The holy month of Shaʿban is ascribed to the Holy Prophet who used to observe fasting during it and connect it to the obligatory fasting of Ramadan. He used to say, “Shaʿban is my month; hence, Paradise will be incumbently decided for one who observes fasting on one day of my month.”

اعلم انّ شهر شعبان شهر شريف وهو منسوب الى رسول الله  وكان  يصوم هذا الشّهر ويوصل صيامه بشهر رمضان، وكان  يقول: شعبان شهري من صامَ يوماً من شهري وجبت له الجنّة.

Imam Jaʿfar al-Sadiq is reported to have said: Imam Ali ibn al-Hussein Zayn al-Abidin used to gather all his companions at the beginning of Shaʿban and say to them, “O my companions, do you known what this month is? It is Shaʿban. The Holy Prophet used to say, ‘Shaʿban is my month.’ You should thus fast in this month as a sign of your love for your Prophet and as a sign of seeking nearness to your Lord. I swear by Him Who grasps my soul in His Hand, I heard my father, al-Hussein saying that he heard Imam Ali, the Commander of the Faithful, saying: As for any one who observes fasting in Shaʿban for the love of the Messenger of Allah and for seeking nearness to Almighty Allah, Almighty Allah will love him, draw him near to His honor on the Resurrection Day, and decide Paradise for him incumbently.”

وروى عن الصّادق (عليه السلام) انّه قال: كان السّجاد (عليه السلام) اذا دخل شعبان جمع أصحابه وقال (عليه السلام): يا أصحابي أتدرون ما هذا الشّهر، هذا شهر شعبان وكان النّبي يقول: شعبان شهري، فصوموا هذا الشّهر حُبّاً لنبيّكم وتقرّباً الى ربّكم، أقسم بمن نفسي بيده لقد سمعت أبي الحسين (عليه السلام)يقول: سمعت أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) يقول: من صام شعبان حُبّاً لرسول الله  وتقرّباً الى الله أحبّه الله وقرّبه الى كرامته يوم القيامة وأوجب له الجنّة

Sheikh al-Tusi narrated on the authority of Safwan al-Jammal that Imam al-Sadiq instructed him to urge all people he knew to observe fasting in Shaʿban. “May Allah accept me as ransom for you! There is a reason for this instruction. Is there not?” asked Safwan al-Jammal.

Imam al-Sadiq answered, “Yes, there is. When his eyes fell on the new moon of Shaʿban, the Messenger of Allah ordered a spokesman to declare the following to the people of Medina: O people of Yathrib! I am the messenger of Allah to you all (carrying this message). Verily, Shaʿban is my month; therefore, may Allah have mercy upon him who helps me undertake my month.”

Imam al-Sadiq then added, “Amir al-Mu’minin (Imam Ali) used to say: I have never missed the fasting in Shaʿban since I heard the call of the Messenger of Allah in Shaʿban. Furthermore, I shall never miss it so long as I am alive, God willing.”

Imam al-Sadiq further said, “To fast in two consecutive months is repentance before Almighty Allah.”

وروى الشّيخ عن صفوان الجمّال قال: قال لي الصّادق (عليه السلام) حُثّ من في ناحيتك على صوم شعبان، فقلت: جعلت فداك ترى فيه شيئاً ، فقال: نعم انّ رسول الله  كان اذا رأى هلال شعبان أمر منادياً ينادي في المدينة: يا أهل يثرب انّي رسول رسول الله اليكم ألا انّ شعبان شهري فرحم الله من أعانني على شهري. ثمّ قال انّ أمير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) كان يقول: ما فاتني صوم شعبان منذ سمعت منادي رسول الله (عليه السلام) ينادي في شعبان، ولن يفوتني أيّام حياتي صوم شعبان ان شاء الله تعالى ، ثمّ كان (عليه السلام) يقول: صوم شهرين متتابعين توبة من الله

Ismaeel ibn Abd al-Khaliq narrated that when the subject of observing fasting in Shaʿban was once discussed in the presence of him, Imam Jaʿfar al-Sadiq said, “The merits of observing fasting in Shaʿban are so great that even one who sheds inviolable blood is expected to be forgiven.”

وروى اسماعيل بن عبد الخالق قال: كنت عند الصّادق (عليه السلام)فجرى ذكر صوم شعبان فقال الصّادق (عليه السلام): انّ في فضل صوم شعبان كذا وكذا حتّى انّ الرّجل ليرتكب الدّم الحرام فيغفر له.

GENERAL RITES IN SHAʿBAN

أعمال شهر شعبان العامة

First: It is recommended to say seventy times each day in Shaʿban:

الأوّل: أن يقول في كلّ يوم سبعين مرّة:

I implore for the forgiveness of Allah and I pray Him for approval of my repentance.

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ وَأَسْأَلُهُ التَّوْبَةَ.

Second: It is recommended to say seventy times each day in Shaʿban:

الثّاني: أن يستغفر كلّ يوم سبعين مرّة قائلا:

أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللَّهَ الَّذِي لاَ إِلٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الرَحْمٰنُ الرَّحِيمُ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّوْمُ وَأَتُوبُ إِلَيْهِ

I implore for the forgiveness of Allah. There is no god save Whom, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful, the Ever-living, the Everlasting, and to Him I turn repentant.

ووردت كلمة (الحي القيّوم) في بعض الرّوايات قبل كلمة (الرَّحْمنُ الرَّحيمُ) وبأيّ الروايتين عمل فقد أحسن الاستغفار

However, some narrations mentioned this imploration with some difference in the order of the statements, by preceding the phrase, “alhayyu alqayyumu” to “arrahmanu arrahimu”. At any rate, any form of the supplication is acceptable.

كما يستفاد من الرّوايات أفضل الأدعية والأذكار في هذا الشّهر، ومن استغفر في كلّ يوم من هذا الشّهر سبعين مرّة كان كمن استغفر الله سبعين ألف مرّة في سائر الشّهور

According to narrations, the best words that are advisably said in Shaʿban are the implorations for the forgiveness of Almighty Allah. Hence, to implore for Almighty Allah’s forgiveness seventy times a day in Shaʿban is equal to imploring for His forgiveness seventy thousand times a day in the other months.

الثّالث: أن يتصدّق في هذا الشّهر ولو بنصف تمرة ليحرم الله تعالى جسده على النّار، وعن الصّادق (عليه السلام) انّه سئل عن صوم رجب ، فقال: أين أنتم عن صوم شعبان، فقال له  الراوي: ياابن رسول الله  ما ثواب من صام يوماً من شعبان ؟ فقال: الجنّة والله ، فقال الراوي: ما أفضل ما يفعل فيه ، قال: الصّدقة والاستغفار، ومن تصدّق بصدقة في شعبان رباها الله تعالى كما يربى أحدكم فصيله حتّى يوافى يوم القيامة وقد صار مثل أُحد

Third: It is recommended to give alms in this month even if it is as small as a half date. Almsgiving in this month brings about rescue from Hellfire. In this respect, it has been narrated that when Imam al-Sadiq was asked about the merits of observing fasting in Rajab, he answered, “Why do you not ask about the merits of observing fasting in Shaʿban?”

“What is then the reward of one who observes fasting on one day in Shaʿban?” asked the narrator.

The Imam answered, “The reward will be Paradise. I swear it by Allah.”

The narrator then asked again, “What are the best deeds that should be done in Shaʿban.”

The Imam answered, “Almsgiving and imploring for forgiveness are the best deeds in Shaʿban. Verily, if anyone of you gives alms in Shaʿban, Almighty Allah will breed that alms in the very same way as you breed your small camels. Hence, this alms will be as huge as Mount Uhud on the Resurrection Day.”

الرّابع: أن يقول في شعبان ألف مرّة

Fourth: It is recommended to repeat one thousand times in Shaʿban:

لاَ إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَلاَ نَعْبُدُ إِلَّا إِيَّاهُ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ

There is no god save Allah and we serve none save Him, being sincere to Him in obedience, though the unbelievers are averse.

ولهذا العمل الشّريف أجر عظيم، ويكتب لمن أتى به عبادة ألف سنة

This glorificatory prayer brings about a great reward. One who says it in this month is awarded the like of the the reward for serving Almighty Allah for one thousand years.

الخامس: أن يصلّي في كلّ خميس من شعبان ركعتين يقرء في كلّ ركعة فاتحة الكتاب مرّة وقل هو الله احد مائة مرّة فاذا سلّم صلّى على النّبي وآله مائة مرّة، ليقضي الله له كلّ حاجة من أمور دينه ودنياه، ويستحبّ صيامه ايضاً ففي الحديث تتزيّن السّماوات في كلّ خميس من شعبان فتقول الملائكة: الهنا اغفر لصائمه وأجب دعاءه. وفي النبوي: من صام يوم الاثنين والخميس من شعبان قضى الله له عشرين حاجة من حوائج الدّنيا وعشرين حاجة من حوائج الآخرة

Fifth: It is recommended to offer a two-unit prayer each Thursday in Shaʿban. In each unit, it is recommended to recite Surah al-Fatihah once and repeat Surah al-Tawhid one hundred times. After accomplishment, one should invoke Allah’s blessings upon the Holy Prophet and his Household one hundred times. This rite achieves the granting of all worldly and religious needs.

It is also recommended to observe fasting on Thursdays in Shaʿban. In this respect, a narration reads that the skies decorate themselves each Thursday in Shaʿban and the angels pray Almighty Allah, saying, “O our God, (please do) forgive those who observe fasting on this day and respond to their prayers.”

The Holy Prophet is also reported as saying, “If one observes fasting each Monday and Thursday in Shaʿban, Almighty Allah will grant forty of his needs—twenty appertained to the worldly life and twenty to the Hereafter.”

السّادس: الإكثار في هذا الشّهر من الصّلاة على محمّد وآله

Sixth: It is recommended to repeat very much the invocation of blessings upon the Holy Prophet and his Household.

السّابع: أن يصلّي عند كلّ زوال من ايّام شعبان وفي ليلة النّصف منه بهذه الصّلوات المرويّة عن السّجاد (عليه السلام)

Seventh: It is recommended to say the following invocation of blessings upon the Holy Prophet and his Household that is reported from Imam Ali ibn al-Hussein each midday in Shaʿban and at the fifteenth night of it:

O Allah, (please do) send blessings to Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad; the tree of Prophethood, the trustees of the (Divine) Mission, the frequently visited by the angels, the core of knowledge, and the Household of the Divine Revelation. O Allah, (please do) send blessings to Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad, the sailing ships through the abysmal waves. He who embarks on will be saved but he who abandons will be drowned. He who precedes them will miss the Right Path and he who misses them will lose, but he who adheres to them will win. O Allah, (please do) send blessings to Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad, the impregnable shelter, the succorers of the helpless, distressed ones, the haven of the fugitives, and the asylum of those who seek refuge. O Allah, (please do) send blessings to Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad so many blessings that please them and settle all (our) duties towards Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad, by Your might and power, O Lord of the worlds! O Allah, (please do) send blessings to Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad, the pure, pious, and righteous whose rights have been made incumbent upon us by You and the obedience to whom and whose (divinely ordained) leadership have been (also) deemed obligatory upon us by You. O Allah, (please do) send blessings to Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad, fill my heart with obedience to You, do not disgrace me due to my acts of disobedience to You, and grant me the feeling of sympathy towards those whom You have decided to straiten their sustenance by means of Your favors that You have decided to make expansive for me and by means of that with which You have covered me out of Your fairness. Make me live under Your shade. This is the month of Your Prophet and the Master of Your Messengers. It is Shaʿban, which You have encompassed with Your mercy and pleasure and on which the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him and his Household, used to observe fasting painstakingly and used to spend it with acts of worship on all of its days and nights on account of Your honoring and dignifying this month, up to his death. O Allah, (please do) help us follow the example of him (i.e. the Holy Prophet as regards the honoring of this month) and help us attain his intercession for us. O Allah, (please do) decide him as my interceder (before You) whose intercession for me is acceptable and as my clear path toward You, and make me follow him until I meet You on the Resurrection Day enjoying Your pleasure with me and Your overlooking my sins and thus You will confer upon me with Your mercy and pleasure and allow me to reside in the Eternal Abode and the Place of the Righteous.

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ شَجَرَةِ النُّبُوَّةِ وَمَوضِعِ الرِّسَالَةِ وَمُخْتَلَفِ الْمَلاَئِكَةِ وَمَعْدِنِ الْعِلْمِ وَأَهْلِ بَيْتِ الْوَحْيِ اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْفُلْكِ الْجَارِيَةِ فِي اللُّجَجِ الْغَامِرَةِ يَأْمَنُ مَنْ رَكِبَهَا وَيَغْرَقُ مَنْ تَرَكَهَا الْمُتَقَدِّمُ لَهُمْ مَارِقٌ وَالْمُتَأَخِّرُ عَنْهُمْ زَاهِقٌ وَاللاَّزِمُ لَهُمْ لاَحِقٌ اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْكَهْفِ الْحَصِينِ وَغِيَاثِ الْمُضْطَرِّ الْمُسْتَكِينِ وَمَلْجَإِ الْهَارِبِينَ وَعِصْمَةِ الْمُعْتَصِمِينَ اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلاةً كَثِيرَةً تَكُونُ لَهُمْ رِضاً وَلِحَقِّ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ أَدَاءً وَقَضَاءً بِحَوْلٍ مِنْكَ وَقُوَّةٍ يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ الطَّيِّبِينَ الأَبْرَارِ الأَخْيَارِ الَّذِينَ أَوْجَبْتَ حُقُوقَهُمْ وَفَرَضْتَ طَاعَتَهُمْ وَوِلايَتَهُمْ اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَاعْمُرْ قَلْبِي بِطَاعَتِكَ وَلاَ تُخْزِنِي بِمَعْصِيَتِكَ وَارْزُقْنِي مُوَاسَاةَ مَنْ قَتَّرْتَ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ رِزْقِكَ بِمَا وَسَّعْتَ عَلَيَّ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ وَنَشَرْتَ عَلَيَّ مِنْ عَدْلِكَ وَأَحْيَيْتَنِي تَحْتَ ظِلِّكَ وَهٰذَا شَهْرُ نَبِيِّكَ سَيِّدِ رُسُلِكَ شَعْبَانُ الَّذِي حَفَفْتَهُ مِنْكَ بِالرَّحْمَةِ وَالرِّضْوَانِ الَّذِي كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّىٰ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِهِ وَسَلَّمَ  يَدْأَبُ فِي صِيَامِهِ وَقِيَامِهِ فِي لَيَالِيهِ وَأَيَّامِهِ بُخُوعاً لَكَ فِي إِكْرَامِهِ وَإِعْظَامِهِ  إِلَىٰ مَحَلِّ حِمَامِهِ اللَّهُمَّ فَأَعِنَّا عَلَىٰ الإِسْتِنَانِ بِسُنَّتِهِ فِيهِ وَنَيْلِ الشَّفَاعَةِ لَدَيْهِ اللَّهُمَّ وَاجْعَلْهُ لِي شَفِيعاً مُشَفَّعاً وَطَرِيقاً إِلَيْكَ مَهْيَعاً وَاجْعَلْنِي لَهُ مُتَّبِعاً  حَتَّىٰ أَلْقَاكَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عَنِّي رَاضِياً وَعَنْ ذُنُوبِي غَاضِياً قَدْ أَوْجَبْتَ لِي مِنْكَ الرَّحْمَةَ وَالرِّضْوَانَ وَأَنْزَلْتَنِي دَارَ الْقَرَارِ وَمَحَلِّ الأَخْيَارِ

AL-MUNAJAT AL-SHAʿBANIYYAH

المناجاة الشعبانية

Eighth: It is recommended to say the following confidential prayer that has been narrated by Ibn Khalawayh who commented on it, saying, “This is the confidential prayer of Imam Ali and the Holy Imams who used to say it in the month of Shaʿban.”

