Naafelah Fajr - The Supererogatory Dawn Prayer

Text and Translation

Upon accomplishment of the Night Prayer, you may stand up for offering the supererogatory dawn prayer, which consists of two units in the first of which you may recite Surah al-Faatehah and Surah al-Kafirun and in the second unit Surah al-Faatehah and Surah al-Tawheed. When you accomplish the prayer, you may sleep on the right side like a dead in the grave, put your right cheek on your right hand, and say the following:

اِسْتَمْسَكْتُ بِعُرْوَةِ اللهِ الْوُثْقَى

ISTAMSAKTO BE-U’RWATIL WUSQAL

I have laid hold on Allah’s firmest handle

الَّتِي لَا انْفِصَامَ لَهَا

LATEE LAN FE-SAAMA LAHAA

that shall never break off.

وَ اعْتَصَمْتُ بِحَبْلِ اللهِ الْمَتِيْنِ

WA’ TASAMTO BE-HABLIL LAAHIL MATEENE

I have held fast to Allah’s solid rope.

وَ اَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ شَرِّ فَسَقَةِ الْعَرَبِ وَ الْعَجَمِ

WA A-O’OZO BILLAAHE MIN SHARRE FASAQATIL A’RABE WAL A’JAME

I pray for Allah’s protection against the evil of the sinful Arabs and non-Arabs.

وَ اَعُوذُ بِاللهِ مِنْ شَرِّ فَسَقَةِ الْجِنِّ وَ الْاِنْسِ

WA A-O’OZO BILLAAHE MIN SHARRE FASAQATIL JINNE WAL INSE.

I pray for Allah’s protection against the evil of the sinful jinn and men.

You may then repeat the following doxology three times:

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّ الصَّبَاحِ فَالِقِ الاِصْبَاحِ

SUBHAANA RABBIS SABAAHE FAALEQIL ISBAAHE

All glory be to the Lord of mornings, the Cleaver of daybreak.

You may then recite the previously mentioned five verses of Surah Al-’Imran.

You may then sit and say Tasbih al-Zahra’.

In the book of Man-La-Yahduruhul-Faqih, it is reported that whoever invoke blessings upon the Holy Prophet and his Household one hundred times between the supererogatory and the obligatory dawn prayers, Almighty Allah will save his face from the heat of Hellfire:

اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِ مُحَمَّدٍ

ALLAAHUMMA SALLE A’LAA MOHAMMADIN WA AALE MOHAMMADIN.

O Allah, (please) send blessings upon Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad,

Whoever repeats the following supplicatory prayer one hundred times, Almighty Allah will build for him a house in Paradise:

سُبْحَانَ رَبِّيَ الْعَظِيْمِ وَ بِحَمْدِهٖ

SUBHAANA RABBEYAL A’ZEEME WA BEHAMDEHI

All glory be to my Lord, the All-great, and in praise of Him.

اَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ رَبِّي وَ اَتُوبُ اِلَيْهِ

ASTAGHFERUL LAAHE RABBEE WA ATOOBO ELAYHE.

I implore Allah, my Lord, for forgiveness and I repent to Him.

Whoever recites Surah al-Tawheed twenty-one times, Almighty Allah will build for him a house in Paradise, and whoever recites it forty times, Almighty Allah will forgive him.

After accomplishing the Night Prayer, it is highly advisable to say the thirty-second supplication of al-Sahifah al-Kamilah al-Sajjadiyyah:

اَللّٰهُمَّ يَا ذَا الْمُلْكِ الْمُتَاَبِّدِ بِالْخُلُودِ…

ALLAAHUMMA YAA ZAL MULKIL MOTA-ABBEDE BIL-KHOLOODE.

O Allah, O Possessor of kingdom perpetual in everlastingness…

You may then do a thanksgiving prostration during which you are highly advised to pray for the good of your brothers-in-faith and say the aforementioned supplication that is said in the thanksgiving prostrations:

اَللّٰهُمَّ رَبَّ الْفَجْرِ وَاللَّيَالِي الْعَشْرِ

ALLAAHUMMA RABBAL FAJRE WAL LAYAALIL A’SHRE

O Allah, O Lord of the daybreak, the ten nights,

وَ الشَّفْعِ وَ الْوَتْرِ

WASH SHAF-E’ WAL WATRE

the even and the odd,

وَ اللَّيْلِ اِذَا يَسْرِ

WAL LAYLE EZAA YASRE

and the night when it departs!

وَ رَبَّ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ

WA RABBA KULLE SHAY-IN

O Lord of all things!

وَ اِلٰهَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ

WA ELAAHA KULLE SHAY-IN

O Lord of all things!

وَ خَالِقَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ

WA KHAALEQA KULLE SHAY-IN

O Creator of all things!

وَ مَلِكَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ

WA MALEKA KULLE SHAY-IN

O King of all things!

صَلِّ عَلٰى مُحَمَّدٍ وَّ آلِهٖ

SALLE A’LAA MOHAMMADINW WA AALEHI

(Please) send blessings upon Muhammad and his Household,

وَ افْعَلْ بِي وَ بِ… مَا اَنْتَ اَهْلُهٗ

WAF A’L BEE WA BE… MAA ANTA AHLOHU

do to me and to so-and-so that which befits You,

وَ لَا تَفْعَلْ بِنَا مَا نَحْنُ اَهْلُهٗ

WA LAA TAF-A’L BENAA MAA NAHNO AHLOHU

but do not do to us that which we deserve,

فَاِنَّكَ اَهْلُ التَّقْوٰى وَ اَهْلُ الْمَغْفِرَةِ

FA-INNAKA AHLUT TAQWAA WA AHLUL MAGHFERATE.

for You are verily worthy to be feared and worthy to forgive.

I please my faithful brothers to mention me - the sinful whose face has been blackened by sins - in their supplications, because I am in urgent need for prayers. Eventually, Allah is the source of success.