THE TWENTY FIRST NIGHT OF RAMADAN
The twenty-first night of Ramaḍān is more meritorious that the nineteenth. It is worthwhile to practice the previously mentioned general rites of the Qadr Nights, such as bathing, spending the whole nights with acts of worship, visiting the tomb of Imam al-Husayn (a.s.), offering the two unit prayer in which Surah al-Faatehah is recited once and Surah al-Tawheed repeated seven times, putting a copy of the Holy Qur’an on the head and reciting the supplication dedicated to this practice, reciting Dua al-Jawshan al-Kabir supplication, and so on. According to narrations, it is strongly advisable to do the bathing and to spend the whole night with painstaking acts of worship at this night as well as the twenty-third, since the real Qadr Night is one of these two nights.
When the Holy Infallibles (عليه السلام) were asked to specify the Qadr Night, they did not specify; rather they used to say, “It is too easy to act on two nights in order to win one’s desire.” They also used to say, “What will harm you if you act righteously on the two nights?”
Dictating to his students, Shaykh al-Saduq said in one of his sessions, “It is preferable to spend these two nights with studying the religious knowledge.”
Starting with this night, it is recommended to recite the supplications that are dedicated to the last ten nights of Ramaḍān.
It is worth mentioning that on the 21st night of Ramaḍān, the sadnesses of the Shi’ah should be shown. On the 21st night of Ramaḍān, AH 40, Ameer al-Momineen Imam Ali ibn Abi-Talib (عليه السلام) departed life as martyr. It is narrated that fresh blood would be found under any rock that was lifted at that night. The same thing happened on the night of Imam al-Husayn’s martyrdom.
Shaykh al-Mufid says: On this night, it is highly recommended, as frequently as possible, to invoke Almighty Allah’s blessings upon the Holy Prophet and his Household and to invoke His curse upon those who have wronged the Ahl al-Bayt and upon the killer of Imam Ali Ameer al-Momineen (عليه السلام).
The Twenty First Night Prayer: It is recommended to offer an eight unit prayer with any selected Surahs.
The Twenty-First Day Supplication
﷽
اَللّٰهُمَّ اجْعَلْ لِي فِيْهِ اِلَى مَرْضَاتِكَ دَلِيْلًا
allahumma aj`al li fihi ila mardatika dalilan
O Allah; on this day, (please) make for me a course that takes me to Your pleasure;
وَ لَا تَجْعَلْ لِلشَّيْطَانِ فِيْهِ عَلَيَّ سَبِيْلًا
wa la taj`al lilshshitani fihi `alayya sabilan
And do not make for Satan a course to me;
وَ اجْعَلِ الْجَنَّةَ لِي مَنْزِلًا وَ مَقِيْلًا
waj`ali aljannata li manzilan wa maqilan
And make Paradise my home and dwelling;
يَا قَاضِيَ حَوَائِجِ الطَّالِبِيْنَ
ya qadiya hawa’iji alttalibina
O He Who settles the needs of the beseechers.
General Amaal of Shab -e- Qadr
Take a bath
It is recommended to bathe oneself on each of the Qadr Nights. According to ‘Allamah al-Majlisi, it is preferable to perform the bathing (ghusl) at sunset so as to be ready for the Isha’ Prayer.
2 rakaat prayer
It is recommended to offer a two unit prayer reciting at each unit Surah al-Fatehah once and repeating Surah al-Tawheed seven times. After the completion of the prayer, the following supplication should be repeated seventy times:
اَسْتَغْفِرُ اللّٰه وَ اَتُوْبُ اِلَيْه
According to a hadith reported from the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.), Almighty Allah will forgive one who offers this prayer and will forgive his parents before he leaves his place.
Holy Qur'an amaal
It is recommended to open a copy of the Holy Qur’an between one’s hands and recite the following:
اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّي اَسْاَلُكَ بِكِتَابِكَ الْمُنْزَلِ وَ مَا فِيْهِ وَ فِيْهِ اسْمُكَ الْاَكْبَرُ وَ اَسْمَاؤُكَ الْحُسْنَى وَ مَا يُخَافُ وَ يُرْجَى اَنْ تَجْعَلَنِي مِنْ عُتَقَائِكَ مِنَ النَّارِ.
