15th day of Sha‘bān
On the 15th of Sha‘bān, the twelfth Imam al-Mahdi, the Imam of our Time (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 Almighty Allah for hastening in his advent. His Ziyarah at the Vault (sirdab) in Samarra’ is more favorable. Beyond any dispute, Imam al-Mahdi (عليه السلام) shall appear, overcome, and fill the earth with justice and equality just as it would be filled with injustice and oppression.
THE RITES OF THE REST OF Sha‘bān
Imam al-Rida (عليه السلام) is reported as saying: If one observes fasting on the last three days of Sha‘bān and connects it with the obligatory fasting of Ramaḍān, Almighty Allah will decide for him as having observed fasting for two consecutive months.
Abu’l-Salt al-Harawi has narrated that when he visited Imam al-Rida (عليه السلام) on the last Friday of Sha’ban, the Imam said to him:
Abu’l-Salt, the days of Sha‘bān 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. You may supplicate God, implore for His forgiveness, recite the Holy Qur’an, and repent to Him from your sins so that you receive the month of Ramaḍān with pure sincerity to Him. You must fulfil all the trusts that you are liable to settle, do not bear malice against any of your brethren-in-faith, you must 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 days of Sha‘bān, you may repeat the following supplication frequently for Almighty Allah rescues many people from hellfire on account of the sanctity of this month:
اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنْ لَمْ تَكُنْ غَفَرْتَ لَنَا فِيمَا مَضَى مِنْ شَعْبَانَ فَاغْفِرْ لَنَا فِيمَا بَقِيَ مِنْهُ
15th night of Sha‘bān
This night is extraordinarily honorable. Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (عليه السلام) has narrated that when Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (عليه السلام) was asked about the merits of the 15th night of Sha’ban, he answered, “It is the most favorable night after the Qadr Night. On this night, Almighty Allah bestows upon His servants with His favors and grants them His pardon out of His conferral of benefits to them. Therefore, you should exert all efforts to seek nearness to Him on this night, because He – the Majestic and Honorable – has decided not to reject any asker as long as he does not ask for an act of disobedience to Him. Almighty Allah has chosen this night for us, the Ahl al-Bayt, just as He has chosen the Qadr Night for our Prophet – peace be upon him and his Household. You should thus pray and thank Him diligently.”
One of the marvelous blessings of this night is that it is the birth night of the Imam of our Time, Imam al-Mahdi (عليه السلام) – may Allah accept our souls as ransoms for him. He was born in Surra-man-ra’a (currently Samarra’) at the hour before daybreak in 255 AH. This incident increases the merits of this honorable night.
However, narrations have carried many recommended rites to be carried out on this night:
Ghusl
It is highly recommended to bathe (take ghusl) on this night, for this act decreases the punishment for one’s sins.
Spend night in worship
It is highly recommended to imitate Imam Ali ibn al-Husayn Zayn al-’Abidin (عليه السلام) who used to spend this whole night with acts of worship, prayers, supplications, invocations, and implorations for forgiveness. A tradition confirms that as for one who spends this whole night with acts of worship, his heart will not die when other hearts die.
Ziyarah of Imam al-Husain (as)
It is highly recommended to visit the tomb of Imam al-Husayn (عليه السلام). In fact, this is the most favorable act on this night. It also brings about forgiveness of one’s sins. If you desire that 124,000 Prophets shake hands with you, you may visit the holy tomb of Imam al-Husayn (عليه السلام) on this night. The least act of Ziyarah is to go up an elevated place, look to the right and the left, raise the head towards the heavens, and say these statements:
اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ يَا اَبَا عَبْدِ اللّٰهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَلَيْكَ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللّٰهِ وَ بَرَكَاتُهُ
One who performs this form of Ziyarah is expected to get the reward of one Hajj and one ‘Umrah. In the section of Ziyarat, we will mention further details about the peculiar merits of Ziyarah of this night.
Supplication 1
It is recommended to say the following supplication, which stands for a form of Ziyarah for Imam al-Mahdi(عليه السلام). This supplication has been mentioned by both Sayyid Ibn Tawus and Shaykh al-Tusi:
اَللّٰهُمَّ بِحَقِّ لَيْلَتِنَا [هَذِهِ] وَ مَوْلُودِهَا وَ حُجَّتِكَ وَ مَوْعُودِهَا الَّتِي قَرَنْتَ اِلَى فَضْلِهَا فَضْلاً فَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَتُكَ صِدْقاً وَ عَدْلاً لَا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَاتِكَ وَ لَا مُعَقِّبَ لِآيَاتِكَ نُورُكَ الْمُتَاَلِّقُ وَ ضِيَاؤُكَ الْمُشْرِقُ وَ الْعَلَمُ النُّورُ فِي طَخْيَاءِ الدَّيْجُورِ الْغَائِبُ الْمَسْتُورُ جَلَّ مَوْلِدُهُ وَ كَرُمَ مَحْتِدُهُ وَ الْمَلَائِكَةُ شُهَّدُهُ وَ اللّٰهُ نَاصِرُهُ وَ مُؤَيِّدُهُ اِذَا آنَ مِيعَادُهُ وَ الْمَلَائِكَةُ [فَالْمَلَائِكَةُ] اَمْدَادُهُ سَيْفُ اللّٰهِ الَّذِي لَا يَنْبُو وَ نُورُهُ الَّذِي لَا يَخْبُو وَ ذُو الْحِلْمِ الَّذِي لَا يَصْبُو مَدَارُ الدَّهْرِ وَ نَوَامِيسُ الْعَصْرِ وَ وُلَاةُ الْاَمْرِ وَ الْمُنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمْ مَا يَتَنَزَّلُ [يَنْزِلُ] فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ ، وَ اَصْحَابُ الْحَشْرِ وَ النَّشْرِ تَرَاجِمَةُ وَحْيِهِ وَ وُلَاةُ اَمْرِهِ وَ نَهْيِهِ اَللّٰهُمَّ فَصَلِّ عَلَى خَاتِمِهِمْ وَ قَائِمِهِمْ الْمَسْتُورِ عَنْ عَوَالِمِهِمْ اَللّٰهُمَّ وَ اَدْرِكْ بِنَا اَيَّامَهُ وَ ظُهُورَهُ وَ قِيَامَهُ وَ اجْعَلْنَا مِنْ اَنْصَارِهِ وَ اقْرِنْ ثَارَنَا بِثَارِهِ وَ اكْتُبْنَا فِي اَعْوَانِهِ وَ خُلَصَائِهِ وَ اَحْيِنَا فِي دَوْلَتِهِ نَاعِمِينَ وَ بِصُحْبَتِهِ غَانِمِينَ وَ بِحَقِّهِ قَائِمِينَ وَ مِنَ السُّوءِ سَالِمِينَ يَا اَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ وَ صَلَوَاتُهُ عَلَى [وَ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَى] سَيِّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ خَاتَمِ النَّبِيِّينَ وَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ وَ عَلَى اَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ الصَّادِقِينَ وَ عِتْرَتِهِ النَّاطِقِينَ وَ الْعَنْ جَمِيعَ الظَّالِمِينَ وَ احْكُمْ بَيْنَنَا وَ بَيْنَهُمْ يَا اَحْكَمَ الْحَاكِمِينَ
Supplication 2
Shaykh Isma’il ibn Fadl al-Hashimi has narrated that Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (عليه السلام) instructed him to recite the following supplication at the fifteenth night of Sha’ban:
اَللّٰهُمَّ اَنْتَ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ الْخَالِقُ الرَّازِقُ الْمُحْيِي الْمُمِيتُ الْبَدِيءُ الْبَدِيعُ لَكَ الْجَلَالُ وَ لَكَ الْفَضْلُ وَ لَكَ الْحَمْدُ وَ لَكَ الْمَنُّ وَ لَكَ الْجُودُ وَ لَكَ الْكَرَمُ وَ لَكَ الْاَمْرُ وَ لَكَ الْمَجْدُ وَ لَكَ الشُّكْرُ وَحْدَكَ لَا شَرِيكَ لَكَ يَا وَاحِدُ يَا اَحَدُ يَا صَمَدُ يَا مَنْ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَ لَمْ يُولَدْ وَ لَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُوا اَحَدٌ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اغْفِرْ لِي وَ ارْحَمْنِي وَ اكْفِنِي مَا اَهَمَّنِي وَ اقْضِ دَيْنِي وَ وَسِّعْ عَلَيَّ فِي رِزْقِي فَاِنَّكَ فِي هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةِ كُلَّ اَمْرٍ حَكِيمٍ تَفْرُقُ وَ مَنْ تَشَاًءُ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ تَرْزُقُ فَارْزُقْنِي وَ اَنْتَ خَيْرُ الرَّازِقِينَ فَاِنَّكَ قُلْتَ وَ اَنْتَ خَيْرُ الْقَائِلِينَ النَّاطِقِينَ وَ اسْئَلُوا اللّٰهَ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ فَمِنْ فَضْلِكَ اَسْاَلُ وَ اِيَّاكَ قَصَدْتُ وَ ابْنَ نَبِيِّكَ اعْتَمَدْتُ وَ لَكَ رَجَوْتُ فَارْحَمْنِي يَا اَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ
Supplication 3
It is recommended to recite this supplication, which the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم) used to recite on this night:
اَللّٰهُمَّ اقْسِمْ لَنَا مِنْ خَشْيَتِكَ مَا يَحُولُ بَيْنَنَا وَ بَيْنَ مَعْصِيَتِكَ وَ مِنْ طَاعَتِكَ مَا تُبَلِّغُنَا بِهِ رِضْوَانَكَ وَ مِنَ الْيَقِينِ مَا يَهُونُ عَلَيْنَا بِهِ مُصِيبَاتُ الدُّنْيَا اَللّٰهُمَّ اَمْتِعْنَا بِاَسْمَاعِنَا وَ اَبْصَارِنَا وَ قُوَّتِنَا مَا اَحْيَيْتَنَا وَ اجْعَلْهُ الْوَارِثَ مِنَّا وَ اجْعَلْ ثَارَنَا عَلَى مَنْ ظَلَمَنَا وَ انْصُرْنَا عَلَى مَنْ عَادَانَا وَ لَا تَجْعَلْ مُصِيبَتَنَا فِي دِينِنَا وَ لَا تَجْعَلِ الدُّنْيَا اَكْبَرَ هَمِّنَا وَ لَا مَبْلَغَ عِلْمِنَا وَ لَا تُسَلِّطْ عَلَيْنَا مَنْ لَا يَرْحَمُنَا بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا اَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ
In fact, this supplication is one of the perfect, comprehensive prayers that may be recited at all times. In the word of the book of ‘Awali al-La’ali, the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم) used to recite this supplication at all times.
Supplication 4
It is recommended to recite the prayers that are preferably said at middays. These prayers, previously mentioned, begin with the following statement:
اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ شَجَرَةِ النُّبُوَّةِ وَ مَوْضِعِ الرِّسَالَةِ...
Dua Kumayl
It is recommended to recite the famous supplication known as
Dua Kumayl. Narrations have mentioned that it is highly recommended to recite this famous supplication on this night.
Istigfar
It is recommended to mention Almighty Allah by the following one hundred times so that one’s past acts of disobedience to Him will be forgiven and one’s worldly and religious needs will be granted:
سُبْحَانَ اللَّهِ وَالْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَلا إِلَهَ إِلا اللَّهُ وَاللَّهُ أَكْبَرُ
Supplication 5
Shaykh al-Tusi, in
Misbah al-Mutahajjid, has narrated a tradition about the merits of the night of mid-Sha’ban entailing that Abu-Yahya asked Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq(عليه السلام) about the best of supplications to be said at this night. The Imam (عليه السلام) instructed him, saying:
After you accomplish the obligatory Isha’ Prayer, you may offer a two unit prayer in the first unit of which you should recite Surah al-Fātiḥah and Surah al-Kafirun and in the second Surah al-Fātiḥah and Surah al-Tawḥīd. When you accomplish the prayer, you may repeat (the phrase of) subhanallah thirty-three times, (the phrase of) alhamdulillah thirty-three times, and (the phrase of) Allahu-akbar thirty-four times. You may then say the following supplication:
