Miscellaneous Aamaal for the Month of Rajab

Text and Translation

Sayyid Ibn Tawus has narrated that Muhammad ibn Zakwan - known as al-Sajjad due to his remarkable, time-consuming prostration during which he used to weep so heavily that he lost his sight - asked Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (a.s.), saying, “May Allah accept me as ransom for you! We are now in Rajab; I therefore please you to teach me a supplicatory prayer due to which Almighty Allah may help me.” Hence, the Imam (a.s.) asked him to write down the following:

In the Name of Allah, the All-Beneficent the All-Merciful. You may say the following (supplicatory prayer) each day in Rajab; in mornings, evenings, and after each of the obligatory prayers:

يَا مَنْ اَرْجُوْهُ لِكُلِّ خَيْرٍ

YAA MAN ARJOOHO LE KULLE KHAYRIN

O He from whom I hope for every good,

وَآمَنُ سَخَطَهٗ عِنْدَ كُلِّ شَرٍّ

WA AAMANO SAKHATAHU I’NDA KULLE SHARRIN

And in whom I seek safety from His wrath at every evil.

يَا مَنْ يُعْطِيْ الْكَثِيْرَ بِالْقَلِيْلِ

YAA MAN YO’TIL KASEERAA BILQALEELE

O He who gives much in return for very little (deeds),

يَا مَنْ يُعْطِيْ مَنْ سَاَلَهٗ

YAA MAN YO’TEE MAN SA-A’LAHU

O He who gives to those who ask Him,

يَا مَنْ يُعْطِيْ مَنْ لَمْ يَسْاَلْهٗ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَعْرِفْهُ

YAA MAN YO’TEE MAN LAM YAS-A’LHO WA MAN LAM YA’RIFHO

O He who gives to those who do not ask Him and those who do not know Him,

تَحَنُّنًا مِنْهُ وَرَحْمَةً

TAHANNONAN MINHO WA RAHMATAN

Out of His affection and mercy.

اَعْطِنِيْ بِمَسْاَلَتِيْ اِيَّاكَ

AA’-TENEE BE-MASALATEE IYYAKA

Grant me, by my asking of You,

جَمِيْعَ خَيْرِ الدُّنْيَا وَجَمِيْعَ خَيْرِ الْآخِرَةِ

JAMEE-A’ KHAYRID DUNYAA WA JAMEE-A’ KHAYRIL AAKHERATE

all the good of this world, and all the good of the Hereafter.

وَاصْرِفْ عَنِّيْ بِمَسْاَلَتِيْ اِيَّاكَ

WAS RIF A’NNI BE MAS-ALATEE IYYAAKA

And avert from me, by my asking of You,

جَمِيْعَ شَرِّ الدُّنْيَا وَشَرِّ الْآخِرَةِ

JAMEE-A’ SHARRID DUNYAA WA SHARRIL AAKHERATE

All the evil of this world and the evil of the Hereafter.

فَاِنَّهٗ غَيْرُ مَنْقُوْصٍ مَا اَعْطَيْتَ

FA-INNAHU GHAYRO MANQOOSIN MA A-A’TAYTA

For indeed, whatever You give is never diminishing (from Your treasures),

وَزِدْنِي مِنْ فَضْلِكَ يَا كَرِيْمُ

WA ZIDNEE MIN FAZLEKA YAA KAREEMO.

And increase for me from Your bounty, O Most Generous.

The narrator then added that Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) then grasped his beard with his left hand, while saying this supplicatory prayer, and moved ceaselessly the forefinger of his right hand. He then added:

يَا ذَا الْجَلَالِ وَالْاِكْرَامِ

YAA ZAL JALAALE WAL IKRAAME

O Possessor of Majesty and Honor,

يَا ذَا النَّعْمَاءِ وَالْجُوْدِ

YAA ZAN NA’MAA-E WAL JOODE

O Possessor of Blessings and Generosity,

يَا ذَا الْمَنِّ وَالطَّوْلِ

YAA ZAL MANNE WAT TAWLE

O Possessor of Favor and Bounty,

حَرِّمْ شَيْبَتِيْ عَلَى النَّارِ

HARRIM SHAYBATEE A’LAN NAAR.

Forbid my white beard (my aged self) from the Fire.

Ninth: The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) is reported as saying: Whoever repeats the following imploration for forgiveness one hundred times in Rajab and immediately gives alms after it, Almighty Allah will conclude his life with mercy and forgiveness. Also, whoever repeats it four hundred times, will be given the reward of one hundred martyrs:

اَسْتَغْفِرُ اللّٰهَ الَّذِيْ لَا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ

ASTAGHFERUL LAAHAL LAZEE LAA ELAAHA ILLAA HOWA

I implore the forgiveness of Allah. There is no god save Him,

وَحْدَهٗ لَا شَرِيْكَ لَهٗ وَاَتُوْبُ اِلَيْهِ

WAHDAHU LAA SHAREEKA LAHU WA ATOOBO ELAYHE.

