Chapter 1

INVOCATION FOR PAIN IN THE FEET

‘The invocation is: “In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassion-
ate: O Allah, I ask You by Your Pure, Immaculate, Most Holy and
Blessed Name, by Which whoever asks of You, You grant him, and by
Which whoever calls on You, You answer him, to bless Muhammad and
his family, and to heal the suffering in my head (al-ra’s), my hearing (al-
sam), my sight (al-basar), my belly, my back (al-zahr), my hand (al-yad),
my foot, my body (al-jasad), and in all my organs (al-ada) and limbs (al-
jawarhi). Surely You are Gracious to whomsoever You will, and You are
Powerful over all things.”

He said: ‘Al-Khazzaz al-Razi narrated form Faddala from Aban

b.Uthman from Abu Hamza al-Thumali from al-Baqir, peace be upon
him, from Amir al-Muminin, peace be upon him, who said: “Whosoever
is afflicted with a pain in his body, let him invoke protection for himself
and say: ‘I take refuge in the Might of Allah and His Power over things.
I seek protection for myself in the Omnipotent of the heavens. I seek
protection for myself in the One with Whose Name no disease harms. I
seek refuge for myself in the One Whose Name is a blessings and a
cure.’ If he recites that, no pain or illness will afflict him.”

‘Ali b.Ibrahim al-Wasiti narrated from Mahbub from Muhammad

b.Sulayman al-Awdi from Abu al-Jarud from Abu Ishaq from al-Harith
al-Awar, who said: ‘I complained to Amir al-Muminin, peace be upon
him, of aches and pains in my body. He said: “When anyone of you suf-
fers [from pain], let him recite: ‘In the Name of Allah, and by Allah, and
blessings of Allah on the Messenger of Allah and his family. I take
refuge from the evil that I suffer in the Might of Allah and His Power
over what He wills.’ If he recites that, Allah will turn away the affliction
from him, the Exalted, wills.''

2
Chapter 2
FOR PAIN IN THE HEAD
Sahl b.Ahmad narrated from Ali b.Numan from Ibn Muskan from ‘Abd
al-Rahman al-Qusayr from Abu Jafar al-Baqir, peace be upon him, who
said: ‘Whoever suffers from a complaint of the head, let him put his
hand on it and recite seven times: “I take refuge in Allah, in Whose trust
is that which is on the land and in the sea, in the heavens and the earth,
and He is the All-hearing, the All-knowing.” He will be relieved of the
pain.’
Hariz Aby Ayyub al-Jurjani narrated from Muhammad b.Abu Nasr
from Thalaba from Amr b.Yazid al-Sayqal form Jafar b.Muhammad
b.’Ali b.al-Husayn b.Ali b.Abu Talib, peace be upon him, that he [al-
Sayqal] said: ‘I complained to him of a pain in my head, and of my suf-
fering from it night and day. He [Jafar b.Muhammad] said: “Place your
hand on it and say seven times: ‘In the Name of Allah, with Whose
Name nothing on the earth or in the heavens causes injury. He is the
All-hearing, the All-knowing. O Allah, I seek refuge in You from that
which Muhammad, blessings on him and his family, sought refuge for
himself.’ [The pain] will subside, by the authority of Allah, the Exalted.”
‘Ali b. Urwa al-Ahwazi a narrator of the teachings of the Ahl al-Bayt,
peace be upon them, narrated from al-Daylami from Dawud al-Raqqi
from Musa b.Jafar, peace be upon him, that he[Dawud] said: ‘I said to
him: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, I suffer constantly from a com-
plaint in my head, and sometimes it keeps me awake at nights and dis-
tracts me from performing the night prayer.” He replied: “O Dawud,
when you experience any of that [pain], pass your hand over it and say:
‘I take refuge in Allah, and seek protection for myself from all that af-
flicts me, in the Name of Allah, the Mighty, and His Perfect Words,
which neither the righteous nor the ungodly can disregard, I seek pro-
tection for myself with Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, and with the
Messenger of Allah and his family, the pure, the chosen ones. O Allah,

3
by their claim over You, protect me from this suffering of mine.’ It will
not afflict you again.”
Abu Salt al-Harawi narrated from al-Rida, peace be upon him, from
his father from al-Baqir, peace be upon him, who said: “Teach our Shi`a
to recite the following for a pain I the head: “O Taha, O Dharr, O
Tamana, O Tannat”. They are Sublime Names and have an authority
given by Allah, the Exalted and Sublime. Allah will turn that [pain]
away from them.’
‘Abd Allah b.Bistam narrated from Ishaq b.Ibrahim from Abu al-
Hasan al-Askari, peace be upon him, that he [Ishaq] said: ‘I was with him
[al-Askari] one day when one of our brothers complained to him, saying:
“O son of the Messenger of Allah, my family suffers much from this ac-
cursed pain.” He asked: “And what is it?” The man replied: “Pains in
the head.” He said: “Take a cup of water and recite over it: Have not the
unbelievers then beheld that the heavens and the earth were a mass all
sewn up, and then We unstitched them and of water fashioned every liv-
ing thing? Will they not believe? (21:30). Then drink it and pain will not
afflict them, Allah, the Exalted, willing.”
Tamim b.Ahmad al-Sayraff narrated from Muhammad b.Khalid al-
Barqi from ‘Ali b.al-Numan from Dawud b.Farqad and Mualla
b.Khunays, who both said: ‘Abu Abd Allah, peace be upon him, said:
“Combing the hair on the cheeks strengthens the teeth (al-adras); comb-
ing the beard dispels infectious diseases (al-waba); combing loose locks
of hair dispels anxieties I the breast (al-sadr); combing the eyebrows is a
safeguard against leprosy (al-judham); and combing the head stops
phelgm.”

4
Chapter 3
AN INVOCATION FOR HEADACHE
Muhammad b.Jafar al-Bursi narrated from Muhammad b.Yahya al-Ar-
mani from Muhammad b. Sinan al-Sinani from Yunus b.Zabyan from al-
Mufaddal b.’Umar from Abu Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him,
who said: ‘This is an invocation revealed by Jibrail, peace be upon him,
to the Prophet, peace be upon him, when the latter was suffering from a
headache (al-suda). Jibrail said: “O Muhammad, take refuge from your
headache with this invocation, Allah will relieve you of it.” Then he
said: “O Muhammad, whosoever takes refuge with this invocation seven
times of any pain that afflicts him. Allah will heal him if He wills. Pass
your hand over the painful area and say: ‘In the Name of Allah, our
Lord, Whose mention is glorified in the heavens, our Lord, Whose com-
mand in the heavens and the earth is executed and performed. Just as
Your command is executed in the heavens, bestow Your Mercy on earth,
and forgive us our sins and our faults. O Lord of the good, the pure
ones, bestow a cure, and mercy from Your Mercy, on so-and-so, son of
so-and-so’, and mention his name.”
Another invocation for headache: ‘O One Who diminishes the great
and magnifies the small; O Remover of uncleanliness from Muhammad
and his family, and their complete Purifier. Bless Muhammad and his
family. Remove what is in me of headache and migraine (al-shaqiqa).’

5
Chapter 4
AN INNOVATION FOR MIGRAINE
Muhammad b.Irahim al-Siraj narrated from Ibn Mahbub from Hisham
b.Salim from Habib al-Sijistani-he was older than Hariz al-Sijistani,
though Hariz was superior in knowledge to Habib-who said: ‘I com-
plained to al-Baqir, peace be upon him, of a migraine that afflicted me
once or twice every week. Al-Baqir said: “Place your hand on the side
which pains you and say: ‘O Apparent, Present, O Hidden, but not ab-
sent, answer Your weak servant with Your Gracious Help. Remove from
him his pain. Surely You are Compassionate, Loving, All-powerful. Re-
cite this three times and you will be relieved of the pain, Allah, the Exal-
ted, willing.”
Another invocation of migraine: Al-Sayyari narrated from Muhammad
b.Ali from Muhammad b.Muslim from Ali b.Abu Hamza from Abu
Basir, who said: ‘I heard Muhammad b. Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be upon
him, when visiting one of his followers,mention that he was afflicted
witha migraine. He cited an invocation similar to the preceding one.’
Another invocation for migraine: ‘Write the following on a paper and
attach it to the part which suffering: “In the Name of Allah, the Merciful,
the Compassionate. I bear witness that You are not a god we have in-
vented, nor a lord whose mention has ceased, nor a king with whom
people associate partners, nor was there before You a god in whom we
took refuge, or sought protection, or prayed to. We pray to You, and no
one assists You in our creation or is responsible for You. Glory be to You
and Praise! Bless Muhammad and his family. Cure this quickly with
your cure.”

6
Chapter 5
AN INVOCATION FOR PAIN IN THE EYE
Ahmad b. Muhammad Abu Jafar narrated from Ibn Abu ‘Umayr from
Abu Ayyub al-Khazzaz from Muhammad b.Muslim from Abu Abd
Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, from al-Baqir from Ali b.al-Husayn
from his father, who said that ‘Ali b.Abu Talib, peace be upon him, said:
‘When the Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah be on him and his fam-
ily, called me on the day of Khaybar, he was told: ‘O Messenger of Allah,
he has inflammation (al-ramad) of the eyes.” The Messenger of Allah
said: “Bring him to me.” So I went to him and said: “O Messenger of Al-
lah, I have inflammation of the eyes and cannot see anything.” The Mes-
senger of Allah said: “Approach me, O ‘Ali.” I appraoched him and he
passed his hand over my eyes and recited: “In the Name of Allah, and by
Allah, and peace be on the Messenger of Allah. O Allah, protect him
from the heat and the cold, and preserve him from harm and affliction.”
‘Ali, peace be upon him, said: ‘I recovered, and by Him Who honoured
him with Prophethood, bestowed on him the Message, and chose him
the Message, and chose him over His servants. I felt neither heat nor
cold nor pain in my eyes after that.’
He said: ‘Sometimes ‘Ali, peace be upon him, would go out on a bit-
terly cold winter’s day with a torn shirt. It would be said: “O Amir al-
Muminin, are you not affected by the cold?” He would reply: “Neither
heat nor cold has affected me since the Messenger of Allah, blessings of
Allah on him and his family, protected me with the invocation.” Some-
times he would come out to us on an extremely hot day in a padded gar-
ment, and it would be said to him: “Are you not affected as other people
are by this severe heat, so that you wear a padded garment?” He would
give them the same reply.’

7
Chapter 6
AN INVOCATION FOR PAIN IN THE EAR
Khirash b.Zuhayr al-Azdi narrated from Muhammaad b.Jamhur al-
Qummi from Yunus b. Zabyan from Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon
him, that he [Yunus] said: ‘I complained to him of pain in one of my ears
9al-udhun). He [Abu Abd Allah] said: “Place your hand over it, and say
seven times: ‘I take refuge in Allah, in Whom trust that which is on the
land and in the sea, in the heavens and the earth; and He is All-hearing,
All-knowing.’ It will be cured, Allah, the Exalted, willing.”
Aslam b. ‘Amr al-Nusaybi narrated from Ali b. Ibn Rabbayta from
Muhammad b. Salman from his father from Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be
upon him, that he recited an invocation of protection similar to this, for
one of his companions who had an earache.

8
Chapter 7
[AN INVOCATION] FOR A PEBBLE IN THE EAR
It was narrated from Bakr from his uncle Sudayr, who said: ‘I took a
pebble and scratched my ear with it. It became embedded in my ear. I
made every effort to remove it, but neither I nor the medical practition-
ers could do it. When I performed the Hajj and met al-Baqir, peace be
upon him, I complained to him of the pain I had experienced. He said to
al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, “O Jafar, take him by the hand out into the
light and have a look. “Al-Sadiq looked into the ear and said: “I do not
see anything.” Al-Baqir said: “Approach me.” I approached him and he
said: “O Allah, remove it as You caused it to enter, without trouble or
difficulty.” Then he said: “Recite that three times.” I recited it. He said:
“Put your finger in.” I put my finger in and brought out the pebble.
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.’

9
Chapter 8
AN INVOCATION FOR DEAFNESS
Hannan b.Jabir al-Filistini narrated from Muhammad b.Ali from Ibn Sin-
an from Ammar b. Marwan from al-Munkhal from Jabir from Abu Jafar
Muhammad b. Ali, peace be upon him, who said that a man complained
to him of deafness (al-samam). Abu Jafar said: Pass your hand over him
and recite: If We had sent down this QURAN upon a mountain, thou
wouldst have seen it humbled, split asunder out of the fear of God, And
We make these examples for men; haply they will reflect. He is God;
there is no god but He. He is the knower of the Unseen and the Visible.
He is the All-merciful, the All-compassionate. He is God. There is no
god but He. He is the King, the All-holy, the All-peaceable, the All-faith-
ful, the All-preserver, the All-mighty, the All-compeller, the All-sublime.
Glory be to God, above that they associate! He is God, the Creator, the
Maker, the Shaper. To Him belong the Names Most Beautiful. All that is
in the heavens and the earth magnifies Him; He is the All-mighty, the
All-wise. (59:21-4).

10
Chapter 9
AN INVOCATION FOR PAIN AFFLICTING THE
MOUTH
Hariz b. Ayyub al-Jurjani narrated from Abu Samina from Ali b. Asbat
from Abu Hamza from Abu Abd Allah, peace be upon him, that Abu
Basir said: ‘One of his [Abu Abd Allah’s] followers complained to him of
pain in his mouth (al-farm). Abu Abd Allah said, “When that afflicts
you, place your hand over it and say: ‘In the Name of Allah, the Merci-
ful, the Compassionate. In the Name of Allah, with Whose Name illness
causes no harm; I take refuge in the Words of Allah, with Which nothing
harms, Most Holy, Most Holy, Most Holy. By Your Name, O Lord, the
Pure, the Holy, the Blessed, whoever asks You by it, You grant it to him,
and whoever calls on You by it, You grant it to him, and whoever calls
on You by it, You answer him. I ask You, O Allah, O Allah, O Allah, to
bless Muhammad, the Prophet, and his Ahl al-Bayt, and to heal the suf-
fering in my mouth, my head, my hearing, my sight, my belly, my back,
my hand, my foot, and in all my limbs.’ Your pain will be relieved, Al-
lah, the Exalted, willing.”

11
Chapter 10
AN INVOCATION FOR PAIN IN THE TEETH
Abu Abd Allah al-Husayn b. [Ahmad] Muhammad al-Khawatimi nar-
rated from al-Husayn b. Ali b. Yaqtin from Hannan al-Sayqal from Abu
Basir from Abu Jafar al-Baqir, peace be upon him, that Abu Basir said: ‘I
complained to him of pain in my teeth, and that it kept me awake at
nights. Abu Jafar said: “O Abu Basir, when you experience that, place
your hand over it, and recite the sura al-Hamd (1) and the sura al-Ikhlas
(112), then recite: And thou shalt see the mountains, that thou supposest
fixed, passing by like clouds-God’s handiwork, who has created
everything very well. He is aware of the things you do (27:88). The pain
will subside, and will not recur.”
Hamdan b. Ayan al-Razi narrated from Abu Talib from Yunus from
Abu Hamza from Sama’a b. Mihran from Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be
upon him, that he [Abu Abd Allah] instructed a man to recite the above
invocation and added to it, saying: ‘Recite the sura al-Qadr (97)once.
The pain will subside, and will not recur.’
[Also for pain in the teeth], from Amir al-Muminin, peace be upon
him, that he said: ‘Whoever complains of pain in the teeth, let him take
the object on which he performs his prostration, and rub it on the painful
area, and say: “In the Name of Allah, and the Healer, Allah; there is no
Might nor Power except in Allah, the Most High, the Mighty.”
It is reported from Abu al-Hasan, peace be upon him, that he said: ‘My
teeth (al-asnan) were hurting me and I applied Cyperus rotundus (al-
sud) to them.’ He said: ‘Wine vinegar (khall al-khumr) strengthens the
gums (al-litha).’ He also said: “Take wheat (al-hinta), husk it, and extract
the oil. If the tooth is decayed and rotten, put two drops of the oil in it.
Put some oil on a piece of cotton and place it in the ear near the tooth, for
three nights. It will stop [the decay], Allah, the Exalted, willing.’

12
Chapter 11
A PROVEN INVOCATION FOR THE TEETH
Recite the sura al-Hamd (1), the two Suras of taking refuge (al-Falaq
(113) and al-Nas (114). and the sura al-Ikhlas (112). Say, ‘In the Name of
Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate,’ with each sura. After the sura
al-Ikhlas (112), say: ‘In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassion-
ate, And to Him belongs whatsoever inhabits the night and the day: and
He is the All-hearing, All-knowing (6:13). We said: O fire, be cooled and
safe for Ibrahim! They desired to outwit him: so We made them the
worse losers (21: 69-70). He was called: Blessed is He who is in the fire,
and he who is about it. Glory be to God, the Lord of all Being! (27:8).’
Then say after that: ‘O Allah, O One Who protects from every thing, and
nothing protects You, protect Your servant and the son of your
bondmaid (al-ima), from the evil of what he fears and is wary of in this
pain of which he complains to You.’