الثّامن: أن يقرأ هذه المناجاة التي رواها ابن خالويه وقال انّها مناجاة أمير المؤمنين والائمة من ولده (عليهم السلام) كانوا يدعون بها في شهر شعبان

O Allah, (please do) send blessings to Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad, listen to my prayer whenever I pray You, listen to my call whenever I call upon you, and accept from me whenever I confidentially whisper to You, for here I am fleeing into You, standing before You, showing submission to You, imploring You, and hoping for the reward that You have. You do know what is in my inner self, recognize my needs, recognize my hidden affairs, and all my moves and stillness are known by You. So are all the utterance which I want to begin with, all the requests that I want to express, and all the expectation that I hope for my future. All that which You, O my Master, have decided for me up to the end of my life, including my secret and open matters, shall be experienced by me. And it is in Your Hand, not anybody else’s, are all increase and decrease, and all my benefits and harms that come upon me. O my God, if You deprive me (of Your sustenance), then who else can ever provide me with sustenance? If You disappoint me, then who else can ever back me? O my God, I do seek Your protection against Your wrath and against the befalling of Your ire upon me. O my God, if I do not deserve Your mercy, You are still expected to confer upon me with Your expansive favor. O my God, I now imagine how I will stand before You, shaded by my good idea about You on account of my trust in You, and You will decide for me that which befit You and You will include me with Your forgiveness. O my God, if you pardon me, then who else is worthier than You are in pardoning. If my time of death is approaching while my deeds are still too short to approach me to You, I am then considering my confession of being guilty to be my means towards You. O my God, I have wronged myself when I allowed myself to behave unrestrainedly; therefore, woe will betide me if You do not forgive. O my God, You have never ceased Your favors from me all over my lifetime; so, (please) do not stop Your favors from covering me after my death. O my God, how can I despair of Your nice custody over me after my death while You have not shown me but the good throughout my lifetime? O my God, (please) manage my affairs in the very way that befits You, and confer upon me—a sinful who is covered by his ignorance—with Your favors. O my God, You have concealed my sins in my worldly life, but I need Your concealment more urgently in the Next Life. You have thus not disclosed my sins before any of Your righteous servants; therefore, (please) do not expose me on the Resurrection Day before all the witnesses. O my God, it is Your magnanimity that expanded my hope, and surely Your pardon is more preferable than my deeds. O my God, so (please) delight me when I meet You on the day when You shall judge between Your servants. O my God, I submit to You the apology of one who cannot dispense with the acceptance of his excuse; so, (please) accept my excuse, O most Magnanimous of all those before whom the guilty make an apology. O my God, (please) do not reject my request, do not fail my big hope for You, and do not disappoint my desire and expectation for You. O my God, had You wanted to humiliate me, You would not have guided me (to You). Had You decided to disclose me, You would not have saved me. O my God, I do not expect You to reject my request that I spent my whole lifetime asking for it from You. O my God, all praise be to You, forever, forever, perpetually, everlastingly, increasingly, and unperishably, as exactly as You like and please. O my God, if You punish me for my offense, I shall demand with Your pardon, if You punish me for my sins, I shall demand with Your forgiveness, and if You decide to send me to Hell, I shall declare to its inhabitants that I love You. O my God, if my deed is too little when compared to the true obedience to You, then my hope for You is too big when compared to my prospect from You. O my God, how can it be that I return from You with disappointment and deprivation while I expect, depending upon Your magnanimity, that You will endow me with safety and mercy? O my God, I have spent my whole lifetime with the vigor of being negligent to You and I have spent my whole youth with the inebriety of being far away from You. O my God, I have not thus woken up to myself during the period when I seductively felt safe from Your punishment and when I was taking the path that ends with Your ire. O my God, nevertheless, I am—Your servant and the son of Your servant—now standing before You and begging You in the name of Your generosity. O my God, I am, being Your servant, disowning all that with which I used to face You; namely, my shameless inconsideration of You, and I am hereby appealing for Your pardon since pardon is one feature of Your generosity. O my God, I had no strength by which I would rid myself of the acts of disobedience to You except after You aroused me to love You. Hence, I have become as exactly as You want me to be. I have thus thanked You, for You have included me with Your generosity and You have purified my heart from the filths of being inattentive to You. O my God, (please) look at me in the same way as You have looked at one whom You called and he has responded to You and whom You have conferred with Your aid and he thus has obeyed You. O He Who is too close to depart from one who is inadvertent to Him! O He Who is too magnanimous to deprive one who hopes for His reward! O my God, (please) grant me a heart whose longing for You will approach it to You, a tongue whose truthfulness is directed to You, and a sight whose righteousness advances towards You. O my God, he who recognizes You shall never be anonymous, he who seeks Your shelter shall never be disappointed, and he whom is attended by You shall never be boring. O my God, he who abides by Your Path shall be enlightened, and he who resorts to You shall be succored. I am thus having recourse to You, O my God! So, (please) do not disappoint me as regards Your having mercy upon me and do not divest me of Your kindness. O my God, grant me, among those who show servitude to You, the position of one who (incessantly) longs for more love for You. O my God, (please) inspire me with passionate love for ceaseless reference to You, and (please) devote all my pursuit to my attaining the delight of the success that is achieved through Your Names and the amount of Your Holiness. O my God, I beseech You in Your name to put me in the position of those who are obedient to You and in an honorable standing of Your pleasure, for I, verily, have no power to rescue or to benefit myself. O my God, I am Your servant—the feeble and sinful— and Your slave—the penitent.  So, (please) do not include me with those against whom You have turned Your face or those whom are deprived of Your pardon because of their inattentiveness to You. O my God, (please) grant me absolute devotion to You and illuminate the sights of our hearts with the light of observing of You so that the sights of the hearts will penetrate the Screens of Light and arrive at the Core of Magnificence, and that our souls hang to the Majesty of Your Holiness. O my God, (please) make me of those who responded to You when You called at them, those who were shocked for Your Majesty when You observed them and You have thus taken into their confidence and they acted for You openly. O my God, I have shaded neither despair nor gloom over my good idea about You and I have never lost hope in Your excellent magnanimity. O my God, if my sins have overthrown me in Your sight, then please pardon me for my excellent trust in You. O my God, if my wrongdoings have caused me to lose Your honorable kindness, then my belief in You has called my attention to the generosity of Your sympathy. O my God, if my inadvertence has screened me against readying myself for meeting You,  then my recognition of the generosity of Your bounties has awakened me. O my God, if Your grave chastisement has drawn me to Hellfire, then Your opulent reward has drawn me to Paradise. O my God, You alone do I pray and You alone do I implore and desire. I beseech You to bless Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad and to include me with those who always mention You, who never breach their covenant to You, who never fail to thank You, and who never belittle Your Affairs. O my God, (please do) take in me with the most brilliant Light of Your Dignity so that I will recognize You and I will leave everybody else, and that I will be fearful of and careful with You. O Lord of Majesty and Honor! May Allah send blessings to Muhammad, His Messenger, and upon his Household the Infallible, and exalt them very much.

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَاسْمَعْ دُعَائِي إِذَا دَعَوْتُكَ وَاسْمَعْ نِدَائِي إِذَا نَادَيْتُكَ وَأَقْبِلْ عَلَيَّ إِذَا نَاجَيْتُكَ  فَقَدْ هَرَبْتُ إِلَيْكَ وَوَقَفْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ مُسْتَكِيناً لَكَ مُتَضَرِّعاً إِلَيْكَ رَاجِياً لِمَا لَدَيْكَ ثَوَابِي وَتَعْلَمُ مَا فِي نَفْسِي وَتَخْبُرُ حَاجَتِي وَتَعْرِفُ ضَمِيرِي وَلاَ يَخْفَىٰ عَلَيْكَ أَمْرُ مُنْقَلَبِي وَمَثْوَايَ وَمَا أُرِيدُ أَنْ أُبْدِئَ بِهِ مِنْ مَنْطِقِي وَأَتَفَوَّهَ بِهِ مِنْ طَلِبَتِي وَأَرْجُوهُ لِعَاقِبَتِي وَقَدْ جَرَتْ مَقَادِيرُكَ عَلَيَّ يَا سَيِّدِي فِيمَا يَكُونُ مِنِّي إِلَىٰ آخِرِ عُمْرِي مِنْ سَرِيرَتِي وَعَلانِيَتِي وَبِيَدِكَ لاَ بِيَدِ غَيْرِكَ زِيَادَتِي وَنَقْصِي وَنَفْعِي وَضَرِّي إِلٰهِي إِنْ حَرَمْتَنِي فَمَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَرْزُقُنِي وَإِنْ خَذَلْتَنِي فَمَنْ ذَا الَّذِي يَنْصُرُنِي إِلٰهِي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ غَضَبِكَ وَحُلُولِ سَخَطِكَ إِلٰهِي إِنْ كُنْتُ غَيْرَ مُسْتَأْهِلٍ لِرَحْمَتِكَ فَأَنْتَ أَهْلٌ أَنْ تَجُودَ عَلَيَّ بِفَضْلِ سَعَتِكَ إِلٰهِي كَأَنِّي بِنَفْسِي وَاقِفَةٌ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ وَقَدْ أَظَلَّهَا حُسْنُ تَوَكُّلِي عَلَيْكَ فَقُلْتَ مَا أَنْتَ أَهْلُهُ وَتَغَمَّدْتَنِي بِعَفْوِكَ إِلٰهِي إِنْ عَفَوْتَ فَمَنْ أَوْلَىٰ مِنْكَ بِذٰلِكَ وَإِنْ كَانَ قَدْ دَنَا أَجَلِي وَلَمْ يُدْنِنِي مِنْكَ عَمَلِي فَقَدْ جَعَلْتُ الإِقْرَارَ بِالذَّنْبِ إِلَيْكَ وَسِيلَتِي إِلٰهِي قَدْ جُرْتُ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِي فِي النَّظَرِ لَهَا فَلَهَا الْوَيْلُ إِنْ لَمْ تَغْفِرْ لَهَا إِلٰهِي لَمْ يَزَلْ بِرُّكَ عَلَيَّ أَيَّامَ حَيَاتِي فَلاَ تَقْطَعْ بِرَّكَ عَنِّي فِي مَمَاتِي إِلٰهِي كَيفَ آيَسُ مِنْ حُسْنِ نَظَرِكَ لِي بَعْدَ مَمَاتِي وَأَنْتَ لَمْ تُوَلِّنِي إِلَّا الْجَمِيلَ فِي حَيَاتِي إِلٰهِي تَوَلَّ مِنْ أَمْرِي مَا أَنْتَ أَهْلُهُ وَعُدْ عَلَيَّ بِفَضْلِكَ عَلَىٰ مُذْنِبٍ قَدْ غَمَرَهُ جَهْلُهُ إِلٰهِي قَدْ سَتَرْتَ عَلَيَّ ذُنُوباً فِي الدُّنْيَا وَأَنَا أَحْوَجُ إِلَىٰ سَتْرِهَا عَلَيَّ مِنْكَ فِي الأُخْرَىٰ إِذْ لَمْ تُظْهِرْهَا لأَحَدٍ مِنْ عِبَادِكَ الصَّالِحِينَ فَلاَ تَفْضَحْنِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عَلَىٰ رُؤُوسِ الأَشْهَادِ إِلٰهِي جُودُكَ بَسَطَ أَمَلِي وَعَفْوُكَ أَفْضَلُ مِنْ عَمَلِي إِلٰهِي فَسُرَّنِي بِلِقَائِكَ يَوْمَ تَقْضِي فِيهِ بَيْنَ عِبَادِكَ إِلٰهِي اعْتِذَارِي إِلَيْكَ اعْتِذَارُ مَنْ لَمْ يَسْتَغْنِ عَنْ قَبُولِ عُذْرِهِ فَاقْبَلْ عُذْرِي يَا أَكْرَمَ مَنِ اعْتَذَرَ إِلَيْهِ الْمُسِيئُونَ إِلٰهِي لاَ تَرُدَّ حَاجَتِي وَلاَ تُخَيِّبْ طَمَعِي وَلاَ تَقْطَعْ مِنْكَ رَجَائِي وَأَمَلِي إِلٰهِي لَوْ أَرَدْتَ هَوَانِي لَمْ تَهْدِنِي وَلَوْ أَرَدْتَ فَضِيحَتِي لَمْ تُعَافِنِي إِلٰهِي مَا أَظُنُّكَ تَرُدُّنِي فِي حَاجَةٍ قَدْ أَفْنَيْتُ عُمْرِي فِي طَلَبِهَا مِنْكَ إِلٰهِي فَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ أَبَداً أَبَداً دَائِماً سَرْمَداً يَزِيدُ وَلاَ يَبِيدُ كَمَا تُحِبُّ وَتَرْضَىٰ إِلٰهِي إِنْ أَخَذْتَنِي بِجُرْمِي أَخَذْتُكَ بِعَفْوِكَ وَإِنْ أَخَذْتَنِي بِذُنُوبِي أَخَذْتُكَ بِمَغْفِرَتِكَ وَإِنْ أَدْخَلْتَنِي النَّارَ أَعْلَمْتُ أَهْلَهَا أَنِّي أُحِبُّكَ إِلٰهِي إِنْ كَانَ صَغُرَ فِي جَنْبِ طَاعَتِكَ عَمَلِي فَقَدْ كَبُرَ فِي جَنْبِ رَجَائِكَ أَمَلِي إِلٰهِي كَيْفَ أَنْقَلِبُ مِنْ عِنْدِكَ بِالْخَيْبَةِ مَحْرُوماً وَقَدْ كَانَ حُسْنُ ظَنِّي بِجُودِكَ أَنْ تَقْلِبَنِي بِالنَّجَاةِ مَرْحُوماً إِلٰهِي وَقَدْ أَفْنَيْتُ عُمْرِي فِي شِرَّةِ السَّهْوِ عَنْكَ وَأَبْلَيْتُ شَبَابِي فِي سَكْرَةِ التَّبَاعُدِ مِنْكَ إِلٰهِي فَلَمْ أَسْتَيْقِظْ أَيَّامَ اغْتِرَارِي بِكَ وَرُكُونِي إِلَىٰ سَبِيلِ سَخَطِكَ إِلٰهِي وَأَنَا عَبْدُكَ وَابْنُ عَبْدِكَ قَائِمٌ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ مُتَوَسِّلٌ بِكَرَمِكَ إِلَيْكَ إِلٰهِي أَنَا عَبْدٌ أَتَنَصَّلُ إِلَيْكَ مِمَّا كُنْتُ أُوَاجِهُكَ بِهِ مِنْ قِلَّةِ اسْتِحْيَائِي مِنْ نَظَرِكَ وَأَطْلُبُ الْعَفْوَ مِنْكَ إِذِ الْعَفْوُ نَعْتٌ لِكَرَمِكَ إِلٰهِي لَمْ يَكُنْ لِي حَوْلٌ فَأَنْتَقِلَ بِهِ عَنْ مَعْصِيَتِكَ إِلَّا فِي وَقْتٍ أَيْقَظْتَنِي لِمَحَبَّتِكَ وَكَمَا أَرَدْتَ أَنْ أَكُونَ كُنْتُ فَشَكَرْتُكَ بِإِدْخَالِي فِي كَرَمِكَ وَلِتَطْهِيرِ قَلْبِي مِنْ أَوْسَاخِ الْغَفْلَةِ عَنْكَ إِلٰهِي انْظُرْ إِلَيَّ نَظَرَ مَنْ نَادَيْتَهُ فَأَجَابَكَ وَاسْتَعْمَلْتَهُ بِمَعُونَتِكَ فَأَطَاعَكَ يَا قَرِيباً لاَ يَبْعُدُ عَنِ الْمُغْتَرِّ بِهِ وَيَا جَوَاداً لاَ يَبْخَلُ عَمَّنْ رَجَا ثَوَابَهُ إِلٰهِي هَبْ لِي قَلْباً يُدْنِيهِ مِنْكَ شَوْقُهُ وَلِسَاناً يُرْفَعُ إِلَيْكَ صِدْقُهُ وَنَظَراً يُقَرِّبُهُ مِنْكَ حَقُّهُ إِلٰهِي إِنَّ مَنْ تَعَرَّفَ بِكَ غَيْرُ مَجْهُولٍ وَمَنْ لاَذَ بِكَ غَيْرُ مَخْذُولٍ وَمَنْ أَقْبَلْتَ عَلَيْهِ غَيْرُ مَمْلُولٍ إِلٰهِي إِنَّ مَنِ انْتَهَجَ بِكَ لَمُسْتَنِيرٌ وَإِنَّ مَنِ اعْتَصَمَ بِكَ لَمُسْتَجِيرٌ وَقَدْ لُذْتُ بِكَ يَا إِلٰهِي فَلاَ تُخَيِّبْ ظَنِّي مِنْ رَحْمَتِكَ وَلاَ تَحْجُبْنِي عَنْ رَأْفَتِكَ إِلٰهِي أَقِمْنِي فِي أَهْلِ وِلايَتِكَ مُقَامَ مَنْ رَجَا الزِّيَادَةَ مِنْ مَحَبَّتِكَ إِلٰهِي وَأَلْهِمْنِي وَلَهاً بِذِكْرِكَ إِلَىٰ ذِكْرِكَ وَهِمَّتِي فِي رَوْحِ نَجَاحِ أَسْمَائِكَ وَمَحَلِّ قُدْسِكَ إِلٰهِي بِكَ عَلَيْكَ إِلَّا أَلْحَقْتَنِي بِمَحَلِّ أَهْلِ طَاعَتِكَ وَالْمَثْوَىٰ الصَّالِحِ مِنْ مَرْضَاتِكَ فَإِنِّي لاَ أَقْدِرُ لِنَفْسِي دَفْعاً وَلاَ أَمْلِكُ لَهَا نَفْعاً إِلٰهِي أَنَا عَبْدُكَ الضَّعِيفُ الْمُذْنِبُ وَمَمْلُوكُكَ الْمُنِيبُ  فَلاَ تَجْعَلْنِي مِمَّنْ صَرَفْتَ عَنْهُ وَجْهَكَ وَحَجَبَهُ سَهْوُهُ عَنْ عَفْوِكَ إِلٰهِي هَبْ لي كَمَالَ الاِنْقِطَاعِ إِلَيْكَ وَأَنِرْ أَبْصَارَ قُلُوبِنَا بِضِيَاءِ نَظَرِهَا إِلَيْكَ حَتَّىٰ تَخْرِقَ أَبْصَارُ الْقُلُوبِ حُجُبَ النُّورِ فَتَصِلَ إِلَىٰ مَعْدِنِ الْعَظَمَةِ وَتَصِيرَ أَرْوَاحُنَا مُعَلَّقَةً بِعِزِّ قُدْسِكَ إِلٰهِي وَاجْعَلْنِي مِمَّنْ نَادَيْتَهُ فَأَجَابَكَ وَلاحَظْتَهُ فَصَعِقَ لِجَلالِكَ فَنَاجَيْتَهُ سِرّاً وَعَمِلَ لَكَ جَهْراً إِلٰهِي لَمْ أُسَلِّطْ عَلَىٰ حُسْنِ ظَنِّي قُنُوطَ الأَيَاسِ وَلاَ انْقَطَعَ رَجَائِي مِنْ جَمِيلِ كَرَمِكَ إِلٰهِي إِنْ كَانَتِ الْخَطَايَا قَدْ أَسْقَطَتْنِي لَدَيْكَ فَاصْفَحْ عَنِّي بِحُسْنِ تَوَكُّلِي عَلَيْكَ إِلٰهِي إِنْ حَطَّتْنِيَ الذُّنُوبُ مِنْ مَكَارِمِ لُطْفِكَ فَقَدْ نَبَّهَنِي الْيَقِينُ إِلَىٰ كَرَمِ عَطْفِكَ إِلٰهِي إِنْ أَنَامَتْنِيَ الْغَفْلَةُ عَنِ الإِسْتِعْدَادِ لِلِقَائِكَ فَقَدْ نَبَّهَتْنِي الْمَعْرِفَةُ بِكَرَمِ آلاَئِكَ إِلٰهِي إِنْ دَعَانِي إِلَىٰ النَّارِ عَظِيمُ عِقَابِكَ فَقَدْ دَعَانِي إِلَىٰ الْجَنَّةِ جَزِيلُ ثَوَابِكَ إِلٰهِي فَلَكَ أَسْأَلُ وَإِلَيْكَ أَبْتَهِلُ وَأَرْغَبُ وَأَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تُصَلِّيَ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَأَنْ تَجْعَلَنِي مِمَّنْ يُدِيمُ ذِكْرَكَ وَلاَ يَنْقُضُ عَهْدَكَ وَلاَ يَغْفُلُ عَنْ شُكْرِكَ وَلاَ يَسْتَخِفُّ بِأَمْرِكَ إِلٰهِي وَأَلْحِقْنِي بِنُورِ عِزِّكَ الأَبْهَجِ فَأَكُونَ لَكَ عَارِفاً وَعَنْ سِوَاكَ مُنْحَرِفاً وَمِنْكَ خَائِفاً مُرَاقِباً يَا ذَا الْجَلاَلِ وَالإِكْرَامِ وَصَلَّىٰ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ رَسُولِهِ وَآلِهِ الطَّاهِرِينَ وَسَلَّمَ تَسْلِيماً كَثِيراً

