest familial Christmas gifts on a

Khorasani hand knotted prayer mat for his home (see Fig.4).

The lecture concluded, the ethnographer partook of tea, and was engaged by director of

the programme that the lecture was constituent. Enquiring of the anthropologist his proposed field

of study for PhD, and post an explanation of research interests, he gestured toward the

anthropologist’s SOAS varsity sweatshirt “I’m a SOAS alumnus; I studied Persian and Comparative

Religion”. The discussion continued the director offered assistance in the anthropologist’s future

research, in particular access to psychologists employed by the centre. The conversation concluded,

a familiar face emerged over the researcher’s shoulder. It was the face of an acquaintance the

10
anthropologist had known twenty years earlier in Ladbroke Grove. Ethnographer and the brother

had spoken often during past meetings about Islam, as the researcher at that time had not become

Muslim. “I didn’t realise you were Shia?” ventured the anthropologist “Still interested in Islam I see”

responded the brother with a smile. The anthropologist minded of his trip revisiting childhood

jaunts, could not help but reflect upon an oft’ cherished thought, that circles tend to attend old

ground anew, perhaps ‘circular social practice’ (Aunger, 1995, p.99). Contact details exchanged,

with acquaintances old and new, and with the organisation itself, in a ritual more brotherly and less

passively aggressive than by an ‘American Psycho’ (Ellis, 1991).

Fig. 8, Writer’s card and that of ICE

(both sides), 2010, Writer.

Yet there is more to be told of this tale, further old acquaintances, neighbours, shop

owners, and a detailed discussion about empirical observations concerning dua Kumayl informed by

informant interviews. The telling of those stories (Aunger, 1995), the adventures had, and the

lessons learnt are not for today. They must rest in the telling for another day, perhaps a night,

possibly a thousand and one, and of course, a more extensive word count...‘and they [all] lived

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happily [ever after] until they were visited by the Destroyer of all earthly pleasures, the Annihilator

of men” (Dawhood, 2004).

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Passaro, J., 1997, “You Can’t Take the Subway to the Field”: “Village” Epistemologies in the Global
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15
APPENDIX I: English Text of Dua Kumayl (*.mp3 upon attached CD)
In the Name of Allah, the All-merciful, the All-compassionate.

O Allah! Bless Muhammad and his progeny.

O Allah! I beseech Thee by Thy mercy which encompasses all things And by Thy power by which
Thou overcometh all things and submit to it all things and humble before it all things And by Thy
might by which Thou hast conquered all things And by Thy majesty against which nothing can stand
up.

And by Thy grandeur which prevails upon all things And by Thy authority which is exercised over all
things And by Thy own self that shall endure forever after all things have vanished And by Thy
Names which manifest Thy power over all things And by Thy knowledge which pervades all things
And by the light of Thy countenance which illuminates everything O Thou who art the light!

O Thou who art the most holy! O Thou who existed before the foremost! O Thou who shall exist
after the last!

O Allah! Forgive me, my, such sins as would affront my continency O Allah! Forgive me, my, such
sins as would bring down calamity.

O Allah! Forgive me, my, such sins as would change divine favours (into disfavours (O Allah! Forgive
me, my, such sins as would hinder my supplication O Allah! Forgive me such sins as bring down
misfortunes (or afflictions) O Allah! Forgive , my, such sins as would suppress hope.

O Allah! Forgive every sin that I have committed and every error that I have erred O Allah! I
endeavour to draw myself nigh to Thee through Thy invocation And I pray to Thee to intercede on
my behalf And I entreat Thee by Thy benevolence to draw me nearer to Thee And grant me that I
should be grateful to Thee and inspire me to remember and to invoke Thee.

O Allah! I entreat Thee begging Thee submissively, humbly and awestricken To treat me with
clemency and mercy, and to make me pleased and contented with what Thou hast allotted to me
And cause me to be modest and unassuming in all circumstances
O Allah! I beg Thee as one who is passing through extreme privation and who supplicates his needs
to Thee and his hope has been greatly raised by that which is with Thee.

O Allah! Great is Thy kingdom and exalted is Thy greatness Thy plan is secret, Thy authority is
manifest, Thy might is victorious and subduing and Thy power is prevalent throughout and it is not
possible to escape from Thy dominion.

O Allah! Except Thee I do not find any one able to pardon my sins nor to conceal my loathsome acts
Nor have I anyone except Thee to change my evil deeds into virtues There is no god but Thou glory
and praise be to Thee I have made my own soul to suffer I had the audacity (to sin) by my ignorance
Relying upon my past remembrance of Thee and Thy grace towards me.

O Allah! My Lord! How many of my loathsome acts hast Thou screened (from public gaze) How
many of my grievous afflictions (distresses) hast Thou reduced in severity And how many of my
stumblings hast Thou protected, how many of my detestable acts has Thou averted, and how many
of my undeserving praises hast Thou spread abroad!
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O Allah! My trials and sufferings have increased and my evilness has worsened, my good deeds have
diminished and my yokes (of misdeeds) have become firm And remote hopes restrain me to profit
(by good deeds) and the world has deceived me with its allurements and my own self has been
affected by treachery and procrastination.

Therefore, my Lord! I implore Thee by Thy greatness not to let my sins and my misdeeds shut out
access to my prayers from reaching Thy realm and not to disgrace me by exposing those (hidden
ones) of which Thou hast knowledge nor to hasten my retribution for those vices and misdeeds
committed by me in secret which were due to evil mindedness, ignorance, excessive lustfulness and
my negligence.

O Allah! I beg Thee by Thy greatness to be compassionate to me in all circumstances and well
disposed towards me in all matters My God! My Nourisher! Have I anyone except Thee from whom I
can seek the dislodging of my evils and understanding of my problems?

My God! My Master! Thou decreed a law for me but instead I obeyed my own low desires And I did
not guard myself against the allurements of my enemy He deceived me with vain hopes whereby I
was led astray and fate helped him in that respect Thus I transgressed some of its limits set for me
by Thee and I disobeyed some of Thy commandments.

Thou hast therefore a (just) cause against me in all those matters and I have no plea against Thy
judgement passed against me I have therefore become (justifiably) liable to Thy judgement and
afflictions.

But now I have turned Thee, my Lord, after being guilty of omissions and transgressions against my
soul, apologetically, repentantly, broken heartedly, entreating earnestly for forgiveness, yieldingly
confessing (to my guilt) as I can find no escape from that which was done by me and having no
refuge to which I could turn except seeking Thy acceptance of my excuse and admitting me into the
realm of Thy capacious mercy.

O Allah! Accept my apology and have pity on my intense sufferings and set me free from my heavy
fetters (of evil deeds) My Nourisher! Have mercy on the infirmity of my body, the delicacy of my
skin and the brittleness of my bones.

O’ Thou who originated my creation and (accorded me) my individuality, and (ensured) my
upbringing and welfare (and provided) my sustenance (I beg Thee) to restore Thy favours and
blessings upon me as Thou didst in the beginning of my life.

O' my God! My master! My Lord! And my Nourisher! What! Wilt Thou see me punished with the fire
kindled by Thee despite my belief in Thy unity?

And despite the fact that my heart has been filled with (pure) knowledge of Thee and when my
tongue has repeatedly praised Thee and my conscience has acknowledged Thy love and despite my
sincere confessions (of my sins) and my humble entreaties submissively made to Thy divinity?

Nay, Thou art far too kind and generous to destroy one whom thyself nourished and supported, or
to drive away from Thyself one whom Thou has kept under Thy protection, or to scare away one
whom Thy self hast given shelter, or to abandon in affliction one Thou hast maintained and to
whom Thou hast been merciful.

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I wish I had known o' my Master, my God and my Lord! Wilt Thou inflict fire upon faces which have
submissively bowed in prostration to Thy greatness, or upon the tongues which have sincerely
confirmed Thy unity and have always expressed gratitude to Thee, or upon hearts which have
acknowledged Thy divinity with conviction, or upon the minds which accumulated so much
knowledge of Thee until they became submissive to Thee, or upon the limbs which strove, at the
places appointed for Thy worship, to adore Thee willingly and seek Thy forgiveness submissively?

Such sort (of harshness) is not expected from Thee as it is remote from Thy grace, o' generous one!
O' Lord! Thou art aware of my weakness to bear even a minor affliction of this world and its
consequence and adversity affecting the denizen of this earth, although such afflictions are
momentary, short-lived and transient. How then can I bear the retributions and the punishments of
the hereafter which are enormous and of intensive sufferings, of prolonged period and perpetual
duration, and which shall never be alleviated for those who deserve the same as those retributions
will be the result of Thy wrath; and Thy punishment which neither the heavens nor the earth can
withstand and bear! My Lord! How can I, a weak, insignificant, humble, poor and destitute creature
of Thine be able to bear them?

O' my God! My Lord! My King! And Master! Which of the matters shall I complain to Thee and for
which of them shall I bewail and weep? shall I bewail for the pains and pangs of the punishment and
their intensity or for the length of sufferings and their duration?
Therefore (my Lord!) If Thou wilt subject me to the penalties (of hell) in company of Thy enemies
and cast me with those who merited Thy punishments and tear me apart from Thy friends and
those who will be near to Thee, then my God, my Lord and my Master, though I may patiently bear
Thy punishments, how can I calmly accept being kept away from Thee?

I reckon that though I may patiently endure the scorching fire of Thy hell, yet how can I resign
myself to the denial of Thy pity and clemency? How can I remain in the fire while I have hopes of
Thy forgiveness?

O' my Lord! By Thy honour truly do I swear that, if Thou wilt allow my power of speech to be
retained by me in the hell, I shall amongst its inmates cry out bewailingly unto Thee like the cry of
those who have faith in Thy kindness and compassion And I shall bemoan for Thee (for being
deprived of nearness to Thee) the lamentation of those who are bereaved, and I shall keep on
calling unto Thee: "Where art Thou o' Friend of the believers! O' (Thou who art) the last hope and
resort of those who acknowledge Thee and have faith in Thy clemency and kindness; o' Thou who
art the helper of those seeking help! O' Thou who art dear to the hearts of those who truly believe in
Thee! And o' Thou who art the Lord of the universe."

My Lord! Glory and praise be to Thee, wouldst Thou (wish) to be seen (disregarding) the voice of a
Muslim bondman, incarcerated therein (the hell) for his disobedience and imprisoned within its pits
for his evildoings and misdeeds, crying out to Thee the utterance of one who has faith in Thy mercy
and calling out to Thee in the language of those who believe in Thy unity and seeking to approach
Thee by means of Thy epithet "the Creator, the Nourisher, the Accomplisher and the Protector of
the entire existence"?
My Lord! Then how could he remain in torments when he hopefully relies upon Thy past
forbearance, compassion and mercy?

And how can the fire cause him suffering when he hopes for Thy grace and mercy and how can its
roaring flames char him when Thou hearest his voice and sees his plight? And how can he withstand

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its roaring flames when Thou knowest his fraility? And how can he be tossed about between its
layers when Thou knowest his sincerity?

And how can the guards of hell threaten him when he calls out to Thee? "My Lord", and how would
Thou abandon him therein (the hell) when he has faith in Thy grace to set him free?

Alas! That is not the concept (held by us) of Thee nor has Thy grace such a reputation nor does it
resemble that which Thou hast awarded by Thy kindness and generosity to those who believe in
Thy unity I definitely conclude that hadst Thou not ordained punishment for those who disbelieved
in Thee, and hadst Thou not decreed Thy enemies to remain in hell.

Thou wouldst have made the hell cold and peaceful and there would never have been an abode or
place for any one in it; but sanctified be Thy Names, Thou hast sworn to fill the hell with the
disbelievers from amongst the jinns and mankind together and to place forever Thy enemies
therein.

And Thou, exalted be Thy praises, hadst made manifest, out of Thy generosity and kindness, that a
believer is not like unto him who is an evil-liver.

My Lord! My Master! I, therefore implore Thee by that power which Thou determineth and by the
decree which Thou hast finalised and ordained whereby Thou hath prevailed upon whom thou hast
imposed it, to bestow upon me this night and this very hour the forgiveness for all the
transgressions that I have been guilty of, for all the sins that I have committed, for all the loathsome
acts that I have kept secret and for all the evils done by me, secretly or openly, in concealment or
outwardly and for every evil action that Thou hast ordered the two noble scribes to confirm whom
Thou hast appointed to record all my actions and to be witnesses over me along with the limbs of
my body, whilst Thou observeth over me besides them and wast witness to those acts concealed
from them?

Which Thou in Thy mercy hast kept secret and through Thy kindness unexposed and I pray to Thee
to make my share plentiful in all the good that Thou dost bestow; in all the favours that Thou dost
grant; and in all the virtues that Thou dost allow to be known everywhere; and in all the sustenance
and livelihood that Thou dost expand and in respect of all the sins that Thou dost forgive and the
wrongs that Thou dost cover up O' Lord! O' Lord! O' Lord!

O' my God! My Lord! My King! O' Master of my freedom! O' Thou who holdeth my destiny and who
art aware of my suffering and poverty.

O' Thou who knoweth my destitution and starvation, o' my Lord! O' Lord, o' Lord! I beseech Thee by
Thy glory and Thy honour, by Thy supremely high attributes and by Thy names to cause me to
utilise my time, day and night, in Thy remembrance, by engaging myself in serving Thee (Thy cause)
and to let my deeds be such as to be acceptable to Thee, so much so that all my actions and
offerings (prayers) may be transformed into one continuous and sustained effort and my life may
take the form of constant and perpetual service to Thee.

O' my Master! O' Thou upon Whom I rely! O' Thou unto Whom I express my distress!
O' my Lord! My Lord! My Lord! Strengthen my limbs for Thy service and sustain the strength of my
hands to persevere in Thy service and bestow upon me the eagerness to fear Thee and constantly to
serve Thee.

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So that I may lead myself towards Thee in the field with the vanguards who are in the fore rank and
be swift towards Thee among those who hasten towards Thee and urge eagerly to be near Thee and
draw myself towards Thee like them who sincerely draw themselves towards Thee and to fear Thee
like the fear of those who believe firmly in Thee and thus I may join the congregation of the faithful
congregated near Thee (for protection).

O' Allah! Whosoever intendeth evil against me, let ill befall on him and frustrate him who plots
against me and assign for me a place in Thy presence with the best of Thy bondsmen and nearer
abode to Thee, for verily that position cannot be attained except through Thy grace and treat me
benevolently, and through Thy greatness extend
Thy munificence towards me and through Thy mercy protect me and cause my tongue to
accentuate Thy remembrance and my heart filled with Thy love and be liberal to me by Thy gracious
response and cause my evils to appear fewer and forgive me my errors.
For verily, Thou hast ordained for Thy bondsmen Thy worship and bidden them to supplicate unto
Thee and hast assured them (of Thy) response.

So, my Lord! I look earnestly towards Thee and towards Thee, my Lord! I have stretched forth my
hands therefore, by Thy honour, respond to my supplication and let me attain my wishes and, by
Thy bounty, frustrate not my hopes and protect me from the evils of my enemies, from among the
jinns and mankind o' Thou! Who readily pleased, forgive one who owns nothing but supplication for
Thou doest what Thou willest o' Thou!

Whose Name is the remedy (for all ills) and Whose remembrance is a sure cure for all ailments and
obedience to Whom makes one self sufficient; have mercy on one whose only asset is hope and
whose only armour is lamentation O' Thou! Who perfecteth all bounties and Who wardeth off all
misfortunes!

O' Light! Who illuminateth those who are in bewilderment! O' Omniscient! Who knoweth without
(acquisition of) learning! Bless Mohammed and the Descendants of Mohammed and do unto me in
accordance with that which befitteth Thee, and deal with me not in accordance to my worth May
the blessings of Allah be bestowed upon His Apostle and the Rightful Imams from his Descendants
and His peace be upon them plentifully.

http://www.duas.org/kumayl.htm

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APPENDIX II: Field Notes.

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