Dua Jawshan al-Kabir — The Great Armour

The Armour of Names

Jawshan (جَوشَن) means armour in Arabic. This dua is called “the Great Armour” because it is a protection for the believer — a shield woven from the most exalted names and attributes of Allah, worn around the heart rather than the body.

Jawshan al-Kabir contains 100 sections (fasl), each with 10 divine names or attributes, for a total of 1000 invocations. Each section closes with the same refrain:

The Central Refrain

سُبْحَانَكَ يَا لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ الغَوثُ الغَوثُ خَلِّصنا مِنَ النَّار

Subḥānaka yā lā ilāha illā anta, al-ghawth al-ghawth, khalliṣnā min an-nār

“Glory be to You! There is no god but You. Help, help — save us from the Fire!”

This refrain — al-ghawth al-ghawth (Help! Help!) — is the soul of the dua. It expresses the creature’s absolute dependence on the Creator, calling to Allah not merely as the Mighty but as the One who helps and saves.

The Origin

The dua is narrated in chains from Imam Ali ibn al-Husain Zayn al-Abidin (AS), who received it from his father Imam Husain (AS), who received it from the Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

The narration describes the occasion:

On the night of the battle of Badr (or in another version, during a campaign), the Prophet (SAW) was wearing heavy armour that caused him pain. The Angel Jibreel (AS) descended and said: “O Muhammad, your Lord sends salaams upon you and says: ‘Take off the armour and recite this supplication — it will be your protection and the protection of your community.’” Jibreel then taught the Prophet Jawshan al-Kabir, and through him it was transmitted to the Ahl al-Bayt and preserved by the Imams.

This narration is preserved in Mafatih al-Jinan (Keys of Paradise) by Sheikh Abbas al-Qummi, the primary collection of Shia supplications, and transmitted through the dawat tradition.

Structure

The 100 sections (fusl) each begin with a cluster of 10 of Allah’s names or attributes, organized by theme. The groups include:

Each section is a meditation, not merely a list. Reciting each cluster of names slowly — letting each attribute land in the heart before moving to the refrain — is the traditional mode of recitation.

When is it Recited?

In the Bohra tradition and across the broader Shia world, Jawshan al-Kabir is especially recited:

1. On the 15th night of Sha’ban (Laylat al-Nisf min Sha’ban — the midpoint night before Ramadan)
2. During the last ten nights of Ramadan, especially the odd nights of Laylat al-Qadr (19th, 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th)
3. On Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha mornings, as a protection and gratitude
4. On Eid al-Ghadir and other great Shia occasions
5. After midnight prayers (Tahajjud) during any blessed period

The full recitation takes approximately 45–60 minutes. In group settings (majlis), it may be recited communally.

The Opening Section

The first section invokes Allah through ten of His essential names:

يَا اللّٰهُ، يَا رَحمَنُ، يَا رَحِيمُ، يَا كَرِيمُ، يَا مُقِيمُ يَا عَظِيمُ، يَا قَدِيمُ، يَا عَلِيمُ، يَا حَلِيمُ، يَا حَكِيمُ

Yā Allāh, yā Raḥmān, yā Raḥīm, yā Karīm, yā Muqīm yā ʿAẓīm, yā Qadīm, yā ʿAlīm, yā Ḥalīm, yā Ḥakīm

“O Allah! O Most Merciful! O Especially Merciful! O Most Generous! O Eternal Sustainer! O Great! O Ancient! O All-Knowing! O Forbearing! O Wise!”

Followed by:

سُبْحَانَكَ يَا لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنتَ الغَوثُ الغَوثُ خَلِّصنا مِنَ النَّار

Why This Dua Matters in the Bohra Tradition

In the Ismaili Fatimi ta’wil tradition, the Jawshan is not merely a prayer but a spiritual cosmology expressed as supplication. Each cluster of divine names maps onto different aspects of Allah’s self-revelation:

• The names of mercy (raḥmān, raḥīm, ghafūr) reveal Allah’s aspect that draws creation toward Him
• The names of power (qādir, muqtadir, qahhar) reveal His governance of existence
• The names of beauty (jamīl, ḥamīd, wadūd) reveal the divine aesthetic dimension
• The names of majesty (jalīl, ʿaẓīm, kabīr) reveal the dimension that overwhelms the created

Reciting the Jawshan is thus — in the ta’wil understanding — a journey through the spectrum of divine revelation, from creation to return, from the outward zahir to the innermost batin.

The Dai al-Mutlaq’s guidance on reciting it with full attention, wudhu, and contemplative presence reflects this deeper dimension.

Where to Find the Full Text

The complete Arabic text of Dua Jawshan al-Kabir with full transliteration is found in:

• Mafatih al-Jinan (Keys of Paradise) — Sheikh Abbas al-Qummi — the standard Shia supplication collection
• Dawat prayer books distributed through FAIZ and Jamaat-ul-Muslimeen channels
• Ashara waaz settings, where portions may be recited
• Arabic mobile apps: Mafaheem, Wirduna, Al-Duaa app (Mafatih al-Jinan collections)

The Bohra community typically follows the dawat-distributed text for this dua, which may have specific Bohra recitation traditions for certain sections.

A Closing Note

Dua Jawshan al-Kabir belongs to the category of duas the Imams called “dua that illuminates the heart” — not merely a request list but a form of dhikr (remembrance) that gradually transforms the reciter. Each of Allah’s 1000 names, contemplated in turn, opens a window of ma’rifa (knowing) — knowing Who it is we are turning to.

The last lines of the dua are traditionally:

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسأَلُكَ بِاسمِكَ الَّذِي بِهِ أَشرَقَت السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالأَرَض وَبِهِ يُقَامُ الوَزنُ وَيُوضَعُ الكِتَاب أَن تَكتُبَنِي مِمَّن تَجَاوَزتَ عَنهُ وَغَفَرتَ لَه

“O Allah, I ask You by Your name through which the heavens and earth are illuminated, by which the scale is set up and the Book is laid down — to inscribe me among those You have pardoned and forgiven.”

May Allah make us among those who call upon Him by His most beautiful names and find His mercy ever encompassing. آمين