Nahjul Balagha Part 1, The Sermons
Sermon 46: My God, I seek Thy refuge ...
When Amir al-mu’minin decided to march towards Syria (ash-Sham) he made this supplication when mounting the horse and placing his foot in the stirrup
ومن كلام له (عليه السلام)
عند عزمه على المسير إِلى الشام
[وهو دعاء دعا به ربَّه عند وضع رجله في الركاب:]
My God, I seek Thy protection from the hardships of journey, from the grief of returning and from the scene of devastation of property and men. O Allah, Thou art the companion in journey and Thou art one who is left behind for (protection of the) family.
None except Thee can join these two because one who is left behind cannot be a companion in journey nor one who is in company on a journey can at the same time be left behind.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ وَعْثَاءِ السَّفَرِ، وَكَآبَةِ المُنْقَلَبِ، وَسُوءِ المَنظَرِ فِي الاْهْلِ وَالمَالِ والْوَلَدِ . اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ الصَّاحِبُ في السَّفَرِ، وَأَنْتَ الْخلِيفَةُ فِي الاْهْلِ، وَلاَ يَجْمَعُهُما غَيْرُكَ، لاِنَّ الْمُسْتَخْلَفَ لاَ يَكُونُ مُسْتَصْحَباً، وَالمُسْتَصْحَبُ لاَ يَكُونُ مُسْتَخْلَفاً.
As-Sayyid ar-Radi says: The earlier part of this sermon is related from the Prophet but Amir al-mu’minin has completed it very aptly by adding most eloquent sentences at the end. This addition is from “None except Thee can join” upto the end.
قال السيد الشريف: أقول: وابتداء هذا الكلام مرويّ عن رسول الله(صلى الله عليه وآله)، وقد قفّاه(عليه السلام) بأبلغ كلام وتمّمه بأحسن تمام; من قوله: «ولا يجْمَعُهُمَا غَيْرُكَ» إلى آخر الفصل.
Alternative Sources for Sermon 46
(1) A`tham al-Kufi, al-Futuh, II, 461;
(2) Nasr, Siffin, 132;
(3) al-Qadi al-Nu`man, Da`a'im, I, 347;
(4) narrated from the Prophet (S) in al-'Azhari, Tahdhib, III, 153;
(5) al-Nuri, Riyad al-salihin, 197, hadith 975.