This confidential prayer, ascribed to the Holy Imams, is highly significant since it comprises excellent meanings. It is advisable to say it with presence of heart all the time.

وهذه مناجاة جليلة القدر مَنسُوبة الى أئمتنا (عليهم السلام) مشتملة على مضامين عالية ويحسن أن يدعى بها عند حضور القلب متى ما كان

THE FIRST NIGHT OF SHAʿBAN

اللّيلة الأُولى من شعبان

As mentioned in Iqbal al-Aʿmal, narrations referred to many prayers to be offered at the first night of Shaʿban. One of these prayers is a twelve unit prayer in each unit of which Surah al-Fatihah is recited once and Surah al-Tawhid repeated eleven times.

قد وردت فيها صَلوات كثيرة مذكورة في الاقبال ومن تلك الصّلوات اثنتا عشرة ركعة يقرأ في كلّ ركعة الحمد مرّة والتّوحيد احدى عشرة مرّة

 THE FIRST DAY OF SHAʿBAN

اليَومُ الأوّل

A great reward is gained for fasting on the first day of Shaʿban. Imam Jaʿfar al-Sadiq is reported as saying, “Paradise will be incumbently decided for one who observes fasting on the first day of Shaʿban.”

Likewise, Sayyid Ibn Tawus narrated on the authority of the Holy Prophet that an abundant reward will be conferred to one who observes fasting on three days in Shaʿban at the nights of which a two unit prayer is offered. In each unit of this prayer, one should recite Surah al-Fatihah once and Surah al-Tawhid eleven times.

It is also worth mentioning that the book of Quranic exegesis that is ascribed to the Imam comprises a narration referring to the great value of the month of Shaʿban. At the end of his Persian book Kelimeh Teyyibeh, Sheikh al-Nuri, a master scholar, referred to this narration, which is too long to be mentioned literally herein.

However, let us refer to the summary of this wonderful narration: On the first day of Shaʿban, Imam Ali passed by a group of Muslims who sat in a mosque debating about theological matters, such as fatalism, with loud voices and intense arguments. The Imam stopped by them and greeted them. They responded to his greeting, made him room, and begged him to sit with them. However, the Imam did not care for them; rather, he addressed to them saying: “O you people who discuss matters that are neither their business nor benefiting them! You should have known that Almighty Allah has certain servants who are silent although they are neither inexpressive nor mute. Rather, whenever they consider the magnificence of Almighty Allah, their tongues die down, their hearts repose, their intellects halt, and their minds cease, on account of their glorifying, honoring, and feeling the majesty of Almighty Allah. When they regain consciousness, they compete with each other on seeking nearness to Him by means of pure acts. They regard themselves as wrongdoers and transgressors while they are free from any negligence or immoderation; rather, they do not accept to give little to Almighty Allah and they do not regard anything that they do for Him as adequate. They therefore exert all efforts in acts of worship to Him.

When you notice them as they prepare themselves for acts of worship, you find them fearful, frightened, anxious, and terrified. Thus, great is the difference between them and you, the heretic people! You should have known that the more one may know about fatalism the more silent one will be. On the contrary, the most ignorant with fatalism are those who debate about it very much. O group of heretic people! This day is the first day of Shaʿban, the honorable month. Our Lord has given it this name (i.e. Shaʿban), because welfare is distributed in this month. Your Lord has opened wide the gates of His Paradise and offered you the palaces and bliss of Paradise with the cheapest costs and the easiest matters; therefore, you should purchase them.

On the other hand, Iblis the cursed (i.e. Satan) has presented before you the varieties of his evils and ordeals. You always wander in the paths of error and tyranny, taking the paths of Iblis and missing the paths of goodness whose doors are open wide before you. This is the first day of Shaʿban. The sections of its benefits are prayer, almsgiving, enjoining the right, forbidding the wrong, piety to parents, relatives and neighbors, setting aright matters of difference, and conferring upon the poor and the needy with charity. Nevertheless, you are discussing matters (i.e. fatality) that you are not asked to discuss and matters that you are asked not to deal with since they lead to revealing the secrets of Almighty Allah; and those who try to track the secrets of Almighty Allah shall be of those who will perish.

If you knew what our Lord—Majestic and Honorable is He—decided for His obedient servants on this day, you would certainly stop debating and take the initiative in carrying out the commandments by which you are bound.”

The group then asked him, “O Amir al-Mu’minin, what has Almighty Allah decided for His obedient servants on this day?”

Imam Ali then narrated to them that the Holy Prophet, once, sent an army to counter the atheists. It was very dark night when the camp of the Muslim army was attacked by the atheists. All Muslims were asleep except Zayd ibn Harithah, Abdullah ibn Rawahah, Qutadah ibn Nuʿman, and Qays ibn Asim al-Minqari. These individuals were taking the sides of the camp reciting the Holy Quran and offering prayers. When the enemies were about to raid the Muslims, lights came out from the mouths of these wakeful individuals to light up the whole camp and supply the Muslims with power and courage due to which they could overcome their enemies causing them to be killed, wounded, or taken as captives.

When the Muslims returned home, they informed the Holy Prophet about the whole story. He therefore commented, “These lights were the result of the acts of worship these individuals did on the first day of Shaʿban.”

The Holy Prophet then mentioned each and every deed that these individuals had done on the first day of Shaʿban. He then said, “On the first day of Shaʿban, Iblis distributes his hosts all over the earth and instructs them to try their best to attract as many numbers of people as possible. On the other side, Almighty Allah distributes His angels all over the earth and asks them to guide His servants to righteousness. Accordingly, the all will be happy except those who intentionally choose to reject and do wrong and, thus, join the party of Iblis.

Furthermore, on the first day of Shaʿban, Almighty Allah gives the orders of opening the gate of Paradise and orders the Tree of Tuba (blessings) to lower its twigs towards this world. Then, a caller will shout out on behalf of our Lord, ‘O Servants of Allah, these are the twigs of the Tree of Tuba. You must hang on to them so that they will raise you to Paradise. These are also the twigs of the Tree of Zaqqum. Beware lest they will take you to Hellfire.’

(The Holy Prophet then continues,) I swear by Him Who has chosen me for conveying the (Divine) Mission as a prophet, any one who tries any of the doors of decency on this day will hang on to one of the twigs of the Tree of Tuba and it will lead him to Paradise. But any one who tries any of the doors of evil on this day will hang on to one of the twigs of the Tree of Zaqqum and it will lead him to Hellfire. Thus, one who voluntarily offers a prayer on this day will hang on to one of the twigs of the Tree of Tuba. One who observes fasting on this day will hang on to one of the twigs of the Tree of Tuba. One who reconciles between two spouses, between a father and his son, between two relatives, between two neighbors, or between any two individuals will hang on to one of the twigs of the Tree of Tuba. One who grants respite or releases an insolvent debtor from the debt will hang on to one of the twigs of the Tree of Tuba.

One who, after checking his accounts, finds out that he owed somebody an amount and thus he settles that debt will hang on to one of the twigs of the Tree of Tuba. One who volunteers to maintain for an orphan will hang on to one of the twigs of the Tree of Tuba. One who refrains a wicked individual from reviling at the honor of a believer will hang on to one of the twigs of the Tree of Tuba. One who recites the Holy Quran or even a portion of it will hang on to one of the twigs of the Tree of Tuba. One who frees himself for mentioning and thanking the graces of Almighty Allah will hang on to one of the twigs of the Tree of Tuba. One who visits an ailed person will hang on to one of the twigs of the Tree of Tuba.

One who acts piously to his parents or one of them on that day will hang on to one of the twigs of the Tree of Tuba. One who seeks his parents’ satisfaction on that day after he has enraged them will hang on to one of the twigs of the Tree of Tuba.

In general, any one who does any act of decency on that day will hang on to one of the twigs of the Tree of Tuba.

(The Holy Prophet then continues,) I swear by Him Who has chosen me for conveying the (Divine) Mission as a prophet, any one who does any act of wickedness or disobedience to Almighty Allah on that day will hang on to one of the twigs of the Tree of Zaqqum, which will take him to Hellfire. I swear by Him Who has chosen me for conveying the (Divine) Mission as a prophet, one who neglects or disregards the obligatory prayer will hang on to one of the twigs of the Tree of Zaqqum. If one is visited by a needy person while he knows his actual financial situation and he has the capability to change it without causing himself any harm and without the existence of another person who can do this mission; nevertheless, he ignores and leaves him encountering his neediness, he will hang on to one of the twigs of the Tree of Zaqqum. If one rejects the apology of one who had wronged him then he punishes him more than the required, he will hang on to one of the twigs of the Tree of Zaqqum.

If one makes quarrel between two spouses, between a father and his son, between two brothers, between two relatives, between two neighbors, between two friends, or between two sisters, he will hang on to one of the twigs of the Tree of Zaqqum. One who deepens the problems of an insolvent debtor while he is aware of his insolvency and hardship will hang on to one of the twigs of the Tree of Zaqqum. One who illegally denies the loan that he has taken from somebody and, moreover, transgresses him will hang on to one of the twigs of the Tree of Zaqqum.

