The Jawshan Kabeer () is a long Islamic prayer that contains 1001 names and attributes of God in Islam, and is widely used in many Twelver Shi'i Muslim traditions, and also in some Sunni Muslim tradition especially in Turkey. Jawshan means "steel plate" or "mail" and thus the name of the prayer refers to Muhammad's heavy armor in battle. According to Shia Muslims, God taught the prayer to him as a protection from injuries in war, instead of hard armor.
History The Islamic prophet Muhammad wore heavy armor when fighting. Because of the tightness of his armor, his body was injured. According to Shi'i Muslims, during the war, the angel Gabriel came and brought him a message from God, teaching prayer to Muhammad to protect him from bad events. Jibra'il said: "O’ Muhammad! Your God conveys his salutations to you and has said to take this coat of armor and to recite it as this is a protection for you and your Ummah." The prayer became his armor to protect him against injuries. The name of the prayer was taken from Muhammad's heavy armor in the battle.
Text The context of the prayer was described by Ali al-Sajjad, the fourth Twelver Imam, and came to him from his great grandfather Muhammad by word of mouth. Afterwards, a Twelver narrator and faqih, Ibrahim ibn Ali A’meli Kafa’mi, mentioned the Jawshan Kabir in his book Balad al-Amin.
The Jawshan Kabir prayer contains 100 parts. Twenty-five of these parts start with, "I entreat You by Your Name". Names of God are recited after the phrase. The supplication comprises 250 names and 750 attributes of God and a request from God. For this reason, the Jawshan Kabir prayer is known as Ism-e-A’ẓam "the greatest name (of God)". The exact phrase is repeated at the end of each part: "Praise be to Thee, there is no God but Thee, The Granter of all Succor (Mercy!, Mercy!), Protect us from the Fire, O Lord."
List of mentioned names and attributes of Allah Names 1 to 100No.ArabicTransliterationEnglish translation1AllāhThe God2RaḥmānGracious3RaḥīmMerciful4KarīmMost Generous5MuqīmSelf-Subsisting6ʿAẓīmGreatest7QadīmEternal8ʿAlīmAll-Knowing9ḤalīmForbearing10ḤakīmWise11Sayyidaʼs-SādātMaster of Masters12Mujībaʼd-DaʿawātAcceptor of Prayers13Rāfiʿaʼd-DarajātElevator of Rank14Waliyyaʼl-ḤasanātGuardian of Good Deeds15Ghāfiraʼl-KhaṭīʾātForgiver of Evil Deeds16Muʿṭiyaʼl-MasʾalātGranter of Requests17Qābilaʼt-TawbātAcceptor of Repentance18Sāmiʿaʼl-ʾAṣwātHearer of Voices19ʿĀlimaʼl-KhafiyyātKnower of Attributes20Dāfiʿaʼl-BaliyyātRepeller of Calamities21Khayraʼl-GhāfirīnBest of Forgivers22Khayraʼl-FātiḥīnBest of Deciders23Khayraʼn-NāṣirīnBest of Helpers24Khayraʼl-ḤākimīnBest of Judges25Khayraʼr-RāziqīnBest of Providers26Khayraʼl-WārithīnBest of Inheritors27Khayraʼl-ḤāmidīnBest of Praisers28Khayraʼḏ-ḎākirīnBest of Rememberers29Khayraʼl-MunzilīnBest of Dischargers30Khayraʼl-MuḥsinīnBest of Benefactors31Man Llahuʼl-ʿIzzatu waʼl-JamālHe to Whom is All Glory and Virtue32Man Llahuʼl-Qudratu waʼl-KamālHe