Sahifa al-Sajjadiyyah (The Psalms of Sajjad)
A collection of supplications from the 4th Imam, called "The Psalms of Islam."
Sahifa al-Sajjadiyyah (Arabic: الصحيفة السجادية), often called "Zabur Aal Muhammad" (The Psalms of Muhammad's Family) or "The Psalms of Islam," is a collection of 54 supplications (du'as) from Imam Ali ibn al-Husayn Zayn al-Abidin (peace be upon him), the fourth Imam in Shia Islam. It is one of the most treasured works in Islamic supplication literature.
Imam Zayn al-Abidin (also called Imam Sajjad, "the one who prostrates most in prayer") lived after the tragedy of Karbala (680 CE) and used prayer as his primary means of teaching Islamic principles under an oppressive Umayyad rule. The Sahifa covers a broad spectrum of topics: prayer for forgiveness, gratitude, morning prayers, prayers during rainfall, prayers for parents, prayers for neighbors, and deep theological reflections.
Among the most well-known prayers are: Du'a Makarim al-Akhlaq (Prayer for Noble Character Traits, no. 20), Du'a Abu Hamza al-Thumali (recited during Ramadan nights), and Du'a al-Sabah (The Morning Prayer). Each prayer is a masterpiece of Arabic prose that combines deep theology with personal devotion.
Sahifa al-Sajjadiyyah has been transmitted through reliable chains (isnad) and has been published in numerous commentaries and translations. Among the most important commentaries is Riyad al-Salikin by Sayyid Ali Khan al-Madani. The work is considered the third most important text in Shia Islam after the Quran and Nahj al-Balagha. For the believer who wishes to deepen their prayer practice, Sahifa al-Sajjadiyyah is an inexhaustible source of spiritual inspiration and guidance.
Related terms
Ihsan (Excellence)
The highest level of worship: to worship Allah as if one can see Him.
Ayat al-Kursi (The Throne Verse)
The mighty verse from Surah Al-Baqarah (2:255), describing Allah's omnipotence.
Amr bil-Ma'ruf wa Nahy 'an al-Munkar
Enjoining good and forbidding evil — an Islamic duty connected with prayer.
Mutahhirat (Purifying Agents)
The agents and methods that purify impure things according to Shia fiqh.
Karbala (Imam Husayn's City)
The sacred city in Iraq where Imam Husayn was martyred, and home of the turbah.
Najaf (Imam Ali's City)
The sacred city in Iraq housing Imam Ali's tomb and the Shia scholarly center.