13
Chapter 12
AN INVOCATION FOR COUGHING
Abd Allah b. Muhammad b. Mihran al-Kuff narrated from Ayyub from
Amr b. Shimr from Jabir from Abu Jafar Muhammad b. Ali b. al-Husayn,
peace be upon him, from al-Husayn [sic], who said: ‘Amir al-Muminin,
peace be upon him, said: “Whosoever has a complant of the throat (al-
halq) and excessive coughing (al-sual) and the desperation of his body
increases, let him take refuge with these words, which are called ‘the
comprehensive’ (al-sual) and the desperation of his body increases, let
him take refuge with these words, which are called ‘the comprehensive’
(al-jamia), for all things:
O Allah, You are my Hope, and You are my Trust, my Support, my
Succour, my Exalter, my Beauty. You are the Refuge of those who are
afraid.
There is no sanctuary for those who flee except in You.
There is no one on whom human beings can rely except You.
There is no wish for those who desire except before You.
There is no helper for the oppressed but You.
There is no object for the needy except You.
There is nothing to be given for the seekers except from You.
There is no place to turn for the repentant except You.
Sustenance and good and deliverance are only in Your Hand.
Oppressive matters have grieved me, difficult straits have
wearied me, and painful ailments have encompassed me.
I do not find the opening of the door of deliverance open except by
Your Hand.
Thus I stand before You and seek help from You,
with prayer, against its closing.
Open, O Lord, to the one who asks for help, and answer the one who
calls out.
Dispel the grief, remove the harm, fulfil the need,

14
 remove the sorrow, banish the anxieties, and save me from destruc-
tion, for I am on the brink of it.
I do not find my salvation from it other than in You.
O Allah, O He who answers the constrained, when he calls unto Him,
and removes the evil (27:62), have mercy on me and remove what is in
me of sorrow and grief and pain and illness.
Lord, if You do not, I do not expect my deliverance from other than
You.
Have mercy on me, O Most Merciful of the Merciful.
This is the position of the wretched, the poor.
This is the position of one who is afraid, one seeking refuge.
This is the position of one calling for help.
This is the position of the sorrowful, the hurt.
This is the position of the troubled, the one seeking protection.
This is the position of the servant, apprehensive, dying, drowning,
frightened, fearful.
This is the position of one who has awakened from his sleep, been
aroused from his forgetfulness,
recovered from his illness and the severity of his pain, and is afraid be-
cause of his offences.
He acknowledges his sins, is humble before his Lord, and weeps in
fear of Him.
He asks forgiveness, sheds tears, and seeks pardon by Allah, from his
Lord.
He dreads His power, sheds his tears, and hopes,
weeps, and prays and calls: Lord, affliction has
visited me (21:83) so set me right.
You see my position. You hear my words, You know
my secret thoughts and my public affairs.
You know my need and You know me thoroughly.
Nothing in myaffairs, whether open or secret,
apparent or concealed in my breast,
is hidden from You.
So I ask You, since You have authority over regulating [affairs], accept-
ing pleas, and fixing destinies, with the request of one who has done
wrong and confessed, wronged his soul, and committed crimes. He has
repented for what is past and turned to his Lord. He has regretted and
taken refuge in His countryard, held back and restrained his desire, and
devoted himself to the Revoker of his lapses, the Acceptor of his repent-
ance, the Forgiver of his sins, the One Who has mercy on his repentance,

15
the Forgiver of his sins, the One Who has mercy on his state of exile, the
Remover of his distress and the Healer of his illness. Have mercy on my
transgressions and my entreaties to You. Forgive me all my deviations
from Your Book which have been counted in your record. Your past
knowledge of my sins, faults, and offences in privacy, my immorality,
my evil deeds, my lapses, and all that Your recording angels witness and
have written down during childhood and after puberty, in old age and
youth, by night and day, early morning and evening, late evening and
day break, forenoon and dawn, and at home and in travels, in solitude
and in public. Overlook my evil deeds among the inhabitants of
Paradise the promise of the very truth, which they were promised
(46:16).
O Allah, by the right of Muhammad and his family, remove from me
the overwhelming illnesses in my body (al-jism), my hair (al-shar), my
skin (al-bashari), my blood vessels (al-uruq), my nerves (al-asab), and
my limbs, for no one will remove that other than You, O Most Merciful
of the Merciful, O Answerer of the call of the distressed.”

16
Chapter 13
AN INVOCATION FOR ANXIETIES IN THE
BREAST
Abu al-Qasim al-Taffisi narrated from Hamad b. Isa from Hariz b. Abd
Allah al-Sijistani from Abu Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, that
Hariz said: ‘I said: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, I experience
anxieties (al-baladi) in my breast and temptations (al-wasawis) in my
heart (al-fulad) so that I sometimes break off my prayer and become con-
fused in my recitation.” Abu Abd Allah said: “And what about the in-
vocation of Amir al-Muminin, peace be upon him?” I replied: “O son of
the Messenger of Alla, teach [it to] me.” He said: “When you experience
something of this, place your hand on it and say: ‘In the Name of Allah
and by Allah. O Allah. You have blessed me with faith and entrusted
me with the QURAN, and bestowed on me fasting in the month of Ra-
madan. Grant me mercy and acceptance and compassion and forgive-
ness and all that You have conferred on me of blessings and beneficence.
O Compassionate, O Benefactor, O Everlasting, O Merciful, Glory be to
You,. I have no one but You, Glory be to You. I take refuge in You after
these expressions of esteem, from abasement. I ask You to remove the
sorrows from my heart.’ Repeat this three times and you will be cured of
it, with the help of Allah, the Exalted. Then bless the Prophet, blessings
of Allah upon him, and mercy and blessings upon his family.”

17
Chapter 14
AN INVOCATION FOR A PAIN IN THE BELLY
Al-Husayn b. Bistam narrated from Muhammad b. Khalaf from al-Wash-
sha from Abd Allah b. Sinan from Jafar b. Muhammad, peace be upon
him, from his grandfather, peace be upon him, who said: ‘A man com-
plained to the Prophet, blessings and peace be on him and his family,
and said: “O Messenger of Allah, I have a brother who has a complaint
of the belly.” The Prophet replied: “Tell your brother to take a drink of
honey with hot water.” The man returned to him the next day and said:
“O Messenger of Allah, I gave him the drink but he did not benefit from
it.” The Messenger of Allah said: “Allah has said the truth, and the belly
of your brother has lied. Go, and give your brother the drink of honey
and invoke for him the sura al-Fatiha (1) seven times.” When the man is
a hypocrite. Whosoever is such, the drink will not benefit him.”
A man complained to Amir al-Muminin, peace be upon him, of pain in
the belly. He instructed him to drink hot water and say: ‘O Allah, O Al-
lah, O Allah, O Merciful, O Compassionate,O Lord of the lords, O God of
the gods, O King of the kings, O Master of the masters. Heal me with
Your cures from every disease and illness, for I am Your servant and the
son of Your servant: I turn about in Your grasp.’
Abu Abd Allah al-Khawatimi narrated from Ibn Yaqtin from Hassan
al-Sayqal from Abu Basir, who said: ‘A man complained to Abu Abd
Allah ul-Sadiq, peace be upon him, of pain of the navel (al-surra). Al-
Sadiq told him: “Go, and put your hand on the painful area and say
three times: Surely it is a Book Sublime. Falsehood comes not to it from
before it nor from behind it. A revelation from One All-wise, All-laud-
able (41:41-2): You will be cured, Allah willing.”
Abu Abd Allah, peace be upon him, said: ‘There is not one among sin-
cere intention, while passing his hand over the area of the illness, We
send down of the QURAN, that which is a cure and a mercy to the be-
lievers. The unbelievers it increases not, except in loss (17:82), but that
he is cured of that illness, whatever it may be. The truth of that is

18
confirmed in the verse, where it says a cure and a mercy for the
believers.’

19
Chapter 15
AN INVOCATION AND MEDICATION FOR PAIN
OF THE WAIST
Hariz b. Ayyub narrated from Abu Samina from Ali b. Asbat from Abu
Hamza from Hamran b. Ayan, who said: ‘A man questioned
Muhammad b. ‘Ali al-Baqir, peace be upon him, saying: “O son of the
Messenger of Allah, I suffer from severe pain in the waist (al-khasira)
and have treated it with many remedies, but it has not been cured.” Al-
Baqir said: “What about the invocation of Amir al-Muminin?” The man
replied: “And what is that, O son of the Messenger of Allah?” He said:
“When you complete your prayers, put your hand on the place of pros-
tration, stroke it, and say: What, did you think that We created you only
for sport, and that you would not be returned to Us? Then high exalted
be God, the King, the True! There is no god but He, the Lord of the noble
Throne. Whosoever calls upon another god with God, whereof he no
proof, his reckoning is with his Lord. Surely the unbelievers shall not
prosper. And say: My Lord, forgive and have mercy, for Thou art the
best of the merciful (23:115-18).” The man said: “I did that and the pain
subsided, praise be to Allah, the Exalted.”
Muhammad b. Jafar al-Bursi narrated from Muhammad b. Yahya al-
Armani from Muhammad b. Sinan from Abu Abd Allah, peace be upon
him, who said: ‘The Messenger of Allah, blessings on him and his family,
said: “Drink lovage (al-kashim), for it is good for pain of the waist.”
Also from him from Muhammad b. Yahya from Yunus b. Zabyan from
Jabir from Abu Jafar, peace be upon him, who said: ‘Amir al-Muminin,
peace be upon him, said: “Whoever wishes that food may not harm him,
let him not eat until he is hungry and his abdomen (al-maida) is
cleansed. When he eats, let him take the Name of Allah and chew well
and let him stop eating while he still has an appetite for it [food] and
wants it.”
‘Abd Allah b. Bistam narrated from Muhammad b. Razin from
Hammad b. Isa from Hariz from Abu Abd Allah, peace be upon him,

20
from Amir al-Muminin, peace be upon him, who said: ‘Whoever wishes
for the eternal life in the next world, and not for permanence in this
world, let him wear light clothes, eat early, and have intercourse (al-mu-
jamia) with women less frequently.

21
Chapter 16
AN INVOCATION FOR PAIN OF THE SPLEEN
Muhammad b. Abd Allah b. Mihran al-Kuff narrated from Ayyub from
‘Umar b. Shimr from Jabir from Abu Jafar, peace be upon him, who said:
‘A man from Khurasan came to Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be upon him,
and said: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, I performed the Hajj and re-
solved to call on you upon my departure, for I have a pain in the spleen
(al-tihalm). Pray for me to be relieved of it.” Ali b. al-Husayn replied:
“Allah has protected you from that, praise be to Him. When you experi-
ence the pain, write this verse with saffron (al-zafaran) mixed with the
water of [the] Zamzam [spring in Mecca], and drink it. Allah, the Exal-
ted, will drive away that pain from you Say: Call upon God, or call upon
the Merciful; whichsoever you call upon, to Him belong the Names Most
Beautiful. And be thou not loud in thy prayer, nor hushed therein, but
seek thou for a way between that. And say: Praise belongs to God, who
has not taken to Him a son, and who has not any associate in the King-
dom, nor any protector out of humbleness. And magnify Him with re-
peated magnificats (17:110-11). Write the following on the parachment
of a gazelie (ghazal) and attach it to your left arm (al-adud) for seven
days and the pain will abate:… .”

Ahmad b. Yazid narrated from al-Sabbaf al-Kufi from Musa b. Jafar,

peace be upon him, from al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, from al-Baqir,
peace be upon him, that he said: ‘One of his followers complained to al-
Baqir of pain in the spleen. He had treated it with every remedy but its
evil increased every day until he was on the threshold of death. Al-Baqir
said to him: “Buy a piece of leek (al-kurrath) and fry it well in Arab clari-
fied butter (samn ‘arabi). Give it for three days to the one who has this
pain. If that is done, he will be cured. Allah, the Exalted, willing.”’

22
Chapter 17
AN INVOCATION FOR PAIN OF THE BLADDER
Muhammad b. Jafar al-Bursi narrated from Muhammad b. Yahya al-Ar-
mani from Muhammad b. Sinan al-Sinani from al-Mufaddal b. ‘Umar
from Muhammad b. Ismail from Abu Zaynab, who said: ‘One of our
brothers complained to Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, of
pain in the bladder (al-mathana). Al-Sadiq said: “Seek protection for it
with these verses, three times before you sleep, and once when you
awaken, and you will not experience the pain after that: Knowest thou
not that God is powerful over everything? Knowest thou not that to God
belongs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth, and that you have
none, apart from God, neither protector nor helper?” (2:106-7). The man
said: “I did that and did not experience the pain again.”

23
Chapter 18
AN INOCATION FOR PAIN IN THE BACK
Al-Khid b. Muhammad narrated from al-Hawarini from Faddala from
Aban b. ‘Uthman from Ibn Abu Hamza al-Thumali from Abu Jafar
Muhammad al-Baqir, peace be upon him, who said: ‘A man from Ha-
madan complained to Amir al-Muminin, peace be upon him, of a pain in
the back and that he had sleepless nights [because of it.] He said: “Put
your hand on the are that pains you and recite three times: It is not given
to any soul to die save by the leave of God, at an appointed time. Who-
ever desires the reward of this world, We will give him of this. Whoso-
ever desires the reward of the other world, We will give him of that. We
will recompense the thankful (3:145). Then recite the sura al-Qadr (97)
seven times and you will be cured of it. If Allah, the Exalted, wills.”

24
Chapter 19
AN INVOCATION FOR PAIN OF THE THIGHS
Abu Abd al-Rahman al-Katib narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah
al-Zafarani from Hammad b. Isa from Amir al- Muminin, peace be upon
him, who said: When one of you suffers from pain of the thighs (al-
fakhdhan), let him sit in a large vessel or basin of heated water and place
his hand there [on his thighs] and recite: Have not the unbelievers then
beheld that the heavens and the earth were a mass all sewn up, and then
We unstitched them and of water fashioned every living thing? Will
they not believe?” (21:30).

25
Chapter 20
AN INVOCATION FOR PAIN OF THE GENITALS
With this chain of tranmitters (al-isnad) from Hariz al-Sijistani, who said:
‘I performed the Hajj and called on Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be
upon him. In Medina, and al-Mualla b. Khunays, may Allah have mercy
on him, was complaining to him of pain in the genitals (al-farj). Al-Sadiq
said to him: “You exposed your privy parts (al-aura) on some occasion,
and Allah has punished you with this pain. But seek protection for it
with the invocation which Amir al-Muminin, peace be upon him, gave
Abu Wa’lla, after which it [the pain] did not recur.” Al-Mualla asked: “O
son of the Messenge of Allah, what is the invocation?” He replied: “Put
your left hand on them and say three times: ‘In the name of Allah, and
by Allah, Nay, but whosoever submits his will to God, being a good-
doer, his wage is with his Lord, and no fear shall be on them, neither
shall they sorrow (2:112). O Allah, I have submitted myself to You and
entrusted my affairs to You. ‘You will be cured, Allah, the Exalted,
willing.”

26
Chapter 21
AN INVOCATION FOR PAIN OF THE LEGS
Khaddash b. Sabra narrataed from Muhammad b. Jamhur from Safwan
Bayya’ al-Sabiri from Salim b. Muhammad, who said: ‘I complained to
al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, of pain in my legs (al-saqayn) and that it
had prevented me from pursuing my affairs and earnig my living. He
said: “Recite an invocation of protection over them.” I asked: “With
what, O son of the Messenger of Allah?” He said: “With this verse. Re-
cite it seven times and you will be cured, Allah, the Exalted, willing: Re-
cite what has been revealed to thee of the Book of thy Lord; no man can
change His words. Apart from Him, thou wilt find no refuge.” (18:27).
He said: ‘I recited the invocation ove them seven times as he had instruc-
ted me, and I never experienced the pain again.’

27
Chapter 22
AN INVOCATION AND MEDICATIONS FRO
HAEMORRHOIDS
Al-Hawarini al-Razi narrated from Safwan b. Yahya al-Sabiri -and he is
not Safwan al-Jammal-from Yaqub b. Shuayb from Aban b. Taghlab from
‘Abd al-’Ala from Abu ‘Abd al-Rahman al-Sulami from Amir al-Mumin-
in, peace be upon him, who said: ‘Whosoever seeks protection from
haemorroholds with this invocation will be protected from its evil, Allah
the Exalted willing. It is: “O Magnanimous, O Exalted, O Compassion-
ate, O Near, O Responder, O Creator, O Merciful, bless Muhammad and
his family, and bestow on me Your blessing, and protect me from my
pain.” He will be cured of it, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, willing.’
Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah b. Mihran al-Kafi narrated from Ismail b.
Yazid from Amir b. Yazid al-Sayqal, who said: ‘I called on Abu ‘Abd Al-
lah, peace be upon him, and asked him about a man who had severe
haemorholds. He had been prescribed a bowl of strong wine (al-nabidh)
and he did not want to take it for the enjoyment of it, but as a medica-
tion. Abu ‘Abd Allah said: “No, not a mouthful.” I asked: “Why?” He
replied: “It is forbidden. Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, does not create
a medication or cure in anything He has forbidden. Take a white leek
and cut off its white head. Do not wash it or cut it up into small pieces.
Take fat from the hump of the camel (al-sinam), melt it, and pour it over
the leek. Take ten walnuts (jawzat), shell them, and grind them with the
weight of ten dirhams of Persian cheese (gibn farsi). Put the leek on the
fire. When it is well cooked add the walnuts and cheese to it and remove
it from the fire. Eat it on an empty stomach with bread, for three days or
seven days, and abstain from other food. After it, take a little roasted
savin (abhal) with bread and shelled walnuts. After the fat of the camel’s
hump and the leek, take, in the Name of Allah, half an awqiya of sesame
oil (shiraj) on an empty stomach, and an awaiya of [the resin of the] male
storax [tree] (kundur dhakar). Grind and drink it. After that take

28
another half awaqiya of sesame oil. Take it for three days and delay
your eating until after noon. You will be cured, Allah, the Exalted,
willing.”

29
Chapter 23
AN INVOCATION FOR PAIN OF THE FEET
Hannab b. Jabir narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Ali al-Sayrafi from al-
Husayn al-Ashqar from ‘Amr b. Abu al-Miqdam from Jabir al-ju’fi from
Muhammad al-Baqir, peace be upon him, who said: ‘I was with, al-
Husayn b. ‘Ali, peace be upon him, when one of our Shi’a from the Banu
Umayya came to him and said: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, I was
hardly able to walk to you because of the pain in my feet.” He said:
“What about the invocation of al-Husayn b. ‘Ali?” The man said: “O son
of the Messenger of Allah, and what is that?” He replied: “The verses
are: Surely We have given thee a manifest victory, that God may forgive
thee thy former and thy latter sins, and complete His blessing upon thee,
thy former and thy latter sins, and complete His blessing upon thee, and
guide thee on a straight path, and that God may help thee with mighty
help. It is He who sent down the Shechina into the hearts of the believ-
ers, that they might add faith to their faith-to God belong the hosts of the
heavens and the earth; God is All-knowing, All-wise-and that He may
admit the believers, men and women and women and women alike, into
gardens underneath which rivers flow, therein to dwell forever, and ac-
quit them of their evil deeds. That is in God’s sight a mighty triumph,
that He may chastise the hypocrites, men and women alike, and the id-
olaters, men and women alike, and those who think evil thoughts of
God. Against them shall be the evil turn of fortune. God is wroth with
them, and has cursed them, and has prepared for them Hell-an evil
homecoming! To God belong the hosts of the heavens and the earth; God
is All-mighty, All-wise (48:1-7).” The man said: “I did as he instructed
and did not experience any of the pain after that, with the help of Allah,
the Exalted.”

30
Chapter 24
AN INVOCATION FOR THE HAMSTRING AND
THE SOLE OF THE FOOT
Abu ‘Atab ‘Abd Allah b. Bistam narrated from Ibrahim b. Muhammad
al-Awdi from Safwan al-Jummal from Jafar b. Muhammad from his fath-
er from ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be upon him. [who said:] ‘A man com-
plained to Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Husayn b. Ali, peace be upon him, and
said: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, I suffer from pain in my
hamstring (al-urqub) which prevents me from standing up for prayer.”
He said: “What prevents you from [reciting] the invocation?” He replied:
“I do not know it.” He said: “When you experience the pain, placae your
hand there and say: ‘In the Name of Allah, and by Allah, and peace be
upon the Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah, and peace be upon the
Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him and his family.’ Then re-
cite over it: They measure not God with His true measure. The earth al-
together shall be His handful on the Day of Resurrection, and the heav-
ens shall be rolled up in His right hand. Glory be to Him! High be He
exalted above that they associate! (39:67).” The man did that and Allah,
the Exalted, healed him.’

31
Chapter 25
AN INVOCATION FOR SWELLING IN ALL THE
JOINTS
Al-Hasan b. Salih al-Mahmudi narrated from Abu ‘Amr b. Shimr from
Jabir b. Yazid al-Jufi from Muhammad b. ‘Ali b. al-Husayn, peace be
upon him, who said: ‘O Jabir.’ I [Jabir] replied: ‘At your service, O son of
the Messenger of Allah.’ He said: ‘Recite over every swelling (al-waram)
the end of the sura al-Hashr-If We had sent down this QURAN upon a
mountain, thou wouldst have seen it humbled, split asunder out of the
fear of God. And those similitudes-We strike them for men; haply they
will reflect. He is God; there is no god but He. He is the knower of the
Unseen and the Visible; He is the All-merciful, the All-compassionate.
He is God; there is no god but He. He is the King, the All-holy, the All-
peaceable, the All-faithful, the All-preserver, the All-mighty, the All-
compeller, the All-sublime. Glory be to God, above that they associate!
He is God, the Creator, the Maker, the Shapper. To Him belong the
Names Most Beautiful. All that is in the heavens and the earth magnifies
Him: He is the All-mighty, the All-wise (59:21-4). Recite it three times
over the swelling, and it will subside. Allah, the Exalted, willing.
“Take a knief and pass it over the swelling and say: “In the Name of
Allah, I charm you from affliction and iron and an affair of recurring
grief and from the matted stone and from the root of a barren tree (irq al-
aqir), and from another swelling, and from food and its ganglia (al-aqd),
and from drink and its coldness. Pass, with the will of Allah, for a time
to humans and cattle. In the Name of Allah I begin, and in the Name of
Allah I end.” Then drive the knief into the earth.’

32
Chapter 26
AN INVOCATION TO NEUTRALIZE SPELLS
‘Abd Allah b. al-’Ala al-Qazwini narrated from Ibrahim b. Muhammad
from Hammad b. Isa b. Ya’qub from ‘Imran b. Maytham from ‘Ubaya b.
Rabi al-Asadi, that he heard Amir al-Mminin, blessings of Allah be on
him, instruct one of his companions, when the latter complained of spells
(al-sihr). He said: ‘Write [the following] on the parchment of a gazelle
and fasten it to yourself. The spell will not ham you and its strategems
will not affect you. “In the Name of Allah, and by Allah, and what Allah
wills. In the Name of Allah, there is no might nor power except with Al-
lah. Musa said, What you have brought is spells. God will assuredly
bring it to naught. God sets not right the work of those who do corrup-
tion (10:81-2). So the truth came to pass, and false was proved what they
were doing. So they were vanquished there, and they turned about,
humbled (7:118-119).”
Muhammad b.Musa al-Rabi narrated from Muhammad b. Mahbub
from ‘Abd Allah b. Ghalib from Sa’d b. Zarif from al-Asbagj b. Nubata
from Amir al-Muminin, peace be upon him, that al-Asbagh said: ‘I took
this invocation from him. He said to me: “O Asbagh, this is an invoca-
tion for spells and fear (al-khauf) of the ruler (al-sultan). Recite it seven
times: ‘In the Name of Allah, and by Allah, We will strengthen thy arm
by means of thy brother, and We shall appoint to you an authority, so
that they shall not reach you because of Our signs; you and whoso fol-
lows you, shall be the victors (28:35).’ Recite it seven times over water
when you have completed the night prayer (salat al-layl) and before you
begin the morning prayer (salat al-nahar). It [spells] will not harm you,
Allah, the Exalted, willing.”

33
Chapter 27
AN INVOCATION FOR A WOMAN EXPERIENCING
DIFFICULTY IN CHILD BIRTH
Al-Khawatimi narrated from Muhammad b. ‘ali al-Sayrafi from
Muhammad b. Aslam from al-Hasan b. Muhammad al-Hashimi from
Aban b. Abu al-Ayyash from salim b. Qays al-Hilali from Amir al-Mu-
minin, peace be upon him, who said: ‘I know of two verses in the re-
vealed Book of Allah, prescribed for a woman experiencing difficulty (al-
‘usr) in childbirth (al-wilada). Write them on the parchment of a gazelle
and fasten it to her groin (al-haqw). Write seven times: “In the Name of
Allah, and by Allah. Truly with hardship comes ease, truly with hard-
ship comes ease (94:5-6).” Write once: “O men, fear your Lord! Surely
the earthquake of the Hour is a mighty thing. On the day when you be-
hold it, every suckling woman shall neglect the child she has suckled,
and every pregnant woman shall deposit her burden, and thou shalt see
mankind drunk, yet they are not drunk, but God’s chastisement is ter-
rible (22:1-2).” Write [the following] on a paper and tie it with an un-
twisted fibre of flax (kattan) and fasten it on to her left thigh. When she
has given birth, cut it off at once and do not delay in doing it. Write: “At
the time when Maryam gave birth, Maryam brought fort a living
[being]. O living [being] come down to the earth immediately, by the
will of Allah, the Exalted.”

34
Chapter 28
AN INVOCATION FOR A CHILD WHO CRIES
OFTEN, FOR ONE AFRAID OF THE NIGHT, AND
FOR A WOMAN SLEEPLESS FROM PAIN
Then We smote their ears many years in the Cave. Afterwards We
raised them up again, that We might know which of the two parties
would better calculate the while they had tarried (18:11-12).
Abu al-Muizz al-Wasiri narrated from Muhammad b. Sulayman from
Marwan b. al-Jahm from Muhammad b. Muslim from Abu Jafar, peace
be upon him, from Amir al-Muminin, peace be upon him, that he said
that.

35
Chapter 29
AN INVOCATION FOR A STUBBORN BEAST
Hatim b. ‘Abd Allah al-Azdi narrated from Abu Jafar al-Maqri, the Imam
of the mosque of al-Kufa, from Jabir b. Rashid from Abu ‘Abd Allah al-
Sadiq, peace be upon him, that he [Jabir] said: ‘While we were on a
journey, al-Sadiq noticed a man looking gloomy and dejected. He asked
him: “What is wrong with you?” He [al-Sadiq] said: “Woe be to you, re-
cite this verse in her ear: Have they not seen how that We have created
for them of that Our hands wrought of the cattle that they own? We hav
subdued them to them, and some of them they ride, and some they eat.
(36:71-2)”

36
Chapter 30
AN INVOCATION FOR A JOURNEY
‘Ali b. ‘Urwa al-Ahwazi narrated from al-Daylami from Dawud al-Raqqi
from Musa b. Jafar, peace be upon him, who said: ‘Whoever is on a
journey (al-safar) and fears thieves (al-lusus) and predatory animals (al-
sab’), let him write on the mane (al-’urf) of his beast: Fearing not overtak-
ing, neither afraid (20:77). He will be safe, Allah, the Mighty and
Sublime, willing.’
Dawud al-Raqqi said: ‘I performed the Hajj, and when we were in the
desert, a group of Bedouins way laid the caravan in which I was. I wrote
on the mane of my camel (al-jamal): Fearing not overtaking, neither
afraid (20:77). By Him Who sent Muhammad, blessings of Allah on him
and his family, with the Prophethood, bestowed on him the Message,
and honoured Amir al-Muminin with the Imamate, not one of them chal-
langed me and Allah made them blind (a’ma) to me.’

37
Chapter 31
AN INVOCATION FOR ALL ILLNESSES
‘Ali b. Ishaq al-Basri narrated from Zakariya b. Adam al-Maqri, who
used to serve al-Rida, peace be upon him, in Khurasan, said: ‘One day al-
Rida said to me: “O Zakariya.” I answered “At your service. O son of
the Messenger of Allah.” He said: “Recite for all illness: ‘O Bestower of
healing and Remover of illness, send down healing for my ailment.’ You
will be restored to health. Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, willing.”

38
Chapter 32
AN INVOCATION FOR SCIATICA
Mualla b. Ibrahim al-Wasiti narrated from Ibn Mahbub from Muhriz b.
Sulayman al-Azraq from Abu al-Jarud from Abu Ishaq from al-Harith al-
Awar al-Hamdani from Amir al-Muminin, peace be upon him, that one
of his companions had complained to him of sciatica (irq al-nisa). He
[Amir al-Muminin] replied: ‘When you experience it, place your hand on
it and say: “In the Name of the Merciful, the Compassionate. In the
Name of Allah, and by Allah, I take refuge in the Name of Allah, the
Great, and I take refuge in the Name of Allah, the Mighty, from the evil
of every throbbing blood vessel (‘irq nuqqar), and from the evil of the
heat of the fire.” You will be cured, Allah, the Exalted, willing.’ The
man said: ‘I recited that only three times, and Allah removes my suffer-
ing and I was cured of it.’

39
Chapter 33
AN INVOCATION FOR CONSUMPTION
Muhammad b. Kathir al-Dimashqi narrated from al-Hasan b. ‘Ali b.
Yaqtin from al-Rida ‘Ali b. Musa, peace be upon him, who said: ‘This is
an invocation for our Shi’a for consumption (al-sill), “O Allah, O Lord of
the lords, O Master of the masters, O God of the gods, O King of the
kings, O Omnipotent of the heavens and the earth. Heal me and cure me
of this disease of mine, fo I am Your servant and the son of Your ser-
vant. I turn about in Your grasp and my forelock is in Your Hand.” Say
it three times, and Allah, the Mighty and Sublime will protect you with
His Might and Power. If He, the Exalted, wills.’

40
Chapter 34
AN INVOCATION FOR PUSTULIES
‘Ali b. al-’Abbas narrated from Muhammad b. Ibrahim al-Alawi from
‘Ali b. Musa from his father from Jafar b. Muhammad al-Sadiq, peace be
upon him, who said: ‘When you feel a pustule (al-bathr) [appearing], put
your index finger (al-sabbaba) on it and circle it and say seven times:
“There is no god but Allah, the Clement, the Noble.” The seventh time
strike it and press on it with your finger.’

41
Chapter 35
AN INVOCATION FOR COLIC
Al-Darrari narrated from Musa b. Umar b. Yazid from Abu ‘Umar b.
Yazid al-Sayqal from al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, that he [al-Sayqal]
said that one of his followers had complained of colic (al-qawlani). He
[al-Sadiq] told him: ‘Write for him the sura al-Fatiha (1), the sura al-Ikh-
las (112), and the two suras of seeking protection (al-Falaq (113) and
Nass (114) ). Then write under that: “I take refuge in the Face of Allah,
the Mighty, and in His Might, which is unceasing, and in his Power,
which nothing can resist, from the evil of this pain, and the evil within
it.” Then drink it (sic) with rainwater (ma’ al-matar) on an empty stom-
ach. You will be cured of it, Allah, the Exalted, willing.’