to Whom is All Might and Perfection33Man Llahuʼl-Mulku waʼl-JalālHe to Whom is All Dominion and Sublimity,34Man Huwaʼl-Kabīruʼl-MutaʿālHe Who is Great Above All35Munshiʾaʼs-Saḥābiʼth-ThiqālCreator of Heavy Clouds36Man Huwa Shadīduʼl-MiḥālHe Who is the Most Powerful37Man Huwa Sarīʿuʼl-ḤisābHe Who is Quick to Reckon38Man Huwa Shadīduʼl-ʿIqābHe Who Gives the Severest Punishments39Man ʿIndahu Ḥusnuʼth-ThawābHe With Whom is the Excellent Reward40Man ʿIndahu ʾUmmuʼl-KitābHe With Whom is the Original Book41ḤannānCompassionate42MannānBenefactor43DayyānJudge44BurhānProof45SulṭānSovereign46RiḍwānApprover47GhufrānForgiver48SubḥānExalted49MustaʿānHelper50Ḏāʼl-Manni waʼl-BayānHolder of Blessings and Manifestation51Man Tawāḍaʿa Kullu ShayʾinLliʿaẓamatihHe Before Whose Greatness Everything Bows52Maniʼstaslama Kullu ShayʾinLliqudratihHe Before Whose Power Everything Submits53Man Ḏalla Kullu Shayʾin LliʿizzatihHe Before Whose Might Overshadows Everything54Man Khaḍaʿa Kullu ShayʾinLlihaybatihHe Before Whose Prestige Everything is Humbled55Maniʼnqāda Kullu ShayʾinMin KhashyatihHe Before Whose Fearsomeness Everything Yields56Man Tashaqqaqatiʼl-Jibālu MinMakhāfatihHe Before Whose Terribleness Mountains Shake57Man Qāmatiʼs-Samāwātu BiʾamrihHe Before Whose Command the Heavens Are Raised58Maniʼstaqarratiʼl-ʾAraḍūnaBiʾiḏnihHe Through Whose Permission in the Earths Are Secured59Man Yusabbiḥuʼr-Raʿdu BiḥamdihHe Whose Glory the Thunder Proclaims60Man La Yaʿtadī ʿalā ʾAhliMamlakatihHe Who Is Never Cruel to His Subjects61Ghāfiraʼl-KhaṭāyāForgiver of Sins62Kāshifaʼl-BalāyāDispeller of Tribulations63Muntahāʼr-RajāyāAim of Hopes64Mujzilaʼl-ʿAṭāyāGiver of Gifts65Wāhibaʼl-HadāyāBestower of Bounties66Rāziqaʼl-BarāyāProvider of Creatures67Qāḍiyaʼl-ManāyāJudge of Destinies68Sāmiʿaʼsh-ShakāyāHearer of Complaints69Bāʿithaʼl-BarāyāResurrector of Creatures70Muṭliqaʼl-ʾUsārāFreer of Captives71Ḏāʼl-Ḥamdi waʼth-ThanāʾHe to Whom Is All Praise and Adoration72Ḏāʼl-Fakhri waʼl-BahāʾHe Who Holds All Pride and Eminence73Ḏāʼl-Majdi waʼs-SanāʾHe Who Holds All Honor and Rank74Ḏāʼl-ʿAhdi waʼl-WafāʾHe Who Makes Promises and Honors Them75Ḏāʼl-ʿAfwi waʼr-RiḍāʾHe Who Pardons and Is Content76Ḏāʼl-Manni waʼl-ʿAṭāʾHe Who Holds All Abundance and Provides77Ḏāʼl-Faṣli waʼl-QaḍāʾHe Who Holds Decision and Judgement78Ḏāʼl-ʿIzzi waʼl-BaqāʾHe Who Is Glorious and Eternal79Ḏāʼl-ʿJūdi waʼs-SakhāʾHe Who Is Liberal and Munificent80Ḏāʼl-ʿĀlāʾi waʼn-NaʿmāʾHe Who Holds All Blessings and Bounties81MāniʿDefender82DāfiʿRepeller83RāfiʿUpgrader84ṢāniʿFashioner85NāfiʿPropitious86SāmiʿHearer87JāmiʿGatherer88ShāfiʿIntercessor89WāsiʿMagnanimous90MūsiʿIncreaser91Ṣāniʿa Kulli MaṣnūʿFashioner of Every Fashioned Thing92Khāliqa Kulli MakhlūqCreator of Every Created Thing93Rāziqa Kulli MarzūqProvider for Every Needy Thing94Mālika Kulli MamlūkSovereign Over All Subjects95Kāshifa Kulli MakrūbDispeller of Every Hardship96Fārija Kulli MahmūmComforter of Every Griever97Rāḥima Kulli MarḥūmMerciful