يَا مَنْ اِلَيْهِ مَلْجَاُ الْعِبَادِ [يَلْجَاُ الْعِبَادُ] فِي الْمُهِمَّاتِ وَ اِلَيْهِ يَفْزَعُ الْخَلْقُ فِي الْمُلِمَّاتِ يَا عَالِمَ الْجَهْرِ وَ الْخَفِيَّاتِ [وَ] يَا مَنْ لَا تَخْفَى عَلَيْهِ خَوَاطِرُ الْاَوْهَامِ وَ تَصَرُّفُ الْخَطَرَاتِ يَا رَبَّ الْخَلَائِقِ وَ الْبَرِيَّاتِ يَا مَنْ بِيَدِهِ مَلَكُوتُ الْاَرَضِينَ وَ السَّمَاوَاتِ اَنْتَ اللّٰهُ لَا اِلَهَ إِلَّا اَنْتَ اَمُتُّ اِلَيْكَ بِلَا اِلَهَ إِلَّا اَنْتَ فَيَا لَا اِلَهَ إِلَّا اَنْتَ اجْعَلْنِي فِي هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةِ مِمَّنْ نَظَرْتَ اِلَيْهِ فَرَحِمْتَهُ وَ سَمِعْتَ دُعَاءَهُ فَاَجَبْتَهُ وَ عَلِمْتَ اسْتِقَالَتَهُ فَاَقَلْتَهُ وَ تَجَاوَزْتَ عَنْ سَالِفِ خَطِيئَتِهِ وَ عَظِيمِ جَرِيرَتِهِ فَقَدِ اسْتَجَرْتُ بِكَ مِنْ ذُنُوبِي وَ لَجَأْتُ اِلَيْكَ فِي سَتْرِ عُيُوبِي اَللّٰهُمَّ فَجُدْ عَلَيَّ بِكَرَمِكَ وَ احْطُطْ خَطَايَايَ بِحِلْمِكَ وَ عَفْوِكَ وَ تَغَمَّدْنِي فِي هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةِ بِسَابِغِ كَرَامَتِكَ وَ اجْعَلْنِي فِيهَا مِنْ اَوْلِيَائِكَ الَّذِينَ اجْتَبَيْتَهُمْ لِطَاعَتِكَ وَ اخْتَرْتَهُمْ لِعِبَادَتِكَ وَ جَعَلْتَهُمْ خَالِصَتَكَ وَ صَفْوَتَكَ اَللّٰهُمَّ اجْعَلْنِي مِمَّنْ سَعَدَ جَدُّهُ وَ تَوَفَّرَ مِنَ الْخَيْرَاتِ حَظُّهُ وَ اجْعَلْنِي مِمَّنْ سَلِمَ فَنَعِمَ وَ فَازَ فَغَنِمَ وَ اكْفِنِي شَرَّ مَا اَسْلَفْتُ وَ اعْصِمْنِي مِنَ الازْدِيَادِ فِي مَعْصِيَتِكَ وَ حَبِّبْ اِلَيَّ طَاعَتَكَ وَ مَا يُقَرِّبُنِي مِنْكَ وَ يُزْلِفُنِي عِنْدَكَ سَيِّدِي اِلَيْكَ يَلْجَاُ الْهَارِبُ وَ مِنْكَ يَلْتَمِسُ الطَّالِبُ وَ عَلَى كَرَمِكَ يُعَوِّلُ الْمُسْتَقِيلُ التَّائِبُ اَدَّبْتَ عِبَادَكَ بِالتَّكَرُّمِ وَ اَنْتَ اَكْرَمُ الْاَكْرَمِينَ وَ اَمَرْتَ بِالْعَفْوِ عِبَادَكَ وَ اَنْتَ الْغَفُورُ الرَّحِيمُ اَللّٰهُمَّ فَلَا تَحْرِمْنِي مَا رَجَوْتُ مِنْ كَرَمِكَ وَ لَا تُؤْيِسْنِي مِنْ سَابِغِ نِعَمِكَ وَ لَا تُخَيِّبْنِي مِنْ جَزِيلِ قِسَمِكَ فِي هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةِ لِاَهْلِ طَاعَتِكَ وَ اجْعَلْنِي فِي جُنَّةٍ مِنْ شِرَارِ بَرِيَّتِكَ رَبِّ اِنْ لَمْ اَكُنْ مِنْ اَهْلِ ذَلِكَ فَاَنْتَ اَهْلُ الْكَرَمِ وَ الْعَفْوِ وَ الْمَغْفِرَةِ، وَ جُدْ عَلَيَّ بِمَا اَنْتَ اَهْلُهُ لَا بِمَا اَسْتَحِقُّهُ فَقَدْ حَسُنَ ظَنِّي بِكَ وَ تَحَقَّقَ رَجَائِي لَكَ وَ عَلِقَتْ نَفْسِي بِكَرَمِكَ فَاَنْتَ اَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ وَ اَكْرَمُ الْاَكْرَمِينَ اَللّٰهُمَّ وَ اخْصُصْنِي مِنْ كَرَمِكَ بِجَزِيلِ قِسَمِكَ وَ اَعُوذُ بِعَفْوِكَ مِنْ عُقُوبَتِكَ وَ اغْفِرْ لِيَ الذَّنْبَ الَّذِي يَحْبِسُ عَلَيَّ [عَنِّي] الْخُلُقَ وَ يُضَيِّقُ عَلَيَّ الرِّزْقَ حَتَّى اَقُومَ بِصَالِحِ رِضَاكَ وَ اَنْعَمَ بِجَزِيلِ عَطَائِكَ وَ اَسْعَدَ بِسَابِغِ نَعْمَائِكَ فَقَدْ لُذْتُ بِحَرَمِكَ وَ تَعَرَّضْتُ لِكَرَمِكَ وَ اسْتَعَذْتُ بِعَفْوِكَ مِنْ عُقُوبَتِكَ وَ بِحِلْمِكَ مِنْ غَضَبِكَ فَجُدْ بِمَا سَاَلْتُكَ وَ اَنِلْ مَا الْتَمَسْتُ مِنْكَ اَسْاَلُكَ بِكَ لَا بِشَيْءٍ هُوَ اَعْظَمُ مِنْكَ .