Then, one may pray to God to fulfill one’s desires.
It is recommended to put a copy of the Holy Qur’an on the head and say the following:
اَللّٰهُمَّ بِحَقِّ هٰذَا الْقُرْآنِ وَ بِحَقِّ مَنْ اَرْسَلْتَهُ بِهِ وَ بِحَقِّ كُلِّ مُؤْمِنٍ مَدَحْتَهُ فِيهِ وَ بِحَقِّكَ عَلَيْهِمْ فَلَا اَحَدَ اَعْرَفُ بِحَقِّكَ مِنْكَ
Then, one should repeat each of the following ten times:
بِكَ يَا اللّٰهُ
بِمُحَمَّدٍ
بِعَلِيٍّ
بِفَاطِمَةَ
بِالْحَسَنِ
بِالْحُسَيْنِ
بِعَلِيِّ بْنِ الْحُسَيْنِ
بِمُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ
بِجَعْفَرِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ
بِمُوسَى بْنِ جَعْفَرٍ
بِعَلِيِّ بْنِ مُوسَى
بِمُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ
بِعَلِيِّ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ
بِالْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ
بِالْحُجَّةِ
One should then pray Almighty Allah to fulfill one’s desires.
Visit tomb of Imam Husain (a)
It is advisable to visit the holy tomb of Imam al-Husayn (a) at these nights. A hadith, in this respect, reads that on the Qadr Nights, a caller from the heavens will call from the Seventh Sky and, specifically, from the centre of the Holy Throne that Almighty Allah shall forgive whoever visits the tomb of al-Husayn (a).
100 rakaat prayer
It is recommended to offer the one hundred unit prayer. It is preferable to recite at these units Surah al-Faatehah once and repeat Surah al-Tawheed ten times.
Supplication 1
It is recommended to recite the following supplication:
اَللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّي اَمْسَيْتُ لَكَ عَبْدًا دَاخِرًا لَا اَمْلِكُ لِنَفْسِي نَفْعًا وَ لَا ضَرًّا وَ لَا اَصْرِفُ عَنْهَا سُوءًا اَشْهَدُ بِذٰلِكَ عَلَى نَفْسِيْ وَ اَعْتَرِفُ لَكَ بِضَعْفِ قُوَّتِي وَ قِلَّةِ حِيْلَتِي فَصَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اَنْجِزْ لِي مَا وَعَدْتَنِي وَ جَمِيْعَ الْمُؤْمِنِيْنَ وَ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ مِنَ الْمَغْفِرَةِ فِي هٰذِهِ اللَّيْلَةِ وَ اَتْمِمْ عَلَيَّ مَا آتَيْتَنِي فَاِنِّي عَبْدُكَ الْمِسْكِيْنُ الْمُسْتَكِيْنُ الضَّعِيْفُ الْفَقِيْرُ الْمَهِيْنُ اَللّٰهُمَّ لَا تَجْعَلْنِي نَاسِيًا لِذِكْرِكَ فِيْمَا اَوْلَيْتَنِي وَ لَا [غَافِلًا] لِاِحْسَانِكَ فِيْمَا اَعْطَيْتَنِي وَ لَا آيِسًا مِنْ اِجَابَتِكَ وَ اِنْ اَبْطَاَتْ عَنِّي فِي سَرَّاءَ [كُنْتُ] اَوْ ضَرَّاءَ اَوْ شِدَّةٍ اَوْ رَخَاءٍ اَوْ عَافِيَةٍ اَوْ بَلَاءٍ اَوْ بُؤْسٍ اَوْ نَعْمَاءَ اِنَّكَ سَمِيْعُ الدُّعَاءِ
al-Kaf’ami has narrated that Imam Zayn al-’Abidin(a.s.) used to recite this supplication frequently during the Qadr Nights while sitting, standing, genuflecting, and prostrating.
Ask for forgiveness
‘Allamah al-Majlisi has mentioned that the most favorable rite during the Qadr Nights is to implore for Almighty Allah’s forgiveness, to mention Him, to pray for the settlement of one’s worldly and religious affairs as well as for one’s parents, relatives, and brethren-in-faith; the dead and the alive, and to invoke blessings upon the Holy Prophet and his Household.