One who turns away from, harms, and spoils the property of an orphan will hang on to one of the twigs of the Tree of Zaqqum. One who ascribes dishonor to a faithful individual and urges people to think ill of him will hang on to one of the twigs of the Tree of Zaqqum.

One who sings a song that leads to acts of disobedience to Almighty Allah will hang on to one of the twigs of the Tree of Zaqqum. One who recounts his ill deeds in battles and his wrongdoings against people, taking pride in them, will hang on to one of the twigs of the Tree of Zaqqum. One who neglects visiting his ailed neighbor and does not participate in his funeral ceremony on account of belittling him will hang on to one of the twigs of the Tree of Zaqqum. One who turns away from an injured person on account of disdain, contempt, or disparagement will hang on to one of the twigs of the Tree of Zaqqum.

One who acts impiously to his parents or one of them or does not please them on this day on account of a previous impiety to them will hang on to one of the twigs of the Tree of Zaqqum.

In general, any one who commits any act of indecency on that day will hang on to one of the twigs of the Tree of Zaqqum.

I swear by Him Who has chosen me for conveying the (Divine) Mission as a prophet, those who hang on to the twigs of the Tree of Tuba will be raised to Paradise.’

The Holy Prophet then raised his sight toward the heavens for a while and smiled pleasingly. He then lowered his sight toward the earth and frowned. He then turned his face towards his companions and said, “I swear by Him Who has chosen Muhammad of conveying the Divine Mission as a prophet, I have just seen the Tree of Tuba raising its twigs and I have seen it taking those who hanged on to its twigs to Paradise. I have also seen some people hanging on to one twig, others to two, or even more according to their deeds of obedience to Almighty Allah. I can see Zayd ibn Harithah hanging on to all of its twigs and it is raising him up. Because of this, I smiled pleasingly.

I then looked at the ground and, I swear by Him Who has chosen me for conveying the Mission as a prophet, I have seen the Tree of Zaqqum lowering its twigs and leading those who have hanged on to it to Hellfire. I have seen some of them hanging on to one twig, others to two, and so on, according to their acts of disobedience. I can see some of the hypocrites hanging on to all the twigs and the Tree of Zaqqum is taking them to the lowest of its stages. because of this, I frowned.”

ويفضل صيامه فضلا كثيراً وقد روى عن الصّادق (عليه السلام) انّ من صام اوّل يوم من شعبان وجبت له الجنّة البتّة، وقد روى السّيد ابن طاووس عن النّبي  اجراً جزيلا لمن صام ثلاثة أيّام من هذا الشّهر يصلّي في لياليها ركعتين يقرأ في كلّ ركعة الحمد مرّة وسورة التّوحيد احدى عشرة مرّة، واعلم انّه قد ورد في تفسير الامام (عليه السلام) رواية في فضل شعبان وفضل اليوم الأوّل منه تشتمل على فوائد جمّة، وشيخنا ثقة الاسلام النّوري نوّر الله مرقده قد أورد ترجمتها في نهاية كتابه الفارسي (كلمه طيّبه) والرّواية مبسوطة لا يسعها المقام، وملخّصها انّ امير المؤمنين (عليه السلام) قد مرّ على قوم من أخلاط المسلمين وهُم قعود في بعض المساجد في أوّل يوم من شعبان، وهُم يخوضون في أمر القدر وغيره، قد ارتفعت أصواتهم واشتدّ فيه محكمهم وجدالهم، فوقف عليهم وسلّم فردّوا عليه وأوسعوا له وقاموا اليه يسألونه القعود عليهم، فلم يحفل بهم ثمّ قال لهم وناداهم: يا معاشر المتكلّمين فيما لا يعنيهم ولا يردّ عليهم، ألم تعلموا انّ لله عباداً قد أسكتهم خشية من غير عيّ ولا بكم، ولكنّهم اذا ذكروا عظمة الله انكسرت ألسنتهم وانقطعت أفئدتهم وطاشت عقولهم، وحامت حلومهم اعزازاً لله واعظاماً واجلالا، فاذا أفاقوا من ذلك استبقوا الى الله بالأعمال الزّاكية، يعدّون أنفسهم مع الظّالمين والخاطئين وانّهم براء من المقصّرين ومن المفرطين، ألا انّهم لا يرضُون لله بالقليل، ولا يستكثرون لله الكثير، فهم يدأبون له في الأعمال، فهم اذا رأيتهم قائمون للعبادة مروعون خائفون مشفقون وجلون، فأين أنتم منهم يا معشر المبتدعين، أما علمتهم انّ أعلم النّاس بالقدر أسكتهم عنه، وانّ أجهلهم به اكثرهم كلاماً فيه، يا معشر المبتدعين هذا يوم غرّة شعبان الكريم سمّاه ربّنا شعبان لتشعّب الخيرات فيه، قد فتح ربّكم فيه أبواب جنانه، وعرض عليكم قصورها وخيراتها بأرخص الأثمان، وأسهل الأمور ، فاشتروها، وعرض لكم ابليس اللّعين شعب شروره وبلاياه، فأنتم دائباً تتيهون في الغيّ والطّغيان، تمسكون بشعب ابليس وتحيدون عن شعب الخير المفتوح لكم أبوابه، هذه غرّة شعبان وشعب خيراته الصّلاة والزّكاة والأمر بالمعروف والنّهي عن المنكر وبرّ الوالدين والقرابات والجيران واصلاح ذات البين والصّدقة على الفقراء والمساكين، تتكلّفون ما قد وُضِعَ عنكم (أي أمر القدر) وما قد نهيتم عن الخوض فيه من كشف سراير الله التي من فتش عنها كان من الهالكين، أما انّكم لو وقفتم على ما قد أعدّ ربّنا عزّوجل للمطيعين من عباده في هذا اليوم لقصّرتم عمّا أنتم فيه، وشرعتم فيما أمرتم به

قالوا: يا أمير المؤمنين وما الذي أعدّه الله في هذا اليوم للمطيعين له ؟ فروى (عليه السلام) ما كان من أمر الجيش الذي بعثه رسول الله  الى الكفّار فوثب الكفّار عليه ليلا وكانت ليلة ظلماء دامسة والمسلمون نيام ولم يك فيهم يقظان سوى زيد بن حارثة وعبد الله بن رواحة وقتادة بن نعمان وقيس بن عاصم المنقري وكلّ منهم يقظان في جانب من جوانب العسكر يصلّي الصّلاة أو يتلو القرآن، وكاد المسلمون أن يهلكوا لأنّهم في الظّلام لا يبصرون أعداءهم ليتّقوهم، واذا بأضواء تسطع من أفواه هؤلاء النّفر الأربعة تضيء معسكر المسلمين فتورثهم القوّة والشّجاعة فوضعوا السّيوف على الكفّار فصاروا بين قتيل أو جريح أو أسير، فلمّا رجعوا قصّوا على النّبي  ما كان ، فقال : انّ هذه الأنوار قد كانت لما عمله اخوانكم هؤلاء من الأعمال في غرّة شعبان، ثمّ حدّثهم بتلك الأعمال واحداً فواحداً الى أن قال: انّ ابليس اذا كان اوّل يوم من شعبان يبث جنودُه في أقطار الأرض وآفاقها يقول لهم اجتهدوا في اجتذاب بعض عباد الله اليكم في هذا اليوم، وانّ الله عزوجل يبث ملائكته في أقطار الأرض وآفاقها ، يقول لهم: سدّدوا عبادي وارشدوهم وكلّهم يسعد الّا من أبى وطغى فانّه يصير في حزب ابليس وجنوده، وانّ الله عزوجل اذا كان اوّل يوم من شعبان يأمر باب الجنّة فتفتح، ويأمر شجرة طوبى فتدني أغصانها من هذه الدّنيا، فتعلّقوا بها لترفعكم الى الجنّة، وهذه أغصان شجرة الزّقوم فأيّاكم وايّاها لا تؤديكم الى الجحيم

قال: فو الذي بعثني بالحقّ نبيّاً انّ من تعاطى باباً من الخير في هذا اليوم فقد تعلّق بغصن من أغصان شجرة طوبى فهو مؤدّيه الى الجنّة، وانّ من تعاطى باباً من الشرّ في هذا اليوم فقد تعلّق بغصن من أغصان شجرة الزّقّوم ، فهو مؤديّه الى النّار ، ثمّ قال رسول الله : فمن تطوّع لله بصلاة في هذا اليوم فقد تعلّق منه بغصن، ومن صام في هذا اليوم تعلّق منه بغصن، ومن أصلح بين المرء وزوجه، والوالد وولده، والقريب وقريبه، والجار وجاره، والأجنبيّ والأجنبيّ، فقد تعلّق بغصن منه، ومن خفّف عن معسر من دَينه، أو حطّ عنه فقد تعلّق منه بغصن، ومن نظر في حسابه فرأى دَيناً عتيقاً قد أيس منه صاحبه فأدّاه فقد تعلّق منه بغصن، ومن كفل يتيماً فقد تعلّق منه بغصن، ومن كفّ سقيماً عن عِرض مؤمن فقد تعلّق منه بغصن، ومن تلا القُرآن أو شيئاً منه فقد تعلّق منه بغصن، ومن قعد يذكر الله ونعماءه ليشكره فقد تعلّق منه بغصن، ومن عاد مريضاً فقد تعلّق منه بغصن، ومن برّ فيه والديه أو أحدهما في هذا اليوم فقد تعلّق منه بغصن، ومن كان أسخطهما قبل هذا اليوم فأرضاهما في هذا اليوم فقد تعلّق منه بغُصن، وكذلك من فعل شيئاً من سائر أبواب الخير في هذا اليوم فقد تعلّق منه بغصن ، ثمّ قال رسول الله والذي بعثني بالحقّ نبيّاً وانّ من تعاطى باباً من الشرّ والعصيان في هذا اليوم فقد تعلّق بغصن من أغصان الزّقوم فهو مؤدّيه الى النّار.

ثمّ قال رسول الله  والّذي بعثني بالحقّ نبيّاً فمن قصّر في الصّلاة المفروضة وضيّعها فقد تعلّق بغصن منه ومن جاءه في هذا اليوم فقير ضعيف يعرف سوء حاله فهو يقدر على تغيير حاله من غير ضرر يلحقه وليس هناك من ينوب عنه ويقوم مقامه، فتركه يضيع ويعطب، ولم يأخذ بيده فقد تعلّق بغصن منه، ومن اعتذر اليه مسيء فلم يعذره ثمّ لم يقتصر به على قدر عقوبة اساءته بل زاد عليه فقد تعلّق بغصن منه، ومن ضرب بين المرء وزوجه، أو الوالد وولده، أو الأخ وأخيه، أو القريب وقريبه، أو بين جارين، أو خليطين، أو أُختين فقد تعلّق بغصن منه، ومن شدّد على معسر وهو يعلم اعساره فزاد غيظاً وبلاءاً فقد تعلّق بغصن منه، ومن كان عليه دَين فأنكره على صاحبه وتعدّى عليه حتّى أبطل دينه فقد تعلّق بغصن منه، ومن جفا يتيماً وآذاه وهزم ماله فقد تعلّق بغصن منه، ومن وقع في عِرض أخيه المؤمن وحمل النّاس على ذلك فقد تعلّق بغصن منه، ومن تغنى بغناء يبعث فيه على المعاصي فقد تعلّق بغصن منه، ومن قعد يعدّد قبائح أفعاله في الحروب وأنواع ظُلمه لعباد الله فيفتخر بها فقد تعلّق بغصن منه، ومن كان جاره مريضاً فترك عيادته استخفافاً بحقّه فقد تعلّق بغصن منه، ومَن مات جاره فترك تشييع جنازته تهاوناً فقد تعلّق بغصن منه، ومن عقّ والديه أو احدهما فقد تعلّق بغصن منه، ومن كان قبل ذلك عاقاً لهما فلم يرضهما في هذا اليوم يقدر على ذلك فقد تعلّق بغصن منه، وكذا من فعل شيئاً من سائر أبواب الشرّ فقد تعلّق بغصن منه، والذي بعثني بالحقّ نبيّاً انّ المتعلّقين بأغصان شجرة طوبى ترفعهم تلك الأغصان الى الجنّة، ثمّ رفع رسول الله طرفه الى السّماء مليّاً وجعل يضحك ويستبشر، ثمّ خفض طرفه الى الأرض فجعل يقطب ويعبس، ثمّ أقبل على أصحابه فقال: والذي بعث محمّداً بالحقّ نبيّاً لقد رأيت شجرة طوبى ترفع أغصانها وترفع المتعلّقين بها الى الجنّة، ورأيت منهم من تعلّق منها بغصن ومنهم من تعلّق بغصنين أو بأغصان على حسب اشتمالهم على الطّاعات، وانّي لأرى زيد بن حارثة فقد تعلّق بعامة أغصانها فهي ترفعه الى أعلى اعلاها فبذلك ضحكت واستبشرت ثمّ نظرت الى الأرض فو الذي بعثني بالحقّ نبيّاً لقد رأيت شجرة الزقّوم تنخفض أغصانها وتخفض المتعلّقين بها الى الجحيم، ورأيت منهم من تعلّق بغصن ومنهم من تعلّق بغصنين أو بأغصان على حسب اشتمالهم على القبائح، وانّي لأرى بعض المنافقين قد تعلّق بعامة أغصانها وهي تخفضه الى أسفل دركاتها، فلذلك عبست وقطبت

THE THIRD OF SHAʿBAN

اليَومُ الثّالث

About this blessed day, Sheikh al-Tusi wrote in Misbah al-Mutahajjid: Imam al-Hussein ibn Ali was born on the third of Shaʿban. Abu’l-Qasim ibn Ala’ al-Hamadani, the representative of Imam al-Hassan al-Askari, received a document telling that our master, Imam al-Hussein ibn Ali, was born on the third of Shaʿban; therefore, you should observe fasting on this day and say the following supplicatory prayer:

هو يوم مبارك ، قال الشّيخ في المصباح: في هذا اليوم ولد الحسين بن علي (عليه السلام)وخرج الى أبي القاسم بن علاء الهمداني وكيل الامام العسكري انّ مولانا الحسين (عليه السلام) ولد يوم الخميس لثلاث خلون من شعبان فصُمه وادع فيه بهذا الدّعاء