to Every Sufferer98Nāṣira Kulli MakhḏūlHelper of Every Forsaken Thing99Sātira Kulli MaʿyūbConcealer of Every Blemished Thing100Maljaʾa Kulli MaṭrūdShelter for Every Exile Names 101 to 200No.ArabicTransliterationEnglish translation101ʿUddatī ʿinda ShiddatīProvider in My Hardship102Rajāʾī ʿinda MuṣībatīHope in My Misfortune103Muʾnisī ʿinda WaḥshatīCompanion in My Isolation104Ṣāḥibī ʿinda GhurbatīCompanion in My Journey105Waliyyī ʿinda NiʿmatīFriend in My Ease106Ghiyāthī ʿinda KurbatīRescuer From My Trials107Dalīlī ʿinda ḤayratīGuide in My Perplexity108Ghināʾī ʿindaʼftiqārīResource in My Neediness109Maljaʾī ʿindaʼḍṭirārīShelter in My Helplessness110Muʿīnī ʿinda MafzaʿīDeliverer From My Fears111ʿAllāmaʼl-GhuyūbKnower of the Unseen112Ghaffāraʼḏ-ḎunūbForgiver of Wrongdoings113Sattāraʼl-ʿUyūbConcealer of Defects114Kāshifaʼl-KurūbExpeller of Pain115Muqallibaʼl-QulūbChanger of the Hearts116Ṭabībaʼl-QulūbPhysician of the Hearts117Munawwiraʼl-QulūbIlluminator of the Hearts118ʾAnīsaʼl-QulūbIntimate of the Hearts119Mufarrijaʼl-HumūmEliminator of Anxiety120Munaffisaʼl-GhumūmLiberator From Grief121JalīlGlorious122JamīlVirtuous123WakīlProtector124KafīlPatron125DalīlGuide126QabīlGuarantor127MudīlBestower of Wealth128MunīlBestower of Blessings129MuqīlBestower of Strength130MuḥīlAcceptor of Repentance131Dalīlaʼl-MutaḥayyirīnGuide of the Waylaid132Ghiyāthaʼl-MustaghīthīnRescuer of Those Who Appeal133Ṣarīkhaʼl-MustaṣrikhīnHelper of Those Who Call134Jāraʼl-MustajīrīnAider of Those Who Call135ʾAmānaʼl-KhāʾifīnShelter of the Fearful136ʿAwnaʼl-MuʾminīnSuccourer of the Faithful137Rāḥimaʼl-MasākīnMerciful to the Indigent138Maljaʾaʼl-ʿĀṣīnRefuge for the Disobedient139Ghāfiraʼl-MuḏnibīnForgiver of Those Who Sin140Mujība Daʿwatiʼl-MuḍṭarrīnResponder to the Calls of Those in Need141Ḏāʼl-Jūdi waʼl-ʾIḥsānMaster of Liberality and Beneficence142Ḏāʼl-Faḍli waʼl-ʾImtinānHe Who Is Gracious and Obliging143Ḏāʼl-ʾAmni waʼl-ʾAmānMaster of Peace and Security144Ḏāʼl-Qudsi waʼs-SubḥānHe Who Is Holy and Exalted145Ḏāʼl-Ḥikmati waʼl-BayānMaster of Wisdom and Manifestation146Ḏāʼr-Raḥmati waʼr-RiḍwānMaster of Mercy and Satisfaction147Ḏāʼl-Ḥujjati waʼl-BurhānMaster of Argument and Proof148Ḏāʼl-ʿAẓamati waʼs-SulṭānMaster of Grandeur and Sovereignty149Ḏāʼr-Raʾfati waʼl-MustaʿānMaster of Kindness and Aid150Ḏāʼl-ʿAfwi waʼl-GhufrānMaster of Pardon and Forgiveness151Man Huwa Rabbu Kulli ShayʾHe Who Is the Lord Over All Things152Man Huwa ʾIlāhu Kulli ShayʾHe Who Is the God of All Things153Man Huwa Khāliqu Kulli ShayʾHe Who Is the Creator of All Things154Man Huwa Ṣāniʿu Kulli ShayʾHe Who Is the Fashioner of All Things155Man Huwa Qabla Kulli ShayʾHe Who Is the Predecessor of All Things156Man Huwa Baʿda Kulli ShayʾHe Who Is the Successor of All Things157Man Huwa Fawqa Kulli ShayʾHe Who Is Above All Things158Man Huwa ʿĀlimun Bikulli ShayʾHe Who Is Knowledged on All Things159Man Huwa Qādirun ʿalā Kulli ShayʾHe Who Is Powerful Over All Things160Man Huwa Yabqā wa