Abū Ḥamza al-Thumali was a prominent student of of Imam Ali Zainul Abidīn (as) , as well as a companion of Imam Jafar as Sadiq (as) . Al-Thumālī narrated this supplication from Imam Sajjad (as), and is cited by various scholars, such as Shaykh Tusi in Misbah al-Mutahajjid, Sayyid ibn Tawus in Iqbal al-A’mal, Ibrahim ibn Ali al-Kaf’ami in Al-Balad al-Amin, and Allama Majlisi in Bihar Al-Anwar. It is known to be one of the longest Dua’s and is meant to be read in the Month of Ramadan before sunrise. This supplication is beautiful in its eloquence as it holds many spiritual teachings, such as finding the balance between hope and fear, death, and gratitude. For example, we know that as humans we are greatly flawed and bound to sin, in which we may fear that we are not worthy of mercy and forgiveness of Allah swt. This path towards wrongdoings can lead one to hopelessness, however, the Dua teaches us that we must remember Allah swt is All Forgiving and All Merciful, and by these virtues of Allah swt that we should remain hopeful, and to not be fearful of Allah swt, but rather to be cautious and scared of our own actions. The Dua of Abu Hamza also contains supplications for our needs and wants for this world, as well as the hereafter. It is said that if the whole of this supplication is read then the supplications of our needs have been sufficiently covered, as this Dua mentions a variety of wishes that one may ask for. This includes the wellbeing of our families, the whole of society, and ourselves. As this Dua is mainly recited in the month of Ramadan, there is also the request to be amongst those who receive the chance to perform Hajj, as it is narrated that on Laylatul Qadr, the names of those who will be given such a chance are written. With the many needs that this Dua addresses, Imam Sajjad (as) has also included in it the bounties of Allah, so that we may practice gratitude and be grateful for that which Allah has blessed us with. Lastly as all of us must face death at one point or another, in this supplication, the Imam (as) prepares us for what will come after death, and reminds us to strive for the Hereafter. Show Less >>