The rituals of Mid-Sha'bān

The rituals of Mid-Sha'bān

Sha'bān is the only month in the Islamic calendar that does not have a single day of mourning. It is truly a blessed month, especially for the auspicious occasion of Imam al-Mahdi’s birthday on the 15^th of this month.

The eve of Mid-Sha'bān is extraordinarily honorable. Imam al-Sādiq (the Sixth Imam) narrated from his father when Imam al-Bāqir was asked about the merits of the night before the 15^th day of Sha'bān as saying:

«هِيَ أَفْضَلُ لَيْلَةٍ بَعْدَ لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ فِيهَا يَمْنَحُ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى الْعِبَادَ فَضْلَهُ وَ يَغْفِرُ لَهُمْ بِمَنِّهِ فَاجْتَهِدُوا فِي الْقُرْبَةِ إِلَى اللَّهِ فِيهَا فَإِنَّهَا لَيْلَةٌ آلَى اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَى نَفْسِهِ أَنْ لَا يَرُدَّ سَائِلًا لَهُ فِيهَا مَا لَمْ يَسْأَلْ مَعْصِيَةً وَ إِنَّهَا اللَّيْلَةُ الَّتِي جَعَلَهَا اللَّهُ لَنَا أَهْلَ الْبَيْتِ بِإِزَاءِ مَا جَعَلَ لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ لِنَبِيِّنَا ص فَاجْتَهِدُوا فِي الدُّعَاءِ وَ الثَّنَاءِ عَلَى اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ …‏»^[1]

 “It is the most favorable night after the Qadr Night. At this night, the 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 at this night, because He has decided not to reject any asker as long as he/she 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. Thus, try your best to pray and praise Him, the Exalted, the Glorified diligently ...”

However, some of the recommended rites to be carried out at this night are as follows:

1. To make a major ablution (Ghusl) at the time of sunset

 According to Imam Sādiq:

“The Ghusl decreases the punishment for one’s sins.”^[2]

2.  To stay awake at night to pray

Imam Ali quoting the Prophet says:

 “When the night of the middle of Sha’ban comes, Allah says, ‘Is there anyone begging for forgiveness that I might forgive him? Is there anyone begging for sustenance that I may feed him?”^[3]

3. To visit the tomb of Imam al-Hussain or recite his Ziyārah from distance

To visit the tomb of Imam al-Hussain is the most favorable act at this night as it brings about forgiveness for one’s sins. There is a narration from Imam Sādiq, saying:

 “If one desires that all the 124,000 prophets shake hands with him, he or she may visit the holy shrine of Imam al-Hussain at this night because, by the permission of Allah, the soul of all prophets visits the Imam’s tomb then.”^[4]

The least of this Ziyārah is to go up an elevated place, look to the right and the left, raise the head towards the heavens and then say the following:

«السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يَا اَبَا عَبْدِ اللّهِ، السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ يابْنَ رَسُولِ اللهِ، السَّلامُ عَلَيْكَ وَ رَحْمَةُ اللّهِ وَ بَرَكَاتُهُ»^[5]

“Peace be upon you, O Abā-'Abdillah! Peace be upon you, O the son of Allah’s messenger! Peace be upon you and Allah’s mercy and blessing be upon you!”

4. To recite Kumayl supplication

Kumayl bin Ziyād, one of the sincere companions of Imam Ali, was quoted as saying that he had seen the Imam reciting this supplication in one of his prostrations.^[6]

5. To recite:

 a) سبحان الله)) Subhānallāh 100 times; b) الحمد لله)) Alhamdulillāh 100 times; c) الله اکبر)) Allāhu Akbar 100 times, and d) لا اله الّا الله)) Lā Ilāha illallah 100 times

6. To offer some supplications (as written in Mafātīh al-Jinān) like:

«اللّهُمَّ بِحَقِّ لَيْلَتِنَا هَذِه‏ وَ مَوْلُودِهَا وَ حُجَّتِكَ وَ مَوْعُودِهَا الَّتِي قَرَنْتَ اِلَى فَضْلِهَا فَضْلا فَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَتُكَ صِدْقا وَ عَدْلا لا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَاتِكَ وَ لا مُعَقِّبَ لِآيَاتِكَ نُورُكَ الْمُتَاَلِّقُ وَ ضِيَاؤُكَ الْمُشْرِقُ وَ الْعَلَمُ النُّورُ فِي طَخْيَاءِ الدَّيْجُورِ الْغَائِبُ الْمَسْتُورُ جَلَّ مَوْلِدُهُ وَ كَرُمَ مَحْتِدُهُ وَ الْمَلائِكَةُ شُهَّدُهُ وَ اللّهُ نَاصِرُهُ وَ مُؤَيِّدُهُ اِذَا آنَ مِيعَادُهُ وَ الْمَلائِكَةُ اَمْدَادُهُ سَيْفُ اللّهِ الَّذِي لا يَنْبُو وَ نُورُهُ الَّذِي لا يَخْبُو وَ ذُو الْحِلْمِ الَّذِي لا يَصْبُو مَدَارُ الدَّهْرِ وَ نَوَامِيسُ الْعَصْرِ وَ وُلاةُ الْاَمْرِ وَ الْمُنَزَّلُ عَلَيْهِمْ مَا يَتَنَزَّلُ فِي لَيْلَةِ الْقَدْرِ ، وَ اَصْحَابُ الْحَشْرِ وَ النَّشْرِ تَرَاجِمَةُ وَحْيِهِ وَ وُلاةُ اَمْرِهِ وَ نَهْيِهِ اللّهُمَّ فَصَلِّ عَلَى خَاتِمِهِمْ وَ قَائِمِهِمْ الْمَسْتُورِ عَنْ عَوَالِمِهِمْ اللّهُمَّ 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 صَلَّى اللّهُ 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.»^[7]

