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,

وَ آمَنُ 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 وَ مَنْ 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 وَ رَحْمَةً

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 وَ جَمِيْعَ خَيْرِ الْآخِرَةِ

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

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

وَ اصْرِفْ عَنِّيْ بِمَسْاَلَتِيْ اِيَّاكَ

WAS RIF A’NNI BE MAS-ALATEE IYYAAKA

And avert from me, by my asking of You,

جَمِيْعَ شَرِّ الدُّنْيَا وَ شَرِّ 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),

وَ زِدْنِي 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 وَ الْاِكْرَامِ

YAA ZAL JALAALE WAL IKRAAME

O Possessor of Majesty and Honor,

يَا ذَا النَّعْمَاءِ وَ الْجُوْدِ

YAA ZAN NA’MAA-E WAL JOODE

O Possessor of Blessings and Generosity,

يَا ذَا الْمَنِّ وَ الطَّوْلِ

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 وَ اَتُوْبُ 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 وَ اَتُوْبُ 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 وَ تُبْ 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 وَ الْاِكْرَامِ

ASTAGHFERUL LAAH ZAL JALAALE WAL IKRAAME

I implore Allah, the Lord of majesty and honor,

مِنْ جَمِيْعِ الذُّنُوْبِ وَ الْآثَامِ

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 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 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 is recited once, Ayah al-Kursi repeated seven times, and Surah al-Tawheed 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: