Ratib al-Haddad
Ratib al-Haddad (Arabic: راتب الحداد; “The Litany of al-Haddad”) is a renowned collection of Qur’anic verses and Prophetic supplications compiled by Imam Abdallah ibn Alawi al-Haddad (1044–1132 AH/1634–1720 CE), the great scholar, Gnostic, and renewer of the twelfth Islamic century. Widely recited throughout the Muslim world, the Ratib is recited for protection, blessings, and spiritual elevation. Many scholars and pious individuals have testified to its efficacy in strengthening faith, repelling harm, and increasing sustenance.
Read lessArabic, Transliteration and Translation
ٱلْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ ❁ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ ❁ مَـٰلِكِ يَوْمِ ٱلدِّينِ ❁ إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ ❁ ٱهْدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَ ❁ صِرَٰطَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ ٱلْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ ❁﴾
Al-ḥamdu li-Llāhi Rabbi l-ʿālamīna, r-Raḥmāni r-Raḥīmi, Māliki yawmi d-dīni, iyyāka naʿbudu wa-iyyāka nastaʿīnu, ihdinā ṣ-ṣirāṭa l-mustaqīma, ṣirāṭa lladhīna anʿamta ʿalayhim, ghayri l-maghḍūbi ʿalayhim wa-lā ḍ-ḍāllīn﴿.
All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all worlds, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful, Master of the Day of Judgement. You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help. Guide us along the straight path, the path of those You have favoured, those who have neither incurred Your anger nor gone astray.” (1:1–7)
قُلْ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ ❁ ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّمَدُ ❁ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ ❁ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ ❁﴾ (٣)
Qul huwa Llāhu Aḥadun, Allāhu ṣ-Ṣamadu, lam yalid wa-lam yūlad, wa-lam yakun lahu kufuwan aḥad﴿. (3×)
Say, ‘He is Allah, the One. Allah, upon Whom all depend. He neither begets nor was He begotten, and none is equal to Him.’” (112:1–4) (3×)
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلْفَلَقِ ❁ مِن شَرِّ مَا خَلَقَ ❁ وَمِن شَرِّ غَاسِقٍ إِذَا وَقَبَ ❁ وَمِن شَرِّ ٱلنَّفَّـٰثَـٰتِ فِى ٱلْعُقَدِ ❁ وَمِن شَرِّ حَاسِدٍ إِذَا حَسَدَ ❁﴾
Qul aʿūdhu bi-Rabbi l-falaqi, min sharri mā khalaqa, wa-min sharri ghāsiqin idhā waqaba, wa-min sharri n-naffāthāti fī l-ʿuqadi, wa-min sharri ḥāsidin idhā ḥasad﴿.
Say, ‘I seek refuge in the Lord of daybreak, from the evil of what He has created, from the evil of darkness as it descends, from the evil of those who blow upon knots, and from the evil of an envier when he envies.’” (113:1–5)
قُلْ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلنَّاسِ ❁ مَلِكِ ٱلنَّاسِ ❁ إِلَـٰهِ ٱلنَّاسِ ❁ مِن شَرِّ ٱلْوَسْوَاسِ ٱلْخَنَّاسِ ❁ ٱلَّذِى يُوَسْوِسُ فِى صُدُورِ ٱلنَّاسِ ❁ مِنَ ٱلْجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ ❁﴾
Qul aʿūdhu bi-Rabbi n-nāsi, Maliki n-nāsi, Ilāhi n-nāsi, min sharri l-waswāsi l-khannāsi, lladhī yuwaswisu fī ṣudūri n-nāsi, mina l-jinnati wa-n-nās﴿.
Say, ‘I seek refuge in the Lord of humankind, the King of humankind, the God of humankind, from the evil of the whisperer who retreats, who whispers into the hearts of humankind, from among jinn and humankind.’” (114:1–6)
(The reader should praise Allah, then make whatever supplications they wish.)
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About Ratib al-Haddad
Ratib al-Haddad is composed of selected verses from the Qur’an together with supplications and remembrances transmitted from the Prophet ﷺ. It is renowned for its many reported virtues and benefits, encompassing both worldly and religious, material and spiritual matters, as described below. It is traditionally recited once in the morning and once in the evening, although reciting it once in the evening alone is also sufficient.
No specific ijaza (permission) is required for its recitation. Imam al-Haddad did not intend the Ratib for a particular group or circle of disciples, but for the wider Muslim community, drawing its verses, supplications, and remembrances from the Qur’an and Prophetic tradition.
