A historical reflection on the prayer of "God bless your servant and successor"

There is a Duʿā’ attributed to Imam Rezā (PBUH) for Qunut of Friday prayer (Salāt al-Jumuʿah) in Misbah al-Motehajjed by Shaikh al-Tusi (D. 1067 A.D.). This supplication contains many phrases which could be known as Duʿāʾ for Imam Mahdi`s health or his advent; accordingly, nowadays recited in Shiā communities for asking God to fulfill The Promised Advent. This article, first of all reviews the old ritual of praying for the governor in the Friday prayer, and secondly, presents many similar Duʿā’s starting with the same introductory phrase as that of al-Tusi`s Duʿāʾ (Allāhomma Aslih Abdak wa Khalifatak) in Sunni literature, therefore, it apperceives this phrase as a widely circulated slogan of political obedience to the Islamic rulers and praying for them, which had been officially recited in Friday rituals, from Umayyad dynasty till, at least, the late Abbasid era. By elucidating this background, the article seeks for a more accurate meaning of this Duʿā, in Imam Rezā’s lifetime.