English
A number of rites have been reported to be advisably said or done at the first night in Rajab, which is a holy night. These rites are as follows:
First: At the sight of the new moon, it is recommended to say the following supplicatory prayer:
اَللّٰهُمَّ اَهِلَّهُ عَلَيْنَا بِالْاَمْنِ وَ الْاِيمَانِ
O Allah, cause it (i.e. the moon) to appear carrying for us security, faith,
وَ السَّلَامَةِ وَ الْاِسْلَامِ
safety, and Islam.
رَبِّي وَ رَبُّكَ اللّٰهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ۔
Your and my Lord is Allah, the Glorified and Majestic.
It has been also reported that when his eyes fell on the new moon of Rajab, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) used to say the following:
اَللّٰهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِي رَجَبٍ وَ شَعْبَانَ
O Allah, (please do) pour out Your blessings upon us in Rajab and Sha'ban.
وَ بَلِّغْنَا شَهْرَ رَمَضَانَ
make us catch Ramadan,
وَ اَعِنَّا عَلَى الصِّيَامِ
and help us observe fasting,
وَ الْقِيَامِ
do acts of worship,
وَ حِفْظِ اللِّسَانِ
suppress our tongues (from saying anything improper),
وَ غَضِّ الْبَصَرِ
and cast down our eyes (against what is forbidden for us to look at).
وَ لَا تَجْعَلْ حَظَّنَا مِنْهُ الْجُوْعَ وَ الْعَطَشَ۔
Do not make our share of Ramadan is only hunger and thirst.
Second: It is highly advisable to bathe oneself at the first night of Rajab. In this respect, some scholars have reported the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) as saying, “Whoever receives the month of Rajab and bathes himself in the first, middle, and last of it, will be released from all of his sins to return as pure as the day of his birth.”
Third: It is recommended to visit the shrine of Imam al-Husayn (a.s.).
Fourth: It is recommended to offer, after the obligatory Maghrib Prayer, a twenty unit prayer and to recite in each unit Surah al-Faatehah once and Surah al-Tawheed once, and to separate between each couple of units with Taslim. Whoever offers this prayer, his family members, property, sons, and he will be kept saved from harm, rescued against the grave torture, and pass the Sirat as swiftly as lightning without being called to account.
Fifth: After the Isha’ Prayer, it is recommended to offer a two unit prayer in the first unit of which Surah al-Faatehah should be recited once, Surah al-Inshirah (No. 94) recited once, and Surah al-Tawheed recited three times. In the second unit, Surahs al-Faatehah, al-Inshirah, al-Tawheed, al-Falaq, and al-Nas should be recited once each. After Taslim, the following litany should be repeated thirty times:
لَا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللهُ۔
There is no god save
Similarly, SWALAWAT on Holy Prophet and their Progeny should be repeated thirty times:
اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ۔
O Allah, (please do) send blessings to Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad.
The reward of this prayer is that whoever offers it, will have all his sins forgiven and will return as sin-free as the day of his birth.
Sixth: It is recommended to offer a thirty unit prayer in each unit Surah al-Faatehah is recited once, Surah al-Kafirun (No. 109) recited once, and Surah al-Tawheed repeated three times.
Seventh: Referring to the recommended rites at the first night of Rajab, Shaykh al-Tusi has mentioned, in his book of Misbah al-Mutahajjid, that Abu’l-Bukhtari Wahab ibn Wahab has narrated on the authority of Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) on the authority of his father (a.s.) on the authority of his grandfather (a.s.) who said that Imam Ali(a.s.) used to devote himself to acts of worship in an exclusive way at four nights, (1) the first night of Rajab, (2) the middle night (i.e. fifteen) of Sha’ban, (3) the ‘Id al-Fitr Night (i.e. the first night of Shawwal), and (4) the Nahr Night (the tenth of Dhu’l-Hijjah).
Imam Abu-Ja’far II (a.s.) is reported to have recommended saying this the following supplicatory prayer at the first night of Rajab after the Isha’ Prayer:
اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّي اَسْاَلُكَ بِاَنَّكَ مَلِكٌ
O Allah, I beseech You in the name of Your being the King,
وَ اَنَّكَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ مُقْتَدِرٌ
having absolute power over all things,
وَ اَنَّكَ مَا تَشَاءُ مِنْ اَمْرٍ يَكُوْنُ
and whatever matter You want to happen shall happen.
اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّي اَتَوَجَّهُ اِلَيْكَ بِنَبِيِّكَ مُحَمَّدٍ
O Allah, I turn my face towards You asking You in the name of Your Prophet, Muhammad,
نَبِيِّ الرَّحْمَةِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ اٰلِهِ
the Prophet of mercy—may Allah’s -blessings be upon him and his Household.
يَا رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ
O Messenger of Allah!
اِنِّي اَتَوَجَّهُ بِكَ اِلَى اللّٰهِ رَبِّكَ وَ رَبِّيْ
I seek Your intercession for me with Allah, your and my Lord,
لِيُنْجِحَ [لِي] بِكَ طَلِبَتِيْ
so that He may respond to my request.
اَللّٰهُمَّ بِنَبِيِّكَ مُحَمَّدٍ
O Allah, I beseech You in the name of Your Prophet Muhammad
وَ الْاَئِمَّةِ مِنْ اَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ
and the Imams from his household,
صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ عَلَيْهِمْ
peace be upon him and them,
اَنْجِحْ طَلِبَتِي۔
to respond to my request.
You may then mention your requests.
Ali ibn Hadid has narrated that Imam Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.) used to say the following supplicatory prayer while prostrating after the accomplishment of the Night Prayer (Salat al-Layl):
لَكَ الْمَحْمَدَةُ اِنْ اَطَعْتُكَ
[O Allah,] If I obey You, then thanks to You,
وَ لَكَ الْحُجَّةُ اِنْ عَصَيْتُكَ
and if I disobey You, then You have the right (to punish me).
لَا صُنْعَ لِي وَ لَا لِغَيْرِيْ فِي اِحْسَانٍ اِلَّا بِكَ
All favors that are done to me or to anyone else must come from You.
يَا كَاۤئِنُ [كَاۤئِنًا] قَبْلَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ
O He Who existed before all things!
وَ يَا مُكَوِّنَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ
O Author of all things!
اِنَّكَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيْرٌ
Verily, You have power over all things.
اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّي اَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْعَدِيْلَةِ عِنْدَ الْمَوْتِ
O Allah, I seek Your protection against deviation at (the hour of) death,
وَ مِنْ شَرِّ الْمَرْجِعِ فِي الْقُبُوْرِ
evil recourse in the grave,
وَ مِنَ النَّدَامَةِ يَوْمَ الْآزِفَةِ
and regret on the Day of the approaching doom.
فَاَسْاَلُكَ اَنْ تُصَلِّيَ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
I therefore beseech You to send blessings to Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad
وَ اَنْ تَجْعَلَ عَيْشِيْ عِيْشَةً نَقِيَّةً
and to make my life wholesome,
وَ مِيْتَتِيْ مِيْتَةً سَوِيَّةً
my death sound,
وَ مُنْقَلَبِيْ مُنْقَلَبًا كَرِيْمًا
and my resort honorable;
غَيْرَ مُخْزٍ وَ لَا فَاضِحٍ
neither disgraceful nor scandalous.
اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اٰلِهِ
O Allah, (please do) send blessings to Muhammad and his Household;
الْاَئِمَّةِ يَنَابِيْعِ الْحِكْمَةِ،
the Imams, the sources of wisdom,
وَ اُوْلِي النِّعْمَةِ
the causes of bliss,
وَ مَعَادِنِ الْعِصْمَةِ
and the essences of immaculacy,
وَ اعْصِمْنِيْ بِهِمْ مِنْ كُلِّ سُوْءٍ
and protect me, in their name, against all evils,
وَ لَا تَاْخُذْنِيْ عَلٰى غِرَّةٍ وَ لَا عَلٰى غَفْلَةٍ
do not seize me unexpectedly or inattentively,
وَ لَا تَجْعَلْ عَوَاقِبَ اَعْمَالِي حَسْرَةً
do not allow my end result to be regretful,
وَ ارْضَ عَنِّيْ
and be pleased with me,
فَاِنَّ مَغْفِرَتَكَ لِلظَّالِمِيْنَ وَ اَنَا مِنَ الظَّالِمِيْنَ
for Your forgiveness is dedicated to the wrongdoers, and I am one of these wrongdoers.
اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِيْ مَا لًا يَضُرُّكَ
O Allah, (please do) forgive me (my faults) which do not harm You
وَ اَعْطِنِيْ مَا لًا يَنْقُصُكَ
and give me from that which does not cause decrease to You.
