Awrad e Fathiyyah’s centrality is monotheism. Awrad means repeated short prayers. It’s hard to measure the spiritual significance of this unique booklet of wazaif (religious litanies) introduced in Kashmir by Mir Syed Ali Hamadani RA(1312-1384) in the 14th century. Since then the Kashmiri Muslims recite it daily at dawn after offering obligatory fajr prayer.
Mir Syed Ali Hamadani came from Hamadan, a province of the then Iran. He was divinely guided and assisted, and was hence able to revert a large population of Kashmir valley to the religion of Islam by way of love and peace. This unique Arabic booklet is itself a piece of the identity of Mir Syed Ali Hamadani, popular in Kashmir as Amir e Kabeer and Shah i Hamadan.
Mir Syed Ali Hamadani has authored many books and pamphlets in Arabic and Persian but Awrad e Fathiyyah is one of his priceless compositions, concise primer, describing the unity and attributes of Allah ,the Almighty, in melodious style.It is said that Mir Syed Ali Hamdan collected the wazaif of some 1400 auliya e kirams in his life and shaped it in the form of this booklet.
Latter on he blessed it to Kashmiris as a gift. On one of his spiritual journeys Mir syed Ali Hamadani was blessed with the vision of the beloved Prophet (PBUH) and on the same occasion was handed this booklet of wazaif (religious litanies) known as Awrad e Fathiyyah, and latter on the same journey was also taught the proper method of reciting it in congregation.
People of Kashmir valley continue to benefit from this special gift of Hazrat Mir syed Ali Hamadani even to this day, and it’s still considered one of the most powerful wazaif (religious litanies) for spiritual enlightenment by the people of Kashmir.
Hazrat Amir Kabir Mir Syed Ali Hamadani (RA) has himself given an account of how he came to give the title “Awrad-e-Fathiyyah”. “Aurad is the means to success and felicity. After the conclusion of the fajr prayers at dawn, devotees have been chanting the Awradh-e-Fathiyyah in Kashmir’s mosques since the fourteenth century. Aurad e Fathiyyah is a book of “tawheed”, proved by Quran and Sunnah of prophet (peace be upon him). It is also a glaring evidence of Mir Hamadani’s mission that was based upon monotheism, peace, and love. The “tawheed” described in Awrad e Fathiyyah is the manifestation of Islamic “tawheed” simply and effectively, so that the common masses of Kashmir would understand it and follow accordingly. It has been translated into many languages including Kashmiri.
In the name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful
I seek forgiveness from the great Allah.
Besides whom none is worthy for being worshipped, The Living, The Eternal. I turn to Him and seek repentance from Him.
O’ Allah! You are the author of Peace, and from You springs Peace, and towards you is Peace. Keep me, my Lord, in Peace and grant me entrance in the Abode of Peace. Glory to Thee my Lord and Exalted are Thou, The Lord of Majesty and Bounty.
O’ Allah! Such Praise is due to you as will cover all Thy Bounties and will cover Your other Bounties. I am full of Praise for all Your kindness, which I am aware of and of which I am not aware of all your gifts of which I am aware, and I am not aware of and grateful for all.
The opening lines of ‘Awrad’ are full of Allah’s praise, an expression of gratitude for Allah’s innumerable bounties. These lines lay strong recommendations for seeking forgiveness from Allah, the Almighty for one’s sins. From Quranic teachings and hadith of prophet (peace be upon him) seeking forgiveness is repeatedly recommended for a believer. So in this context, Mir Syed Ali Hamadani too has emphasised attaining believer’s virtues. Praising Allah and expressing gratitude is no less than a sacred prayer for a pious Muslim. So Mir Syed Ali Hamadani’s Awrad is the noblest wazifa to purify one’s soul.
There is no God but Allah. He is One. He has no partner. His is the kingdom. And all praises are due to Him. And He has power over all things. There is no God excepting Allah the All-Powerful Sovereign the One the Most Supreme.
There is no God but Allah, the powerful the Forgiving.
The Great the High.
The Creator of night and day who is worshipped everywhere, whose mention is made in every language and who is known for all goodness.
Whom each day sees in every new glory.
There is no God but Allah. I say so with full faith in Allah.
I say so, seeking Protection from Allah.
There is no God but Allah, and no one has power and strength excepting Allah, and we worship none but Him.
There is no God but Allah, I confess in humility and servitude.
There is no God but Allah the Kind and the Friend who existed before everything. He will survive everything.
There is no God but Allah, the True Sovereign, indeed the True King and the Sustainer of the Seven Heavens and the Sustainer of the Great Throne. Mir Syed Ali Hamadani has described Allah’s greatness and powers in a grand style. Indeed, when a believer comes to know Allah’s powers and lordship, instead of seeking forgiveness and perfect solutions for his miseries from the gates of worldly lords, he straightaway communicates with the eternal Lord through the prayers. In this sense, we see that Mir Syed Ali Hamadani has awakened the believers and expected good deeds from them to succeed in both this world and hereafter.
Glory to my Lord, the High, the Great Bestowal. Glory to my Lord, the High The Great Bestowal. O’ The Bestowal. Glory to Thee! I did not worship Thee as it was my duty to worship You. Glory to Thee! We did not seek to know You as it was our duty to know You. Glory to Thee! We have not remembered You as we ought to have remembered. Glory to Thee! We have not expressed gratitude to You as we ought to do. Glory to Allah! The Ever Eternal Glory to Allah! The single, the independent, Glory to Allah! Who holds the heavens without any support. Glory to Allah, Who has no wife and no children. Glory to Allah, Who neither gave birth nor was born and Who has none equal to Him. Glory to the Sovereign Lord, the Holy One. Glory to The King of This World and that of the Angels.
From these pious words of wisdom compiled by Mir Syed Ali Hamadani in Awrad , we get to know about the duties and how we must be obedient to our Lord and express gratitude for his bounties. Istighfar (Astagfirullah) is the gateway of relief and happiness. Whenever you are in distress, start reciting it and Insha Allah it will take you out of your anxiety, put you in a peaceful situation, and give you happiness and joy.
Istighfar removes sins, and duas are answered. Istighfar opens the door of Allah’s mercy, knowledge and what’s more istghfar is the gateway of productivity and prosperity.
Istighfar relieves you when you feel that sadness within you, when you are disturbed and frustrated, when anxiety surrounds you, say Astaghfirullah.
Gratitude is a crucial and significant aspect of the Islamic faith. In Awrad e Fathiyyah, we also find many Quranic verses seeking forgiveness from Almighty Allah and expressing gratitude or thankfulness to almighty Allah for his innumerable bounties. In this way, we see Mir Syed Ali Hamadani’s Awrad has intellectual, spiritual, and scientific utility. It is the noblest gift of Mir Syed Ali Hamadani for the people of Kashmir, which needs to be recited daily after dawn prayers as has been the routine for centuries.
Awrad indicates that Mir Syed Ali Hamadani was fond of religious spiritualism and divine wisdom. This unique booklet of Mir Syed Ali Hamadani is committed to memory by tens of thousands of Kashmiris, even illiterate Kashmiris. It has been found very effective during calamities. It has been found to serve as a real healer of the worried minds, when recited with full understanding of its meaning.
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are the personal opinions of the author. The facts, analysis, assumptions and perspective appearing in the article do not reflect the views of GK.