1ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ فَضَالَةَ بْنِ أَيُّوبَ عَنِ السَّكُونِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ الله (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) الدُّعَاءُ سِلاحُ الْمُؤْمِنِ وَعَمُودُ الدِّينِ وَنُورُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالأرْضِ.

1. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from his father from Fadalah ibn Ayyub from al-Sakuni from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) who has said the following: “The Messenger of Allah has said, ‘Pleading before Allah for help is believing people’s weapons, the pillar of religion and the light of the heavens and earth.’”

2ـ وَبِهَذَا الإسْنَادِ قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) الدُّعَاءُ مَفَاتِيحُ النَّجَاحِ وَمَقَالِيدُ الْفَلاحِ وَخَيْرُ الدُّعَاءِ مَا صَدَرَ عَنْ صَدْرٍ نَقِيٍّ وَقَلْبٍ تَقِيٍّ وَفِي الْمُنَاجَاةِ سَبَبُ النَّجَاةِ وَبِالإخْلاصِ يَكُونُ الْخَلاصُ فَإِذَا اشْتَدَّ الْفَزَعُ فَإِلَى الله الْمَفْزَعُ.

2. Through the same chain of narrators it is narrated from Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) who has said the following: “Pleading before Allah for help is the key to success and the input for one’s well being. The best prayer is what comes out of a clean chest and pious heart. In pleading before Allah for help there is the means for salvation, in sincerity there is freedom and when distress intensifies, Allah is the only One before Whom one must implore for protection.”

3ـ وَبِإِسْنَادِهِ قَالَ قَالَ النَّبِيُّ (صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وآلِه) أَ لا أَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَى سِلاحٍ يُنْجِيكُمْ مِنْ أَعْدَائِكُمْ وَيُدِرُّ أَرْزَاقَكُمْ قَالُوا بَلَى قَالَ تَدْعُونَ رَبَّكُمْ بِاللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ فَإِنَّ سِلاحَ الْمُؤْمِنِ الدُّعَاءُ.

3. Through his chain of narrators the narrator has said the following: “The Holy Prophet (a.s.) once said, ‘Should I guide you to a weapon that will save you from your enemies and increase your means of living?’ They said, ‘Yes, (O Messenger of Allah).’ The Holy Prophet said, ‘Pray and plead before Allah for help night and day; prayer is the weapon of believing people.’”

4ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ الأشْعَرِيِّ عَنِ ابْنِ الْقَدَّاحِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ قَالَ أَمِيرُ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) الدُّعَاءُ تُرْسُ الْمُؤْمِنِ وَمَتَى تُكْثِرْ قَرْعَ الْبَابِ يُفْتَحْ لَكَ.

4. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ja’far ibn Muhammad al-Ash’ari from ibn al-Qaddah from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Amir al-Mu’minin, Ali ibn abu Talib (a.s.) has said, ‘Prayer is a shield for a believing person. When a door is knocked often it will sooner or later open up.’”

5ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنِ ابْنِ فَضَّالٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) أَنَّهُ كَانَ يَقُولُ لأصْحَابِهِ عَلَيْكُمْ بِسِلاحِ الأنْبِيَاءِ فَقِيلَ وَمَا سِلاحُ الأنْبِيَاءِ قَالَ الدُّعَاءُ.

5. A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from ibn Faddal from certain individuals of our people who has said the following: “Al-Rida (a.s.) would say to his disciples, ‘You must keep with you the weapons of the prophets.’ It was asked, ‘What are the weapons of the prophets?’ The Imam said, ‘It is prayer, pleading before Allah for help.’”

6ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ الْمُغِيرَةِ عَنْ أَبِي سَعِيدٍ الْبَجَلِيِّ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ الدُّعَاءَ أَنْفَذُ مِنَ السِّنَانِ.

6. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from ‘Abd Allah ibn al-Mughirah from abu Sa’Id al-Bajilli who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Prayer, pleading before Allah for help is more effective than spears.’”

7ـ عَنْهُ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الله بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ الله (عَلَيهِ السَّلام) قَالَ الدُّعَاءُ أَنْفَذُ مِنَ السِّنَانِ الْحَدِيدِ.

7. It is narrated from him (narrator of the Hadith above) from his father from ibn abu ‘Umayr from ‘Abd Allah ibn Sinan from abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.) has said, ‘Prayer, pleading before Allah for help, is more effective than spears of iron.’”