I implore the forgiveness of Allah. There is no god save Him, and I repent before Him.

Tenth: The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) is also reported to have said: Whoever repeats this litany one thousand times in Rajab, Almighty Allah will decide for him one hundred thousand rewards and award him one hundred houses in Paradise:

لَا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ

LAA ELAAHA ILLAL LAAH.

There is no god save Allah.

Eleventh: A Hadith reads that whoever repeats the following imploration for forgiveness seventy times in the morning and seventy times in the evening on each day in Rajab, will be admitted by Almighty Allah if he dies in Rajab and Hellfire will not touch him on account of the blessings of Rajab:

اَسْتَغْفِرُ اللّٰهَ وَاَتُوْبُ اِلَيْهِ

ASTAGHFERUL LAAHA WA ATOOBO ELAYHE.

I implore the forgiveness of Allah and I repent to Him.

After this imploration is repeated seventy times, it is recommended to raise the hands towards the sky and say:

اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِيْ وَتُبْ عَلَيَّ

ALLAAHUMMAGH FIR LEE WA TUB A’LAYYA.

O Allah, (please do) forgive me and accept my repentance.

Twelfth: It is recommended to implore Almighty Allah for forgiveness in the following form one thousand times in Rajab so that He will forgive:

اَسْتَغْفِرُ اللّٰهَ ذَا الْجَلَالِ وَالْاِكْرَامِ

ASTAGHFERUL LAAH ZAL JALAALE WAL IKRAAME

I implore Allah, the Lord of majesty and honor,

مِنْ جَمِيْعِ الذُّنُوْبِ وَالْآثَامِ

MIN JAMEE-I’Z ZONOOBE WAL AASAAME

to forgive my all sins and offenses.

Thirteenth: In his book entitled Iqbal al-A’mal, Sayyid Ibn Tawus has mentioned great rewards for those who repeat [Surah al-Tawheed](A116) ten thousand, one thousand, or one hundred times in Rajab. Likewise, he has narrated that one who recites this Surah(of al-Tawheed) one hundred times on Fridays in Rajab will enjoy, on the Resurrection Day, light that draws him towards Paradise.

Fourteenth: Sayyid Ibn Tawus has also narrated that one who fasts on a day in Rajab and offers a four-unit prayer in the first unit of which he repeats Ayah al-Kursi one hundred times and in the second, [Surah al-Tawheed](A116) two hundred times, will not depart life before he sees (in sleep) his place in Paradise or someone else sees it on behalf of him.

Fifteenth: Sayyid Ibn Tawus has also reported from the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) that if one offer a four-unit prayer on Friday in Rajab between the obligatory Zohr and Asr Prayers in each unit of which [Surah al-Faatehah](A5) is recited once, Ayah al-Kursi repeated seven times, and [Surah al-Tawheed](A116) five times; and then the following imploration for forgiveness repeated ten times - if one offers this prayer, Almighty Allah will decide for him since the day on which he offered this prayer and up to the day of his death one thousand rewards a day, a city built with ruby in Paradise for each verse (of the Holy Qur’an) he recites, a palace built with white pearls in Paradise for each letter he recites from the Holy Qur’an, Paradisiacal Women, ultimate pleasure, inclusion with the (true) worshippers, seal his life with happiness and forgiveness... etc. The supplicatory is as follows:

اَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ الَّذِيْ لَا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا هُوَ وَاَسْاَلُهُ التَّوْبَةَ

ASTAGHFERUL LAAHAL LAZEE LAA ELAAHA ILLAA HOWA WA ASALOHUT TAWBAH.

I seek forgiveness from Allah, there is no deity except Him, and I ask Him for repentance.

Sixteenth: It is recommended to fast on three days in the month of Rajab: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. It has been narrated that whoever fasts on these three days in one of the Sacred Months will be awarded with the reward of nine hundred year worship.

Seventeenth: It is recommended to offer a sixty-unit prayer in Rajab. Each night, it is recommended to offer two units of this prayer in the first unit of which [Surah al-Faatehah](A5) is recited once, [Surah al-Kafirun](A113) (No. 109) repeated three times, and [Surah al-Tawheed](A116) recited one time. After the accomplishment of the two prayer units, it is recommended to raise the hands towards the sky and say the following:

لَا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَحْدَهٗ لَا شَرِيْكَ لَهٗ

LAA ELAAHA ILLAL LAAHO WAHDAHU LAA SHAREEKA LAHU,

There is no god save Allah, the One and Only Who has no partner.

لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَلَهُ الْحَمْدُ

LAHUL MULKO WA LAHUL HAMDO,

To Him is the kingdom and to Him is all praise.

يُحْيِيْ وَيُمِيْتُ وَهُوَ حَيٌّ لَا يَمُوْتُ

YOHYEE WA YOMEETO WA HOWA HAYYUN LAA YAMOOTO

He restores to live and cause to die and He is Ever-living and He never dies.

بِيَدِهِ الْخَيْرُ وَهُوَ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ قَدِيْرٌ

BEYADEHIL KHAYRO WA HOWA A’LAA KULLE SHAYIN QADEERUN

In His Hands is all goodness, He has power over all things,

وَاِلَيْهِ الْمَصِيْرُ

WA ELAYHIL MASEERO,

and to Him is the return of all things.

وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ اِلَّا بِاللّٰهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيْمِ

WA LAA HAWLA WA LAA QUWWATA ILLAA BILLAAHIL A’LIYYIL A’ZEEME,

There is neither might nor strength save with Allah, the Most High, the All-great.

اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ النَّبِيِّ الْاُمِّيِّ وَاٰلِهٖ

ALLAAHUMMA SALLE A’LAA MOHAMMADENIN NABIYYIL UMMIYYE WA AALEHI.

O Allah, (please do) bless Muhammad, the Ummi Prophet, and his Household.

It is also recommended to pass one’s hand over the face while uttering the last statement. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) is reported to have said that if one offers this prayer and says this supplicatory prayer, Almighty Allah will respond to his needs and award him the reward of sixth times of Hajj and Umrah (ritual pilgrimage).

Eighteenth: It has been also narrated that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said, “One who recites [Surah al-Tawheed](A116) one hundred times at one night in Rajab will be decided to have fasted for one hundred years for the sake of Almighty Allah Who will also decide for him one hundred palaces (in Paradise) in the vicinity of one of the Prophets.”

Nineteenth: The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) is also reported as saying that Almighty Allah will forgive all the sins of those who offer a ten unit prayer, at one night in Rajab, reciting in each unit [Surah al-Faatehah](A5) once and repeating [Surah al-Tawheed](A116) three times.

Twentieth: In Zad al-Ma’ad, ‘Allamah al-Majlisi has mentioned that Imam Ali Ameer al-Momineen (a.s.) reported the following from the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.): If one repeats the following Quranic chapters, litanies, and supplicatory prayers three times each day and each night in the months of Rajab, Sha’ban, and Ramadan, he will have all his sins forgiven even if they are as many as and as much as raindrops, tree leaves, sea foam... etc:

(1) [Surah al-Faatehah](A5), (2) Ayah al-Kursi, (3) [Surah al-Kafirun](A113), (4) [Surah al-Tawheed](A116), (5) [Surah al-Falaq](A117), (6) [Surah al-Naas](A118), (7) the following litany:

سُبْحَانَ اللّٰهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّٰهِ

SUBHAANAL LAAHE, WAL HAMDO LILLAAHE

All glory be to Allah; all praise be to Allah;

وَلَا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَاللّٰهُ اَكْبَرُ

WA LAA ELAAHA ILLAL LAAHO WAL LAAHO AKBARO,

there is no god save Allah; Allah is the Greatest;

وَلَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ اِلَّا بِاللّٰهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيْمِ

WA LAA HAWLA WA LAA QUWWATA ILLAA BILLAAHIL A’LIYYIL A’ZEEM.

and there is no might and no strength save with Allah, the High, the Magnificent.

(8) the following invocation of blessings:

اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَاٰلِ مُحَمَّدٍ

ALLAAHUMMA SALLE A’LAA MOHAMMADIN WA AALE MOHAMMDIN.

O Allah bless Muhammad and his family

(9) the following supplicatory prayer:

اَللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ

ALLAAHUMMAGH FIR LIL MOAMENEENA WAL MOAMENAAT.

Allah please forgive the believing men & women

(10) the following imploration for forgiveness, yet four hundred times:

اَسْتَغْفِرُ اللّٰهَ وَاَتُوْبُ اِلَيْهِ

ASTAGHFERUL LAAHA WA ATOOBO ELAYHE.

I seek forgiveness from Allah, and I turn to Him in repentance.

Allamah al-Majlisi has also mentioned that it is traditional to repeat the following litany one thousand times each night in Rajab:

لَا اِلٰهَ اِلَّا اللهُ

LAA ELAAHA ILLAL LAAH.

There is no deity except Allah.