Question 2033: In the prayer known as the Prayer of Istighatha (seeking aid) to Lady Zahra (peace be upon her), are the supplications also recited while placing the left cheek on the ground?
Answer
✅ Answer: Note the following hadith:
1 عَنِ الْمُفَضَّلِ بْنِ عُمَرَ عَنِ الصَّادِقِ قَالَ إِذَا كَانَتْ لَكَ حَاجَةٌ إِلَى اللَّهِ وَ ضِقْتَ بِهَا ذَرْعاً فَصَلِّ رَكْعَتَيْنِ فَإِذَا سَلَّمْتَ كَبِّرِ اللَّهَ ثَلَاثاً وَ سَبِّحْ تَسْبِيحَ فَاطِمَةَ ثُمَّ اسْجُدْ وَ قُلْ مِائَةَ مَرَّةٍ يَا مُوَلَاتِي فَاطِمَةُ أَغِيثِينِي ثُمَّ ضَعْ خَدَّكَ الْأَيْمَنَ عَلَى الْأَرْضِ وَ قُلْ مِثْلَ ذَلِكَ ثُمَّ عُدْ إِلَى السُّجُودِ وَ قُلْ ذَلِكَ مِائَةَ مَرَّةٍ وَ عَشْرَ مَرَّاتٍ وَ اذْكُرْ حَاجَتَكَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يَقْضِيهَا
📚 Al-Bihar, Vol. 94, p. 30.
📚 Mustadrak al-Wasa'il, Vol. 6, p. 313
Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him) said: If you have a need from the Divine Presence and your chest has become constricted by it, pray two units (rak'ahs) of prayer, and when you say the Salam, say 'Allahu Akbar' three times and recite the Tasbih of Lady Zahra (peace be upon her). Then go into prostration (Sujud) and say one hundred times: 'Ya Mawlati Fatima Aghithini' (O my Lady Fatima, help me).
Then place your right cheek on the ground and say the same (meaning one hundred times: 'Ya Mawlati Fatima Aghithini'), then return to prostration and say it 110 more times: 'Ya Mawlati Fatima Aghithini', and mention your need, for Allah the Exalted will fulfill it!
✅ In the above hadith, which is narrated in some books of tradition such as Bihar al-Anwar, Mustadrak al-Wasa'il, and Qabs al-Misbah—after the two units of prayer, the three Takbirs, and the Tasbihat of Lady Zahra (peace be upon her)—the phrase 'Ya Mawlati Fatima Aghithini' is said 100 times in prostration, 100 times while placing the right cheek on the ground, and then 110 times again in prostration, after which the desired need is requested.
This hadith appears in the above form in the sources attributed to Imam Sadiq (peace be upon him).
However, in the narration of the book Balad al-Amin (p. 159), saying it one hundred times while placing the left cheek on the ground is also mentioned; however, the text of the book Balad al-Amin is not attributed to the Imam. Therefore, the above narration, which does not include placing the left cheek on the ground, is what is practiced.
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَی مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ عَجِّلْ لِوَلِیِّکَ الْفَرَجَ وَ الْعَافِیَةَ وَ النَّصْر