42
Chapter 36
AN INVOCATION FOR FEVER AND FOR THE
FEVER OF THE MESSENGER OF Allah
Ahmad b. Muhammad Abu Jafar narrated from Abu Muhammad b.
Khalid from Bakr b. Khalid from Muhammad b. Sinan from ‘Abd Allah
b. Ammar al-Duhni from his father from ‘Amr Dhi Far and Taghaba al-
Jammali, who both said: ‘We heard Amir al-Muminin, peace be upon
him, say: “The Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him, had a
severe fever (al-humma), Jibra’il, blessing of Allah on him, came to him
and recited an invocation of protection over him. He said: In the Name
of Allah, I invoke you, In the Name of Allah, I cure you of every illness
that troubles you. In the Name of Allah, and Allah is your Healer. In the
Name of Allah, take it and may it be good of you. In the Name of Allah,
the Merciful, the Compassionate, No! I swear by the fallings of the stars,
and that is indeed a mighty oath, did you but know it! (56:75-6). You
will surely be restored to health, Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, will-
ing.” The Prophet, blessings be on him, undid his headband and said:
“O Jibrail, this is an eloquent invocation.” Jibrail replied: “It is from the
treasury of the seventh heaven.”
Ahmad b. Salama narrated from Muhammad b. Isa from Hariz b. ‘Abd
Allah al-Sijistani from Ahmad b. Hamza from Aban b. Uthman from al-
Fudayl b. Yasar from Abu Jafar, peace be upon him, who said: ‘When a
man falls ill and you wish to invoke protection for him say: “Out with
you, O blood vessel, or O eye of jinn, or O eye of man, or O pain, from
so-and-so, son of so-and-so. Out of with you, by Allah, Who addressed
Musa and spoke to him, and took Ibrahim, blessings of Allah on him, as
a friend, the Lord of Isa b. Maryam, the spirit of Allah and His Word, the
Lord of Muhammad and the family of Muhammad, the guides. I put
you out as the fire of Ibrahim, the friend, peace be upon him, was put
out.”
Ahmad b. Abu Ziyad narrated from Faddala b. Ayyub from Ismail b.
Ziyad from Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, who said:

43
‘When the Messenger of Allah, blessings be on him felt sluggish (al-kas-
al), or when the evil eye (al-ayn) fell on him, or when he had a headache,
he would stretch out his hands and recite the opening of the Book (the
sura al-Fatiha (1) and the two suras of taking refuge (al-Falaq (113) and
al-Nas (114) ). Then he would pass his hands over his face (al-wajh) and
whatever he would be suffering would be removed from him.’
Muhammad b.Ja, far al-Bursi narrated from Muhammad b.Yahya al-
Armani from Muhammad b.Sinan from Salama b.Muhriz, who said: ‘I
heard Abu Jafar al Baqir, peace be upon him, say: “Whosoever is not
cured by the sura al-Hamd (1) and the sura al-Ikhlas (112) will not be
cured by anything. All illnesses are cured by these two Suras.”
Muhammad b.Yazid narrated from Ziyad b.Muhammad al-Malati f
rom his father from Hisham b.Ahmar from Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq,
peace be upon him, who said: ‘Whoever says: “There is no might nor
power except with Allah, the Mighty,” Allah will drive away from him
seventy- three kinds of affliction, the least of which is madness( al-
junun).’
Ali b.Abu Talib, peace be upon him, said: “The Messenger of Allah,
blessing be on him said: “O’Ali, shall I show you one of the tresures of
Paradise?” I replied: “Yes indeed,O Messenger of Allah.’ He said:
“There is no power nor might except with Allah.”
Muhammad b. Ibrahim al-Sarraj narrated from Faddala and al Qasim
both from Aban b. ‘Uthman from Abu Hamza al Thumali from Abu
Ja’far al- Baqir, peace be upon him, who said: ‘When one of you suffers
from something, let him recite: In the name of Allah, and blessings of Al-
lah on the Messenger of Allah and his Ahl al-Bayt. I take refuge in the
Might of Allah and His Power over what He wills, from the evil of what
I suffer.”
Ahmad b.Salih al-Nisaburi narrated from Jamil b. Sahil from Dharih,
who said: ‘I heard Abu Abd Allah, peace be upon him, invoke protection
from wind for one of his followers and say: ‘I adjure you, O ailment,
with the invocation by wich Ali b. Abu Talib, peace be upon him, and
the Messenger of Allah, blessings on him and his family, called on the
jinn of the valley of al-Sabra and they obeyed and answered, that you
obey and answer and get out of so-and-so, son of so-and-so, at once, at
once, by the will of Allah, the Exalted, by the command of Allah, the
Mighty and Sublime,by the Power of Allah, by the Sovereignty of Allah,
by the Majesty of Allah, by the Grandeur of Allah, by the Greatness of
Allah, by the Face of Allah, by the Beauty of Allah, by the Magnificence
of Allah, by the Light of Allah.” It was not long before it was expelled.’

44
45
Chapter 37
THE INVOCATION OF AL -RIDA PEACE BE UPON
HIM, FOR EVERY ILLNESS AND FEAR
Muhammad b.Kathir al-Dimashqi narrated from al-Hasan b. Ali b. Yaqt-
in from al- Rida, peace be upon him, that he [al-Hasan] said: ‘I took this
invocation from al-Rida. He mentioned that it was a comprehensive pre-
ventative and a safeguard and protection from illness and fear:
“In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate, In the Name
of Allah, slink you it, and do not speak to me (23:108), I take refuge in the
All-merciful from thee! If thou feaarest God… . (19:18) or do not fear
God. I take hold, with the Hearing of Allah and His Sight, over your
hearing and sight, and with the Might of Allah over your might. No au-
thority have you over so- and-so, son of so-and-so, or over his progeny,
or his wealth, or his family. I draw down between you and him the veil
of Prophethood, by which they concealed themselves from the assault of
the Pharoahs, with Jibra’il on your right, and Mika’il on your left, and
Muhammad, blessings be on him, and his Ahl al-Bayt before you, with
Allah, the Exalted, overshadowing you. Allah guards him, his progeny,
his wealth, and his family from the demons (al-shayatin).
Whatever Allah has willed,there is no might nor power except with
Allah,the most High, the Might. O Allah, his clemency will not attain
Your patience as long as it does not attain the utmost degree of Your
Power . You are the most excellent Master and the most excellent Help-
er. Allah guard you and your progeny, O so-and-so, by that with which
He guarded his friends, blessings of Allah on Muhammad and his Ahl
al-Bayt.
“Write the verse of the Throne (2:255) up to And He is the Most High,
the Mighty. Then write: ‘There is no might nor power except with Allah,
the most High, the Mighty. There is no refuge from Allah except with
him. Sufficent for us is Allah, the most excellent protector.’”

46
Chapter 38
AN INVOCATION FOR EVERY ACHE
Muhammad b. Hamid narated from Khalaf b. Hammad from Khalid al-
Abasi, who said: ‘Ali b.Musa, peace be upon him, taught me this invoca-
tion and said: ‘Teach it to your brothers among the believers, for it is for
every ache: ‘I seek protection for myself in the Lord of the heavens. I
seek protection for myself in Him with Whose Name no disease causes
harm. I seek protection for myself in Him Whose Name is a blessing and
a healing.’”

47
 Part 1
INVOCATION FOR DAYS OF THE
WEEK

48
INVOCATION FOR SATURDAY
From al-Sadiq , peace be upon him.
In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Companssionate, I seek protec-
tion for myself-or for so- and-so, son of so-and- so-in Allah. There is no
god but Him. He is the Lord of all Being, the All-merciful, the All com-
passionate, the Master of the Day of Doom. Thee only we serve, To Thee
alone we pray for succour. Guide us in the straight path, the path of
those whom Thou hast blessed, not of those against whom Thou art
wrathful, nor of those who are astray (1:2-7). I seek protection in the
Lord of the Day break (113:1), and in the Lord of men, the King of men…
.. (114;1-2) and the Lord of the dusk when it darkens , from the evil of
what He has created, and from the evil of the women who blow on knots
, and from the evil of an envier when he envies (113:2-5).
‘Allah, the One, the Refuge, Who has not begotten, and has not been
begotten, and equal to Him is not any one (112:3-4), Light of the Light
and the Regulator of affairs, the Light of the heavens and the earth. The
likeness of His Light is as a niche wherein is a lamp,the lamp in a glass,
the glass as it were a glittering star kindled from a Blessed Tree, an olive
that is neither of the East nor of the West, whose oil wellnigh would
shine, even if no fire touched it. Light upon Light God guides to His
Light whom He will. And God strikes similitudes for men, and God has
knowledge of everything (24:35).
‘It is He who created the heavens and the earth in truth … . His saying
is true, and His is the Kingdom the day the Trumpet is blown. He is
Knower of the Unseen and the visible. He is the All-wise, the All-aware
(6:73). God who created the seven heavens, and of earth their like,
between them the Command descending, that you may know that God
is powerful over everythng and that God enmcopasses everything in
knowledge (65:12). He has numbered everything in numbers. (72:28).
‘[I seek protection] from the evil of everything possessed of evil,
whether openly or secretly, from the evil of jinn and man, and from the
evil of what flies at night and rests during the day, and from the evil of
that which lives in pigeons and wild beasts, ruins, valleys, open country,
jungles and trees, and from that which is in rivers.
‘I seek the protection of Allah, Master of the Kingdom, Thou givest the
Kingdom to whom Thou wilt, and seizest the Kingdom from whom
Thou wilt. In Thy hand is the good. Thou art powerful over everything.
Thou makest the night to enter into the day and Thou makest the day to
enter into the night. Thou bringest forth the living from the dead and

49
Thou bringest forth the deat from the living, and Thou providest whom-
soever Thou wilt without reckoning (3:26-7). Like Him there is nothing.
He is the Allhearing, the All-seeing. To Him belong the keys of the heav-
ens and the earth. He stretches out His provision to whom He will.
Surely He has knowledge of everything (42:11-12).
‘I seek the protection for him in the One Who created the earth and the
high heavens. The All-compassinate sat himself upon the Throne. To
Him belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth and all that is
between them, and all that is underneath the soil. Be thou loud in thy
speech, yet surely He knows the secret and that still more hidden. Allah-
there is no god but He. To Him belong the Names Most Beautiful
(20:4-8). Verily, His are the creation and the command. Blessed be God,
the Lord of all Being. Call on your Lord, humbly and secretly. He loves
not the transgressors. Do not corrupt the land after it has been set right.
Call on Him fearfully, eagerly. Surely the mercy of God is nigh to those
who do good (7:54-6).
‘I seek protection for him in the Revealer of the Torah, the Gospels (al-
Injil), the Zabur, and the Mighty Furqan, from the evil of every tyrant
and oppressor, demon, ruler, enchanter (sahir), soothsayer (kahin),
watcher, nocturnal visitor, every thing moving or still, silent, imagined,
apparent, changeable, or varying. Glory be to Allah, your Protector and
Your Helper and Your Solace. He will defend you. He has no partner.
There is no one to elevate the one He abases nor any one to abase the one
He elevates. He is the One, the Subduer, and Allah bless Muhammad
and his family.’

50
INVOCATION FOR SUNDAY
‘In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate. Allah is the
most Great, Allah is the most Great, Allah is the most Great. The Lord
sat on the Throne, and the heavens and the earth were established by His
Command. The stars were stilled, and the mountains were fixed firmly
by His permission. His Name does not pass by those in the heavens and
in the earth. The mountains draw near to Him, obedient, and the bodies
are resurrected for Him when they are rotten. Veil every harmful thing
and envious one by the Might of Allah from so-and-so, son of so-and-so,
by the One who placed a partition between the two seas (27:61); and set
in heaven constellations, and set among them a lamp, and an illuminat-
ing moon (25:61). I seek protection for him in the One who decked them
out fair to the beholders, and guarded them from every accursed demon
(15:16-7). I seek protection for him in the One who set in the earth firm
mountains (21:31) and pegs (78:7), lest evil or indecency or affliction
should get to him. Ha Mim. ‘Ain Sin Qaf. So reveals to thee, and to
those before thee, God, the All-mighty, the All-wise 42:1-3). Ha Mim. A
sending down from the Merciful, the Compassionate (41:1-2). The bless-
ings of Allah on Muhammad, the Prophet, and his family.’

51
INVOCATION FOR MONDAY
‘In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate. I seek protec-
tion for the soul of so-and-so, in my Lord, the most Great, from the evil
of what is hidden and apparent, and from the evil of every female and
male, and from the evil of what the sun and the moon behold. Most
Holy, Most Holy, Lord of the angels and the Spirit.
‘I call on you, O jinn, if you are hearing, obedient, and I call you, O
mankind, to the Gracious, the All-knowing. I call you, O mankind and
jinn, to Him Who is obeyed by all creation stamped with the seal of the
Lord of the Worlds, and the seal of Jibrail, Mikail, and Israfil, and the
seal of Sulayman b. Dawud, and the seal of Muhammad, blessings of Al-
lah on him and his family, the chief of the Prophets, blessings of Allah on
Muhammad and his Ahl al-Bayt, the good, the pure. Remove from so-
and-so, son of so-and so, every female jinn with a rebelious spirit, a jinn
or demon or rebellious enchanter, or obstinate ruler or accursed devil.
Remove from so-and-so, that which is seen and that which is unseen,
and that which is seen by an eye, sleeping or awake, by the will of Allah,
the Gracious, the All-knowing. There is no way for you over him, nor
over what is feared for him. Allah, Allah, Allah, no partner has He, and
Allah bless Muhammad and his Ahl al-Bayt.’

52
INVOCATION FOR TUESDAY
‘In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate. I seek protec-
tion for myself in Allah, the Great, the Lord of the upright heavens, and
in Him Who created them in two days and determined affairs
throughout all of heaven, created the earth and determined in it its
sustenance, made in it mountains and set in it ravines to serve as ways
(21:31), produced the heavy clouds (13:12), made it subservient, made
the ships sail, made subservient the sea, and made in the earth moun-
tains and rivers, from the evil of what is in the night and the day and en-
tangles the hearts, and which the eyes of jinn and mankind see. Allah
protect us, Allah protect us, Allah protect us, there is no god but Allah,
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah be on him and
his family.’

53
INVOCATION FOR WEDNESDAY
‘In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate, I seek protection
for you, O so-and-so, son of so-and-so, in the One, the Refuge, from the
evil of what is blown on and knotted, and from the evil of Abu Mura
[Satan] and what he has begotten. I seek protection for you in the One,
the Most High, from that which the eye sees and does not see. I seek
protection for you in the Unequalled, the Great, from the evil of what it
intends for you [by the decree of the Sovereign]. Go, O so-and-so, son of
so-and-so, to the protection of Allah, the Mighty, the Omnipotent, the
King, the Most Holy, the Subduer, the Perfect, the Faithful, the Guardian,
the Mighty, the All-forgiving, the Knower of the unseen and the appar-
ent, the Great, the Most High. He is Allah, no partner has He,
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, blessings and mercy of Allah on
him and his family.’

54
INVOCATION FOR THURSDAY
‘In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate, I seek protection
for myself-or for so-and-so, son of so-and-so-in the Lord of the East and
the West, from the evil of every rebelious, standing, sitting, envious, and
refractory demon, and We send down on you water from heaven, to
purify you thereby, to put away from you the defilement of Satan and to
strengthen your hearts, and to make firm your feet (8:11). Stamp thy
foot! This is a washing-place cool, for drinking (38:42). And We sent
down from heaven pure water to revive a dead land, and give to drink of
it what We created, many cattle and men (25:48). Now God has
lightened it for you (8:66). That a lightening granted you by your Lord,
and a mercy(2:178). God desires to lighten things for you … (4:28). God
will suffice you for them (2:137). He is the All-hearer and the All-know-
er. There is no power except with Allah, no conqueror except Allah.
God prevails in His purpose (12:21). There is no god but Allah,
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah be on him and
his family.’

55
INVOCATION FOR FRIDAY
‘In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate. There is no
might nor power except with Allah, the Most High, the Mighty, Allah,
the Lord of of the angels and the Spirit, the Prophets and the Messen-
gers, Subduer of those in the heavens and the earth, Creator of all things,
and their King. Protect me from their might, and blind their sight and
their hearts, and make between us and them a guard, and a barrier and a
defence. Surely You are our Lord. There is no might nor power except
with You. In You we trust and to You we turn. You are the Mighty, the
Wise. Protect so-and-so, son of so-and-so, from the evil of every creature
You have taken by the forelock, and from the evil of what inhabits the
night and day, and from the evil of every evil thing. Amen, O Lord of
the Worlds, and bless Muhammad, the Prophet of mercy and his pure
family.’

56
Chapter 39
INVOCATION FOR THE ENSNARED AND
BEWITCHED
Ahmad b. Badr narrated from Ishaq al-Sahhaf from Musa b. Jafar, peace
be upon him, that he said: ‘O Sahhaf.’ I replied: ‘At your service, O son
of the Messenger of Allah.’ He said: ‘You have been ensnared
(makhudh) from your wife.’ I said: ‘Yes indeed, O son of the Messenger
of Allah. For three years I have used every remedy but, by Allah, they
have not benefited me.’ He said: ‘O Sahhaf, you did not tel me?’ I said:
‘O son of the Messenger of Allah, by Allah, I know that with you is deliv-
erance from everything but I was ashamed in a man bewitched (mashur)
[and] ensnared? I wanted to speak to you about that. ‘Say: “In the
Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate, I remove you, O en-
chanters, from so-and-so, son of so-and-so, with Allah, who said to Satan
Go thou forth from it, despised and banished (7:13). Get thee down out
of it. It is not for thee to wax proud here. So go thou forth. Surely thou
art among the humbled (7:13). I neutralize your action and drive it back
to you and nullify it by the will of Allah,the Most High, the Mightiest,
the Most Holy, the Exalted, the All-knowing, the Eternal. Your enchant-
ment is reverted just as evil devising magicians was neutralized when
Allah, the Exalted said: Cast thy staff. And lo, it forthwith swallowed up
their lying invention. So the truth came to pass, and false was proved
what they were doing (7:117). By the will of Allah, the Pharoah’s magi-
cians were thwarted.
“I neutralize your action, O magicians, and nullify it by the will of Al-
lah, Who revealed: Be not as those who forgot God, and so He caused
them to forget their souls (59:19); and by Him Who said: Had We sent
down on thee a Book on parchment and so they touched it with their
hands, yet the unbelievers would have said, This is naught but manifest
spells. Why has an angel not been sent down on him? They say: Yet had
We sent down an angel, the matter would have been determined, and
then no respite would be given them. And had We madae him an angel,

57
yet assuredly We would have made him a man, and confused for them
the thing which they themselves are confusing (6:7-9); by the will of Al-
lah, Who revealed: So the two of them ate of it, and their shameful parts
were revealed to them (20:121). You are confused and not accomplishing
any of your affairs. You will never return to it.
“Praise be to Allah, your action has been neutralized, your effort has
failed and your plot has weakened, along with the demons who were
part of it-Surely the guile of Satan is ever feeble (4:76). I have overcome
you by the will of Allah, defeated your multitude with the armies of Al-
lah, shattered your strength with the Sovereignty of Allah, and set up
over you the decree of Allah. Your sight has been blinded, your strength
has been weakened, your ties have been broken, and Satan has absolved
himself of you, by the will of Allah, Who revealed: Like Satan, when he
said to man, Disbelieve; then, when he disbelieved, he said, Surely I am
fre of you. Surely I fear God, the Lord of all Being. Their end is that both
are in the Fire, there dwelling forever. That is the recompense of the
evildoers (59:16-17).
“And He revealed: When those that were followed disown their fol-
lowers, and they see the chastisement, and their cords are cut asunder,
and those that followed say, O if only we might return again and disown
them, as they have disowned us! Even so God shall show them-their
works. O bitter regrets for them! Never shall they issue from the Fire
(2:166-7).
“By the will of Allah there is no god but He, the Living, the Everlast-
ing. Slumber seizes Him not, neither sleep; to Him belongs all that is in
the heavens and the earth… . . He is the All-high, the All-glorious
(2:255). Surely your God is One, Lord of the heavens and the earth, and
of what between them is, Lord of the Easts. We have adorned the lower
heaven with the adornment of the stars and to preserve against every
rebel demon. They listen not to the High Council, for they are pelted
from every side, rejected. Theirs is an everlasting chastisement, except
such as snatches a fragment, and he is pursued by a piercing flame
(37:4-10). Surely in the creation of the heavens and earth and in the al-
ternation of night and day there are signs for men possessing of minds
(3:190). And the water God sends down from heaven threewith reviving
the earth after it is dead and His scattering abroad in it all manner of
crawling thing, and the turning about of the winds and the clouds com-
pelled between heaven and earth-surely there are signs for a people hav-
ing understanding … . (2:164).