“O Allah! For the sake of this night and he who was born tonight, Your decisive proof, Your “promise”, which You joined with him a favor upon favor. So, You fulfilled Your words truly and justly. No one can change Your words nor obscure Your signs. He is your light that is shining and Your luminance that is glowing. He is the bright sign that was previously hidden and covered in the gloominess of darkness. Dignified was his birth, honored was his association, and the angels stood witness to him. Allah is his helper and supporter when the promised event (of his return) approaches. The angels will aid him. He (the Imam) is the sword of Allah, which does not miss (its target); the light of Allah, which cannot be concealed; the possessor of forbearance, who does not act improperly; the pivot of ages; and the aware of the secretes of each set of time. He is one of the authorities of the affair, and descends on him whatever descends on the Night of Qadr. He is one of those who (matter) in the Day of Gathering and Resurrection, (those who) interpret His revelation, guide towards His commands and the forbidden laws. O Allah! Bless the last of them, the one who will rise among them, who is hidden from the cosmos. O Allah! Make us reach his days, his appearance and his rising; cause us to be among his helpers, join our struggle (to achieve the truth) with his struggle, include us among his supporters and sincere friends; and give us life in his reign, gentle so that we receive the bounties, benefit from his company, rise for his rightful (struggle), and are safe from evil. O the Most Merciful of the Merciful! (All) praise is for Allah, the Lord of the worlds! May His blessings be on Muhammad, the last of prophets and messengers, and upon his family, the truthful, and the articulate progeny. Curse all the oppressors and judge between us and them, O the best of all Judges!”

«اِلَهِي تَعَرَّضَ لَكَ فِي هذَا اللَّيْلِ الْمُتَعَرِّضُونَ وَ قَصَدَكَ الْقَاصِدُونَ وَ اَمَّلَ فَضْلَكَ وَ مَعْرُوفَكَ الطَّالِبُونَ وَ لَكَ فِي هذَا 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 مَوْلايَ 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 اللّهُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ خَاتَمِ النَّبِيِّينَ وَ آلِهِ الطَّاهِرِينَ وَ سَلَّمَ تَسْلِيما اِنَّ اللّهَ حَمِيدٌ مَجِيدٌ اللّهُمَّ اِنِّي اَدْعُوكَ كَمَا اَمَرْتَ فَاسْتَجِبْ لِي كَمَا وَعَدْتَ اِنَّكَ لا تُخْلِفُ الْمِيعَادَ».^[8]

“O Allah! On this night, the seekers have sought You, the aspirers have aspired for You, and the searchers have hoped for Your blessings and grace. And for You are there, on this night, hidden bounties, rewards, presents and gifts, which You bestow upon whom You please from Your servants, and You deny them to those who have not reached Your regard. Here I am, Your abject servant, in need of You, hopeful of Your blessings and grace. So, O my Master! if You bestow blessings on this night, on anyone of Your creatures and turn to him/her with affection, then bless Muhammad and his family, the pure, the purified, the virtuous, the excellent; and favor me with Your bounty, O the Lord of the worlds! O Allah! Bless Muhammad, the last of the prophets, and his family, the purified ones, (and send) a perfect salutation. Surely, Allah is Praiseworthy, Glorious. O Allah! I have supplicated to You as You have commanded, so answer me, as You have promised. Surely, You do not break Your promises.”

7. To offer some prayers like

At this night, Imam Bāqir and Imam Sādiq used to pray a four Rak'at (two two-unit prayers) as below:

In each Raka'at, recite Surah al-Fātiha one time and Surah al-Ikhlās hundred times. At the end of the second prayer, recite the following Du'ā,

«اللّهُمَّ اِنِّي اِلَيْكَ فَقِيرٌ وَ مِنْ عَذَابِكَ خَائِفٌ مُسْتَجِيرٌ اللّهُمَّ لا تُبَدِّلْ اسْمِي وَ لا تُغَيِّرْ جِسْمِي وَ لا تَجْهَدْ بَلائِي وَ لا 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.»^[9]

“O Allah! I stand in need of You, and from Your punishment, I am fearful. Seeking refuge O Allah! Do not change my name nor alter my body, nor try me with a severe trial, and do not make my enemies rejoice (at my failure). I seek refuge in Your forgiveness from Your punishment and I seek refuge in Your mercy from Your chastisement, and in Your pleasure from Your anger, and in You from You. Great is Your praise. You are the way You have praised Yourself and even beyond what is said by the believers.”