According to tradition, Ratib al-Haddad came to Imam al-Haddad through divine inspiration and was composed on the night of 27 Ramadan 1071 AH, the Night of Destiny (Laylat al-Qadr). Its composition was prompted by a request from one of the Imam’s students, a man named Amir from Bani Sa’d who lived in a village near Shibam. He sought a litany that would serve as a means of protection for those who recited it and would affirm key beliefs of Ahl al-Sunna wa’l-Jama’a, at a time when the Zaydi presence in Hadramawt was causing concern over its religious influence.
Ratib al-Haddad was first established in Amir’s village with the permission of Imam al-Haddad, and in 1072 AH its recitation was instituted at the Imam’s mosque in al-Hawi. There, it was regularly recited in congregation after the Isha prayer. During Ramadan, however, it was recited before Isha to allow sufficient time for the Tarawih prayers.
Imam al-Haddad stated that the Ratib would protect the town in which it was recited and would be a means through which people’s requests to Allah were fulfilled. During his pilgrimage, he also established its recitation in Makkah and Madinah. From that time onward, Ratib al-Haddad became established as a daily litany, with its nightly recitation continuing as a widespread tradition.
It is related that Allah fulfils the needs of those who recite Ratib al-Haddad in accordance with the intentions for which it is recited. Numerous accounts have been transmitted of its blessings, particularly in bringing relief from distress and protection from calamities.
The spiritual assistance (madad) associated with the Ratib is traditionally attributed to its Prophetic invocations having been brought together through divine inspiration (ilham). Invocations received and arranged through such inspiration are said to carry a particular blessing (barakah) connected to the spiritual state of the saint through whom they were transmitted. In his commentary on Hizb al-Bahr, Shaykh Ahmad Zarruq explains:
The litanies of the masters among the people of spiritual perfection are imbued with their spiritual states. They arise from their inspirations and are accompanied by miracles. They encompass the outpourings of their knowledge, the etiquette of their spiritual direction, and their knowledge of the path. They contain indications of spiritual realities, remembrance of the majesty, greatness, and exaltedness of Allah, recognition of the lowliness of the soul, and remembrance of one’s faults and sins.
Accordingly, many benefits have been related concerning the recitation of litanies and invocations compiled by the people of gnosis and sainthood. The exalted spiritual rank of Imam al-Haddad was manifest in his very presence, which was said to inspire awe through the spiritual power that emanated from him. He himself said, “Allah, Mighty and Majestic is He, clothes us with awesome dignity, though in reality we are people of beauty.”
Sayyid Ahmad ibn Hashim al-Habashi likewise said of him, “I bear witness that Sayyidi Abdallah is a spiritual being in whom no trace of humanity remains.”
Imam al-Haddad once said:
Were all the people of this age, old and young, male and female, to come to us, they would all benefit in both their religious and worldly affairs, outwardly and inwardly, in the immediate and distant future. There are people whose bodies are in the West while their spirits are here with us, and there are others whose condition is the opposite of this.
The spiritual assistance (madad) of Imam al-Haddad is said to aid seekers in their spiritual ascent despite the weaknesses of their hearts, while protecting them from their own shortcomings and imperfections. He would say, “Those whom we come to know, we abandon neither to disgrace nor to the Fire.”
Imam al-Haddad also said, “We love and care for everyone whom we see eager to tread the path to Allah, the Exalted. I rejoice in the seeker who is sincere with himself, for through the blessing of his sincerity, he assists me in guiding him along the path. The Shaykh’s love will naturally differ in intensity according to the seeker’s sincerity, conformity, and aspiration.”
Habib Ahmad Mashhur al-Haddad, the renowned scholar and spiritual master of the Ba Alawi tradition, would grant special permission to recite Ratib al-Haddad on particular occasions and during times of difficulty and distress. He related that when the reciter reaches the Fatiha, the spirit of Imam al-Haddad responds, and that the Imam’s spiritual assistance (madad) is present during the supplication that follows as a means of aiding its acceptance.
Reported Benefits
Habib Alawi relates a number of the reported benefits and virtues of Ratib al-Haddad. He writes:
The distinguished scholar and Qadi, Sayyid Saqqaf ibn Muhammad ibn Taha al-Saqqaf Ba Alawi, may Allah have mercy upon him, said, ‘Whoever recites the Ratib of our master al-Haddad every night, it will suffice him in place of every other evening litany, for it is comprehensive, beneficial, tried and tested.’ The renowned scholar and Gnostic Umar ibn Zain ibn Sumayt Ba Alawi also related that Imam al-Haddad said, ‘Our Ratib is like an iron wall for every city in which it is recited.’