Yafnā Kullu ShayʾHe Who Is the Sustainer and Extinguisher of All Things161MuʾminSecurer162MuhayminProtector163MukawwinBestower of Being164MulaqqinBestower of Knowledge165MubayyinManifester166MuhawwinFacilitator167MumakkinProvider of Place168MuzayyinAdorner169MuʿlinProclaimer170MuqsimDistributor171Man Huwa fī Mulkihi MuqīmHe Who Is Everlasting in His Kingdom172Man Huwa fī Sulṭānihi QadīmHe Who Is Eternal in His Sovereignty173Man Huwa fī Jalālihi ʿAẓīmHe Who Is Greatest in His Grandeur174Man Huwa ʿalā ʿIbādihi RaḥīmHe Who Is Merciful to His Servants175Man Huwa Bikulli Shayʾin ʿAlīmHe Who Is Aware of Everything176Man Huwa Biman ʿAṣāhu ḤalīmHe Who Is Forbearing Towards the Disobedient177Man Huwa Biman Rrajāhu KarīmHe Who Is Generous to the Beseechers178Man Huwa fī Ṣunʿihi ḤakīmHe Who Is Wise Over What He Has Fashioned179Man Huwa fī Ḥikmatihi LaṭīfHe Who Is Subtle in His Wisdom180Man Huwa fī Luṭfihi QadīmHe Who Is Eternal in His Kindness181Man Llā Yurjā ʾIllā FaḍluhHe From Whom Nothing Is Expected but His Favor182Man Llā Yusʾalu ʾIllā ʿAfwuhHe From Whom Nothing Is Asked but His Pardon183Man Llā Yunẓaru ʾIllā BirruhHe From Whom Nothing Comes Out but His Goodness184Man Llā Yukhāfu ʾIllā ʿAdluhHe Who Is Not Feared but for His Justice185Man Llā Yadūmu ʾIllā MulkuhHe Except Whose No Kingdom Is Eternal186Man Llā Sulṭāna ʾIllā SulṭānuhHe Except Whose No Sovereignty Is Prevailing187Man Wwasiʿat Kulla Shayʾin RraḥmatuhHe Whose Mercy Encompasses Everything188Man Sabaqat Raḥmatuhu GhaḍabahHe Whose Mercy Surpasses His Wrath189Man ʾAḥāṭa Bikulli Shayʾin ʿIlmuhHe Whose Knowledge Encompasses Everything190Man Llaysa ʾAḥadun MithlahHe Who Has No Equal191Fārijaʼl-HamRemover of Anxiety192Kāshifaʼl-GhamDispeller of Sorrow193Ghāfiraʼḏ-ḎanbForgiver of Wrongdoings194Qābilaʼt-TawbAcceptor of Repentance195Khāliqaʼl-KhalqCreator of Creations196Ṣādiqaʼl-WaʿdTruthful in Promises197Mūfiyaʼl-ʿAhdAccomplisher of Covenants198ʿĀlimaʼs-SirKnower of Secrets199Fāliqaʼl-ḤabSplitter of Seed200Rāziqaʼl-ʾAnāmProvider for Creatures
Descriptions Sunni and Shiite scholars have written commentaries on the prayer of Jowshan Kabir. The most famous commentary is the commentary of Mullah Hadi Sabzevari. This description is partly mystical and philosophical . Sabzevari has testified to Persian and Arabic poems based on prayer verses and has referred to Firoozabadi's dictionary of lexicon for lexical issues. He has also raised philosophical, mystical, and theological issues on a variety of occasions
Recitation Muslims often read the Jawshan kabir in Laylat al-Qadr in Ramadan but some Hadiths recommend reading it at the beginning of Ramadan. Imam Ali said to his son, Husayn ibn Ali, to memorize and write this supplication on his kafan (burial shroud). Also, there are several hadiths from the prophet Muhammad that state that whoever recites this prayer will receive rewards in the world and Akhirah. Abbas Qumi wrote the prayer in his book Mafatih al-Janan.
Writing