The Two Shields
دو ڈھالیں
عَلَيْكُمْ بِالدُّعَاءِ، فَإِنَّهُ مِفْتَاحُ النَّجَاحِ؛ وَعَلَيْكُمْ بِالِاسْتِغْفَارِ، فَإِنَّهُ مِمْحَاةُ الذُّنُوبِ.
تم پر دعا لازم ہے، کیونکہ وہ کامیابی کی کنجی ہے؛ اور تم پر استغفار (بخشس طلب کرنا) لازم ہے، کیونکہ وہ گناہوں کو مٹانے والا ہے۔
“You must resort to supplication (Du’a), for it is the key to success; and you must resort to seeking forgiveness (Istighfar), for it is the eraser of sins.”
Reflections: Imam Ali ؑ provides a spiritual roadmap for the soul. He describes **Du’a** as an active force—a “key” that opens doors of opportunity and success that may otherwise be locked. However, he recognizes that sins act as rust or debris that block these locks; hence, he introduces **Istighfar** as the “eraser.” By cleaning our slate through repentance, we ensure that our prayers reach their destination without hindrance.