You may prostrate yourself and repeat the following 20 times:
يَا رَبّ
And then repeat the following phrase 7 times:
يَا اللّه
And then repeat the following phrase 7 times:
لَا حَوْلَ وَلَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ
And then repeat the following phrase 10 times:
مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ
And then repeat the following phrase 10 times:
لَا قُوَّةَ إِلَّا بِاللَّهِ
You may then invoke Almighty Allah’s blessings upon the Holy Prophet and beseech Him to grant your requests.
By Allah I swear, even if you pray for things that are as many as raindrops, Almighty Allah, out of His generosity and favors, will grant them all.
Supplication 6
Shaykh al-Tusi and Shaykh al-Kaf’ami say: It is suitable to recite the following supplication at this night:
اِلَهِي تَعَرَّضَ لَكَ فِي هٰذَا اللَّيْلِ الْمُتَعَرِّضُونَ وَ قَصَدَكَ الْقَاصِدُونَ وَ اَمَّلَ فَضْلَكَ وَ مَعْرُوفَكَ الطَّالِبُونَ وَ لَكَ فِي هٰذَا اللَّيْلِ نَفَحَاتٌ وَ جَوَائِزُ وَ عَطَايَا وَ مَوَاهِبُ تَمُنُّ بِهَا عَلَى مَنْ تَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِكَ وَ تَمْنَعُهَا مَنْ لَمْ تَسْبِقْ لَهُ الْعِنَايَةُ مِنْكَ وَ هَا اَنَا ذَا عُبَيْدُكَ الْفَقِيرُ اِلَيْكَ الْمُؤَمِّلُ فَضْلَكَ وَ مَعْرُوفَكَ فَاِنْ كُنْتَ يَا مَوْلَايَ تَفَضَّلْتَ فِي هَذِهِ اللَّيْلَةِ عَلَى اَحَدٍ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ وَ عُدْتَ عَلَيْهِ بِعَائِدَةٍ مِنْ عَطْفِكَ فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ الطَّيِّبِينَ الطَّاهِرِينَ الْخَيِّرِينَ الْفَاضِلِينَ وَ جُدْ عَلَيَّ بِطَوْلِكَ وَ مَعْرُوفِكَ يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ وَ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ خَاتَمِ النَّبِيِّينَ وَ آلِهِ الطَّاهِرِينَ وَ سَلَّمَ تَسْلِيماً اِنَّ اللّٰهَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّي اَدْعُوكَ كَمَا اَمَرْتَ فَاسْتَجِبْ لِي كَمَا وَعَدْتَ اِنَّكَ لَا تُخْلِفُ الْمِيعَادَ.
It is worth mentioning that this supplication is advisably recite immediately after the accomplishment of the Shaf’ Prayer at the last hours of night.
Supplication 7
It is recommended to recite the supplication narrated by Shaykh al-Tusi and Sayyid Ibn Tawus after each two units of the Night Prayer (Salat al-Layl), the Shaf’ Prayer, and the Witr Prayer.