Dua Jawshan al-Kabir
It is recommended to say the famous supplication known as
Dua al-Jawshan al-Kabir, on the three Qadr Nights.
Pray for good health
It has been also narrated that when he was asked about the best prayer that one may ask on the Qadr Night, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said, “Pray for good health.”
Amaal for 21st Night of Ramaḍān
Supplication 1
Al-Kaf’ami has quoted Sayyid Ibn Baqi as saying that it is recommended to recite the following supplication at the twenty-first night of Ramaḍān:
اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اقْسِمْ لِي حِلْمًا يَسُدُّ عَنِّي بَابَ الْجَهْلِ وَ هُدًى تَمُنُّ بِهِ عَلَيَّ مِنْ كُلِّ ضَلَالَةٍ وَ غِنًى تَسُدُّ بِهِ عَنِّي بَابَ كُلِّ فَقْرٍ وَ قُوَّةً تَرُدُّ بِهَا عَنِّي كُلَّ ضَعْفٍ وَ عِزًّا تُكْرِمُنِي بِهِ عَنْ كُلِّ ذُلٍّ وَ رِفْعَةً تَرْفَعُنِي بِهَا عَنْ كُلِّ ضَعَةٍ وَ اَمْنًا تَرُدُّ بِهِ عَنِّي كُلَّ خَوْفٍ وَ عَافِيَةً تَسْتُرُنِي بِهَا عَنْ كُلِّ بَلَاءٍ وَ عِلْمًا تَفْتَحُ لِي بِهِ كُلَّ يَقِيْنٍ وَ يَقِيْنًا تُذْهِبُ بِهِ عَنِّي كُلَّ شَكٍّ وَ دُعَاءً تَبْسُطُ لِي بِهِ الْاِجَابَةَ فِي هٰذِهِ اللَّيْلَةِ وَ فِي هٰذِهِ السَّاعَةِ السَّاعَةِ السَّاعَةِ السَّاعَةِ يَا كَرِيْمُ وَ خَوْفًا تَنْشُرُ [تُيَسِّرُ] لِي بِهِ كُلَّ رَحْمَةٍ وَ عِصْمَةً تَحُوْلُ بِهَا بَيْنِي وَ بَيْنَ الذُّنُوْبِ حَتَّى اُفْلِحَ بِهَا عِنْدَ الْمَعْصُوْمِيْنَ عِنْدَكَ بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا اَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِيْنَ
Curse the killers of Imam Ali (a)
It is recommended to repeat the following imprecatory prayer one hundred times at the nineteenth night of Ramaḍān:
اَللّٰهُمَّ الْعَنْ قَتَلَةَ اَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ
Supplication 2
It has been narrated that Ali ibn Hammad visited Imam Ja’far al-Sadiq(a.s.) at the twenty-first night of Ramaḍān. “Have you bathed yourself, Hammad?” asked the Imam. “Yes, I have,” answered Hammad. The Imam (a.s.) then asked him to stand by him so as to imitate him in offering prayers. Hammad did. When they finished all the prayers, the Imam (a.s.) began to supplicate and Hammad listened and prayed for response. When dawn rose, the Imam (a.s.) declared the adhan (call to prayer), uttered the iqamah (the prefatory part of prayers), and then summoned one of his servants to participate in the prayer. They all stood behind the Imam (a.s.) who led their congregational Fajr (dawn) Prayer reciting Surahs al-Faatehah and al-Qadr in the first unit and Surahs al-Faatehah and al-Tawheed in the second. When he finished the post-prayer litanies and doxologies, praising Him, venerating Him, thanking Him, invoking His blessings upon the Holy Prophet and his Household, and praying Him for the good of all the believing men and women as well as all the Muslims, Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) prostrated himself. The companions could not hear anything except the Imam’s breaths for a long time. Hammad narrated: I could then hear him saying the following:
لَااِلٰهَ اِلَّا اَنْتَ مُقَلِّبَ الْقُلُوْبِ وَالْاَبْصَارِ....
This long supplication has been mentioned by Sayyid Ibn Tawus in his book of Iqbal al-A’mal.
