strange beings in the vast oceans! O Munificent Creator, Who creates the treasures stored up in the mountains to meet the needs of living beings! O Beauteous Bestower of Bounties, Who creates everything in the best way, administers them in the best way, and provides all the necessaries for each in the best way! O Omnipotent One, Sustainer of All Things, to Whom all things have recourse in all matters, for all needs, and on Whom all beings rely in all circumstances, and to Whom pertain all rights and dues, judgements and rule! O Gracious and Knowing One, the clear traces of Whose favours, and the manifestations of Whose grace, and the subtle inscriptions of Whose arts, and the fine gifts of Whose mercy, are observed in all things! O All-Powerful and Wise One, Who made the universe an exhibition of marvels in order to display His power to His conscious creatures, and made all His artefacts heralds and proclamations announcing His perfections, such as His power, wisdom, and mercy! You are free of all impotence and fault; Other than You there is no god who might succour our plight! Mercy! Mercy! Save us from Hell-fire!”
God’s Most Noble Messenger (Peace and blessings be upon him), the Supreme Qur’anic commentator, expounded the verse with this supplication. Then the Messenger’s important, precise, intelligent, and exacting student, Imam ‘Ali (May God be pleased with him), composed a supplication-like commentary on his Master’s supplicatory commentary, and discovering another aspect of the supplication, uncovered a further face of the verse. Keeping in mind his Noble Master’s supplication, he described that aspect of the verse as follows. As we gave a short meaning and translation of the supplication above, so do we for this one:
“O God! In the heavens are no rotations or motions but through their order and wisdom they testify to your existence, making You known. On the earth are no changes and transformations, and no states or circumstances, but through their order and regularity they make You known together with Your unity and dominicality. In the seas is no creature, nor even a drop of water, but through its wisdom it points to Your existence and testifies to Your dominicality. In the mountains are no minerals, chemicals, or rocks, stored up for living beings, but through their uses and benefits they testify to Your dominicality and existence. In the heart is no thought inspired from the Unseen but it points to Your existence and testifies to Your unity. On the trees are no leaves but through their order and wisdom they recognize You, that is, they proclaim that they are the works of Your art. In bodies there are no movements but they testify to Your dominicality. O my Creator! For the sake of Your power, which subjugates the heavens and the earth, subjugate to me those things that I wish!”