عَن عثمانَ بنِ حُنَيفٍ قَالَ
إِنَّ رَجُلًا ضَرِيرَ الْبَصَرِ أَتَى النَّبِيَّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ فَقَالَ: ادْعُ اللَّهَ أَنْ يُعَافِيَنِي فَقَالَ: «إِنْ شِئْتَ دَعَوْتُ وَإِنْ شِئْتَ صَبَرْتَ فَهُوَ خَيْرٌ لَكَ».
قَالَ: فَادْعُهُ قَالَ: فَأَمَرَهُ أَنْ يَتَوَضَّأَ فَيُحْسِنَ الْوُضُوءَ وَيَدْعُو بِهَذَا الدُّعَاءِ: «اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ وَأَتَوَجَّهُ إِلَيْكَ بِنَبِيِّكَ مُحَمَّدٍ نَبِيِّ الرَّحْمَةِ إِنِّي تَوَجَّهْتُ بِكَ إِلَى رَبِّي لِيَقْضِيَ لِي فِي حَاجَتِي هَذِهِ اللهُمَّ فشفّعْه فيَّ»
He then commanded him to perform ablution, doing it well, and make this supplication, “O God, I make request of Thee and I turn towards Thee by means of Thy prophet Muhammad, the prophet of mercy. By means of you 1 have turned towards my Lord to accomplish for me this need of mine. O God, make him an intercessor for me.” 1. bika.
This would seem here to refer to the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), although by itself it might naturally be taken to refer to God. The sentence which precedes certainly suggests that it must refer to the Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam), in which case the translation might go, “by means of whom I have turned towards my Lord.” Changes of pronouns in Arabic often present difficulties to the translator.