MISCELLANEOUS AAMAL FOR THE MONTH OF RAJAB
Sayyid Ibn Tawus has narrated that Muhammad ibn Dhakwan – 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 اَرْجُوهُ لِكُلِّ خَيْرٍ وَ آمَنُ سَخَطَهُ عِنْدَ [مِنْ] كُلِّ شَرٍّ يَا مَنْ يُعْطِي الْكَثِيرَ بِالْقَلِيلِ يَا مَنْ يُعْطِي مَنْ سَاَلَهُ يَا مَنْ يُعْطِي مَنْ لَمْ يَسْاَلْهُ وَ مَنْ لَمْ يَعْرِفْهُ تَحَنُّنا مِنْهُ وَ رَحْمَةً اَعْطِنِي بِمَسْاَلَتِي اِيَّاكَ جَمِيعَ خَيْرِ الدُّنْيَا وَ جَمِيعَ خَيْرِ الْآخِرَةِ وَ اصْرِفْ عَنِّي بِمَسْاَلَتِي اِيَّاكَ جَمِيعَ شَرِّ الدُّنْيَا وَ [جَمِيعَ] شَرِّ الْآخِرَةِ فَاِنَّهُ غَيْرُ مَنْقُوصٍ مَا اَعْطَيْتَ وَ زِدْنِي مِنْ فَضْلِكَ يَا كَرِيمُ .
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 الْجَلالِ وَ الْاِكْرَامِ يَا ذَا النَّعْمَاءِ وَ الْجُودِ يَا ذَا الْمَنِّ وَ الطَّوْلِ حَرِّمْ شَيْبَتِي عَلَى النَّارِ
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 الَّذِي لا اِلَهَ اِلا هُوَ وَحْدَهُ لا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَ اَتُوبُ اِلَيْهِ
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:
لا اِلَهَ اِلا اللّٰهُ
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 اَتُوبُ اِلَيْهِ
After this imploration is repeated seventy times, it is recommended to raise the hands towards the sky and say:
اللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي وَ تُبْ عَلَيَّ
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 الْجَلالِ وَ الْاِكْرَامِ مِنْ جَمِيعِ الذُّنُوبِ وَ الْآثَامِ
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:
اَسْتَغْفِرُ اللّٰهَ الَّذِي لا اِلَهَ اِلا هُوَ وَ اَسْاَلُهُ التَّوْبَةَ
Sixteenth: It is recommended to fast on three days in the month of Rajab: Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. It has been narrated that whoever fasts on these three days in one of the Sacred Months will be awarded with the reward of nine hundred year worship.
Seventeenth: It is recommended to offer a sixty-unit prayer in Rajab. Each night, it is recommended to offer two units of this prayer in the first unit of which Surah al-Faatehah is recited once, Surah al-Kafirun (No. 109) repeated three times, and Surah al-Tawheed recited one time. After the accomplishment of the two prayer units, it is recommended to raise the hands towards the sky and say the following:
لا اِلَهَ اِلا اللّٰهُ وَحْدَهُ لا شَرِيكَ لَهُ لَهُ الْمُلْكُ وَ لَهُ الْحَمْدُ يُحْيِي وَ يُمِيتُ وَ هُوَ حَيٌّ لا يَمُوتُ بِيَدِهِ الْخَيْرُ وَ هُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ وَ اِلَيْهِ الْمَصِيرُ وَ لا حَوْلَ وَ لا قُوَّةَ اِلا بِاللّٰهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ اللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ النَّبِيِّ الْاُمِّيِّ وَ آلِهِ.
It is also recommended to pass one’s hand over the face while uttering the last statement. The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) is reported to have said that if one offers this prayer and says this supplicatory prayer, Almighty Allah will respond to his needs and award him the reward of sixth times of Hajj and ‘Umrah (ritual pilgrimage).
Eighteenth: It has been also narrated that the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) said, “One who recites Surah al-Tawheed one hundred times at one night in Rajab will be decided to have fasted for one hundred years for the sake of Almighty Allah Who will also decide for him one hundred palaces (in Paradise) in the vicinity of one of the Prophets.”
Nineteenth: The Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) is also reported as saying that Almighty Allah will forgive all the sins of those who offer a ten unit prayer, at one night in Rajab, reciting in each unit Surah al-Faatehah once and repeating Surah al-Tawheed three times.
Twentieth: In Zad al-Ma’ad, ‘Allamah al-Majlisi has mentioned that Imam AliAmeer al-Momineen(a.s.) reported the following from the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.): If one repeats the following Quranic chapters, litanies, and supplicatory prayers three times each day and each night in the months of Rajab, Sha’ban, and Ramadan, he will have all his sins forgiven even if they are as many as and as much as raindrops, tree leaves, sea foam… etc:
(1) Surah al-Faatehah, (2) Ayah al-Kursi, (3) Surah al-Kafirun, (4) Surah al-Tawheed, (5) Surah al-Falaq, (6) Surah al-Nas, (7) the following litany:
سُبْحَانَ اللّٰهِ وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ وَ لا اِلَهَ اِلا اللّٰهُ وَ اللّٰهُ اَكْبَرُ وَ لا حَوْلَ وَ لا قُوَّةَ اِلا بِاللّٰهِ الْعَلِيِّ الْعَظِيمِ
(8) the following invocation of blessings:
اللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ
(9) the following supplicatory prayer:
اللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَ الْمُؤْمِنَاتِ
(10) the following imploration for forgiveness, yet four hundred times:
اَسْتَغْفِرُ اللّٰهَ وَ اَتُوبُ اِلَيْهِ
‘Allamah al-Majlisi has also mentioned that it is traditional to repeat the following litany one thousand times each night in Rajab:
لا اله الاّ اللّه