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِحَقِّ الْمَوْلُودِ فِي هٰذَا الْيَوْمِ الْمَوْعُودِ بِشَهَادَتِهِ قَبْلَ اسْتِهْلالِهِ وَوِلادَتِهِ بَكَتْهُ السَّمَاءُ وَمَنْ فِيهَا وَالأَرْضُ وَمَنْ عَلَيْهَا وَلَمَّا يَطَأْ لابَتَيْهَا قَتِيلِ الْعَبْرَةِ وَسَيِّدِ الأُسْرَةِ الْمَمْدُودِ بِالنُّصْرَةِ يَوْمَ الْكَرَّةِ الْمُعَوِّضِ مِنْ قَتْلِهِ أَنَّ الأَئِمَّةَ مِنْ نَسْلِهِ وَالشِّفَاءَ فِي تُرْبَتِهِ وَالْفَوْزَ مَعَهُ فِي أَوْبَتِهِ وَالأَوْصِيَاءَ مِنْ عِتْرَتِهِ  بَعْدَ قَائِمِهِمْ وَغَيْبَتِهِ حَتَّىٰ يُدْرِكُوا الأَوْتَارَ وَيَثْأَرُوا الثَّارَ وَيُرْضُوا الْجَبَّارَ وَيَكُونُوا خَيْرَ أَنْصَارٍ صَلَّىٰ اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مَعَ اخْتِلافِ اللَّيْلِ وَالنَّهَارِ اللَّهُمَّ فَبِحَقِّهِمْ إِلَيْكَ أَتَوَسَّلُ وَأَسْأَلُ سُؤَالَ مُقْتَرِفٍ مُعْتَرِفٍ مُسِيءٍ إِلَىٰ نَفْسِهِ مِمَّا فَرَّطَ فِي يَوْمِهِ وَأَمْسِهِ يَسْأَلُكَ الْعِصْمَةَ إِلَىٰ مَحَلِّ رَمْسِهِ اللَّهُمَّ فَصَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعِتْرَتِهِ وَاحْشُرْنَا فِي زُمْرَتِهِ وَبَوِّئْنَا مَعَهُ دَارَ الْكَرَامَةِ وَمَحَلِّ الإِقَامَةِ اللَّهُمَّ وَكَمَا أَكْرَمْتَنَا بِمَعْرِفَتِهِ فَأَكْرِمْنَا بِزُلْفَتِهِ وَارْزُقْنَا مُرَافَقَتَهُ وَسَابِقَتَهُ وَاجْعَلْنَا مِمَّنْ يُسَلِّمُ لأَمْرِهِ وَيُكْثِرُ الصَّلاةَ عَلَيْهِ عِنْدَ ذِكْرِهِ وَعَلَىٰ جَمِيعِ أَوْصِيَائِهِ وَأَهْلِ أَصْفِيَائِهِ الْمَمْدُودِينَ مِنْكَ بِالْعَدَدِ الإِثْنَيْ عَشَرَ النُّجُومِ الزُّهَرِ وَالْحُجَجِ عَلَىٰ جَمِيعِ الْبَشَرِ اللَّهُمَّ وَهَبْ لَنَا فِي هٰذَا الْيَوْمِ خَيْرَ مَوْهِبَةٍ وَأَنْجِحْ لَنَا فِيهِ كُلِّ طَلِبَةٍ كَمَا وَهَبْتَ الْحُسَيْنَ لِمُحَمَّدٍ جَدِّهِ وَعَاذَ فُطْرُسُ بِمَهْدِهِ فَنَحْنُ عَائِذُونَ بِقَبْرِهِ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ نَشْهَدُ تُرْبَتَهُ وَنَنْتَظِرُ أَوْبَتَهُ آمِينَ رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ

O Allah, I beseech You in the name of the one born on this day, the promised with martyrdom before the beginning of his lifetime and before his birth, the heavens and all their inhabitants wept for him; and so did the earth and those living one it before his feet stepped on it, the mourned slain one, the master of the Family (of Prophethood), the one who shall be backed with victory on the Day of Return, the one whom has been awarded the favor of the Imams’ being from his offspring as recompense of his being slain, the one awarded the favor of the soil of his grave carrying cure, the one awarded the favor that he will be triumphing when he will be returned and the Prophet’s Successors from his offspring will be returned after the advent of their Rising Imam and after his occultation so that they shall take revenge, retaliate, please the Omnipotent Lord, and be the best supporters. May Allah’s blessings be perpetually upon them whenever night and day succeed each other. O Allah, I thus beg You in the name of them and implore You with the imploration of a sinful one who confesses of his sin, and who has done evil to himself due to his violations—the past and the present. He thus beseeches You for Your protection up to the place of his grave. O Allah, (please) send blessings to Muhammad and his Offspring, include us with his group (on the Resurrection Day), and allow us to dwell in the House of Honor with him and in the abode of residence. O Allah, as You have conferred upon us with the honor of our recognition of him, so (please) confer upon us with the honor of being near to him, bestow upon us with the bliss of accompanying him and enjoying a close rank to him, and include us with those who submit to him totally and those who invoke Your blessings upon him whenever they mention him, and upon all his Successors and Selected Ones, whom are defined by You as twelve persons, being the luminous stars, and the Arguments against all humankind. O Allah, and (please) grant us on this day the best of grants, make all our prayers on this day responded, just as You gifted al-Hussein to Muhammad, his grandfather, just as the angel Futrus sought refuge with his (i.e. al-Hussein) cradle, we are thus seeking refuge with his tomb after him (i.e. his martyrdom), as we are witnessing the soil of him and expecting his return. Respond to us, O Lord of the worlds.

ثمّ تدعو بعد ذلك بدعاء الحسين (عليه السلام)وهو آخر دعائه (عليه السلام) يوم كثرت عليه أعداؤه وهو يوم عاشوراء

After that, you may say the supplicatory prayer of Imam al-Hussein, which is the last supplicatory prayer he said when his enemies surrounded him in large numbers on the Day of Ashura (the tenth of Muharram):

اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ مُتَعَالِي الْمَكَانِ عَظِيمُ الْجَبَرُوتِ شَدِيدُ الْمِحَالِ غَنِيٌّ عَنِ الْخَلاَئِقِ عَرِيضُ الْكِبْرِيَاءِ قَادِرٌ عَلَىٰ مَا تَشَاءُ قَرِيبُ الرَّحْمَةِ صَادِقُ الْوَعْدِ سَابِغُ النِّعْمَةِ حَسَنُ الْبَلاَءِ قَرِيبٌ إِذَا دُعِيتَ مُحِيطٌ بِمَا خَلَقْتَ قَابِلُ التَّوْبَةِ لِمَنْ تَابَ إِلَيْكَ قَادِرٌ عَلَىٰ مَا أَرَدْتَ وَمُدْرِكٌ مَا طَلَبْتَ وَشَكُورٌ إِذَا شُكِرْتَ وَذَكُورٌ إِذَا ذُكِرْتَ أَدْعُوكَ مُحْتَاجاً وَأَرْغَبُ إِلَيْكَ فَقِيراً وَأَفْزَعُ إِلَيْكَ خَائِفاً وَأَبْكِي إِلَيْكَ مَكْرُوباً وَأَسْتَعِينُ بِكَ ضَعِيفاً وَأَتَوَكَّلُ عَلَيْكَ كَافِياً أُحْكُمْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ قَوْمِنَا بِالْحَقِّ فَإِنَّهُمْ غَرُّونَا وَخَدَعُونَا وَخَذَلُونَا وَغَدَرُوا بِنَا وَقَتَلُونَا وَنَحْنُ عِتْرَةُ نَبِيِّكَ وَوَلَدُ حَبِيبِكَ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِاللَّهِ الَّذِي اصْطَفَيْتَهُ بِالرِّسَالَةِ  وَائْتَمَنْتَهُ عَلَىٰ وَحْيِكَ فَاجْعَلْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا فَرَجاً وَمَخْرَجاً بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ

O Allah, You are verily the Elevated in position, the Magnificent in omnipotence, the Mighty in prowess, the Self-Sufficient from the creatures, the Ample in pride, the Powerful over all that which You want, the Close in mercy, the Truthful in promise, the Opulent in favors, the Sympathetic in ordeals, the Nigh when Your are prayed, the All-encompassing of all that which You have created, the Accepter of the repentance of him who repents to You, the Powerful to do whatever You want, the Taker in all that which You decide, the Thankful for those who thank You, and the Rememberer of those who mention You. I pray You for I need You, I desire for You for I am in want of You, I resort to You for I am terrified, I weep before You for I am distressed, I seek Your aid for I am weak, and I depend upon You for I trust in none save You. (Please do) decide between our people and us with the truth, for they have deceived us, cheated us, disappointed us, betrayed us, and killed us. We are the progeny of Your Prophet and the sons of Your beloved one; namely, Muhammad the son of Abdullah, whom You have chosen for the Divine Mission and for keeping Your Revelation. So, (please) prepare a way out and a relief for us, out of Your mercy, O most Merciful of all those who show mercy!

قال ابن عيّاش: سمعت الحسين بن علي بن سفيان البزوفري يقول: سمعت الصّادق (عليه السلام) يدعو به في هذا اليوم وقال هو من أدعية اليوم الثّالث من شعبان وهو ميلاد الحسين (عليه السلام).

Ibn Ayyash reported al-Hussein ibn Ali ibn Sufyan al-Bazufi as saying that he heard Imam Jaʿfar al-Sadiq saying this supplicatory prayer on the third of Shaʿban, the birthday of Imam al-Hussein.

اللّيلة الثّالِثة عشرة

THE THIRTEENTH NIGHT OF SHAʿBAN

وهي أوّل اللّيالي البيض وقد مرّ ما يصلّى في هذه اللّيلة واللّيلتين بعدها في أعمال شهر رجب

This is the first of the White Nights. In the previous chapter about the recommended rites in Rajab, I have mentioned the prayers that are advisably offered at this night as well as the two nights after it. It is thus recommended to refer to these prayers.

ليلة النّصف من شعبان

THE FIFTEENTH NIGHT OF SHAʿBAN

وهي ليلة بالغة الشّرف وقد روى عن الصّادق (عليه السلام) قال: سُئل الباقر (عليه السلام) عن فضل ليلة النّصف من شعبان ، فقال (عليه السلام): هي أفضل اللّيالي بعد ليلة القدر، فيها يمنح الله العباد فضله ويغفر لهم بمنّه، فاجتهدوا في القربة الى الله تعالى فيها فانّها ليلة آلى الله عزوجل على نفسه أن لا يردّ سائلا فيها ما لم يسأل الله المعصية، وانّها اللّيلة التي جعلها الله لنا أهل البيت بازاء ما جعل ليلة القدر لنبيّنا (عليه السلام)، فاجتهدوا في دعاء الله تعالى والثّناء عليه، الخبر ومن عظيم بركات هذه اللّيلة المباركة انّها ميلاد سلطان العصر وامام الزّمان أرواحنا له الفداء، ولد عند السّحر سنة خمس وخمسين ومائتين في سرّ مَن رأى، وهذا ما يزيد هذه اللّيلة شرفاً وفضلا وقد ورد فيها أعمال:

This night is extraordinarily honorable. Imam Jaʿfar al-Sadiq has narrated that when Imam Muhammad al-Baqir was asked about the merits of the fifteenth night of Shaʿban, he answered, “It is the most favorable night after the Qadr Night. At this night, Almighty Allah bestows upon His servants with His favors and grants them His pardon out of His conferral of benefits to them. Therefore, you should exert all efforts to seek nearness to Him at this night, because He—the Majestic and Honorable—has decided not to reject any asker as long as he does not ask for an act of disobedience to Him. Almighty Allah has chosen this night for us, the Ahl al-Bayt, just as He has chosen the Qadr Night for our Prophet—peace be upon him and his Household. You should thus pray and thank Him diligently.”

One of the marvelous blessings of this night is that it is Imam al-Mahdi’s birthday. He was born in Samarra at the hour before daybreak in AH 255. This incident increases the merits of this honorable night. Narrations carried may recommended rites to be carried out at this night:

أوّلها: الغسل ، فانّه يوجب تخفيف الذّنوب

First: It is highly recommended to bathe oneself at this night, for this act decreases the punishment for one’s sins.

الثّاني: احياؤها بالصّلاة والدّعاء والاستغفار كما كان يصنع الامام زين العابدين (عليه السلام)، وفي الحديث من أحيا هذه اللّيلة لم يمت قلبه يوم تموت فيه القلوب

Second: It is highly recommended to imitate Imam Ali ibn al-Hussein Zayn al-Abidin who used to spend this whole night with acts of worship, prayers, supplications, invocations, and implorations for forgiveness. A tradition confirm that as for one who spends this whole night with acts of worship, his heart will not die when other hearts die.

الثّالث: زيارة الحسين (عليه السلام) وهي أفضل أعمال هذه اللّيلة، وتوجب غفران الذّنوب، ومن أراد أن يصافحه أرواح مائة وأربعة وعشرين ألف نبيّ فليزره (عليه السلام) في هذه اللّيلة، وأقلّ ما يزار به (عليه السلام) أن يصعد الزائر سطحاً مرتفعاً فينظر يمنة ويسرة ثمّ يرفع رأسه الى السّماء فيزوره (عليه السلام) بهذه الكلمات

Third: It is highly recommended to visit the tomb of Imam al-Hussein. In fact, this is the most favorable act at this night. It also brings about forgiveness of one’s sins. If you desire that 124,000 prophets shake hands with you, you may visit the holy tomb of Imam al-Hussein at this night. The least act of visitation is to go up an elevated place, look to the right and the left, raise the head towards the heavens, and say:

السَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَا أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ وَرَحْمَةُ اللَّهِ وَبَرَكَاتُهُ

Peace be upon you, O Abu-Abdullah! Peace and Allah’s mercy and blessings be upon you.

ويرجى لمن زار الحسين (عليه السلام)حيثما كان بهذه الزيارة أن يكتب له أجر حجّة وعمرة، ونحن سنذكر في باب الزّيارات ما يختصّ بهذه اللّيلة منها ان شاء الله تعالى

One who performs this salutatory prayer is expected to win the reward of one Hajj pilgrimage and one Umrah pilgrimage. In the section of salutatory prayers, we will mention further details about the peculiar merits of visiting Imam al-Hussein’s holy shrine at this night.

الرّابع: أن يدعو بهذا الدّعاء الذي رواه الشّيخ والسّيد وهو بمثابة زيارة للامام الغائب صلوات الله عليه

Fourth: It is recommended to say the following supplicatory prayer, which stands for a salutatory prayer for Imam al-Mahdi. This supplicatory prayer has been mentioned by both Sayyid Ibn Tawus and Sheikh al-Tusi:

O Allah, I beseech You in the name of this night, in the name of him whom was born at it, in the name of Your Argument, and in the name of Your promise in it; the night that You have added a new merit to its many merits. So, Your Word has been accomplished truly and fairly. No one can change Your words or obscure Your signs. (He is) Your glowing Light, Your bring splendor, the luminous sign in the obscurity of darkness, the absent, and the concealed. Lofty is his birth and noble is his lineage. The angels are his witnesses and Allah is his Supporter and Backer when his time comes and the angels shall be his sponsors. He shall act as the sword of Allah that shall never miss the target, His light that shall never be extinguished, and the forbearing person who shall never deviate the truth. He is the motive and reason of the course of events, the one for whom the laws of ages have been made, and one of the men in authority who receive that which is revealed on the Grand Night, and the managers of the Resurrection and the Account. They are the interpreters of His revelations and in charge of what is deemed lawful and what is deemed unlawful by Him. O Allah, send blessings to their seal and their Riser whom is hidden from their world. O Allah, (please) make us causes for the coming of him and causes for his advent and reappearance. (Please) include us with his supporters, join our vengeance to his vengeance, and decide us to be among his assistants and elite ones. Make us live in bliss in his reign, win the ecstasy of his companionship, among those who carry out our duty toward him, and save us from evil. O most Merciful of all those who show mercy! All praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds. His blessings be upon our master, Muhammad, the seal of the Prophets and the Messengers, upon his Household the veracious, and upon his offspring, the spokespersons of the truth. Curse all the wrongdoers and judge between them and us. O Most Just of all judges!

