Al Wakil, The Guardian of All Affairs
"Ya Wakil, Ya Hafiz
"Ya Wakil,
O You Who Are the Guardian
of All Our Affairs,
Keep us close
and let us know
You care
for all the aspects
of our being
whether blessed by favored stars
or squared by difficulties —
You hold us
and breathe
Your warm breath
through us
to shield us
from the cold
of loss and error —
You know
what is right
and what is wrong
within our hearts
before our inclinations
move us —
keep us near,
steadfast in our watchfulness
through Ar Raqib,
purify our intentions
through Al Quddus
open our hearts
with the generosity
of Al Karim
and Al Wahhab,
that we might keep giving
of ourselves
and know
You are protecting us
and caring for all our cares,
generation upon generation,
as children arise and sing,
O Warith,
You who are the Best Inheritor
of all these hearts
and hearths within
our homes as we return
to You, the One,
the Living, the Loving,
Ya Ahad, Ya Hayy
Ya Wadud.
"Ya Wakil, O You Who Are the Guardian of All Our Affairs,
Ya Hafiz, O Preserver,
Ar Raqib, The Ever Watchful,
Al Quddus, The Most Holy and Pure,
Al Karim, The Most Generous,
Al Wahhab, The Ever Giving, Overcoming All Obstacles,
Al Warith, The Best Inheritor, Who Inherits All,
Ya Ahad, O You Who Are One,
Ya Hayy, O Ever Living,
Ya Wadud, O Infinitely Loving One
"In the Name of God, the Infinitely Compassionate and Most Merciful:
O you who are covered!
Stand in prayer by night but not all the night — half of it or a little less,
or a little more; and recite the Qur'an, slowly and distinctly,
We shall soon send down to you a weighty word.
Truly, the rising by night is the strongest means of governing the soul
and the most appropriate for Words of prayer.
Truly, by day there is a long chain of duties for you;
but keep in remembrance the Name of your Sustainer
and devote yourself to Him/Her wholeheartedly.
Sustainer of the East and the West, there is no god but Hu:
take Him/Her therefore as the Guardian of your affairs.
(Qur'an 73:1-9)
"They have been commanded no more than this:
to worship God, offering Him/Her sincere devotion;
to remain constant in prayer; and to give regular charity that purifies;
and that is the True and Straight Way.
(Qur'an 98:5)
"In the Name of God, the Infinitely Compassionate and Infinitely Merciful:
Consider the sky and the night-visitor.
And what will explain to you what the night-visitor is?
It is the star of piercing brightness.
There is no soul that does not have a protector over it.
(Qur'an 86:1-4)
" 'God is enough for us; and how excellent a Guardian is He/She!' —
and they returned with God's blessings and bounty,
without having been touched by harm:
for they had been striving after God's goodly acceptance —
and God is limitless in His/Her great beauty and grace.
(Qur'an 3:173-174)
