Fortress of the Muslim

Hisn al-Muslim 129

Fortress of the Muslim Search within the hadiths
Hisn al-Muslim 129
Arabic hadith text

اللَّهُمَّ ربَّ السَّمَوَاتِ السَّبْعِ، وَرَبَّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ، كُنْ لِي جَاراً مِنْ فُلاَنِ بْنِ فُلاَنٍ، وَأَحْزَابِهِ مِنْ خَلاَئِقِكَ، أَنْ يَفْرُطَ عَلَيَّ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ أَوْ يَطْغَى، عَزَّ جَارُكَ، وَجَلَّ ثَنَاؤُكَ، وَلاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ

Translation

O Allah, Lord of the seven heavens and Lord of the Mighty Throne, be a protector for me from [so-and-so, son of so-and-so], and from his factions among Your creatures, lest any of them overstep against me or transgress. Mighty is Your protection, exalted is Your praise, and there is no deity except You.

Translation notes
  • اللَّهُمَّ ربَّ السَّمَوَاتِ السَّبْعِ، وَرَبَّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ، كُنْ لِي جَاراً مِنْ فُلاَنِ بْنِ فُلاَنٍ، وَأَحْزَابِهِ مِنْ خَلاَئِقِكَ، أَنْ يَفْرُطَ عَلَيَّ أَحَدٌ مِنْهُمْ أَوْ يَطْغَى، عَزَّ جَارُكَ، وَجَلَّ ثَنَاؤُكَ، وَلاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ

    The wording jaran and yafruta is context-sensitive; the witness expands the placeholder as instructions to name a person, calls the groups helpers, and interprets the threat as abuse or wrongdoing.

    How should jaran and yafruta be rendered, and should the placeholder be preserved literally or converted into an instruction?