58
 ‘“Surely your Lord is God, who created the heavens and the earth in
six days-then sat Himself upon the Throne, covering the day with the
night it pursues urgently-and the sun, and the moon, and the stars sub-
servient, by His command. Verily, His are the creation and the com-
mand. Blessed be God, the Lord of all Being (7:54). He is God; there is
no god but He. He is the knower of the Unseen and the Visible; He is the
All-merciful, the All-compassionate. He is God; there is no god but He.
He is the King, the All-holy, the All-peaceable, the All-faithful, the All-
preserver, the All-mighty, the All-compeller, the All-sublime. Glory be
to God, above that they associate! He is God, the Creator, the Maker, the
Shaper. To Him belong the Names Most Beautiful. All that is in the
heavens and the earth magnifies Him; He is the All-mighty, the All-wise
(59:22-4).
“Whoever of the jinn or men or any others wish evil for so-and-so, son
of so-and-so, after this invocation, Allah has made him of those about
whom He said: They are those who have purchased error at the price of
guidance. Their commerce who not profited them, and they are not
right-guided. The likeness of them is as the likeness of a man who
kindled a fire, and when it lit all about him Allah took away their light,
and left them in darkness, unseeing, deaf, blind-so they shall not return
(2:16-18).
“Allah has made him of those of whom He said: The likeness of those
who disbelieve is as the likeness of one who shouts to that which hears
nothing, save a call and a cry; deaf and blind-they do not understand
(2:171). Allah has made him of those of whom He said: Whosoever asso-
ciates with Allah anything, it is as though he has fallen from heaven and
the birds snatch him away, or the wind sweeps him headlong into a
place for away (22:31). Allah has made him of those of whom He said:
The likeness of what they expend in this present life is as the likeness of a
freezing blast that smites the tillage of a people who wronged them-
selves, and it destroyed that. Allah wronged them not, but themselves
they wronged (3:117). Allah has made him of those about whom torrent
smites it, and leaves it barren. They have no power over anything that
they have earned. Allah guides not the people of the unbelievers
(2:264). Allah has made him of those of whom He said: The likeness of a
corrupt word is as a corrupt tree-uprooted from the earth, having no
stablishment. Allah confirms those who believe with the firm word, in
the present life and in the world to come. Allah leads astray the oppress-
ors. Allah does what He will. Hast thou not seen those who exchanged
the bounty of Allah with unthankfulness, and caused their people to

59
dwell in the abode of ruin?-Hell, wherein they are roasted; an evil stab-
lishment! (14:26-9).
“Allah has made him of those of whom He said: And as for the unbe-
lievers, their works are as a mirage in a spacious plain, which the thirsty
man supposes to be water, until, when he comes to it, he finds it is noth-
ing. There indeed he finds God, and He pays him his account in full,
and God is swift at the reckoning. Or, they are as shadows upon a sea
obscure covered by a billow above which is a billow, above which are
clouds, shadows piled one upon another. When he puts forth his hand,
wellnigh he cannot see it. To whomsoever God assigns no light, no light
has he (24:39-40).
“O Allah, so I ask You by Your Truth and Your Knowledge and the ex-
cellence of Your examples, and by the right of Muhammad and his fam-
ily, for whoever wishes evil on so-and-so, that You revert his plot back
on to him, and make him low, and turn him over on his head in a pit.
Surely You are Powerful over all things, and that is easy for You; and
that is surely no great matter of Allah (14:20). There is no god but Allah,
Muhammad is the Messenge of Allah, blessings of Allah be on him and
his family.”
“Then recite the following ove the soil (al-tin) of the grave and seal
and fasten it on to the enchanted person: He is Allah who has sent His
Messenge with the guidance and the religion of truth, that He may uplift
it above every religion, though the unbelievers be averse (9:33). And
God suffices as a witness (48:28). False was proved what they were do-
ing. So they were vanquished there and they turned about, humbled
(7:118-19).’

60
Chapter 40
ADHAN AND IQAMA ON THE SHIRT OF ONE
SUFFERING FROM FEVER
Muhammad b. Jafar al-Bursi narrated from Muhammad b. Yahya al-Ar-
mani from Muhammad b. Sinan Abu Abd Allah al-Sinan from Yunus b.
Zabyan from al-Mufaddal b. ‘Umar from Jafar b. Muhammad al-Sadiq,
peace be upon him, that one of his clients who was unwell called on
him. He [al-Sadiq] said to him: ‘Why is it that I see your colour has
changed?’ He replied: ‘May I be your sacrifice, I have been feeling very
unwell for a month. The fever has not subsided and I have treated my-
self with all the remedies prescribed by the learned, but have not be-
nefited from any of that.’ Al-Sadiq said to him: ‘Undo the buttons of
your shirt and put your head in it. Recite the adhan [the call of prayer]
and the iqama [the introduction to prayer], and recite the sura al-Hamd
(1) seven times.’ The man said: ‘I did that and recovered as quickly as a
camel loosened from its cord.’

61
Chapter 41
AN INVOCATION FOR INFLAMMATION OF THE
EYES
Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah al-Zafarani narrated from ‘Umar b. ‘Abd al-
‘Aziz from ‘Isa b. Sulayman, who said: ‘I went to Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace
be upon him, one day and saw him with his eyes somewhat inflammed
and I was grieved for him. I visited him the next day and he no longer
had any inflammation. I asked him about that and he said: “I treated it
with something. It is an invocation I have, in which I took refuge.”’ He
[‘Isa] said: ‘He informed me of it and this is the copy of it: “I take refuge
in the Might of Allah. I take refuge in the Beauty of Allah. I take refuge
in the Magnificence of Allah. I take refuge in the Forgiveness of Allah, I
take refuge in the Clemency of Allah. I take refuge in the remembrance
of Allah. I take refuge in the Messenger of Allah. I take refuge in the
family of the Messenger of Allah, blessing of Allah on him and on them,
from what I am wary of and fear for my eyes, and the pain that I suffer
in my eyes and what I fear from it and am wary of Allah, Lod of the
Good, remove that from me by Your Might and Your Power.”’

62
Chapter 42
FOR PERSISTENT PAIN
Al-Hasan b. al-Husayn al-Damighani narrated from al-Hasan ‘Ali b. Fad-
dal from Ibrahim b. Abu al-Bilad, who attributed it to Musa b. Jafar al-
Kazim, peace be upon him, that he [Ibrahim] said: ‘The governor of Med-
ina complained to him [Musa b. Jafar] of his son’s persistent pain. He
[Musa b. Jafar] said: “Write for him this invocation on parchment, put it
in a silver containe, and fasten it on to the boy. Allah will remove every
illness through it: ‘In the Name of Allah, I take refuge in Your Exalted
Face, and Your Power, which nothing can resist, from the evil of what I
fear in the night and the day from all the pains, and from the evil of this
world and the next, and from every illness, pain, sorrow, sickness, afflic-
tion, or tribulation, or that which Allah knows he created me for and
which I do not know myself. Protect me, O Lord, from the evil of al of
that in my night until it is morning, and in my day until it is evening. By
the Perfect Words of Allah, which neither the righteous nor the ungodly
can pass over, and from the evil of what comes down from the heavens,
and what ascends it, and what enters into the earth and what comes out
of it. Peace be upon the Messenger and praise be to Allah, the Lord of
the Worlds.
‘I ask you, O Lord, by that with which Muhammad blessings of Allah
on him and his Ahl al-Bayt, asked you, God is enough for me; there is no
god but He. In Him I have put my trust. He is the Lord of the Mighty
Throne (9:129). Put a seal on that from You, O Good, O Compassionate,
with Your Name, O Allah, the Single, the One, the Refuge. Allah bless
Muhammad and his family and repel from me the evil that I suffer, by
Your Power.’”’

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Chapter 43
AN INVOCATION FOR SOMEONE AFFLICTED
WITH THE FALLING SICKNESS
Ibrahim b. al-Mundhir al-Khuzai narrated from Ahmad b. Muhammad
b. Abu Bishr from Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, who said:
‘Invoke protection for the Individual afflicted with the falling sickness
(al-masru) and say: “I call on you, O possessing one, with an invocation
with which ‘Ali b. Abu Talib, peace be upon him, and the Messenger of
Allah, blessings be on him, called on the jinn of the valley of al-Sabra,
and they answered and obeyed, that you answer and obey and get out of
so-and-so, son of so-and-so, at once.”’
Al-Husayn b. Mukhtar al-Hanzali narrated from ‘Abd al-Rahman b.
Abu Hashim from Abu al-Jarud Abu Jafar Muhammad b. ‘Ali, peace be
upon him, that he recited this invocation for every pain: ‘Place your
hand on your mouth once and say: “In the Name of Allah, the Merciful,
the Compassionate” three times; “By the Majesty of Allah”, three times;
“By the Perfect Words of Allah”, three times. Then place your hand on
the painful area and say three times: “I take refuge in the Might of Allah
and His Power over what He wills, from the evil that is under my
hand.” It will subside, Allah, the Exalted, willing.’
Ibrahim b. al-Hasan narrated form Ibn Mahbub from ‘Abd Allah b.
Sinan from Abu Hamza from Abu Jafar al-Baqir, peace be upon him,
who said: ‘Oil [applied] at night passes into the blood vessels and nour-
ishes the skin.’

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Chapter 44
AN INVOCATION FOR DIFFICULTY IN
CHILDBIRTH
‘Abd al-Wahhab b. Mahdi narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Isa from Ibn
Himmam from Muhammad b. Sa’id from Abu Hamza from Abu Ja’far
peace be upon him, who said: ‘If a woman experiences difficulty during
childbirth, write these verse for her in a vessel cleaned with musk and
saffron. Then wash it out with spriing water (ma’al-bi’r)and have the
woman drink it and sprinkle her belly and genitals (al-farj). She will
give birth at once. Write: I shall be as if, on the day they see it, they
have but tarried for an evening, or its forenoon (79:46). It shall be as if,
on the day they see that they are promised, they had not tarried but for
an hour of a single day. A Message to be delivered! And shall any be
destoyed but the people of the ungodly? (46:35). In their stories is surely
a lesson to men possessed of minds: it is not a tale forged, but a confirm-
ation of what is before it, and a distinguishing of everything, and a guid-
ance, and a mercy to a people who believe(12:111)’

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Chapter 45
AN INVOCATION FOR CHILDBIRTH
‘Isa b. Dawud narrated from Musa b. al-Qasim from al-Mufaddal b.
‘Umar from Abu al-Zabyan from al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, who said:
‘Write these verses on paper for the pregnant woman when she has
entered her month [for delivery]. She will not be afflicted with labour
pains or difficulty at childbirth. Wrap a strip [of paper] lightly around
the paper and do not tie it. Write: Have not the unbelievers then beheld
that the heavens and the earth were as mass all sewn up, and then We
unstitched them and of wate fashioned every living thing? Will they not
believe? (21:30).
‘And a sign for them is the night: we strip it of the day and lo, they
are in darkness. And the sun-it runs to a fixed resting -place; that is the
ordaining of the All -mighty, the All -knowing. And the moon-We have
dertermined it by stations, till it returns like an aged palm -bough. It be-
hoves not the sun to overtake the moon, neither does the night outstrip
the day, each swimming in the sky. And a sign for them is that We car-
ried their seed in the laden ship, and We have created form them the like
of it whereon they ride; and if We will, we drown them, then none have
they to cry to, neither are they delivered, save as a mercy from Us, and
enjoyment for a while (36:37-44). And the Trumpet shall be blown; then
behold, they are sliding down from their tombs unto their Lord (36:51).
‘Write on the back of the paper these verses: It shall be as if, on the day
they see that they are promised, they had not tarried but for an hour of a
single day. A Message to be delivered! And shall any be destroyed but
the people of the ungodly? (46:35). It shall be as if, on the day they see
it, they have but tarried for an evening, or its forenoon (79:46).
‘Fasten the paper on her middle and when her child is born do not
leave it on for an instant.’

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Chapter 46
WHAT IS WRITTEN FOR THE NEWBORN CHILD
AT BIRTH
Sa’d b. Mihran narrated from Muhammad b. Sadaqa from Muhammad
b. Sinan al-Zahiri from Yunus b. Zabyan from Muhammad b. Ismail
from Jabir b. Ziyad al-Ju’fi, who said: ‘A man from the Banu Umayya
came to Abu Ja’far, peace be upon him. He was a believer from the fam-
ily of Fir’awn, attached to the family of Muhammad. He said: “O son of
the Messenger of Allah, my bondmaid has entered her month [of child-
birth] and I have no child, so pray to Allah to grant me a son.” He [Abu
Ja’far] said: “O Allah, grant him a healthy male child.” Then he said:
“When she enters her month [of childbirth] write for her the sura al-Qadr
(97), and protect her and what is in her belly with this invocation
[written] with musk and saffron. Wash it out and make her drink its wa-
ter and sprinkle her genitals [with it].
‘“The invocation is this: ‘I seek protection for my newborn child in the
Name of Allah, in the Name of Allah. We stretched towards heaven, but
we found it filled with terrible guards and meteors. We would sit there
on seats to hear; but any listening now finds a meteor in wait for him
(72:8-9)’ Then say: ‘In the Name of Allah, in the Name of Allah, I take
refuge in Allah, the All-hearing, the All-Knowing, from the accursed
Satan. I and you and the house and those in it, and the dwelling and
those in it. We all of us, are in the refuge of Allah, and the protection of
Allah, and the preserve of Allah, and the safekeeping of Allah, secure
and safeguarded.
“Then recite the two Suras of taking protection (al-Falaq (113) and al-
Naas(114)),and begin with the Sura al-Fatiha (1) and the Sura al-Ikhlas
(112). Then recite: What, did you think that We created you only for
sport, and that you would not be returned to Us? Then high exalted be
God, the King, the true! There is no god but He, the Lord of the noble
Throne. Whosoever calls upon another god with God, whereof he has
no proof, his reckoning is with his Lord. Surely the believers shall not

67
prosper. And say: My Lord, forgive and have mercy, for Thou art the
best of the merciful (23:115-18). If we had sent this Qur’an down upon a
mountain, thou wouldst have seen it humbled, split asunder out of the
fear of God (59:21), to the end of the Sura.
‘“Then say: ‘Banished are they who contend with Allah and His Mes-
senger. I adjure you, O house and those in you, by the seven names and
the seven angles who come and go between the heavens and the earth,
veiled from this woman and what is in her belly, every possession by a
jinn and stealing, or touch, or shining apparition touched by a man or
jinn” When he has finished this statement and this invocation, he should
say: ‘I mean by this statement and this invocation so-and-so, his wife and
child, his dwelling, his house and his wife and child, and let him utter it
and say: ‘The wife of so-and-so, son of so-and-so; and his son-so-and-so,
son of so-and-so.’ It is wiser for him and better, and I guarantee that his
wife and child will not be afflicted with trial, mental disorder (al-khabl),
or madness, Allah the Exalted willing.”’