Supplication 8
It is recommended to do the prostrations and say the supplications that are reported from the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم). One of these is that Shaykh al-Tusi has narrated on the authority of Hammad ibn ‘Isa on the authority of Aban ibn Taghlib on the authority of Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq(عليه السلام) recounted the following:
It was the fifteenth night of Sha’ban when the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم) was with ‘A’ishah, his wife. At midnight, the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم) left the bed. When ‘A’ishah woke up and could not find him, she felt jealous and thought that he had joined one of his other wives. She therefore left her bed and put on her cloak, which was made of neither silk, nor linen, nor cotton; rather, it was made of camel hair. In any event, ‘A’ishah searched for the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم) in all of the rooms of his other wives but she found him prostrating himself on the ground like a thrown dress. As she approached, she heard him saying:
سَجَدَ لَكَ سَوَادِي وَ خَيَالِي وَ آمَنَ بِكَ فُؤَادِي هَذِهِ يَدَايَ وَ مَا جَنَيْتُهُ عَلَى نَفْسِي يَا عَظِيمُ [عَظِيماً] تُرْجَى [يُرْجَى] لِكُلِّ عَظِيمٍ اغْفِرْ لِيَ الْعَظِيمَ فَاِنَّهُ لَا يَغْفِرُ الذَّنْبَ الْعَظِيمَ اِلا الرَّبُّ الْعَظِيمُ.
The Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم) then raised his head and then prostrated again, saying:
اَعُوذُ بِنُورِ وَجْهِكَ الَّذِي اَضَاءَتْ لَهُ السَّمَاوَاتُ وَ الْاَرَضُونَ وَ انْكَشَفَتْ لَهُ الظُّلُمَاتُ وَ صَلَحَ عَلَيْهِ اَمْرُ الْاَوَّلِينَ وَ الْآخِرِينَ مِنْ فُجْاَةِ نَقِمَتِكَ وَ مِنْ تَحْوِيلِ عَافِيَتِكَ وَ مِنْ زَوَالِ نِعْمَتِكَ اَللّٰهُمَّ ارْزُقْنِي قَلْباً تَقِيّاً نَقِيّاً وَ مِنَ الشِّرْكِ بَرِيئاً لَا كَافِراً وَ لَا شَقِيّاً
The Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم) then put his face to the ground and said:
عَفَّرْتُ وَجْهِي فِي التُّرَابِ وَ حُقَّ لِي اَنْ اَسْجُدَ لَكَ.
When the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم) accomplished these acts of worship and directed towards his bed, ‘A’ishah ran before him until she reached the bed before he did. When he heard her speedy breathes, the Holy Prophet (صلى الله عليه وعلى آله وسلم) wondered. He then said, “Do you know what this night is? This is the mid-Sha’ban night. At this night, shares of provisions are distributed, lifetimes are decided, and the pilgrims are appointed. Verily, Almighty Allah, at this night, forgives as many of His creatures as the hairs of the horses of Kalb Tribe. Almighty Allah also orders angels to descend to the earth, to Makkah, at this night.
Salat Jafar at-Tayyar
It is recommended to offer the famous Ja’far al-Tayyar’s Prayer (Salat Ja’far) as is narrated by Shaykh al-Tusi from Imam al-Rida(عليه السلام).
Salat
It is recommended to offer the prayers that are dedicated to this night. In fact, these prayers are many. One of them is what is reported by Abu-Yahya al-San’ani, as well as other thirty trustworthy reporters, from Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (عليه السلام) and Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq (عليه السلام) as follows:
At the mid-Sha’ban night, you may offer a four unit prayer in each unit of which you may recite Surah al-Fatehah once and Surah al-Tawḥīd one hundred times. After accomplishment, you may say the following supplication:
اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّي اِلَيْكَ فَقِيرٌ وَ مِنْ عَذَابِكَ خَائِفٌ مُسْتَجِيرٌ اَللّٰهُمَّ لَا تُبَدِّلْ اسْمِي وَ لَا تُغَيِّرْ جِسْمِي وَ لَا تَجْهَدْ بَلَائِي وَ لَا تُشْمِتْ بِي اَعْدَائِي اَعُوذُ بِعَفْوِكَ مِنْ عِقَابِكَ وَ اَعُوذُ بِرَحْمَتِكَ مِنْ عَذَابِكَ وَ اَعُوذُ بِرِضَاكَ مِنْ سَخَطِكَ وَ اَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْكَ جَلَّ ثَنَاؤُكَ اَنْتَ كَمَا اَثْنَيْتَ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ وَ فَوْقَ مَا يَقُولُ الْقَائِلُونَ.
It is worth mentioning that traditions have decided a great reward for one who offers a hundred unit prayer on this night; in each unit, Surah al-Fatehah is recited once and Surah al-Tawḥīd ten times.
It has been previously mentioned, within the rites of Rajab, that it is recommended to offer a prayer comprising of six rakat in each of which Surahs al-Fātiḥah, Yasin, al-Mulk, and al-Tawḥīd are recited.