اللَّهُمَّ بِحَقِّ لَيْلَتِنَا هٰذِهِ وَمَوْلُودِهَا وَحُجَّتِكَ وَمَوْعُودِهَا الَّتِي قَرَنْتَ إِلَىٰ فَضْلِهَا فَضْلاً فَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَتُكَ صِدْقاً وَعَدْلاً لاَ مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَاتِكَ وَلاَ مُعَقِّبَ لآِيَاتِكَ نُورُكَ الْمُتَأَلِّقُ وَضِيَاؤُكَ الْمُشْرِقُ وَالْعَلَمُ النُّورُ فِي طَخْيَاءِ الدَّيْجُورِ الْغَائِبُ الْمَسْتُورُ جَلَّ مَوْلِدُهُ وَكَرُمَ مَحْتِدُهُ وَالْمَلائِكَةُ شُهَّدُهُ وَاللَّهُ نَاصِرُهُ وَمُؤَيِّدُهُ إِذَا آنَ مِيعَادُهُ وَالْمَلاَئِكَةُ أَمْدَادُهُ سَيْفُ اللَّهِ الَّذِي لاَ يَنْبُو وَنُورُهُ الَّذِي لاَ يَخْبُو وَذُو الْحِلْمِ الَّذِي لاَ يَصْبُو مَدَارُ الدَّهْرِ وَنَوَامِيسُ الْعَصْرِ وَوُلاةُ الأَمْرِ وَالْمُنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمْ مَا يَتَنَزَّلُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ وَأَصْحَابُ الْحَشْرِ وَالنَّشْرِ تَرَاجِمَةُ وَحْيِهِ وَوُلاَةُ أَمْرِهِ وَنَهْيِهِ اللَّهُمَّ فَصَلِّ عَلَىٰ خَاتِمِهِمْ وَقَائِمِهِمُ  الْمَسْتُورِ عَنْ عَوَالِمِهِمْ اللَّهُمَّ وَأَدْرِكْ بِنَا أَيَّامَهُ  وَظُهُورَهُ وَقِيَامَهُ وَاجْعَلْنَا مِنْ أَنْصَارِهِ وَاقْرِنْ ثَأْرَنَا بِثَأْرِهِ وَاكْتُبْنَا فِي أَعْوَانِهِ وَخُلَصَائِهِ وَأَحْيِنَا فِي دَوْلَتِهِ نَاعِمِينَ وَبِصُحْبَتِهِ غَانِمِينَ وَبِحَقِّهِ قَائِمِينَ وَمِنَ السُّوءِ سَالِمِينَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ وَصَلَوَاتُهُ عَلَىٰ سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ  خَاتَمِ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالْمُرْسَلِينَ  وَعَلَىٰ أَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ الصَّادِقِينَ  وَعِتْرَتِهِ النَّاطِقِينَ وَالْعَنْ جَمِيعَ الظَّالِمِينَ وَاحْكُمْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُمْ  يَا أَحْكَمَ الْحَاكِمِينَ

Fifth: Sheikh Ismaʿil ibn Fadl al-Hashimi narrated that Imam Jaʿfar al-Sadiq instructed him to say the following supplicatory prayer at the fifteenth night of Shaʿban:

الخامس: روى الشّيخ عن اسماعيل بن فضل الهاشمي قال: علّمني الصّادق (عليه السلام)هذا الدّعاء لأدعو به ليلة النّصف من شعبان:

اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ الْخَالِقُ الرَّازِقُ الْمُحْيِي الْمُمِيتُ الْبَدِيءُ الْبَدِيعُ لَكَ الْجَلاَلُ وَلَكَ الْفَضْلُ وَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ وَلَكَ الْمَنُّ وَلَكَ الْجُودُ وَلَكَ الْكَرَمُ وَلَكَ الأَمْرُ وَلَكَ الْمَجْدُ وَلَكَ الشُّكْرُ وَحْدَكَ لاَ شَرِيكَ لَكَ يَا وَاحِدُ يَا أَحَدُ يَا صَمَدُ يَا مَنْ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُواً أَحَدٌ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَاغْفِرْ لِي وَارْحَمْنِي وَاكْفِنِي مَا أَهَمَّنِي وَاقْضِ دَيْنِي وَوَسِّعْ عَلَيَّ فِي رِزْقِي فَإِنَّكَ فِي هٰذِهِ اللَّيْلَةِ كُلَّ أَمْرٍ حَكِيمٍ تَفْرُقُ وَمَنْ تَشَاءُ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ تَرْزُقُ فَارْزُقْنِي وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الرَّازِقِينَ فَإِنَّكَ قُلْتَ وَأَنْتَ خَيْرُ الْقَائِلِينَ النَّاطِقِينَ: ﴿وَاسْأَلُوا اللَّهَ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ﴾ فَمِنْ فَضْلِكَ أَسْأَلُ وَإِيَّاكَ قَصَدْتُ وَابْنَ نَبِيِّكَ اعْتَمَدْتُ وَلَكَ رَجَوْتُ فَارْحَمْنِي يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ

O Allah, You are verily the Ever-living, the Self-Subsisting, the Most High, the All-great, the Creator, the Sustainer, the Giver of live, the Causer of death, the Originator, the Maker. To You is the Majesty to You is the favor, to You is all praise, to You is thanks, to You is magnanimity, to You is generosity, to You do belong all affairs, to You is glory, and to You is gratitude. You are alone without having any partner with You. O One! O Absolute! O Besought of all! O He Who neither begets nor is He begotten and there is none like to Him! (Please do) bless Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad, forgive me, have mercy upon me, relieve me from whatever has aggrieved me, help me settle my debt, and expand my provisions, for You, at this night, make distinct all affairs of wisdom, and You grant sustenance to whomever You wish among Your creatures. So, (please do) grant me sustenance and You are verily the Best of sustainers. You have said—and You are the Best of those who speak and utter— “Ask Allah of His bounty.” I thus ask You of Your bounty, to You do I turn my face, the intercession of Your Prophet’s son do I seek, and for You do I hope. So, (please do) have mercy upon me, O most Merciful of all those who show mercy!

السّادس: أُدع بهذا الدّعاء الذي كان يدعو به النّبي  في هذه الليلة

Sixth: It is recommended to say this supplicatory prayer, which the Holy Prophet used to say at this night:

اللَّهُمَّ اقْسِمْ لَنَا مِنْ خَشْيَتِكَ مَا يَحُولُ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ مَعْصِيَتِكَ وَمِنْ طَاعَتِكَ مَا تُبَلِّغُنَا بِهِ رِضْوَانَكَ وَمِنَ الْيَقِينِ مَا يَهُونُ عَلَيْنَا بِهِ مُصِيبَاتُ الدُّنْيَا اللَّهُمَّ أَمْتِعْنَا بِأَسْمَاعِنَا وَأَبْصَارِنَا وَقُوَّتِنَا مَا أَحْيَيْتَنَا وَاجْعَلْهُ الْوَارِثَ مِنَّا وَاجْعَلْ ثَأْرَنَا عَلَىٰ مَنْ ظَلَمَنَا وَانْصُرْنَا عَلَىٰ مَنْ عَادَانَا وَلاَ تَجْعَلْ مُصِيبَتَنَا فِي دِينِنَا وَلاَ تَجْعَلِ الدُّنْيَا أَكْبَرَ هَمِّنَا وَلاَ مَبْلَغَ عِلْمِنَا وَلاَ تُسَلِّطْ عَلَيْنَا مَنْ لاَ يَرْحَمُنَا بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ

O Allah, (please do) grant us an amount of fearfulness of You that prevents us from committing acts of disobedience to You, an amount of obedience to You that makes us attain Your satisfaction, and an amount of conviction that help us tolerate the vicissitudes of this worldly life. O Allah, (please do) make us enjoy our hearings, sights, and powers, as long as You decide to keep us alive, and (please do) make it the inheritor of us. (Please do) make us avenge ourselves against them who wrong us, back us against them who antagonize us, do not make us suffer misfortunes in affairs of our religion, do not make our worldly affairs happen to be our greatest concern or our utmost knowledge, and do set one who does not have mercy upon us as master over us, in the name of Your mercy, O most Merciful of all those who show mercy!

وهذه من الدّعوات الجامعات الكاملات ويغتنم الدّعاء به في سائر الأوقات، وفي كتاب عوالي اللئالي انّ النّبي  كان يدعو بهذا الدّعاء في كافّة الأوقات

Actually, this supplicatory prayer is one of the perfect, comprehensive prayers that may be said at all times. In the word of the book Awali al-La’ali, the Holy Prophet used to say this supplicatory prayer at all times.

السّابع: أن يقرأ الصّلوات التي يدعى بها عند الزّوال في كلّ يوم

Seventh: It is recommended to say the prayers that are preferably said at middays. These prayers, previously mentioned, begin with the following statement:

O Allah, (please do) send blessings to Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad— the tree of Prophethood…

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ شَجَرَةِ النُّبُوَّةِ…

Eighth: It is recommended to say the Dua Kumayl supplicatory prayer, which has earlier been cited. Narrations have mentioned that it is highly advisable to say this famous supplicatory prayer at this night.

الثّامن: أن يدعو بدعاء كميل الذي اثبتناه في الباب الأوّل من الكتاب، وهو وارد في هذه الليلة

Ninth: It is recommended to mention Almighty Allah by the following supplication one hundred times so that one’s past acts of disobedience to Him will be forgiven and one’s worldly and religious needs will be granted:

التّاسع: أن يذكر الله بكلّ من هذه الأذكار مائة مرّة، ليغفر الله له ما سلف من معاصيه، ويقضي له حوائج الدّنيا والآخرة.

سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَلاَ إِلٰهَ إِلَّا اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ

All glory be to Allah, all praise be to Allah, there is no god save Allah, and Allah is the Greatest.

العاشر: روى الشّيخ في المصباح عن أبي يحيى في حديث في فضل ليلة النّصف من شعبان انّه قال: قلت لمولاي الصّادق (عليه السلام): ما هو أفضل الأدعية في هذه اللّيلة، فقال: اذا صلّيت العشاء فصلّ ركعتين تقرأ في الأُولى الحمد وسورة الجحد وهي سورة «قل يا أيّها الكافرون»، وفي الثّانية الحمد وسورة التّوحيد وهي سورة «قُلْ هُوَ اللهُ أحَدٌ»، فاذا سلّمت قلت: «سُبْحانَ اللهِ» ثلاثاً وثلاثين مرّة، و«الْحَمْدُ للهِ» ثلاثاً وثلاثين مرّة، و «اللهُ أَكْبَرُ» أربعاً وثلاثين مرّة، ثمّ قل

Tenth: Sheikh al-Tusi, in Misbah al-Mutahajjid, narrated a tradition about the merits of the night of mid-Shaʿban entailing that Abu-Yahya asked Imam Jaʿfar al-Sadiq about the best of supplicatory prayers to be said at this night. The Imam instructed him, saying: After you accomplish the obligatory Evening Prayer, you may offer a two unit prayer in the first unit of which you should recite Surah al-Fatihah and Surah al-Kafirun and in the second Surah al-Fatihah and Surah al-Tawhid. When you accomplish the prayer, you may repeat (the phrase of) subhanallah thirty-three times, (the phrase of) alhamdulillah thirty-three times, and (the phrase of) allahu-akbar thirty-four times. You may then say:

O He to Whom the servants (of Him) resort in urgencies and to Whom the creatures turn in ordeals! O He Who knows the open and the hidden matters! O He from Whom neither the ideas of illusions nor the initiatives of delusions can be concealed! O Lord of creatures and beings! O He Who grasps the kingdoms of the earth and the heavens! You are verily Allah; there is no god save You! I thus try to connect with you in the name of ‘There is no god save You;’ so, O He save Whom there is no god,  (please) include me at this night with those at whom You have looked and thus You have mercy upon them, with those whose prayers have been heard by You and thus You have responded to them, and with those whose true repentance has been admitted by You and thus You have accepted it and overlooked their past sins and enormous offenses. verily, I am seeking Your shelter against my sins and resorting to You so that You may conceal my defects. O Allah, (please) bestow generously upon me with Your generosity and Favor, condone my misdeeds out of Your forbearance and pardon, and encompass me, at this night, with Your opulent honoring, and include me at this night with Your intimate servants whom You have selected for obeying You, whom You have chosen for worshipping You, and whom You have made Your elite and select people. O Allah, (please) make me of those whose efforts are of a happy end and those whose shares of good things are big, make me of those who enjoy blissful life as they have been safe (from sins), and those who have been awarded excellently as they have won, rescue me from the evil consequences of what I have committed, save me from doing more acts of disobedience to You, and make me love the acts of obedience to You and whatever draws me nearer to You and approaches me towards You. O my Master, a fugitive resorts to none save You, a needy begs none save You, and only on Your generosity does a repentant and contrite depends. You have disciplined Your servants by means of generosity, and You are verily the most Generous of all those who are generous. You have instructed Your servants to pardon, and You are verily the All-forgiving, the All-merciful. O Allah, (please) do not deprive me of Your generosity for which I hope, do not make me despair of Your opulent bounties, do not disappoint me of Your abundant sustenance that You decide, this night, for those who are obedient to You, and include me with Your protection against Your evil creatures. O my Lord, if I do not deserve so,  then You are worth acting generously to me, pardoning, and forgiving me. (Please) bestow upon me magnanimously according to that which befits You, not according to what I deserve. Verily, I carry an excellent opinion about You, I do hope for You, and my self is hanged to the rope of Your generosity, for You are verily the most Merciful of all those who show mercy and the most Generous of all those who are generous. O Allah, (please) confer upon me exclusively with an abundant share of what You decide, out of Your generosity. I seek refuge with Your pardon against Your chastisement. (Please) forgive me the sin that prevents me from enjoying high morals and suppresses my sustenance, so that I will accomplish what excellently achieves Your satisfaction, I will enjoy Your profuse granting, and I will be delighted by Your abundant bounties. I am having recourse to Your sanctity, asking for Your generosity, and taking shelter in Your pardon against Your punishment and in Your forbearance against Your ire. So, (please) bestow upon me generously with that which I have asked from You and confer upon me with that which I have begged from You. I beseech You in Your name, since there is nothing great that You are.