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Chapter 47
AN INVOCATION FOR ONE WHO DOES NOT
WISH SATAN TO TRIFLE WITH HIS WIFE
Al- Walid b. Bayyina, the mu’adhdhin of the Kufa mosque, narrated
from Abu al-Hasan al-Askari, peace be upon him, from his fathers from
Muhammad al-Baqir, peace be upon him, who said: ‘Whoever wishes
that Satan should not trifle with his wife during his confinement (al-ni-
fas), let him write this invocation in musk and saffron with pure rain-
water, let him squeeze it to a new garment, not previously worn, and
put it on his wife and child. Let him sprinkle the place and the house in
which the woman is. His wife will not be afflicted as long as she is in her
confinement, and his child will not be afflicted with instanity (al-Khubat)
or madness or panic (al- faz’) or the evil eye (al-nazara), Allah, Exalted,
willing.
‘“In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate; In the Name
of Allah, in the Name of Allah, in the Name of Allah, peace be on the
Messenger of Allah, and peace be on the family of the Messenger of Al-
lah, and blessings and the mercy of Allah be on them. In the Name of
Allah and by Allah, depart by the will of Allah, depart by the will of Al-
lah, out of the earth We brought you , and We shall restore you into it,
and bring you forth from it a second time (20:55).
So, if they turn their backs, say: God is enough for me. There is no god
but He. In Him I have put my trust. He is the Lord of the Mighty
Throne (9:129). In the Name of Allah, and by the Allah, I expel you by
Allah, I expel you by the Messenger of Allah.”’

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Chapter 48
FOR A MARE AT THE TIME OF ITS DELIVERY
Al-Khidr b. Muhammad narrated from al-Haradini from al- Hasan b. Ali
b. Faddala from Muhammad b. Harun from Ibn Ri’ab from Ibn Sinan
from al-Mufaddal from Ja’bir from Abu Ja’far, peace be upon him; also
from ‘Ali b. Asbat from Ibn Bakayr from Zarara b. A’yan from Abu
Ja’far, peace be upon him, that he said: ‘Write this invocation for an old
and noble mare (al- faras) at its time of delievery ( al-wad) on the parch-
ment of a gazelle and fasten it to her at her groin: “O Allah, Dispeller of
grief, and Remover of sorrow, the Merciful and the Compassionate of
this world and the next, have mercy on so-and-so, son of so-and-so, the
owner of the mare, with a mercy which will make him free of mercy
from other than you. Dispel his grief and sorrow, relieve his anxiety (al-
hamm), keep his mare from haram, and make easy for us its delivery.”’
‘Isa b. Maryam and Yahya b. Zakariya, blessings be on our Prophet
and his family and on them be peace, came out among creation. We
heard the sound of a female wild animal (Wahshiya). The Messiah, ‘Isa
b.Maryam, peace be upon him, said: ‘How strange! What is this sound?
‘Yahya replied: ‘This is the sound of a wild animal giving birth.” ‘Isa b.
Maryam, peace be upon him, said ‘Come forth with ease, with ease,by
the will of Allah, the Exalted.’

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Chapter 49
AN INVOCATION FOR PREGNANT HUMANS AND
ANIMALS
Abu Yazid al-Qannad narrated from Muhammad b. Muslim from Abu
al-Hasan al-Rida, peace be upon him, who said: ‘Write this invocation on
a paper or prachment for pregnant humans and animals: “In the Name
of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate, In the Name of Allah, in the
Name of Allah, in the Name of Allah, truly with hardship comes ease.
Truly with hardship with ease (94:5-6). God desires ease for you, and de-
sire not hardship for you: and that you fulfil the number and magnify
God that He has guided you, and haply you will be thankful. And when
my servants question thee concerning Me-I am near to answer the call of
the caller, when he call to Me. So let them respond to Me, and let them
believe in Me. Haply they will go aright(2:185-6). And [He] will furnish
you with a gentle issue of your affair (18:16). He will provide you with
guidance in your affair. God’s it is to show the way… … If He willed,
He would have guided you all together (16:9). Then the way eased for
him (80:20). Have not the unbelievers then beheld that the heavens and
the earth were a mass all sewn up, and then We unstitched them and of
water fashioned every living thing? Will they not believe? (21:30).
“And withdrew with him to a distant place. And the birthpangs sur-
prised her by the trunk of the palm tree. She said, would I had died ere
this, and become a thing forgotten! But the one that was below her called
to her. Nay, do not sorrow. See, thy Lord has set below thee a rivulet.
Shake also to thee the palm trunk, and there shall come tumbling upon
thee dates fresh and ripe. Eat therefore, and drink, and be comforted.
And if thou shouldst see any mortal, say, I have vowed to the All-merci-
ful a fast, and today I will not speak to any man. Then she brought the
child to her folk, carrying him, and they said, Maryam, thou hast surely
committed a monstrous thing! Sister of Harun, thy father was not a
wicked man, nor was thy mother a woman unchaste. Maryam pointed to
the child then; but they said, How shall we speak to one who is still in

71
the cradle, a little child? He said, Lo, I am God’s servant; God has given
me the Book, and made me a Prophet. Blessed He has made me,
wheever I may be; and He has enjoined me to pray, and to give the alms,
so long as I live, and likewise to cherish my mother. He has not made
me arrogant, unprosperous. Peace be upon me, the day I was born, and
the day I died, and the day Iam raised up alive! That is ‘Isa, son of
Maryam (19:22-34).
‘And it is God who brought you forth from your mother’s abdomens
not knowing anything. He appointed for you hearing, and sight, and
hearts, that haply so you will be thankful. Have they not regarded the
birds, that are subjected in the air of heaven? Naught holds them but
God; surely in that are signs for a people who believe (16:78-9). Thus, O
newborn child, come forth healthy, by the will of Allah, the Mighty and
Sublime.
‘Then fasten it to her and when she gives birth, remove it from her.
Take care that you do not leave out any part of the verse or stop after
[writing] part of it, and that you complete it. It is the statement of Allah,
the Exalted: God who brought you forth from your mothers’ wombs not
knowing anything. If you stop here, the child will be born dumb
(akhras). If you do not recite: and appointed for you hearing, and
sight,and hearts, that haply so you will be thankful, the child will not be
born healthy.”’

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Chapter 50
FOR AILMENTS OF THE BELLY AND THE PRAYER
FOR IT
Ahmad b. ‘Abd al-Rahman b. Jamila narrated from al-Hasan b. Khalid,
who said: ‘I wrote to Abu al-Hasan, peace be upon him, complaining of
an ailment in my belly and asking for a prayer. He wrote: “In the Name
of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate.” He wrote the first sura of
the Qur’an, the two suras of taking refuge (al-Falaq (113) and al-Nas
(114)), and the sura al-Ikhlas(112). Then he wrote under that: ‘I take
refuge in the Face of Allah, the Magnificient, and His Might, which is
unceasing, and His Power, which nothing can resist, from the evil of this
pain and the evil of what it and what I fear.” [He said] “Write that on a
tablet or a shoulderblade, then wash it out with rainwater and drink it
before breakfast and before bed. Write below that: ‘He made it a healing
from every illness.’”’

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Chapter 51
FOR RUMBLING IN THE BELLY
Ahmad b. Muharib al-Sudani narrated from Safwan b. ‘Isa b. Yahya al-
Bayya from ‘Abd al-Rahman b. al-Jahm that Dharih al-Muharibi com-
plained to Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, of rumbling in his belly.
He [Abu ‘Abd Allah] asked: “Does it pain you? He replied: ‘Yes.’ He
[Abu ‘Abd Allah] said: ‘What prevents you from taking black cumin and
honey for it?’
Salama b. Muhammad al-Ash’ari narrated from ‘Uthman b. ‘Isa who
said: ‘A man complained to Abu al-Hasan, the first [Musa al-Kazim],
peace be upon him, and said: “I have a rumbling. It never subsides and I
am ashamed of talking to the people for they will hear the sound of that
rumbling. So pray for me to be cured of it.” He [Abu al-Hasan] replied:
“When you finish your night prayer, say: ‘O Allah, whatever I know of
good , it is from you, there is no praise for me in it. Whatever I know of
evil, You have warned me of it, so I have no excuse in it. O Allah, I take
refuge in You from relying on that in which there is no praise for me, or
trusting in that for which I have no excuse.’”’

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Chapter 52
ON STOPPING FLOWING BLOOD
Al-Sabbah b.Muhammad al-Azdi narrated from al-Husayn b. Khalid,
who said: ‘A woman wrote to al-Rida, peace be upon him, Complaining
of a continuous flow of blood. He [al-Rida] wrote to her: “Take one
handful of coriander and one of sumac and soak it for one night in the
open air. Then put it on the fire and sieve it. Drink a saucer of it and the
blood will cease, Allah, the Exalted, willing.”

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Chapter 53
GRIPES
Ayyub b. ‘Umar narrated from Muhammad b. Isa from Kamil from
Muhammad b. Ibrahim al-Ju’fi who said: ‘A man complained to Abu al-
Hasan al-Rida, peace be upon him, of gripes (al-maghs), the pains of
which almost killed him. He asked him to pray to Allah, the Mighty and
Sublime, for him, since the many medications he had taken for it had
wearied him and had not benefited him. On the contrary, the severity
[of the pain] had increased. He [al-Rida] smiled and said: “Woe be to
you, our prayer to Allah has weight, and I ask Allah to ease it for you
with His Power and His Strength. When the affair [i.e. the pain] intensi-
fies and you are in agony from it, take a walnut and throw it on the fire
until you know that its kernel has been roasted and the fire has altered
all of its shell. It [the pain] will subside at once.”’ He [the man] said: ‘By
Allah, I only did that once and the gripes subsided, by the will of Allah,
the Mighty and Sublime.’

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Chapter 54
VITILIGO AND WHITENESS OF THE EYES
‘Abd al-Aziz b. ‘Abd al-Jabbar narrated from Dawud b. ‘Abd al-Rahman
from Yunus, who said: ‘I was afflicted with whiteness in my eyes, so I
went to Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, and complained of that to
him. He said: “Purify yourself and pray two rakats and say: O Allah, O
Merciful, O Compassionate, O All-hearing, O Hearer of supplications, O
Bestower of blessings, Grant me the good of this world and the next, and
protect me from the evil of this world and the evil of the next world, and
remove from me my suffering, for the affair has vexed me and grieved
me.’”’ Yunus said: ‘I did as he instructed me and Allah removed that
from me, praise be to Him.’
From him, blessings of Allah on him and his family, that he said:
‘Place your hand on it and say: “O Bestower of healing and Remover of
illness, bestow a cure on the illness that is in me.”’

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Chapter 55
SHORTNESS OF BREATH
Abu Jafar Ahmad b. Muhammad narrated from Abu Muhammad b.
Khalid from Muhammad b. Sinan al-Mufaddal b. ‘Umar, who said: ‘I
asked Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, “O son of the Messenger of
Allah, severe shortness of breath (al-rabw) afflicts me when I walk so
that I sometimes have to rest twice between my house and yours.” He
replied: “O Mufaddal, drink the urine of milch camels.”’ He [al-Mufad-
dal] said: ‘ I drink that and Allah removed my illness.’
Ibrahim b. Sirhan al-Mutatabbib narrated from ‘Ali b. Asbat from
Hakim b. Miskan from Ishaq b. Ismail and Bishr b. ‘Ammar, both of
whom said: ‘We came to Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, and Yun-
us had been afflicted with a misfortune, the like of which has never af-
fliceted us before.” He [Abu ‘Abd Allah] asked: “And what is that?” So
we acquainted him with the story. He said to Yunus: “Raise and purify
yourself. Pray two rakats, then praise Allah and extrol Him, and bless
Muhammad and his Ahl al-Bayt.
“Then say: ‘O Allah, O Allah, O Allah; O Merciful, O Merciful, O Mer-
ciful; O Compassionate, O Compassionate, O Compassionate; O Single,
O Single, O Single; O One, O One, O One; O Refuge, O Refuge, O Refuge;
O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Most Merciful of the merciful, O Most
Merciful of the merciful; O Most Powerful of the powerful, O Most
Powerful of the powerful, O Most Powerful of the powerful; O Lord of
the Worlds, O Lord of the Worlds, O Lord of the Worlds; O Hearer of
supplications, O Revealer of blessings, O Bestower of favours, bless
Muhammad and his family and grant me the good of this world and the
good of the next, and avert from me the evil of this world and the evil of
the next. Remove what is in me, for the matter has vexed me and
grieved me.’”’ He said: ‘I did what al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, instruc-
ted, and by Allah, we had not left Medina when it was removed from
me.’

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Chapter 56
PROTECTION FROM LEPROSY
Ibrahim narrated from al-Husayn b. ‘Ali b. Faddal and al-Husayn b. ‘Ali
b. Yaqtin from Sadan b. Muslim from Ishaq b. Ammar from Abu ‘Abd
Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, who said: ‘Amplitude of the side and
[the profusion of] hair in the nose (al-anf) are a protection from leprosy.’
From Salama b. ‘Umar al-Hamdani, who said: ‘I entered Medina and
went to Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, and said: “O son of the
Messenger of Allah, I brought the people of my house for the Hajj, and I
have come to you to seek refuge for them from an illness which has af-
flicted me - it is the ‘evil disease’.” He [Abu ‘Abd Allah] said: “Stand by
the side of [the tomb of] the Messenger of Allah, blessings be on him,
and in his sanctuary and protection. Write the sura al-Anam (6) with
honey and drink it. It will be removed from you.”’
From him, peace be upon him, that he said: ‘The soil (al-turba) of al-
Medina, the city of the Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him
and his family, removes leprosy.’

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Chapter 57
AN INVOCATION FOR MENTAL DISORDER
‘Uthman b. Sa’id al-Qattan narrated from Sa’dan b. Muslim related from
Muhammad b. Ibrahim, who said: ‘A man came to ‘Abd Allah, peace be
upon him, said: “Recite this prayer when you go to bed: ‘In the Name of
Allah, and by Allah, I believe in Allah, and disbelieve in the idols. O Al-
lah, protect me in my sleep and my wakening. I take refuge in the Might
of Allah and His Magnificence from that which I suffer and fear.’” The
man said: “I did it and was cured, by the will of Allah, the Exalted.”’
From him, peace be upon him, that he said: ‘Whoever is afflicted with
a mental disorder, let him seek protection on Thursday night with this
healing, beneficial invocation.’ Then he mentioned the like of the previ-
ous hadith and said: ‘It will not recur. Recite that at dawn after seeking
forgiveness from Allah, and after completing the night prayer.’

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Chapter 58
FOR PANIC
Jafar b. Hannan al-Ta’i narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah b. Mas-
ud from Muhammad b. Muskan al-Halabi, who said: ‘Abu ‘Abd Allah,
peace be upon him, said to one of his followers when the man had asked
him: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, I have a daughter, and I am sorry
and anxious for her since she is in a panic night and day. If you think it
proper, pray to Allah for her well-being.”’ He [al-Halabi] said: ‘He
prayed for her, then said: “Instruct her to open a blood vessel (al-fasd),
for she will benefit by that.”’
From Abu Jafar Muhammad al-Baqir, peace be upon him, that a be-
liever complained to him and said: ‘O son of the Messenger of Allah, I
have a bondmaid who is afflicted by winds.’ He replied: ‘Seek protec-
tion for her in the opening of the Book (the sura al-Fatiha (1) and the two
suras of taking refuge (al-Falaq (113) and al-Nas (114) ten times. Then
write it for her in a vessel in musk and saffron and give her to drink of
it. Use it for her drinking, her ablution, and her washing. Do that for
three days and Allah will remove it from her.’

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Chapter 59
FOR EXCESSIVELY HEATED BLOOD
‘Ali b. Muhammad b. Hilal narrated from ‘Ali b. Mihran from Hammad
b. ‘Isa from Hariz b. ‘Abd Allah from Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be
upon him, who said: ‘Most of these abscesses (al-damamil) and sores (al-
quruh) are from this excessively heated blood (al-dam muhtariq) which a
person does not take out at its time. Whoever is overcome by something
of that, let him say when he goes to bed: “I take refuge in the Face of Al-
lah, the Mighty, and His Perfect Words, which neither the righteous nor
the ungodly pass by, from the evil of everything possessed of evil.”
When he has said that, none of the jinn will harm him and he will be re-
stored to health by it, Allah, the Exalted, willing.
‘Finally, write on a paper and make the person suffering from abs-
cesses swallow it:

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Chapter 60
ON THE CYST
Muhammad b. ‘Amir narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Alim al-Thaqafi
from ‘Ammar b. ‘Isa al-Kilabi from ‘Abd Allah b. Sinan on the authority
of Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, that he [Ibn Sinan] said: ‘A man
from the Shi’a complained to him [Abu ‘Abd Allah] of a cyst (sila) that
had appeared on him. Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, told him:
“Fast for three days, then bathe on the fourth day at noon and go out in
to the open plain to your Lord. Take with you a clean, patched, and
ragged garment. Read four rak’as of prayer and recite in it whatever is
easy of the QURAN, and be submissive in your endeavour. When you
finish your prayer, cast off your clothes and put on the ragged garment,
and put your right cheek on the earth.
‘“Then say in supplication, humbly, and submissively: ‘O Single, O
One, O Noble, O Compassionate, O Omnipotent, O Near, O Responder,
O Most Merciful of the merciful, bless Muhammad and the family of
Muhammad, and remove what is in me of illness, and clothe me with
well-being, sufficient and healing, in this world and the next. Bestow on
me all the blessings and remove what is in me for it has troubled and dis-
tressed me.’” Then Abu ‘Abd Alllah, peace be upon him, said to him:
“Know that it will not benefit you until there is no conflict against it in
your heart, and you know that it will benefit you.”’ He [Ibn Sinan] said:
‘The man did as Jafar al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, instructed him, and
he was cured of it.’

