The term “hirz” refers to a part of a verse, remembrance or dhikr, invocations, supplications, and prayers that people recite or carry in written form to protect their lives and property from harm or to ward off calamities and afflictions.
In terminological terms, a hirz is a written text. It contains specific invocations for repelling calamities and afflictions. It is similar to a talisman (ta’weedh) and amulet or a part of it, provided it adheres to religious customs. Zamakhshari states that using hirz in this context is permissible.
Additionally, using hirz to protect against harm from demons and jinn, as well as for healing, was common among Sufis. For instance, Abu Sa’id Abu’l-Khayr composed a quatrain and wrote commentaries on it called “Hura’iyya.” This quatrain was a hirz (protective prayer) that Abu Sa’id recited for the recovery of his teacher, who was bedridden.
Ibn Arabi also attributed a hirz to the prophet Solomon, son of David. However, hirz is more prevalent in Shia culture than in other Muslim communities. The abundance of hirz, talismans, amulets, and protective prayers recorded in Shia books of supplication and hadith is an evidence of this.
Hirz vary in length, ranging from a few words like the Hirz of Khadija to longer versions attributed to Imams like Imam Sajjad (a.s.) and Imam Sadiq (a.s.).
Some hirz are verses from the Quran, like Ayat al-Kursi and the verse “Wa In Yakadu,” known as “Ayat al-Hirz.” The Prophet (S) stated that anyone who recites 33 verses from the Quran at night will protect themselves from thieves and wild animals. This practice ensures that they, along with their family and possessions, will stay safe and secure until morning.
Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s.) also used Quranic verses as a hirz for his son Musa. They would recite and use them as a talisman (ta’weedh).
Other commonly repeated verses in hirz:
- Surah Tawbah (9:129)
- Surah Saba (34:2)
- Surah Ya-Sin (36:9)
- Surah A’raf (7:119)
- Surah Baqarah (2:18)
- Surah Isra (17:45-46)
- Surah Nahl (16:108)
- Surah Jathiya (45:23)
- Surah Kahf (18:57)
- Surah Kahf (18:39)
- Surah Baqarah (2:137)
- Surah Mu’minun (23:98-99)
- Surah Mujadila (58:21)
- Surah Yusuf (12:64)
- Surah Al Imran (3:18)
- Surah Qasas (28:35)
- Surah Taha (20:46)
- Surah Hud (11:88)
- Surah Al Imran (3:126)
- Surah Anbiya (21:69-70)
- Surah Taha (20:108)
- Surah Yusuf (12:54)
- Surah Hashr (from verse 21 “If We had sent down this Quran upon a mountain…” til the end)
- Surah Maryam (19:18)
Some hirz also include common invocations among Muslims, such as “La ilaha illallah,” “Subhanallah,” “Alhamdulillah,” “Masha’Allah,” “La hawla wa la quwwata illa billah,” and “Bismillah al-Rahman al-Raheem.”
Many hirz repeat a number of phrases, showing that these expressions effectively and beneficially contribute to the hirz’s impact and in receiving divine protection.
The phrase “Gabriel on my right, Michael on my left, and Israfil before me” often serves as an invocation for protection, symbolizing the presence of powerful angels guarding the individual from all sides.
The phrase “There is no god but You, glory be to You; surely I am among the wrongdoers;” this is a supplication, often associated with the prayer of Prophet Yunus (Jonah) when he was in the belly of the whale, acknowledging God’s sovereignty and one’s own mistakes or shortcomings.
“آهیا شراهیا آذونی آل شدای من شر ما اخاف و احذر
و اللهم انی اصبحت فی حما ک التی لا استباح و ذمتک الذی لاتخفر و جوارک الذی لایضام ،ما من دابه الا هو آخذ بناصیتها.”
Some Hirz (protective prayers) are not directly derived from the Quran. However, they often contain clear meanings aligned with the Quran, embodying profound monotheistic themes, reliance on God, trust in His eternal power, and a strong emphasis on avoiding seeking refuge in devils, jinn, or spirits.
Hadiths also identify certain actions as hirz, such as carrying the soil of Imam Hussein’s tomb, especially while traveling; using ban tree oil; carrying a cane made from bitter almond wood during travel; engraving specific invocations and dhikrs on a ring’s stone; having an agate stone; and wearing a ring with a yellow agate stone.
The most famous hirz include:
The hirz of Abu Dujana Ansari for protection against jinn and sorcery. This hirz, originally narrated by Sunni transmitters, has found its way into Shia hadith collections in recent centuries
People also know the Hirz of Yamani (حرز یمانی) as Dua Saifi. Scholars have attributed this to Ali ibn Abi Talib (a.s.), and various teachers and articles have narrated this hirz, also referred to as ‘Dua Yamani.’
Iranian speakers, especially Persian-speaking poets, have consistently used the name of this hirz in their language. They have written commentaries on it. In these commentaries, the scholars have discussed the preliminaries and the etiquette of reciting the mentioned prayer, as well as its authenticity and text.
Ruqa’ah al-Jib (حرز رقعه الجیب امام رضا) is another hirz that is attributed to Imam Ali ibn Musa al-Ridha (a.s.) – the eight Imam of the Twelver Shia Islam. They named it this way because a servant named Humayd ibn Qahtaba found it in the pocket of the Imam’s garment while washing it. Another hirz with the same title is also attributed to Imam Ridha.
Hirz Jawad was attributed to Imam Muhammad al-Taqi al-Jawad (a.s.).
He was the ninth Imam of the Twelver Shia Islam. Carrying the hirz of Imam has also been widely practiced among the Shias and Iranians. So much so that the expressions “to be someone’s Hirz of Jawad” or “to make someone your Hirz Jawad” have become idioms meaning “to always be with someone” or “to always have someone with you.”
In books of supplications and hadiths, there are remarkable stories about this Hirz Jawad. It is said that it was written for the first time by Imam Jawad for the Abbasid Caliph – Ma’mun al-Rashid. Muhammad ibn Hassan Ali Shushtari, a scholar from the 12th century and a descendant of Abdullah ibn Hussain Tustari, also wrote an essay for Shah Sultan Husayn Safavi titled “Etiquette of Hirz Jawad.”
[1] Such as the following tradition reported in Al-Kafi, vol.2, p. 87 where it says:
“عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ مَرْوَانَ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ عليه السلام يَقُولُ مَنْ بَلَغَهُ ثَوَابٌ مِنَ اللَّهِ عَلَى عَمَلٍ فَعَمِلَ ذَلِكَ الْعَمَلَ الْتِمَاسَ ذَلِكَ الثَّوَابِ أُوتِيَهُ وَ إِنْ لَمْ يَكُنِ الْحَدِيثُ كَمَا بَلَغَه.”
Imam Baqir, peace be upon him, said: Whoever gets a reward from Allah for performing an act and he performs it in the hope of attaining the reward, God will give him that reward, although that tradition may not be as he has received it.”
- Frequently Asked Questions about the Hirz of Imam Jawad
- Manuscript of the Hirz of Imam Jawad
- Features of the Custom-Made Hirz of Imam Jawad
- Some Benefits of the Hirz of Imam Jawad
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