Fifteenth day of Shaban

Text and Translation

On the fifteenth of Sha'ban, the twelfth Imam al-Mahdi, the Patron of the Age (Sahib al-Zaman), was born. May Almighty Allah's blessings be upon him and his immaculate ancestors. It is recommended to visit him at each time and place and to pray to Almighty Allah for hastening his advent. His ziyarah at the Vault (sirdab) in Samarra' is more favorable. Beyond any dispute, Imam al-Mahdi (a) shall appear, overcome, and fill the earth with justice and equality just as it will have been filled with injustice and bias.

The rites in the rest of Sha'ban: Imam al-Rida (a) is reported as saying: if one observes fasting on the last three days of Sha'ban and joins 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-Rida (a) on the last Friday of Sha'ban, the Imam said to him:

Abu'l-Salt, the days of Sha'ban 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. Supplicate God, implore His forgiveness, recite the Holy Qur'an, 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, not bear malice against any of your brethren-in-faith, and give up any sin that you commit. Fear Almighty Allah and trust in Him in secret and openly, for "if anyone 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." (65:3)

In the rest of the days of Sha'ban, repeat the following supplicatory prayer very often, for Almighty Allah saves many people from Hellfire on account of the sanctity of this month:

اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ غَفَرْتَ لَنَا فِيْمَا مَضٰى مِنْ شَعْبَانَ فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا فِيْمَا بَقِيَ مِنْهُ

ALLAAHUMMA IL LAM TAKUN GHAFARTA LANAA FEEMAA MADAA MIN SHA'BAANA FAGHFIR LANAA FEEMAA BAQIYA MINHU

O Allah, if You have not forgiven us in what has passed of Sha'ban, then forgive us in what remains of it.