Supplication of Abu Hamza al-Thumali

Thābit ibn Safiya, known as Abu Hamza al-Thumali, descends from the Safiye family (Arabic: آل بنی صفیه).[5][6] Born in Kufa, al-Thumali was a companion of three Shia Imams – Ali Zayn al-Abidin, Muhammad al-Baqir, and Ja'far al-Sadiq. Although there is little information about his birth, it is believed that he lived in the seventh and eighth centuries. Therefore, it is possible that he was a companion of Imam Kadhim, also.[7]

Abu Hamza al-Thumali had great esteem for Imams, and they apparently considered him trustworthy. Ali al-Ridha, the eighth Imam of Shia, stated about him: "Abu Hamza in his time was similar to Salman in the prophet's time." Ahmad ibn Ali al-Najashi, a grand scholar of Shia, said: "He was the best of our companions and the most reliable of them in narration and tradition."[7]

He wrote several works about Islamic subjects such as the Kitab fi Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim (an exegesis of the Quran), Kitab al-Nawadir (a book on the rare things), Kitab al-Zuhd (on asceticism) and Al-Risalah al-Huquq (about all kinds of rights).[7]

He died in the year 150 A.H..[7][8]

Abu Hamzah Al-Thumali is the first person who heard this supplication from Ali Zayn al-Abidin. The supplication is seen in the Eqbal al-A'mal of Sayyed Ibn Tawus, which begins by describing the following chain of authority: its author Sayyed Ibn Tawus stated he received its contents on the authority of Harun ibn Musa ibn Ahmad Talla'ukbara, who received it from Hassan bin Mahboob Srad, who received it from Abu Hamza al-Thimali, who received it from Ali Zayn al-Abidin.[9]

Abu Hamzah Al-Thumali was subsequently recognized as a credible narrator of hadith by important Shia scholars such as Najasi, Shaykh Tusi, Ibn Babawayh, and Ibn Shahre Ashub, but Sunni scholars have not confirmed him.[10]

The supplication touches on following subjects:[3][11]

1. Awareness of Allah
   1. The inevitably of creatures in the dominion of Allah
   2. Knowing Allah by himself
   3. Allah Being guidance
2. An explanation of ways of bills and salvation for man
   1. Resorting to the Mercy of Allah
   2. Practicing moral virtues and avoiding moral vices
3. Du'a
   1. Invocation
   2. Salawat
   3. Help request
4. Perseverance (repeated sentence)
5. A guilty plea
6. Humility and modesty

Ali Zayn al-Abidin, the fourth Shia Imam,[12] invoked the supplication of Abu Hamza al-Thimali every night or dawn during Ramadan.[2][3]

Many scholars have written explanations for supplication of Abu Hamzah Thumali, including the following:

• Shaykh Muhammad Ebrahim ibn al-Mawli abd-Alwahab Sabzevary
• Mawla Muhammad Taqi ibn Hussain Ali al-Heravy al-Esfahany al-Hayery (in his book titled Nahayat al-Amal)
• Mehdi Bahr al-Ulum (in his book titled Al-Rovzat)
• Mohammad-Taqi Mesbah-Yazdi (in his book titled In the sight of Allah)[10]

Ayatollah Khomeini advised reciting a passage of the Du'a with feeling and meditating upon its words. He recommended reading the supplication slowly and thinking about it as one reads.[1]

• Du'a Kumayl
• Du'a Nudba
• Du'a al-Baha
• The supplication of opening
• Mujeer Du'a
• Jawshan Kabir
• Dua Ahd

• Abu Hamza al-Thimali supplication, recited by Muhammad Husayn Lawati with English and Arabic subtitles
• The complete text of Abu Hamza al-Thimali supplication