فَاِنَّكَ الْوَسِيْعُ رَحْمَتُهُ
Verily, You are the One Whose mercy is all-embracing
الْبَدِيْعُ حِكْمَتُهُ
and Whose wisdom is all-excellent.
وَ اَعْطِنِي السَّعَةَ وَ الدَّعَةَ
(Please do) grant me opulence, comfort,
وَ الْاَمْنَ وَ الصِّحَّةَ
security, health,
وَ الْنُّخُوْعَ وَ الْقُنُوْعَ
wholesomeness, contentment,
وَ الشُّكْرَ وَ الْمُعَافَاةَ وَ التَّقْوَىٰ
thanksgiving, good health, piety,
وَ الصَّبْرَ وَ الصِّدْقَ عَلَيْكَ وَ عَلٰى اَوْلِيَاۤئِكَ
patience, belief in You and Your Saints,
وَ الْيُسْرَ وَ الشُّكْرَ
affluence, and thanksgiving.
وَ اعْمُمْ بِذَالِكَ يَا رَبِّ اَهْلِيْ وَ وَلَدِيْ
(Please do) include, O my Lord, with this (request) my family members (or my wife), my sons,
وَ اِخْوَانِي فِيْكَ
and my brethren-in-faith
وَ مَنْ اَحْبَبْتُ وَ اَحَبَّنِيْ
as well as all those whom I love and those who love me
وَ وَلَدْتُ وَ وَلَدَنِيْ
and my offspring and all my fathers and mothers
مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِيْنَ وَ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ
among the Muslims and the believers,
يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِيْنَ۔
O Lord of the worlds!
Ibn Ashyam says: It is advisable to say this supplicatory prayer after offering the eight-unit salat al-Layl (Night Prayer) and before offering the three-unit salat al-witr. Immediately after offering this prayer, it is recommended to say this supplicatory prayer while sitting:
اَلْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ الَّذِيْ لَا تَنْفَدُ خَزَاۤئِنُهُ
All praise be to Allah Whose treasures are inexhaustible
وَ لَا يَخَافُ آمِنُهُ
and those whom are secured by Him shall never fear anything.
رَبِّ اِنِ ارْتَكَبْتُ الْمَعَاصِيَ
O my Lord, as I have committed acts of disobedience to You,
فَذَالِكَ ثِقَةٌ [ثِقَةً] مِنِّي بِكَرَمِكَ
this was only out of my full confidence in Your generosity.
اِنَّكَ تَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِكَ
Verily, You accept the repentance of Your servants,
وَ تَعْفُوْ عَنْ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ
pardon their wrongdoings,
وَ تَغْفِرُ الزَّلَلَ
and forgive their flaws.
وَ اِنَّكَ مُجِيْبٌ لِدَاعِيْكَ
You verily respond to one who prays You,
وَ مِنْهُ قَرِيْبٌ
and You are close to him.
وَ اَنَا تَاۤئِبٌ اِلَيْكَ مِنَ الْخَطَايَا
I am repenting before You from my sins
وَ رَاغِبٌ اِلَيْكَ فِي تَوْفِيْرِ حَظِّيْ مِنَ الْعَطَايَا
and from You do I desire for a good portion of Your donations.
يَا خَالِقَ الْبَرَايَا
O Creator of all beings!
يَا مُنْقِذِيْ مِنْ كُلِّ شَدِيْدَةٍ
O my Redeemer from all hardships!
يَا مُجِيْرِيْ مِنْ كُلِّ مَحْذُوْرٍ
O my Rescuer from all perils!
وَفِّرْ عَلَيَّ السُّرُوْرَ
(Please do) confer upon me with pleasure
وَ اكْفِنِيْ شَرَّ عَوَاقِبِ الْأُمُوْرِ
and save me from the evil end results of matters.
فَاَنْتَ اللّٰهُ عَلٰى نَعْمَاۤئِكَ وَ جَزِيْلِ عَطَاۤئِكَ مَشْكُوْرٌ
Verily, You are Allah the thanked for Your bounties and affluent gifts
وَ لِكُلِّ خَيْرٍ مَذْخُوْرٌ۔
and hoped for all good things.
It is worth mentioning that our scholars have mentioned special prayers to be offered at each night in Rajab. Yet, it takes a long time to mentioned these prayers.