The Prayer of Need
Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 1|Book 1|Chapter 83
رَوَى سَمَاعَةُ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «إِنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ إِذَا مَرِضَ دَعَا اَلطَّبِيبَ وَ أَعْطَاهُ وَ إِذَا كَانَتْ لَهُ حَاجَةٌ إِلَى سُلْطَانٍ رَشَا اَلْبَوَّابَ وَ أَعْطَاهُ وَ لَوْ أَنَّ أَحَدَكُمْ إِذَا فَدَحَهُ أَمْرٌ فَزِعَ إِلَى اَللَّهِ تَعَالَى فَتَطَهَّرَ وَ تَصَدَّقَ بِصَدَقَةٍ قَلَّتْ أَوْ كَثُرَتْ ثُمَّ دَخَلَ اَلْمَسْجِدَ فَصَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ فَحَمِدَ اَللَّهَ وَ أَثْنَى عَلَيْهِ وَ صَلَّى عَلَى اَلنَّبِيِّ وَ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ عَلَيْهِمُ اَلسَّلاَمُ ثُمَّ قَالَ اَللَّهُمَّ إِنْ عَافَيْتَنِي مِنْ مَرَضِي أَوْ رَدَدْتَنِي مِنْ سَفَرِي أَوْ عَافَيْتَنِي مِمَّا أَخَافُ مِنْ كَذَا وَ كَذَا إِلاَّ آتَاهُ اَللَّهُ ذَلِكَ وَ هِيَ اَلْيَمِينُ اَلْوَاجِبَةُ وَ مَا جَعَلَ اَللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وتَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ فِي اَلشُّكْرِ».
Sama’a narrated from Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq عليه السلام that He said: "When one of you falls ill, he calls for the physician and pays him. When someone has a need from a ruler, he bribes the gatekeeper and gives him. However, if one of you is struck by an overwhelming concern and turns to Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Exalted, purifies himself (performs ablution), gives charity (whether small or large), then enters the mosque, prays two units (rak'ahs) of prayer, praises and glorifies Allah سبحانه وتعالى, and invokes blessings upon the Prophet صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم and his family عليه السلام, then says: 'O’ Allah سبحانه وتعالى, if You cure me of my illness, or return me safely from my journey, or protect me from what I fear of such and such (mentioning the specific concern),' Allah سبحانه وتعالى would grant him that. This is the binding oath, and it is what Allah سبحانه وتعالى, the Blessed and Exalted, has made incumbent upon one as an expression of gratitude."
- Ṣaḥīḥ al-Faqīh