يَا مَنْ إِلَيْهِ مَلْجَأُ الْعِبَادِ فِي الْمُهِمَّاتِ وَإِلَيْهِ يَفْزَعُ الْخَلْقُ فِي الْمُلِمَّاتِ يَا عَالِمَ الْجَهْرِ وَالْخَفِيَّاتِ  يَا مَنْ لاَ تَخْفَىٰ عَلَيْهِ خَوَاطِرُ الأَوْهَامِ وَتَصَرُّفُ الْخَطَرَاتِ  يَارَبَّ الْخَلاَئِقِ وَالْبَرِيَّاتِ يَا مَنْ بِيَدِهِ مَلَكُوتُ الأَرَضِينَ وَالسَّمَاوَاتِ أَنْتَ اللَّهُ لاَ إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ أَمُتُّ إِلَيْكَ بِلاَ إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ  فَيَا لاَ إِلٰهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ  اجْعَلْنِي فِي هٰذِهِ اللَّيْلَةِ مِمَّنْ نَظَرْتَ إِلَيْهِ فَرَحِمْتَهُ وَسَمِعْتَ دُعَاءَهُ فَأَجَبْتَهُ وَعَلِمْتَ اسْتِقَالَتَهُ فَأَقَلْتَهُ وَتَجَاوَزْتَ عَنْ سَالِفِ خَطِيئَتِهِ وَعَظِيمِ جَرِيرَتِهِ  فَقَدِ اسْتَجَرْتُ بِكَ مِنْ ذُنُوبِي وَلَجَأْتُ إِلَيْكَ فِي سَتْرِ عُيُوبِي اللَّهُمَّ فَجُدْ عَلَيَّ بِكَرَمِكَ وَفَضلِكَ وَاحْطُطْ خَطَايَايَ بِحِلْمِكَ وَعَفْوِكَ وَتَغَمَّدْنِي فِي هٰذِهِ اللَّيْلَةِ بِسَابِغِ كَرَامَتِكَ وَاجْعَلْنِي فِيهَا مِنْ أَوْلِيَائِكَ الَّذِينَ اجْتَبَيْتَهُمْ لِطَاعَتِكَ وَاخْتَرْتَهُمْ لِعِبَادَتِكَ وَجَعَلْتَهُمْ خَالِصَتَكَ وَصِفْوَتَكَ اللَّهُمَّ اجْعَلْنِي مِمَّنْ سَعَدَ جَدُّهُ وَتَوَفَّرَ مِنَ الْخَيْرَاتِ حَظُّهُ وَاجْعَلْنِي مِمَّنْ سَلِمَ فَنَعِمَ وَفَازَ فَغَنِمَ وَاكْفِنِي شَرَّ مَا أَسْلَفْتُ وَاعْصِمْنِي مِنَ الاِزْدِيَادِ فِي مَعْصِيَتِكَ وَحَبِّبْ إِلَيَّ طَاعَتَكَ وَمَا يُقَرِّبُنِي مِنْكَ وَيُزْلِفُنِي عِنْدَكَ سَيِّدِي إِلَيْكَ يَلْجَأُ الْهَارِبُ وَمِنْكَ يَلْتَمِسُ الطَّالِبُ وَعَلَىٰ كَرَمِكَ يُعَوِّلُ الْمُسْتَقِيلُ التَّائِبُ  أَدَّبْتَ عِبَادَكَ بِالتَّكَرُّمِ وَأَنْتَ أَكْرَمُ الأَكْرَمِينَ وَأَمَرْتَ بِالْعَفْوِ عِبَادَكَ وَأَنْتَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ اللَّهُمَّ فَلاَ تَحْرِمْنِي مَا رَجَوْتُ مِنْ كَرَمِكَ وَلاَ تُؤْيِسْنِي مِنْ سَابِغِ نِعَمِكَ وَلاَ تُخَيِّبْنِي مِنْ جَزِيلِ قِسَمِكَ فِي هٰذِهِ اللَّيْلَةِ لأَهْلِ طَاعَتِكَ وَاجْعَلْنِي فِي جُنَّةٍ مِنْ شِرَارِ بَرِيَّتِكَ رَبِّ إِنْ لَمْ أَكُنْ مِنْ أَهْلِ ذٰلِكَ  فَأَنْتَ أَهْلُ الْكَرَمِ وَالْعَفْوِ وَالْمَغْفِرَةِ وَجُدْ عَلَيَّ بِمَا أَنْتَ أَهْلُهُ لاَ بِمَا أَسْتَحِقُّهُ فَقَدْ حَسُنَ ظَنِّي بِكَ وَتَحَقَّقَ رَجَائِي لَكَ وَعَلِقَتْ نَفْسِي بِكَرَمِكَ فَأَنْتَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ وَأَكْرَمُ الأَكْرَمِينَ اللَّهُمَّ وَاخْصُصْنِي مِنْ كَرَمِكَ بِجَزِيلِ قِسَمِكَ وَأَعُوذُ بِعَفْوِكَ مِنْ عُقُوبَتِكَ وَاغْفِرْ لِيَ الذَّنْبَ الَّذِي يَحْبِسُ عَلَيَّ الْخُلُقَ  وَيُضَيِّقُ عَلَيَّ الرِّزْقَ حَتَّىٰ أَقُومَ بِصَالِحِ رِضَاكَ وَأَنْعَمَ بِجَزِيلِ عَطَائِكَ. وَأَسْعَدَ بِسَابِغِ نَعْمَائِكَ فَقَدْ لُذْتُ بِحَرَمِكَ وَتَعَرَّضْتُ لِكَرَمِكَ وَاسْتَعَذْتُ بِعَفْوِكَ مِنْ عُقُوبَتِكَ وَبِحِلْمِكَ مِنْ غَضَبِكَ فَجُدْ بِمَا سَأَلْتُكَ وَأَنِلْ مَا الْتَمَسْتُ مِنْكَ أَسْأَلُكَ بِكَ لاَ بِشَيْءٍ هُوَ أَعْظَمُ مِنْكَ

You may prostrate yourself and repeat twenty times:

ثم تسجد وتقول عشرين مرة:

O my Lord!

يَا رَبِّ.

And then repeat seven times:

وسبع مرات:

O Allah!

يَا اللَّهُ.

And then repeat seven times:

وسبع مرات:

There is neither might nor power save with Allah.

لاَ حَوْلَ وَلاَ قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ.

And then repeat ten times:

وعشر مرات:

Only that which Allah wants (will come to pass).

مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ.

And then repeat ten times:

وعشر مرات:

There is no power save with Allah.

لاَ قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ

You may then invoke Almighty Allah’s blessings upon the Holy Prophet and beseech Him to grant your requests. By Allah I swear, even if you pray for things that are as many as raindrops, Almighty Allah, out of His generosity and favors, will grant them all.

ثمّ تصلّي على النّبي  وآله وتسأل حاجتك فو الله لو سألت بها بعدد القطر لبلّغك الله عزوجل ايّاها بكرمه وفضله

Eleventh: Sheikh al-Tusi and Sheikh al-Kafʿami: It is suitable to say at this night:

الحادي عشر: قال الطّوسي والكفعمي: يقال في هذه اللّيلة

إِلٰهِي تَعَرَّضَ لَكَ فِي هٰذَا اللَّيْلِ الْمُتَعَرِّضُونَ وَقَصَدَكَ الْقَاصِدُونَ وَأَمَّلَ فَضْلَكَ وَمَعْرُوفَكَ الطَّالِبُونَ وَلَكَ فِي هٰذَا اللَّيْلِ نَفَحَاتٌ وَجَوَائِزُ وَعَطَايَا وَمَوَاهِبُ تَمُنُّ بِهَا عَلَىٰ مَنْ تَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِكَ وَتَمْنَعُهَا مَنْ لَمْ تَسْبِقْ لَهُ الْعِنَايَةُ مِنْكَ وَهَا أَنَا ذَا عُبَيْدُكَ الْفَقِيرُ إِلَيْكَ الْمُؤَمِّلُ فَضْلَكَ وَمَعْرُوفَكَ فَإِنْ كُنْتَ يَا مَوْلايَ تَفَضَّلْتَ فِي هٰذِهِ اللَّيْلَةِ  عَلَىٰ أَحَدٍ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ وَعُدْتَ عَلَيْهِ بِعَائِدَةٍ مِنْ عَطْفِكَ فَصَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ الطَّيِّبِينَ الطَّاهِرِينَ  الْخَيِّرِينَ الْفَاضِلِينَ وَجُدْ عَلَيَّ بِطَوْلِكَ وَمَعْرُوفِكَ يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ وَصَلَّىٰ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ خَاتَمِ النَّبِيِّينَ وَآلِهِ الطَّاهِرِينَ وَسَلَّمَ تَسْلِيماً إِنَّ اللَّهَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَدْعُوكَ كَمَا أَمَرْتَ فَاسْتَجِبْ لِي كَمَا وَعَدْتَ إِنَّكَ لاَ تُخْلِفُ الْمِيعَادَ.

O Allah! Tonight, the seekers of favors, restless and eager, present themselves to You, the determined aspirers have You in mind, and those who make requests look long and attentively at Your obligingness and kindness. You, at this night, give gifts, bounties beyond measure, free donations, and favors to those whom You will from among Your servants when they make a request, and You say no to those who do not try to get in advance (i.e. remain behind) for obtaining the bounties from You. I, a modest needy bondman, am hopeful of Your obligingness and kindness. Indeed, if You, O My Master,  bestows a favor on any one, at this night,  from among Your created beings, and multiply profits and gains for him out of Your love and affection, please send blessings to Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad: the pure, the immaculate,  the virtuous, and the righteous, and then give me abundantly on account of Your liberality and obligingness, O Lord of the worlds! May Allah send blessings to Muhammad, the seal of the Prophets, and upon his Household, the immaculate, and may He exalt them very much. Verily, Allah is worthy of all praise, full of all glory. O Allah, I am praying You as You ordered me to do; so, (please) respond to me as You promised. Verily, You never break Your promise.

وهذا دعاء يدعى به في الأسحار عقيب صلاة الشّفع

It is worth mentioning that this supplicatory prayer is advisably said immediately after the accomplishment of the Shafʿ Prayer at the last hours of night.

الثّاني عشر: أن يدعو بعد كلّ ركعتين من صلاة اللّيل وبعد الشّفع والوتر بما رواه الشّيخ والسّيد

Twelfth: It is recommended to say the supplicatory prayer narrated by Sheikh al-Tusi and Sayyid Ibn Tawus after each two units of the Night Prayer, the Shafʿ Prayer, and the Witr Prayer.

الثّالث عشر:أن يسجد السّجدات ويدعو بالدّعوات المأثورة عن النّبي منها رواه الشّيخ، عن حماد بن عيسى، عن أبان بن تغلب قال: قال الصّادق صلوات الله وسلامه عليه: كان ليلة النّصف من شعبان وكان رسول الله عند عايشة، فلمّا انتصف اللّيل قام رسول الله  عن فراشه، فلمّا انتبهت وجدت رسول الله قد قام عن فراشها فداخلها ما يدخل النّساء أي الغيرة، وظنّت انّه قد قام الى بعض نسائه، فقامت وتلفّفت بشملتها وايم الله ما كانت قزّاً ولا كتاناً ولا قطناً ولكن سداه شعراً ولحمته أوبار الابل، فقامت تطلب رسول الله  في حجر نسائه حجرة حجرة فبينا هي كذلك اذ نظرت الى رسول الله  ساجداً كثوب متلبّد بوجه الأرض فدنت منه قريباً فسمعته يقول في سجوده

Thirteenth: It is recommended to do the prostrations and say the supplicatory prayers that are reported from the Holy Prophet. One of these is that Sheikh al-Tusi narrated on the authority of Hammad ibn Isa on the authority of Aban ibn Taghlib on the authority of Imam Jaʿfar al-Sadiq recounted the following: It was the fifteenth night of Shaʿban when the Holy Prophet was with Aisha, his wife. At midnight, the Holy Prophet left the bed. When Aisha woke up and could not find him, she felt jealous and thought that he had joined one of his other wives. She therefore left her bed and put on her cloak, which was made of neither silk, nor linen, nor cotton; rather, it was made of camel hair. In any event, Aisha searched for the Holy Prophet in all of the rooms of his other wives but she found him prostrating himself on the ground like a thrown dress. As she approached, she heard him saying:

Prostrating before You are my body and my shadow. My heart is full of faith of You. These are my two hands and this is what I have committed against myself. O All-great! You are hoped for all enormous things. Please, forgive me my serious offences,  because none can forgive the serious sin except the All-great Lord.

سَجَدَ لَكَ سَوَادِي وَخَيَالِي وَآمَنَ بِكَ فُؤَادِي هٰذِهِ يَدَايَ وَمَا جَنَيْتُهُ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِي يَا عَظِيمُ تُرْجَىٰ لِكُلِّ عَظِيمٍ إِغْفِرْ لِيَ الْعَظِيمَ  فَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَغْفِرُ الذَّنْبَ الْعَظِيمَ إِلَّا الرَّبُّ الْعَظِيمُ.

The Holy Prophet then raised his head and then prostrated himself again, saying:

ثمّ رفع رأسه وأهوى ثانياً الى السّجود يقول

I seek the protection of the light of Your Face that has lit the heavens and the earth, removed all darkness, and made active all the affairs of the past and the coming generations against Your sudden chastisement, against withdrawing the good health that You have granted me, and against the vanishing of Your bounties. O Allah, (please) grant me a heart that is pious and pure, released from polytheism, and neither atheist nor unhappy.

أَعُوذُ بِنُورِ وَجْهِكَ الَّذِي أَضَاءَتْ لَهُ السَّمَاوَاتُ وَالأَرَضُونَ وَانْكَشَفَتْ لَهُ الظُّلُمَاتُ وَصَلَحَ عَلَيْهِ أَمْرُ الأَوَّلِينَ وَالآخِرِينَ  مِنْ فُجْأَةِ نَقِمَتِكَ وَمِنْ تَحْوِيلِ عَافِيَتِكَ وَمِنْ زَوَالِ نِعْمَتِكَ اللَّهُمَّ ارْزُقْنِي قَلْباً تَقِيّاً نَقِيّاً  وَمِنَ الشِّرْكِ بَرِيئاً  لاَ كَافِراً وَلاَ شَقِيّاً

The Holy Prophet then attached his face to the ground and said:

ثمّ عفّر خدّيه في التّراب وقال

I am putting my face on the ground and it is my duty to prostrate myself before You.

عَفَّرْتُ وَجْهِي فِي التُّرَابِ  وَحُقَّ لِي أَنْ أَسْجُدَ لَك

When the Holy Prophet accomplished these acts of worship and directed towards his bed, Aisha ran before him until she reached the bed before he did. When he heard her speedy breathes, the Holy Prophet wondered. He then said, “Do you know what this night is? This is the mid-Shaʿban night. At this night, shares of provisions are distributed, lifetimes are decided, and the pilgrims are appointed. Verily, Almighty Allah, at this night, forgives as many of His creatures as the hairs of the horses of Kalb Tribe. Almighty Allah also orders angels to descend to the earth, to Mecca, at this night.”

فلمّا همّ رسول الله  بالانصراف هرولت الى فراشها وأتى النبي  الى الفراش وسمعها تتنفّس أنفاساً عالية، فقال لها رسول الله : ما هذا النّفس العال تعلمين أي ليلة هذه، ليلة النّصف من شعبان، فيها تقسم الأرزاق، وفيها تكتب الآجال، وفيها يكتب وفد الحاج، وانّ الله تعالى ليغفر في هذه اللّيلة من خلقه اكثر من شعر معزي قبيلة كلب، وينزل الله ملائكة من السّماء الى الأرض بمكّة

Fourteenth: It is recommended to offer the famous Jaʿfar al-Tayyar’s Prayer as is narrated by Sheikh al-Tusi from Imam al-Ridha.