Shaykh Abd al-Wahid ibn Ali ibn Subait al-Zarrafi, a renowned Gnostic, also related the following account:
When Tuhmas, that is, Nadir Shah, the foreign ruler who had conquered many cities and peoples, set his sights upon al-Awgan and threatened its inhabitants, its Sultan, Sulayman, declared: ‘By the permission of Allah, you will not be able to overpower us, even though you have conquered other cities, for we possess a fortified fortress: the Ratib of our master Abdallah ibn Alawi al-Haddad.’
The Sultan then ordered all his soldiers and the people of his city to recite the blessed Ratib. Through the blessing of the noble Ratib, Allah did not grant Tuhmas power over the Sultan’s cities or armies.
Sultan Sulayman lived during the lifetime of Imam al-Haddad, the compiler of the Ratib, and had written to him concerning the impending danger. Imam al-Haddad sent him the noble Ratib and instructed him to recite it, saying: ‘It will protect you and your people from him.’
The renowned scholar and Qadi of Tarim, Alawi ibn Ahmad ibn Sumayt, also related:
I heard that a group of Arabs were once taken captive by some Christians and brought before their king, who ordered that they be executed. The interpreter accompanying the group said, ‘These people are from among the followers of the compiler of the Ratib.’ The king then said, ‘In that case, release them and take them to the nearest Muslim city.’ They were thus spared on account of their connection to the compiler of the Ratib. It is also related that some among the Christians believed in the blessings of the Ratib and in its ability to protect their ships, despite not being Muslims. It is said that they would hire a Muslim to recite the Ratib aboard their ships.
It is also related that a man was travelling to his city when a group of Bedouins followed him intending to rob him. He drew a circle around himself and began reciting Ratib al-Haddad. It is said that they were unable to see him, while he remained seated within the circle watching them.
Sayyid Ali ibn Hasan once related: “One night I fell asleep without reciting the Ratib. In a dream, I saw an angel who said to me, ‘Every night I would serve you with this and that,’ and he mentioned many blessings. He then said, ‘Tonight I have not served you with anything, for you did not recite the Ratib.’ I immediately awoke and began reciting it.”
Among the greatest reported benefits of Ratib al-Haddad is that the spirit of Imam al-Haddad, the compiler of the Ratib, is present during its recitation. This was related by Sayyid Muhammad ibn Zain ibn Sumayt.
It is also related from Imam al-Haddad himself that whoever remains consistent in the recitation of Ratib al-Haddad will be granted a good ending at the time of death (husn al-khatima).
Based specifically on the material you’ve provided, I’d make the sections more concrete than the previous version:
Reported Virtues
The regular recitation of Ratib al-Haddad is associated with the following benefits:
- Protection from harm, enemies, and calamities, by Allah’s permission.
- Protection for the places and communities in which it is regularly recited.
- The fulfilment of lawful needs and requests to Allah.
- Relief from distress and difficulty.
- Sufficiency as a comprehensive evening litany for those who recite it regularly.
- Spiritual blessings and assistance through the connection of the Ratib with Imam al-Haddad.
- Protection and spiritual benefit through consistent nightly recitation.
- A good ending at the time of death (husn al-khatima) for those who remain consistent in its recitation.
Recommended Recitation
The following practices have been recommended for the recitation of Ratib al-Haddad:
- For regular recitation: Recite once in the morning and once in the evening. Reciting it once in the evening alone is also considered sufficient.
- For nightly practice: Recite it every night as a regular evening litany.
- For protection from danger and calamity: Recite it during times of difficulty, distress, or threatened harm.
- For the fulfilment of lawful needs: Recite it with the intention of seeking the fulfilment of one’s needs from Allah.
- For communal protection: Its regular recitation has been recommended for households, communities, and places seeking protection from harm.
- For consistency and a good ending: Maintain its recitation regularly, as it is related from Imam al-Haddad that whoever remains consistent in it will be granted a good ending (husn al-khatima).
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Show CommentsSubhanAllah Adheem.
mashallah may Allah bless you all alhamdulillah ameen
Alhamdulillah its reminds me when I was 10 years old in Zanzibar we use to recite everyday after Maghreb a group of children’s in different Masajid.
Now I am 66 years leaving in Dubai.
Mashallha May ASWT bless u
if possible could you please add the du’a after read the rotib al haddad.
Mashaallah,
May Allay bless all who managed to prepare the transliteration and upload it for the our benefit.
Amin
Masha Allah, this was forwarded to me by a family member in the Philippines, who told me they found this in my grandfathers belongings also. He was a Islamic teacher in the Philippines and founded madrasas in the Southern part ( Zamboanga – Mindanao), During the Spanish time to the American Era.
All we know of him was he came from Makkah,Saudi Arabia but originally from Hadramaut.
Alhamdullilah for this blessings.
Allah bless you eternally