Reflections on Duʿāʾ al-Bahāʾ (al-Saḥar)

Abstract

This article will demonstrate the importance of a well-known supplication to be read during the nights of the holy month of Ramaḍān, known by the names Duʿāʾ al-Bahāʾ and Duʿāʾ al-Saḥar. It is formulated in a unique and special way, as the supplicant first calls upon the Almighty by His utmost and highest attributes, so as to correct and remind himself that all of Allah's attributes are to be characterised equally. Taking a critical look at the text leads one to question the philosophy of its style and to ask what reminder it intends to give the wayfarer or anyone else who reads it, and how one can be assured that this supplication is backed by the technical principles of ḥadīth and accepted authentication methods. This article will explain that this supplication is unique and rich in information that could only have been issued and inspired by the Shīʿī Imams.