(b) First Night of Rajab

Text and Translation

(b) First Night of Rajab

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 اَهِلَّهٗ عَلَيْنَا بِالْاَمْنِ وَ الْاِيْمَانِ

ALLAAHUMMA AHILLAHU A’LAYNAA BIL-AMNE WAL EEMAANE

O Allah, let this moon rise over us with security and faith,

وَ السَّلَامَةِ وَ الْاِسْلَامِ

WAS SALAAMATE WAL ISLAAME

with safety and Islam.

رَبِّیْ وَ رَبُّكَ اللّٰهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ

RABBEE WA RABBOKAL LAAHO A’ZZA WA JALLA

My Lord and your Lord (O moon) is Allah, the Mighty 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 فِىْ رَجَبٍ وَ شَعْبَانَ

ALLAAHUMMA BAARIK LANAA FEE RAJABIN WA SHA’BAANA

O Allah, bless us in Rajab and Sha'ban,

وَ بَلِّغْنَا شَهْرَ رَمَضَانَ

WA BALLIGHNAA SHAHRA RAMAZAAN

and let us reach the month of Ramazan.

وَ اَعِنَّا عَلَى الصِّيَامِ وَ الْقِيَامِ

WA A-I’NNAA A’LAS SEYAAME WAL QEYAAME

And assist us in fasting, standing in prayer (at night),

وَ حِفْظِ اللِّسَانِ وَ غَضِّ الْبَصَرِ

WA HIFZIL LESAANE WA GHAZZAL BASARE

guarding the tongue, and lowering the gaze.

وَ لَا تَجْعَلْ حَظَّنَا مِنْهُ الْجُوْعَ وَ الْعَطَشَ.

WA LAA TAJ-A’L HAZZANAA MINHUL JOO-A’ WAL A’TASHA.

And do not let our only share of it (the fast) be 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

LAA ELAAHA ILLAL LAAH.

There is no god save Allah.

Similarly, salawaat on Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) and his Progeny (a.s.) should be repeated thirty times:

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-Kaaferoon (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 Abul 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 Eid al-Fitr Night (i.e. the first night of Shawwal), and (4) the Nahr Night (the tenth of Zilhajj).

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 اِنِّىْ اَسْاَلُكَ بِاَنَّكَ مَلِكٌ

ALLAAHUMMA INNEE ASALOKA BEANNAKA MALEKUN

O Allah, I ask You by the fact that You are the Sovereign,

وَ اَنَّكَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ مُقْتَدِرٌ

WA ANNAKA A’LAA KULLE SHAY-IN MUQTADERUN

And that You are All-Powerful over all things,

وَ اَنَّكَ مَا تَشَاءُ مِنْ اَمْرٍ يَكُوْنُ

WA ANNAKA MAA TAHSAA-O MIN AMRIN YAKOONO

And that whatever You will of any matter, it comes to be.

اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّىْ اَتَوَجَّهُ اِلَيْكَ بِنَبِيِّكَ مُحَمَّدٍ

ALLAAHUMMA INNEE ATAWAJJAHO ELAYKA BE-NABIYYEKA MOHAMMADIN

O Allah, I turn to You through Your Prophet Muhammad,

نَبِيِّ الرَّحْمَةِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ اٰلِهٖ

NABIYYIR RAHMATE SALLAL LAAHO A’LAYHE WA AALEHI

The Prophet of Mercy—may Allah send blessings upon him and his family.

يَا مُحَمَّدُ يَا رَسُوْلَ اللّٰهِ

YAA MOHAMMADO YAA RASOOLAL LAAH

O Muhammad, O Messenger of Allah,

اِنِّیْ اَتَوَجَّهُ بِكَ اِلَى اللّٰهِ رَبِّكَ وَ رَبِّيْ

INNEE ATAWAJJAHO BEKA ELAL LAAHE RABBEKA WA RABBEE

Indeed, I turn through you to Allah, your Lord and my Lord,

لِيُنْجِحَ لِيْ بِكَ طَلِبَتِيْ

LE-YUNJEHA LEE BEKA TALEBATEE

That He may grant success to my quest through you.

اَللّٰهُمَّ بِنَبِيِّكَ مُحَمَّدٍ

ALLAAHUMMA BENABIYYEKA MOHAMMADIN

O Allah, through Your Prophet Muhammad,

وَ الْاَئِمَّةِ مِنْ اَهْلِ بَيْتِهٖ

WAL AIMMATE MIN AHLE BAYTEHI

And the Imams from his Household (Ahl al-Bayt)—

صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ عَلَيْهِمْ

SALLAL LAAHO A’LAYHE WA A’LAYHIM

May Allah bless him and them—

اَنْجِحْ طَلِبَتِيْ.

ANJEH TALEBATEE.

Grant success to my quest.

You may then mention your requests.

Ali ibn Hadeed 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

LAKAL MAHMADATO IN ATA’TOKA