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Chapter 61
FOR A SWELLING IN THE BODY
Muhammad b. Ishaq b. al-Walid narrated from his cousin Ahmad b.
Ibrahim b. al-Walid from ‘Ali b. Asbat from al-Hakam b. Sulayman from
Maysar from Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, who said:
‘This verse is for every swelling in the body for which a man is afraid to
resort to anything [else]. When you are in a state of purity. When you
have performed the ablution for the obligatory prayer, seek protection
with it [the verse] from your swelling before the prayer and meditate on
it. The verse is: If We had sent down this QURAN upon a mountain,
thou wouldst have seen it humbled, split asunder out of the fear of
God… until the end of the sura (59:21-4). If you do that according to
what has been mentioned to you, the swelling will subside.’

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Chapter 62
FOR PANIC DURING SLEEP
Abu ‘Ubayda b. Muhammad b. ‘Ubayd narrated from Abu Muhammad
b. ‘Ubayd from al-Nadr b. Suwayd from Maysar from Abu ‘Abd Allah
al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, that a man said to him: ‘O son of the Mes-
senger of Allah, I have a bondmaid who is often in a panic during sleep.
Sometimes the condition becomes more severe so that she does not calm
down. An amulet (al-hirz) has been fastened to her arm and someone
has seen her to cure her and said that she has been touched by the jinn
and it is not possible to treat her.’ He [al-Sadiq] said: ‘Instruct her to
open a blood vessel and give her dill (al-shabath) water cooked with
honey to drink for three days. Allah, the Exalted will restore her to
health.’ He [the man] said: ‘I did that and she was cured, by the will of
Allah, the Mighty and Sublime.’

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Chapter 63
FOR WINDS
Muhammad b. Bukayr narrated from Safwan b. Yahya from al-Mundhir
b. Haman from Muhammad b. Muslim and Sa’d al-Mawla, who both
said: “All these winds are from the predominant bile (al-mirra al-
ghaliba) or excessively heated blood or predominant phelgm. So a per-
son should take care of himself befor any of these natural constituents
overcome and destroy him.”’

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Chapter 64
ON TREATMENT FOR SOMEONE AFFLICTED
WITH FALLING SICKNESS
From Abu al-Hasan al-Rida, peace be upon him, that he saw someone af-
flicted with falling sickness and called for a trumbler of water for him.
Then he recited the sura al-Hamd (1) and the two suras of taking refuge
(al-Falaq (113) and al-Nas (114)) over it and ordered the water to be
poured over his head and face. The man rose and he [al-Rida] said to
him: ‘It will never recur again.’

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Chapter 65
AN INVOCATION FOR ONE STRUCK BY THE JINN
Al-Muzaffar b. Muhammad b. ‘Abd al-Rahman narrated from ‘Abd al-
Rahman b. Abu Najran from Sulayman b. Jafar from Ibrahim b. Abu
Yahya al-Madani, who said: “The Messenger of Allah, blessings on him,
said: “Whoever is struck by a stone or by the jinn, let him take the stone
which was thrown and return it to the place from which it came and say:
‘Suffcient for me is Allah and a protection. Allah hears the one who
calls. There is no end before Allah.’”’
He, blessings of Allah on him and his family, said: ‘Keep many do-
mestic animals (al-dawajin) in your houses so that the demons are occu-
pied with them instead of with your children.’

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Chapter 66
LOOKING AT THE AFFLICTED
Abid b. ‘Awn b. ‘Abd Allah al-Madani narrated from Safwan b. Yahya
Bayya’ al-Sabiri from Muhammad b. Ibrahim from Hannan b. Ibrahim
from Hannan b. Ibrahim from Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon
him, who said: ‘When you see the afflicted, say “Praise be to Allah who
has protected me from that which afflicts you, and had He willed to do
so. He would have doen it. Praise be to Allah Who did not do so.”’
From al-Baqir, peace be upon him, that he said: ‘When you see the af-
flicted say: “Praise be to Allah who has protected me from that which af-
flicts you, and has favored me by far over you and over many of those
He created.”’

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Chapter 67
FOR THE INSANE AND THOSE AFFLICTED WITH
THE FALLING SICKNESS
Muhammad b. Jafar b. Mihran narrated from Ahmad b. Hammad from
Abu Jafar al-Baqir, peace be upon him, that he had prescribed cyclamen
(bukhur maryam) for his bondmaid and said that it was beneficial for
everything caused by the spirits such as possession (al-mass), mental dis-
order, madness, the falling sickness, ensnarement, etc.. It is benefical
and has been proved, by the will of Allah, the Exalted.
He said: ‘Take storax or sanadarch (sandarus) and saliva (bazaq) from
the mouth, Sandari false bdellium (kur sandari), the bark of the colo-
cynth (qushur al-hanzal), marmari, white sulphur (kibrit abyad), a frag-
ment inside the muql, and Yamani sweet cyperus (sud Yamani). Break
into it three drops of myrrh and ‘porcupine hair’ (shar qanfadh) mixed
with Syrian liquid pitch (qitran shami). Put it all together and create va-
pours (bukhar). It is good and beneficial, Allah the Exalted willing.’

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Chapter 68
AN INVOCATION FOR SPELLS
Muhammad b. Jafar al-Bursi narrated from Ahmad b. Yahya al-Armani
from Muhammad b. Sayyar from Muhammad b. al-Fadl b. ‘Umar from
Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, who said: ‘Amir a;-Muminin, bless-
ings of Allah on him, said that Jibrail, peace be upon him, came to the
Prophet, blessings be on him, and said: “O Muhammad.” He replied:
“At your service, O Jibrail.” He said: “Such-and-such a Jew has be-
witched you and put a spell in the well of Banu so-and-so. Therefore,
send to it the most trustworthy of people in your opinion and the most
important of them before you and the equal of you, so that he may bring
you the spell.”’ He [Abu ‘Abd Allah] said: ‘The Prophet, blessings be on
him, sent ‘Ali b. Abu Talib, peace be upon him, and said: “Go to the well
of Dharwan, for in it is a spell with which the Jew Labid b. A’sam has be-
witched me, and bring it to me.”
‘Ali, peace be upon him, said: “I set out at the request of the Messenger
of Allah. I descended into it, and there was the spring water as if it were
water in a cistern because of the spell. I searched for it hurriedly until I
came to the bottom of the well but I did not obtain it. Those who were
with me said: ‘There is nothing in it.’ So I went up. But then I said: ‘No,
by Allah, he did not lie and nor do I, and I am not with him as you ae,’
meaning the Messenger of Allah. I searched for it again carefully, and
brought it out, in truth.
“I went to the Prophet and he said: ‘Open it.’ I opened it and there
was, in truth, a piece of a palm branch inside it on which were tied
twenty-one knots. Jibrail had brought down that day to the Prophet the
two suras of taking refuge (al-Falaq 113) and al-Nas (114). The Prophet
said: ‘O Ali, then recite over the string.’ Whenever Amir al-Muminin re-
cite it, a knot opened, until he fininshed with all of them and Allah, the
Mighty and Sublime, removed the spell from His Prophet and restored
him to health.”’

91
 It is related that Jibrail and Mikail, peace be upon them, came to the
Prophet, blessing of Allah on him and his family. One of them sat on his
right and the other on his left. Then Jibrail said to Mikail: ‘What ails the
man? Mikail replied: ‘He has been treated.’ Jibrail, peace be upon him,
askedL ‘Who has treated him? He [Mikail] replied: ‘Labid b. Asam, the
Jew.’ Then he related the hadith until the end.

92
Chapter 69
ON THE TWO SURAS OF TAKING REFUGE (THE
SURA AL-FALAQ AND THE SURA AL-NAS)
Ibrahim al-Baytar narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Isa from Yunus b. ‘Abd
al-Rahman-and he is called Yunus al-Musalli because of the frequency of
his prayers-from Ibn Muskan from Zarara, who said: ‘Abu Jafar al-Baqir,
peace be upon him, said that spells do not give power over anything but
the eyes.’
From Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, that he was asked
about the two suras of taking refuge (al-Falaq (113) and al-Nas (114) and
whether they were part of the QURAN . Al-Sadiq replied: ‘Yes, they are
of the QURAN.’ The man said: ‘They are not of the QURAN according
to the reading of Ibn Masud nor in his collection of the QURAN.’ Abu
‘Abd Allah replied: ‘Ibn Masud erred’, or he said: ‘Ibn Masud lied, they
are both of the QURAN. ‘The man said: ‘Shall I read them. O son of the
Messenger of Allah, as they are in the written text?’ He said: ‘Yes, and
do you know the meaning of the two suras and for what they were re-
vealed? Labid b. Asam, the Jew, cast a spell on the Messenger of Allah,
blessings of Allah on him and his family.’ Abu Basir said to Abu ‘Abd
Allah: ‘;Was it possible that his spell would have an effect? Abu Abd Al-
lah, peace be upon him, replied: ‘Yes indeed, the Prophet, blessings on
him, thought that it was comprehensive, but it was not comprehensive.
He was looking for the mode of the spell but did not see it until he
touched it with his hand. Spells are a fact and they do not have power
over anything except the eye and the genitals. Then Jibrail came to him
and informed him of that, so he called ‘Ali, peace be upon him, and sent
him to bring that out of the well of Dharwan.’ Then he narrated the
hadith upto the end.

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Chapter 70
A SPELL FOR THE BEWITCHED
Sahl b. Muhammad b. Sahl narrated from ‘Abd Rabbihi b. Muhammad b.
Ibrahim from Ibn Aruma from Ibn Muskan from al-Halabi, who said: ‘I
asked Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, about spells (al-nashra) for
the bewitched. He said: “My father, peace be upon him did not see any
harm in it.”’
For Muhammad b. Muslim who said: ‘Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon
him, dictated this invocation to us saying that it was an inheritance and
that it would neutralize spells. “Write it on a paper and fasten it on to
the bewitched person: Musa said, What you have brought is spells. God
will assuredly bring it to naught. God sets not right the work of those
who do corruption. God verifies the truth by His words, though sinners
be averse (10:81-2). What, are you stronger in constitution or the heaven
He built? He lifted up is vault, and levelled it (79:28). So the truth came
to pass, and false was proved what they were doing. So they were van-
quished there, and they turned about, humbled. And the sorcerers were
cast down, bowing themselves. They said, We believe in the Lord of all
Being, the Lord of Musa and Harun (7:18-22).”’

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Chapter 71
INVOCATION FOR ONE WHO WISHES TO VISIT
THE RULER
Al-Ash’ath b. ‘Abd Allah narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Isa from Abu al-
Hasan al-Rida, peace be upon him, from Musa b. Jafar peace be upon
him, who said: ‘When Abu al-Dawaniq [the caliph Abu Jafar al-Mansur
(d.1366/754)] sent for Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, intending to
kill him, the governor of Medina took him [Abu ‘Abd Allah] to the ca-
liph. Abu al-Dawaniq wanted him to be quick and, in his eagerness to
kill him, found him slow to arrive.
‘When he came before him, he laughed and greeted him and made
him sit by his side. He said: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, by Allah,
I sent for you determined to kill you, but I looked at you and conceived a
great affection for you. By Allah, I have not found anyone from my fam-
ily more beloved than you, nor one more likeable. But, O Aby ‘Abd Al-
lah, what is this I hear about you disparaging us and speaking badly of
us?” He replied: “O Amir al-Muminin [i.e. Abu al-Dawaniq], I have nev-
er spoken badly of you.” He [the caliph] smiled and said: “By Allah, you
are more true, in my view, than all those who slander you concerning
this. My seat is before you, and my ring. So be cheerful, and do not be
afraid of me in your affairs, great and small, for I will not hold you back
from anything.”
‘Then he commanded him to leave and gave him presents and gifts,
but he [Abu ‘Abd Allah] refused to accept anything and said: “O Amir
al-Muminin, I have wealth and sufficiency and much good. But if you
are going to free me, you must [do the same] for those of my family who
are left behind: remove from them the sentence of death.” He replied: “I
have accepted that; O Abu ‘Abd Allah, and I have given orders for
100,000 dirhams [for you], so distribute it among them.” He [Abu ‘Abd
Allah] said: “You have made close the ties of kinship, O Amir al-
Muminin.”

95
 ‘When he left his presence, there walked before him the elders and the
youth of the Quraysh from every tribe. With him was ‘Ayn Abu al-
Dawaniq, who said to him: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, you gave a
look of healing when you came into the presence of Amir al-Muminin,
and he did not reproach you for anything except that your lips were
moving with something, so what was that?” He replied: “When I looked
at him, I said: ‘O He Who is not wronged and is Eternal, and with Him is
the making close of the ties of kinship, bless Muhammad and his family
and protect me from his evil by Your Power and Your Might.’ By Allah,
I did not add on [anything] to what you have heard.” Al-’Ayn returned
to Abu al-Dawaniq and informed him of his account. He [Abu al-Dawa-
niq] said: “By Allah, he had not completed what he said when what was
in my heart of evil wickedness was removed.”’

96
Chapter 72
ON THROBBING BLOOD-VESSELS
Ahmad b. Muhammad b. al-Jarud narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Isa
from Dawud b. Razin, who said: ‘I complained to Abu ‘Abd Allah al-
Sadiq. peace be upon him, and said: “O son of the Messenger of Allah,
yesterday one of my blood vessels throbbed and I waited until it was
morning and came to you seeking help.” He replied: “Put your hand on
the place which is throbbing and say three times:’ Allah, Allah, Allah,
my Lord in truth’, and it will abate at once.”’
From al-Mufaddal b. ‘Umar al-Jufi from Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq,
peace be upon him, who said: Learn from me, O Mufaddal, an invoca-
tion for all pains from throbbing blood-vessels and other things. Say: “In
the Name of Allah in a blood vessel which is quiet (sakin) and one which
is not (ghayr sakin), on a grateful servant and an ungrateful one.” Then
take your beard (al-lihya) by your right hand after the obligatory prayer
and say three times: “O Allah, remove my distress and hasten my recov-
ery and take away my injury.” Endeavour to accompany that with tears
and weeping.’

97
Chapter 73
ON SEEKING PROTECTION FROM THE JINN
‘Abd Allah b. Yahya al-Bazzaz narrated from ‘Ali b. Muskan from ‘Abd
Allah b. al-Mufaddal al-Nawafil from his father from al-Husayn b. ‘Ali,
peace be upon him, who said: ‘When I say these words, I pay no atten-
tion to the jinn and human beings who gather against me. “In the Name
of Allah and by Allah, and to Allah, and in the path of Allah, and accord-
ing to the creed of the Messenger of Allah, blessings be on him. O Allah,
protect me by Your Strength and Your Might and Your Power from the
evil of every-doer, and the plot of the wicked. Surely I love the righteous
and chosen ones, and Allah bless Muhammad, the Prophet and his
family.”’

98
Chapter 74
ON LONELINESS
‘Ali b. Mahan narrated from Sarraj, the client of al-Rida, peace be upon
him, from Jafar b. Daylam from Ibrahim b. ‘Abd al-Hamid from al-
Halabi, who said: ‘A man said to Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be
upon him, “When I am on my own, loneliness (al-wahsha) and anxiety
come upon me but when I mix the people, I feel nothing of that.” He [al-
Sadiq] said: “Place your hand on your heart and say: ‘In the Name of Al-
lah, in the Name of Allah, in the Name of Allah.’ Then pass your hand
over your heart and say: ‘I take refuge in the Might of Allah, I take
refuge in the Exaltedness of Allah, I take refuge in the force of Allah, I
take refuge in the Messenger of Allah, I take refuge in the Names of Al-
lah, from the evil of what I fear and from the evil of what I am afraid of
for myself.’ Say that seven times.” He [the man] said: “I did what and
Allah removed from me the loneliness and replaced it with tranquillity
and security.”’