الرّابع عشر: أن يصلّي صلاة جعفر كما رواه الشّيخ عن الرّضا صلوات الله عليه

Fifteenth: It is recommended to offer the prayers that are dedicated to this night. In fact, these prayers are many. One of them is reported by Abu-Yahya al-Sanʿani, as well as other thirty trustworthy reporters, from Imam Muhammad al-Baqir and Imam Jaʿfar al-Sadiq as follows: At the mid-Shaʿban night, you may offer a four-unit prayer in each unit of which you may recite Surah al-Fatihah once and Surah al-Tawhid one hundred times. After accomplishment, you may say:

الخامس عشر: أن يأتي بما ورد في هذه اللّيلة من الصّلوات وهي كثيرة منها ما رواها أبو يحيى الصّنعاني عن الباقر والصّادق (عليهما السلام) ورواها عنهما ايضاً ثلاثون نفر ممّن يوثق بهم ويعتمد عليهم قالوا: قالا (عليهما السلام): اذا كانت ليلة النّصف من شعبان فصلّ أربع ركعات تقرأ في كلّ ركعة الحمد وقُلْ هُوَ اللهُ أحَدٌ مرّة فاذا فرغت فقُل

O Allah, I am in need for You and I am fearful of You, seeking Your shelter against Your chastisement. O Allah, (please) do not erase my name,  do not change my body, do not increase my ordeals, and do not make my enemies rejoice at my misfortune. I resort to Your pardon against Your punishment, I resort to Your mercy against Your chastisement, I resort to Your pleasure against Your wrath, and I resort to You against You. Enormous be the praise of You. You are as exactly as You have praised Yourself and above all that which is said about You.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي إِلَيْكَ فَقِيرٌ وَمِنْ عَذَابِكَ خَائِفٌ مُسْتَجِيرٌ اللَّهُمَّ لاَ تُبَدِّلِ اسْمِي وَلاَ تُغَيِّرْ جِسْمِي وَلاَ تَجْهَدْ بَلاَئِي وَلاَ تُشْمِتْ بِي أَعْدَائِي  أَعُوذُ بِعَفْوِكَ مِنْ عِقَابِكَ وَأَعُوذُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِكَ وَأَعُوذُ بِرِضَاكَ مِنْ سَخَطِكَ وَأَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْكَ  جَلَّ ثَنَاؤُكَ  اَنْتَ كَمَا أَثْنَيْتَ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِكَ  وَفَوْقَ مَا يَقُولُ الْقَائِلُونَ

It is worth mentioning that according to narrations, a great reward is decided for one who offers a one-hundred unit prayer at this night; in each unit, Surah al-Fatihah is recited once and Surah al-Tawhid ten times. It has previously been mentioned, within the rites of Rajab, that it is recommended to offer a prayer composing of six units in each of which Surah al-Fatihah, Surah Yasin, Surah al-Mulk, and Surah al-Tawhid are recited.

واعلم انّه قد ورد في الحديث فضل كثير لصلاة مائة ركعة في هذه اللّيلة تقرأ في كلّ ركعة الحمد مرّة والتّوحيد عشر مرّات وقد مرّ في أعمال شهر رجب صفة الصّلاة ستّ ركعات في هذه اللّيلة يقرأ فيها سورة الحمد ويس وتبارك والتّوحيد

THE FIFTEENTH OF SHAʿBAN

يوم النّصف من شعبان

On the fifteenth of Shaʿban, the twelfth Imam al-Mahdi was born. It is recommended to visit him at each time and place and to pray Almighty Allah to hasten his advent. To visit him at the Vault in Samarra is more favorable.

Beyond any dispute, Imam al-Mahdi shall appear, overcome, and fill the earth with justice and equality just as it would be filled with injustice and bias.

وهو عيد الميلاد قد ولد فيه الامام الثّاني عشر امامنا المهديّ الحجّة بن الحسن صاحب الزّمان صلوات الله عليه وعلى آبائه ويستحبّ زيارته (عليه السلام) في كلّ زمان ومكان والدّعاء بتعجيلِ الفرَج عند زيارته وتتأكّد زيارته في السّرداب بسرّ من رأى وهو المتيقّنُ ظهوره وتملّكُهُ وانّه يملأ الأرض قسطاً وعدلا كما ملئت ظلماً وجوراً

RITES ON THE REST OF SHAʿBAN

أعمال ما بقي من هذا الشّهر

Imam al-Ridha is reported as saying: If one observes fasting on the last three days of Shaʿban and attaches it to the obligatory fasting of Ramadan, Almighty Allah will decide him as having observed fasting for two consecutive months.

Abu’l-Salt al-Harawi has narrated that when he visited Imam al-Ridha on the last Friday of Shaʿban, the Imam said to him: Abu’l-Salt, the days of Shaʿban have almost passed. This is the last Friday. You should thus settle what you have missed in this month by working harder in the rest of it. You may supplicate God, implore for His forgiveness, recite the Holy Quran, and repent to Him from your sins so that you receive the month of Ramadan with pure sincerity to Him. You must fulfill all the trusts that you are liable to settle, do not bear malice against any of your brethren-in-faith, you must give up any sin that you commit. Fear Almighty Allah and trust in Him in secret and openly, for ‘If any one puts his trust in Allah, sufficient is Allah for him. For Allah will surely accomplish his purpose. Verily, for all things has Allah appointed a due proportion.”

On the rest days of Shaʿban, you may repeat the following supplicatory prayer very much for Almighty Allah saves many people from Hellfire on account of the sanctity of this month:

عن الرّضا صلوات الله وسلامه عليه قال: من صام ثلاثة أيّام من آخر شعبان ووصلها بشهر رمضان كتب الله تعالى له صيام شهرين متتابعين، وعن أبي الصّلت الهروي قال: دخلت على الامام الرّضا (عليه السلام)في آخر جمعة من شعبان فقال لي: يا أبا الصّلت انّ شعبان قد مضى اكثره وهذا آخر جمعة فيه فتدارك فيما بقى تقصيرك فيما مضى منه وعليك بالاقبال على ما يعنيك، واكثر من الدّعاء والاستغفار وتلاوة القرآن وتب الى الله من ذنوبك ليقبل شهر رمضان اليك وأنت مخلص لله عزّوجل، ولا تدعنّ امانة في عنقك الّا أدّيتها ولا في قلبك حقداً على مؤمن الّا نزعته، ولا ذنباً انت مرتكبه إلاّ أقلعت عنه، واتقّ الله وتوكّل عليه في سرائرك وعلانيتك(وَمَنْ يَتَوكَّلْ عَلَى اللهِ فَهُوَ حَسْبُهُ إِنَّ اللهَ بالِغُ أَمْرِهِ قَدْ جَعَلَ اللهُ لِكُلِّ شَىء قَدْراً) واكثر من أن تقول في ما بقى من هذا الشّهر

O Allah, if You have not forgiven us in the past days of Shaʿban, (please do) forgive us in the rest of it.

اللَّهُمَّ إِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ غَفَرْتَ لَنَا فِيمَا مَضَىٰ مِنْ شَعْبَانَ فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا فِيمَا بَقِيَ مِنْهُ

THE LAST NIGHT OF SHAʿBAN

آخر ليلة من شعبان

Sheikh al-Tusi narrated on the authority of Harith ibn Mughirah al-Nadri on the authority of Imam al-Sadiq who used to say the following supplicatory prayer at the last night of Shaʿban and the first night of Ramadan:

وروى الشّيخ عن حارث بن مغيرة النّضري قال: كان الصّادق صلوات الله وسلامه عليه يدعو في آخر ليلة من شعبان وأوّل ليلة من رمضان

O Allah, this blessed month in which the Quran was revealed and was made guidance for people and clear proofs of the guidance, and the Criterion (of right and wrong), has commenced. So, (please) keep us out of blemish during it, keep it sound for us, and receive it from us with means of easiness and good health from You. O He Who has accepted the little (deed) and thanked for the much, (please) accept from me the little (deed). O Allah, I beseech You to make for me a path to every decency, and to make for me a barrier against everything that You do not like. O most Merciful of all those who show mercy! O He Who has pardoned me and overlooked the misdeeds that I have committed secretly! O He Who has not punished me for my committing acts of disobedience to Him! I seek Your pardon, I seek Your pardon, I seek Your pardon, O All-generous! O my God, You advised me, but I have not followed Your advice and You rebuked me for violating that which You have deemed forbidden, but I have not stopped.  Now, what is my excuse? So, (please) pardon me, O All-generous! I seek Your pardon, I seek Your pardon! O Allah, I beseech You  for rest at death and for pardon at calling to account. Great is the sin of Your servant;  so, let Your overlooking him be excellent. O He Who is worth being feared and is worth forgiving! I seek Your pardon, I seek Your pardon. O Allah, I am Your servant and the son of Your servant and Your she-servant and I am weak and in need for Your mercy; while You are the Pourer of wealth and bless on the servants (of You), You are omnipotent and full of power, You have recorded all their (i.e. Your servants) deeds, decided the sustenance of each one them, and made them of different languages and colors in different stages of creation. Your servants can never attain Your knowledge and Your servants can never recognize the real estimate that is due to You. All of us are needy for Your mercy. So, (please) do not turn Your Face away from me and include me with the virtuous creatures of You in deeds, hopes, and Your decisions (for me). O Allah, (please) keep me alive in the best manner of living, decide for me to die in the best manner of death keeping loyal to Your representatives, incurring the enmity of Your enemies, keeping desiring for You, fearing from You, and submitting to You, being loyal to You, complying with You,  believing in Your Book, and following Your Prophet’s instructions. O Allah, as for whatever I bear in my heart, including suspicion, doubt, denial, despair, (excessive) joy, lavish expenditure or recklessness, pride, arrogance, ostentation, discord, hypocrisy, unbelief, licentiousness, disobedience, conceit, or anything else that You do not like; I thus beseech You, O my Lord, to substitute all that with belief in Your promise, fulfillment of my covenant to You, satisfaction with what You decide for me, indifference to the worldly pleasures, desire for that which You have, altruism, tranquility, and sincere repentance. I beseech You for all that, O Lord of the worlds! O my God, because You are so forbearing, You are disobeyed as if You are not present, and because You are so generous and magnanimous, You are obeyed as if You have not been disobeyed at all. Both those who have not disobeyed You and I are the inhabitants of Your lands; so, (please) confer magnanimously upon us with Your favors and always refer to us with Your goodness. O most Merciful of all those who show mercy! May Allah bless Muhammad and his Household with endless blessings that are innumerable, uncountable, and none can do it save You. O most Merciful of all those who show mercy!

اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّ هٰذَا الشَّهْرَ الْمُبَارَكَ  الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ وَجُعِلَ هُدَىً لِلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِنَ الْهُدَىٰ وَالْفُرْقَانِ قَدْ حَضَرَ فَسَلِّمْنَا فِيهِ وَسَلَّمْهُ لَنَا وَتَسَلَّمْهُ مِنَّا فِي يُسْرٍ مِنْكَ وَعَافِيَةٍ يَا مَنْ أَخَذَ الْقَلِيلَ وَشَكَرَ الْكَثِيرَ اقْبَلْ مِنِّي الْيَسِيرَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ لِي إِلَىٰ كُلِّ خَيْرٍ سَبِيلاً وَمِنْ كُلِّ مَا لاَ تُحِبُّ مَانِعاً يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ يَا مَنْ عَفَا عَنِّي وَعَمَّا خَلَوْتُ بِهِ مِنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ يَا مَنْ لَمْ يُؤَاخِذْنِي بِارْتِكَابِ الْمَعَاصِي عَفْوَكَ عَفْوَكَ عَفْوَكَ يَا كَرِيمُ إِلٰهِي وَعَظْتَنِي فَلَمْ أَتَّعِظْ وَزَجَرْتَنِي عَنْ مَحَارِمِكَ فَلَمْ أَنْزَجِرْ فَمَا عُذْرِي فَاعْفُ عَنِّي يَا كَرِيمُ عَفْوَكَ عَفْوَكَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنّي أَسْأَلُكَ الرَّاحَةَ عِنْدَ الْمَوْتِ وَالْعَفْوَ عِنْدَ الْحِسَابِ عَظُمَ الذَّنْبُ مِنْ عَبْدِكَ فَلْيَحْسُنِ التَّجَاوُزُ مِنْ عِنْدِكَ يَا أَهْلَ التَّقْوَىٰ وَيَا أَهْلَ الْمَغْفِرَةِ عَفْوَكَ عَفْوَكَ اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي عَبْدُكَ ابْنُ عَبْدِكَ ابْنُ أَمَتِكَ ضَعِيفٌ فَقِيرٌ إِلَىٰ رَحْمَتِكَ وَأَنْتَ مُنْزِلُ الْغِنَىٰ وَالْبَرَكَةِ عَلَىٰ الْعِبَادِ قَاهِرٌ مُقْتَدِرٌ أَحْصَيْتَ أَعْمَالَهُمْ وَقَسَمْتَ أَرْزَاقَهُمْ وَجَعَلْتَهُمْ مُخْتَلِفَةً أَلْسِنَتُهُمْ وَأَلْوَانُهُمْ خَلْقاً مِنْ بَعْدِ خَلْقٍ وَلاَ يَعْلَمُ الْعِبَادُ عِلْمَكَ وَلاَ يَقْدِرُ الْعِبَادُ قَدْرَكَ وَكُلُّنَا فَقِيرٌ إِلَىٰ رَحْمَتِكَ فَلاَ تَصْرِفْ عَنِّي وَجْهَكَ وَاجْعَلْنِي مِنْ صَالِحِي خَلْقِكَ فِي الْعَمَلِ وَالأَمَلِ وَالْقَضَاءِ وَالْقَدَرِ اللَّهُمَّ أَبْقِنِي خَيْرَ الْبَقَاءِ وَأَفْنِنِي خَيْرَ الْفَنَاءِ عَلَىٰ مُوَالاةِ أَوْلِيَائِكَ وَمُعَادَاةِ أَعْدَائِكَ وَالرَّغْبَةِ إِلَيْكَ وَالرَّهْبَةِ مِنْكَ وَالْخُشُوعِ وَالْوَفَاءِ وَالتَّسْلِيمِ لَكَ وَالتَّصْدِيقِ بِكِتَابِكَ وَاتِّبَاعِ سُنَّةِ رَسُولِكَ اللَّهُمَّ مَا كَانَ فِي قَلْبِي مِنْ شَكٍّ أَوْ رِيبَةٍ أَوْ جُحُودٍ أَوْ قُنُوطٍ أَوْ فَرَحٍ أَوْ بَذَخٍ أَوْ بَطَرٍ أَوْ خُيَلاءَ أَوْ رِيَاءٍ أَوْ سُمْعَةٍ أَوْ شِقَاقٍ أَوْ نِفَاقٍ أَوْ كُفْرٍ أَوْ فُسُوقٍ أَوْ عِصْيَانٍ أَوْ عَظَمَةٍ أَوْ شَيْءٍ لاَ تُحِبُّ فَأَسْأَلُكَ يَا رَبِّ أَنْ تُبَدِّلَنِي مَكَانَهُ إِيمَاناً بِوَعْدِكَ وَوَفَاءً بِعَهْدِكَ وَرِضاً بِقَضَائِكَ وَزُهْداً فِي الدُّنْيَا وَرَغْبَةً فِيمَا عِنْدَكَ وَأَثَرَةً وَطُمَأْنِينَةً وَتَوْبَةً نَصُوحاً أَسْأَلُكَ ذٰلِكَ يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ إِلٰهِي أَنْتَ مِنْ حِلْمِكَ تُعْصَىٰ فَكَأَنَّكَ لَمْ تُرَ وَمِنْ كَرَمِكَ وَجُودِكَ تُطَاعُ فَكَأَنَّكَ لَمْ تُعْصَ وَأَنَا وَمَنْ لَمْ يَعْصِكَ سُكَّانُ أَرْضِكَ  فَكُنْ عَلَيْنَا بِالْفَضْلِ جَوَاداً وَبِالْخَيْرِ عَوَّاداً يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ وَصَلَّىٰ اللَّهُ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِهِ صَلاةً دَائِمَةً  لاَ تُحْصَىٰ وَلاَ تُعَدُّ وَلاَ يَقْدِرُ قَدْرَهَا غَيْرُكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