First Night of Ramadhan

Text and Translation

The rites of the first night of Ramadan are as follows:

First: Watching the New Moon (Istihlal): It is highly recommended to watch the new moon of Ramadan at the first night of it. Moreover, some scholars have decided this act as obligatory.

Second: When your eyes fall on the new moon, you must not point to it; rather, you should turn yourself towards the kiblah direction, raise both your hands towards the sky, and address the new moon with the following words:

رَبِّي وَرَبُّكَ اللهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِيْنَ، اَللّٰهُمَّ اَهِلَّهٗ عَلَيْنَا بِالْاَمْنِ وَالْاِيْمَانِ، وَالسَّلَامَةِ وَالْاِسْلَامِ، وَالْمُسَارَعَةِ اِلٰى مَا تُحِبُّ وَتَرْضٰى، اَللّٰهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِيْ شَهْرِنَا هٰذَا، وَارْزُقْنَا خَيْرَهٗ وَعَوْنَهٗ، وَاصْرِفْ عَنَّا ضُرَّهٗ وَشَرَّهٗ وَبَلَاۤءَهٗ وَفِتْنَتَهٗ.

RABBEE WARABBUKAL LAAHU RABBUL 'AALAMEEN, ALLAAHUMMA AHILLAHOO A'LAYNAA BIL AMNI WAL EEMAAN, WAS SALAAMATI WAL ISLAAM, WAL MUSAARA'ATI ILAA MAA TUHIBBU WATARZAA, ALLAAHUMMA BAARIK LANAA FEE SHAHRINAA HAAZAA, WARZUQNAA KHAYRAHOO WA'AWNAH, WASRIF A'NNAA ZURRAHOO WASHARRAHOO WABALAA-AHOO WAFITNATAH.

Your and my Lord is Allah; the Lord of the worlds. O Allah, (please do) cause this crescent to carry with it for us security, faith, safety, Islam, and expedition to whatever You love and please. O Allah, (please do) bless us in this month, confer upon us with its goodness and aid and save us from its harm, evil, ordeals, and sedition.

It has been narrated that when the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) would see the new moon of Ramadan, he would turn his face to the kiblah direction and say the following:

اَللّٰهُمَّ اَهِلَّهٗ عَلَيْنَا بِالْاَمْنِ وَالْاِيْمَانِ، وَالسَّلَامَةِ وَالْاِسْلَامِ، وَالْعَافِيَةِ الْمُجَلَّلَةِ وَدِفَاعِ الْاَسْقَامِ، وَالْعَوْنِ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ وَالصِّيَامِ وَالْقِيَامِ وَتِلَاوَةِ الْقُرَاٰنِ، اَللّٰهُمَّ سَلَّمْنَا لِشَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ وَتَسَلِّمْهُ مِنَّا، وَسَلِّمْنَا فِيْهِ حَتّٰى يَنْقَضِيَ عَنَّا شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ وَقَدْ عَفَوْتَ عَنَّا وَغَفَرْتَ لَنَا وَرَحِمْتَنَا.

ALLAAHUMMA AHILLAHOO A'LAYNAA BIL AMNI WAL EEMAAN, WAS SALAAMATI WAL ISLAAM, WAL 'AAFIYATIL MUJALLALATI WADIFAA'IL ASQAAM, WAL 'AWNI A'LAS SALAATI WAS SIYAAMI WAL QIYAAMI WATILAAWATIL QURAAN, ALLAAHUMMA SALLAMNAA LISHAHRI RAMAZAANA WATASALLIMHU MINNAA, WASALLIMNAA FEEHI HATTAA YANQAZIYA A'NNAA SHAHRU RAMAZAANA WAQAD A'FAWTA A'NNAA WAGHAFARTA LANAA WARAHIMTANAA.

O Allah, (please do) cause this crescent to carry with it for us security, faith, safety, Islam, encompassing wellbeing, repulsion of ailments, and assistance to offer prayers, observe fasting, do acts of worship, and recite the Qur'an. O Allah, (please do) keep us sound for the month of Ramadan, accept our deeds during it, and save us during it, so that the month of Ramadan will not elapse unless You have pardoned us, forgiven us, and had mercy upon us.

Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq(a.s.) is also reported to have said: When you see the new moon of Ramadan, you may say the following:

اَللّٰهُمَّ قَدْ حَضَرَ شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ، وَقَدِ افْتَرَضْتَ عَلَيْنَا صِيَامَهٗ، وَاَنْزَلْتَ فِيْهِ الْقُرَاٰنَ هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِنَ الْهُدٰى وَالْفُرْقَانِ، اَللّٰهُمَّ اَعِنَّا عَلٰى صِيَامِهٖ وَتَقَبَّلْهُ مِنَّا، وَسَلِّمْنَا فِيْهِ، وَسَلِّمْنَا مِنْهُ وَسَلِّمْهُ لَنَا فِيْ يُسْرٍ مِنْكَ وَعَافِيَةٍ اِنَّكَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيْرٌ، يَا رَحْمٰنُ يَا رَحِيْمُ.

ALLAAHUMMA QAD HAZARA SHAHRU RAMAZAAN, WAQADIFTARAZTA A'LAYNAA SIYAAMAH, WA-ANZALTA FEEHIL QURAANA HUDANY LILNNAASI WABAYYINAATIN MINAL HUDAA WAL FURQAAN, ALLAAHUMMA A'INNAA A'LAA SIYAAMIHEE WATAQABBALHU MINNAA, WASALLIMNAA FEEH, WASALLIMNAA MINHU WASALLIMHU LANAA FEE YUSRIN MINKA WA'AAFIYATIN INNAKA A'LAA KULLI SHAY-IN QADEER, YAA RAHMAANU YAA RAHEEM.

O Allah, the month of Ramadan has commenced, You have made obligatory upon us to observe fasting during it, and revealed the Qur'an in it as guidance for people and clear proofs of true guidance and distinction (between the right and the wrong). O Allah, (please) help us observe fasting in it, accept it from us, keep us safe during it, help us observe it adequately, and keep it sound for us with easiness and good health from You. You verily have power over all things. O All-beneficent! O All-merciful!