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Chapter 75
FOR TEMPTATION
Al-Husayn b. Bistam narrated from Muhammad b. Khalaf from Ibn ‘Ali
b. al-Washsha from ‘Abd Allah b. Sinan who said: ‘A man complained to
Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, of an abundance of desire (al-tam-
mani) and temptation. He [Abu ‘Abd Allah] said: “Pass your hand over
your chest and say: ‘In the Name of Allah, and by Allah, Muhammad is
the Messenger of Allah, and there is no power or strength except with
Allah, the Most High, the Might. O Allah, remove from me what I fear.’
Then pass your hand over your belly and repeat it thrice. Allah, the Ex-
alted, will remove and turn it away from you.” The man said: “I would
often break my prayer because of it being marred by desires and tempta-
tion. Then I did as my lord and master instructed me, three times, and
Allah turned it away from me and cured me of it so that I did not experi-
ence it after that.”’
From al-Mufaddal b. ‘Umar from Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him,
who said: ‘Zayn al-Abedin, peace be upon him, would protect his family
with this invocation and teach it to his intimates. “Place your hand on
your mouth and say: ‘In the Name of Allah, in the Name of Allah, in the
Name of Allah, and by God’s handwork, who has created everything
very well. He is Aware of the things you do (27:88).’ Then say seven
times: ‘Subside, O pain, I ask you by Allah, my Lord and your Lord and
the Lord of everything in Whom trust what is in the night and the day,
and He is the All-hearing, the All-knowing.’”’

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Chapter 76
ON INFLATION OF THE BELLY
‘Umar b. ‘Uthman al-Khazzaz narrated from ‘Ali b. ‘Isa from his uncle,
who said: ‘I complained to Musa b. ‘Jafar, peace be upon him, of inflation
of the belly (rih al-bahr). He said: “Say while prostrating: O Allah, O Al-
lah, O Allah, O Merciful, O Lord of lords, O Chief of chiefs, O God of
gods, O Master of masters, O King of kings, heal me with Your healing
from this illness and turn it away from me, for I am Your servant and the
son of Your servant; I turn about in Your grasp.’” I left his [Musa b. Ja-
far’s] presence, and by Allah, Who honoured him with the Immamate, I
prayed it only once in my prostration and did not experience it after
that.’

101
Chapter 77
ON SEVERE AGONIES OF DEATH
Al-Abwas b. Muhammad narrated from ‘Abd al-Rahman b. Abu Najran
from Ibn ‘Isa from Hariz b. ‘Abd Allah al-Sijistani on the authority of
Abu Jafar al-Baqir, peace be upon him, who said: ‘When you visit a pa-
tient while he is suffering severe agonies of death, say to him: “Pray this
prayer seven times and Allah will make it easy for you: ‘I take refuge in
Allah, the Mighty, Lord of the Mighty and the Noble Throne, from every
swelling blood-vessel (‘irq nifar) and from the evil of the heat of the fire.’
Then teach him the words of deliverance (kalimat al-faraj).”’ I said: ‘O
son of the Messenger of Allah, what are the words of deliverance?’ He
replied: ‘Say: “There is no god but Allah, the Wise. There is no god but
Allah, the Most High, the Mighty. Glory be to Allah, the Lord of the sev-
en heavens and the Lord of the seven earths, and what is under them,
and the Lord of the Mighty Throne. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the
Worlds.” Then move him on to the place in which he would pray. He
will find relief and his affair will be made easy, Allah, the Exalted,
willing.’

102
Chapter 78
A COMPREHENSIVE INVOCATION
Ibrahim b. ‘Isa al-Zafarani narrated from Muhammad b. Habib al-
Harithi-and he was the most knowledgeable and pious of the people of
his time-from Ibn Sinan from al-Mufaddal b. ‘Umar, who said: ‘Abu
‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, said: “If you are unable to pass the night
until you have taken refuge in eleven ways, then do [that].” I said:
“Inform me of them, O son of the Messenger of Allah.”
“He said: “Say: ‘I take refuge in the Might of Allah, I take refuge in the
Power of Allah, I take refuge in the Majesty of Allah, I take refuge in the
Beauty of Allah, I take refuge in the Sovereignty of Allah, I take refuge in
the Defense of Allah, I take refuge in the Grace of Allah, I take refuge in
the Force of Allah, I take refuge in the Dominion of Allah, I take refuge
in the Perfection of Allah, I take refuge in the Messenger of Allah, bless-
ings of Allah on him and his family and his Ahl al-Bayt, from the evil of
what He originated and scattered and created.’ Take refuge in Him from
whatever you wish, for neither reptile (hawamm) or jinn, human or de-
mon, will harm you if Allah, the Exalted, wills.”’
From Abu Hamza al-Thumali from Abu Jafar al-Baqir, peace be upon
him, that he said: ‘Take refuge for yourself from reptiles with these
words: “In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate, in the
Name of Allah, and by Allah. Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,
blessings be on him. I take refuge in the Might of Allah. I take refuge in
the Power of Allah over what He wills, from the evil of every reptile
which creeps by night and day. Surely my Lord is on a straight path.”’

103
Chapter 79
AN INVOCATION FOR WEALTH AND CHILDREN
Salih b. Ahmad narrated from ‘Abd Allah b. Jabala from al-Ala b. Razin
from Muhammad b. Muslim, who said: ‘Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon
him, said: “Protect your wealth and your family, and guard them with
these words to recite over them after the final evening prayer (salat al-
isha): ‘I seek refuge for myself, my offfspring, my family, and my wealth,
by the Perfect Words of Allah, from every demon and reptile, and from
every evil eye.’ This is the invocation by which Jibrail, peace be upon
him, sought protection for al-Hasan and al-Husayn, blessings of Allah on
them.”’

104
Chapter 80
AN INVOCATION AGAINST THIEVES
Al-Khidr b. Muhammad narrated from [both] Ahmad b. ‘Umar b.
Muslim, and Muhsin b. Ahmad from Yunus b. Yaqub from Abu ‘Abd
Allah, peace be upon him, who said: ‘Whoever says these words and
uses this invocation every night, I guarantee him that no murdering thief
(sariq) will kill him in the night or day. After the final prayer say: “I take
refuge in the Might of Allah, I take refuge in the Power of Allah, I take
refuge in the Forgiveness of Allah, I take refuge in the Mercy of Allah, I
take refuge in the Sovereignty of Allah Who is Powerful over all things.
I take refuge in the Nobility of Allah, I take refuge in the Force of Allah,
from the evil of every obstinate tyrant (jabbar) and rebelious demon, and
every murderer and thief and evil occurrence, from the evil of venom-
ous vermin and the reptile and al-’amma, from the evil of every creature
small and large, by night and day, from the evil of the ungodly, Arab
and non-Arab (al-’ajam), and their immoral ones, from the evil of the un-
godly jinn and men, and from the evil of every creature my Lord has
seized by its forelock. Surely my Lord is on a straight path.”’

105
Chapter 81
ON VISITING THE SICK
Ahmad b. Muhammad b. ‘Abd Allah, al-Kufi narrated from Ibrahim b.
Maymun from Hammad b. ‘Isa from Hariz from Abu ‘Abd Allah al-
Sadiq, peace be upon him, from his pure forefathers, on them be peace,
that [one of them] said: ‘There is not a believer who visits his fellow be-
liever suffering from an illness and says to him: “I seek protection for
you in Allah, the Mighty, the Lord of the Noble Throne, from the evil of
every swelling blood-vessel and from the evil of the heat of the fire” ex-
cept that Allah will relieve of it, if there is a delay in his appointed time.’

106
Chapter 82
AN INVOCATION FOR THE EVIL EYE
Muhammad b. Sulayman b. Mihran narrated from Ziyad b. Harun
al-’Abdi from ‘Abd Allah b. Muhammad al-Bajali from al-Halabi from
Abu ‘Abd Allah, peace be upon him, who said: ‘Whoever admires
something of his fellow believer, let him say “Allah is Great” over it, for
the evil eye is a fact (haqq).”
Muhammad b. Maumun al-Makki narrated from ‘Uthman b. ‘Isa from
al-Hasan b. al-Mukhta from Safwan al-Jammal from Abu ‘Abd Allah al-
Sadiq, peace be upon him, who said: ‘If the graves were laid open for
you, you would see that most of your dead have the evil eye; for the evil
is a fact. Surely, the Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him and
his family, said: “The evil eye is a fact, so whoever admires something of
his brother, let him invoke Allah concerning that. If he invokes Allah, it
will not harm him.”’

107
Chapter 83
THE PRAYER OF THE DISTRESSED
Hakim b. Muhammad b. Muslim narrated from al-Hasan b. ‘Ali b. Yaqt-
in from Yunus from Ibn Sinan from Hafs b. ‘Abd al-Hamid from
Muhammad b. Muslim from Abu Jafar Muhammad b. ‘Ali, peace be
upon him, that one of his children was ill. He went to him and kissed
him and said: ‘O my son, how do you find yourself?’ He replied: ‘I am
suffering from a pain.’ He said: ‘When you complete your afternoon
prayer (salat al-zuhr) say ten times: “O Allah, O Allah, O Allah,” fo a dis-
tressed person (makrub) does not say it without the Lord, Blessed and
Exalted, saying: “Here I am, O my servant, what is your need?”
From Abu ‘Abd Allah,peace be upon him, who said: ‘The prayer of a
distressed person in the night is: “O Revealer of healing by night and
day and Remover of illness by night and day, bring down on me Your
Healing, a healing for all the illness in me.”’
Al-Qasim b. Bahram narrated from Muhammad b. ‘Isa from Abu Ishaq
from al-Husayn b. al-Hasan al-Khurasni-and he was among the chosen
ones-who said: ‘I visited Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, in
the days of Abu al-Dawaniq, with a group of my brothers who had per-
formed the Hajj. He [al-Sadiq] was asked about the prayer of the dis-
tressed. He replied: “The prayer of the distressed is when one has com-
pleted the night prayer (salat al-layl). Put your hand on the place on
which you perform the prostration and say: ‘In the Name of Allah, in the
Name of Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, ‘Ali is the Imam
of Allah on His earth, over all His servants. Heal me, O Healer. There is
no healing but yours. A healing which does not leave out any illness
from among every disease and illness.’”’
Al-Khurasani said: ‘I do not know whether he said to repeat it three
times or seven times.’
From him, that he said: ‘The prayer of the distressed and anxious,
those at their wits’ end, and those afflicted with of the oppressors (al-za-
limin) (21:87). It should be said on Thursday night when one has

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completed his obligatory evening prayer.’ He said: ‘I learnt it from Abu
Jafa al-Baqir, peace be upon him, who said he took it from ‘Ali b. al-
Husayn from al-Husayn b. ‘Ali, who said he took it from Amir al-Mu-
minin, who took it from the Messenger of Allah, who learnt it from
Jibrail, who learnt it from Allah, the Mighty and Sublime.’

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Chapter 84
THE PRAYER OF A MOTHER FOR A SON FROM
ABOVE
‘Ali b. Mihran b. al-Walid al-Askari narrated from Muhammad b. Salim
from al-Arqat-he was the son of the sister of Abu ‘Abd Allah al-Sadiq,
peace be upon him-who said: ‘I was very ill and my mother sent for my
maternal uncle. He came while my mother was outside the door of the
house-and she was Umm Salama b. Muhammad b. ‘Ali-saying: “Alas,
my boy!” My uncle saw her and said: “Gather your dress around you
and go up to the roof of the house. Then remove your veil (al-qina) so
that you expose your hair to the sky and say: ‘My Lord, You gave me to
him and You granted him to me, O Allah, renew Your grant today,
surely You are Able and Powerful.’ Then prostrate yourself and do not
raise your head until your son is restored to health.” She heard that and
acted on it.’ He [al-Arqat] said: ‘I rose at once and went out with my ma-
ternal uncle to the mosque.’

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Chapter 85
[PROTECTION FROM] WHOEVER WISHES EVIL
TO OTHERS
Sad b. Muhammad b. Said narrated from Musa b. Qays al-Hannat from
Muhammad b. Said-he was the father of Said b. Muhammad-from al-
Shairi from Jafar b. Muhammad al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, who said:
‘The Messenger of Allah, blessings of Allah on him and his family, said:
“Whoever wishes a person evil and that person wishes Allah to make a
barrier between the two of them, let him say when he sees him: ‘I take
refuge in the Might of Allah and His Strength, from the Might of His cre-
ation and its strength. I take refuge with the Lord of the Daybreak, from
the evil of what He created (113:1-2).’”
“Then say what Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, said to His Prophet:
So, if they turn their backs, say: God is enough for me. There is no god
but He. In Him I have put my trust. He is the Lord of the Mighty
Throne (9:129). Allah will turn away from him the plot of every plotter,
the deception of every cunning person and the envy of every envier. Do
not say these words excepts to his face and Allah will protect him by His
Might.”’

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Chapter 86
FOR THE LACK OF CHILDREN
Ahmad b. ‘Imran b. Abu Layla narrated from ‘Abd al-Rahman, b. Abu
Najran from Sulayman b. Jafar al-Jafari from Abu Jafar the first, al-Baqir
b. ‘Ali b. al-Husayn b. ‘Ali, peace be upon him, that a man complained to
him of lack of children. He had tried for a child from bondmaids and
free-born women (al-harair), but it was not granted to him and he was
now sixty years old. He [al-Baqir] said: ‘For three days after your oblig-
atory evening prayer and after the morning prayer, recite: “Glory be to
Allah,” seventy times; “I ask for forgiveness from Allah”, seventy times;
and end it with the statement of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime: Ask for-
giveness of your Lord. Surely He is ever All-forgiving, and He will loose
heaven upon you in torrents and will succour you with wealth and sons,
and will appoint for you gardens, and will appoint for you rivers
(71:10-12). Then have intercourse with your wife on the third night and
you will be blessed, Allah willing, with a healthy boy.’ He [the man]
said: ‘I did that and the year was not over when I was blessed with a
child.’

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Chapter 87
AN INVOCATION FOR ANIMALS FOR THE EVIL
EYE
Ahmad b. al-Harith narrated from Sulayman b. Jafar from Abu al-Hasan
Musa b. Jafar al-Sadiq, peace be upon him, from one of his forefathers,
peace be upon him, that regarding the invocation for animals (al-hay-
awan) he said: ‘It is preserved with them. “In the Name of Allah, the
Merciful the Compassionate, In the Name of Allah, and by Allah, the evil
eye (‘ayn al-su’) departed from between its flesh, skin, bones sinews, and
blood vessels.” Then Jibrail and Mikail, blessings of Allah be on them,
met it and said: “Where are you going. O evil eye?” It replied: “I am go-
ing to the camel. I will drive it away from its train, and the riding-beast
from its rein, the donkey from its bridle, and the child from his mother’s
lap. I will come upon the person fully dressed, from his feet.” They
[Jibrail and Mikail] said to it: “Go, O evil eye, to the open country, for
there is a snake with two eyes, one of water and the other of fire. Thus
does Allah put a seal on the evil eye and a frowning face that obstructs,
and a dry stone, and an envious eye, and one seeking fire. I return the
evil eye, with Allah’s help, to its people and within itself and to its side
and to its most loving friends with the invocation of Allah and His
words: Have not the unbelievers then beheld that the heavens and the
earth were a mass all sewn up, and then We unstitched them and of wa-
ter fashioned every living thing? Will they not believe? (21:30). Return
thy gaze; seest thou any fissure? Then return thy gaze again, and again,
and thy gaze comes back to thee dazzled, aweary (67:3-4). And Allah
bless our master Muhammad and his pure family.”’

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Chapter 88
ON THE EVIL EYE
Recite, write, and fasten to him the sura al-Hamd (1), the two suras of
taking refuge (al-Falaq (113) and al-Nas (114), the sura al-Ikhlas (112),
and the verse of the Throne (2:255), and: ‘O Allah, You are my Lord,
there is no god but You. In You I trust, and You are the Lord of the
Mighty Throne. There is no might nor power except with Allah, the
Most High, the Mighty. Sufficient for me is Allah, and the best Protector
Whatever Allah has willed was, and whatever He did not will was not. I
witness that Allah is Powerful over all things, and that Allah encom-
passes everything in knowledge (65:12). He has numbered everything in
numbers (72:28). O Allah I take refuge in You from the evil in my self
and from every creature you take by the forelack (11:56). So if they turn
their backs, say: God is enough for me. There is no god but He. In Him I
have put my trust. He is the Lord of the Mighty Throne (9:129). In the
Name of Allah, the Lord of a frowing face and confining water and dry
stone, I trust, and crushing water and searching meteor, from an envious
eye and from the evil eye. I return the evil eye to him and to those most
loved by him, in his liver (al-kabd) and his kidney, thin blood, heavily
laden fat, delicate bone, in what he deserves. In the Name of Allah, the
Merciful, the Compassionate, and therein We wrote down for them: A
life for a life, an eye for an eye, a nose for a nose, an ear for a ear, a tooth
for a tooth, and for wounds retaliation (5:45). Allah bless our master
Muhammad and his family.’

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Chapter 89
ANTS
Grind caraway (al-karawiya) and throw it into the hills of the ants (al-
naml). Write [the following] on something and hand it at the corners of
the house: ‘In the Name of Allah, the Merciful, the Compassionate. If
you believe in Allah and the Last Day and the Prophets and what has
been revealed to them, then I ask you by the right of Allah, and by the
right of your Prophet and our Prophet, and what has been revealed to
them, to move away from our dwelling.’

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"Wisdom is the lost property of the Believer,

let him claim it wherever he finds it"
Imam Ali (as)