(B) FIRST NIGHT OF RAJAB

A number of rites have been reported to be advisably said or done at the first night in Rajab, which is a holy night. These rites are as follows:

First: At the sight of the new moon, it is recommended to say the following supplicatory prayer:

اللّٰهُمَّ اَهِلَّهُ عَلَيْنَا بِالْاَمْنِ وَ الْاِيمَانِ وَ السَّلامَةِ وَ الْاِسْلامِ رَبِّي وَ رَبُّكَ اللّٰهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ .

It has been also reported that when his eyes fell on the new moon of Rajab, the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) used to say the following:

اللّٰهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِي رَجَبٍ وَ شَعْبَانَ وَ بَلِّغْنَا شَهْرَ رَمَضَانَ وَ اَعِنَّا عَلَى الصِّيَامِ وَ الْقِيَامِ وَ حِفْظِ اللِّسَانِ وَ غَضِّ الْبَصَرِ وَ لا تَجْعَلْ حَظَّنَا مِنْهُ الْجُوعَ وَ الْعَطَشَ .

Second: It is highly advisable to bathe oneself at the first night of Rajab. In this respect, some scholars have reported the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) as saying, “Whoever receives the month of Rajab and bathes himself in the first, middle, and last of it, will be released from all of his sins to return as pure as the day of his birth.”

Third: It is recommended to visit the shrine of Imam al-Husayn (a.s.).

Fourth: It is recommended to offer, after the obligatory Maghrib Prayer, a twenty unit prayer and to recite in each unit Surah al-Faatehah once and Surah al-Tawheed once, and to separate between each couple of units with Taslim. Whoever offers this prayer, his family members, property, sons, and he will be kept saved from harm, rescued against the grave torture, and pass the Sirat as swiftly as lightning without being called to account.

Fifth: After the Isha’ Prayer, it is recommended to offer a two unit prayer in the first unit of which Surah al-Faatehah should be recited once, Surah al-Inshirah (No. 94) recited once, and Surah al-Tawheed recited three times. In the second unit, Surahs al-Faatehah, al-Inshirah, al-Tawheed, al-Falaq, and al-Nas should be recited once each. After Taslim, the following litany should be repeated thirty times:

لا اله الاّ اللّه

Similarly, SWALAWAT on Holy Prophet and their Progeny should be repeated thirty times:

The reward of this prayer is that whoever offers it, will have all his sins forgiven and will return as sin-free as the day of his birth.

Sixth: It is recommended to offer a thirty unit prayer in each unit Surah al-Faatehah is recited once, Surah al-Kafirun (No. 109) recited once, and Surah al-Tawheed repeated three times.

Seventh: Referring to the recommended rites at the first night of Rajab, Shaykh al-Tusi has mentioned, in his book of Misbah al-Mutahajjid, that Abu’l-Bukhtari Wahab ibn Wahab has narrated on the authority of Imam al-Sadiq(a.s.) on the authority of his father (a.s.) on the authority of his grandfather (a.s.) who said that Imam Ali(a.s.) used to devote himself to acts of worship in an exclusive way at four nights, (1) the first night of Rajab, (2) the middle night (i.e. fifteen) of Sha’ban, (3) the ‘Id al-Fitr Night (i.e. the first night of Shawwal), and (4) the Nahr Night (the tenth of Dhu’l-Hijjah).

Imam Abu-Ja’far II (a.s.) is reported to have recommended saying this the following supplicatory prayer at the first night of Rajab after the Isha’ Prayer:

اللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّي اَسْاَلُكَ بِاَنَّكَ مَلِكٌ وَ اَنَّكَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ مُقْتَدِرٌ وَ اَنَّكَ مَا تَشَاءُ مِنْ اَمْرٍ يَكُونُ اللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّي اَتَوَجَّهُ اِلَيْكَ بِنَبِيِّكَ مُحَمَّدٍ نَبِيِّ الرَّحْمَةِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ يَا مُحَمَّدُ يَا رَسُولَ اللّٰهِ اِنِّي اَتَوَجَّهُ بِكَ اِلَى اللّٰهِ رَبِّكَ وَ رَبِّي لِيُنْجِحَ [لِي‏] بِكَ طَلِبَتِي اللّٰهُمَّ بِنَبِيِّكَ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ الْاَئِمَّةِ مِنْ اَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ عَلَيْهِمْ اَنْجِحْ طَلِبَتِي

You may then mention your requests.

Ali ibn Hadid has narrated that Imam Musa ibn Ja’far (a.s.) used to say the following supplicatory prayer while prostrating after the accomplishment of the Night Prayer (Salat al-Layl):

لَكَ الْمَحْمَدَةُ اِنْ اَطَعْتُكَ وَ لَكَ الْحُجَّةُ اِنْ عَصَيْتُكَ لا صُنْعَ لِي وَ لا لِغَيْرِي فِي اِحْسَانٍ اِلا بِكَ يَا كَائِنُ [كَائِنا] قَبْلَ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ وَ يَا مُكَوِّنَ كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ اِنَّكَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ قَدِيرٌ اللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّي اَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنَ الْعَدِيلَةِ عِنْدَ الْمَوْتِ وَ مِنْ شَرِّ الْمَرْجِعِ فِي الْقُبُورِ وَ مِنَ النَّدَامَةِ يَوْمَ الْآزِفَةِ فَاَسْاَلُكَ اَنْ تُصَلِّيَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اَنْ تَجْعَلَ عَيْشِي عِيشَةً نَقِيَّةً وَ مِيتَتِي مِيتَةً سَوِيَّةً وَ مُنْقَلَبِي مُنْقَلَبا كَرِيما غَيْرَ مُخْزٍ وَ لا فَاضِحٍ اللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ الْاَئِمَّةِ يَنَابِيعِ الْحِكْمَةِ ، وَ اُولِي النِّعْمَةِ وَ مَعَادِنِ الْعِصْمَةِ وَ اعْصِمْنِي بِهِمْ مِنْ كُلِّ سُوءٍ وَ لا تَأْخُذْنِي عَلَى غِرَّةٍ وَ لا عَلَى غَفْلَةٍ وَ لا تَجْعَلْ عَوَاقِبَ اَعْمَالِي حَسْرَةً وَ ارْضَ عَنِّي فَاِنَّ مَغْفِرَتَكَ لِلظَّالِمِينَ وَ اَنَا مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ اللّٰهُمَّ اغْفِرْ لِي مَا لا يَضُرُّكَ وَ اَعْطِنِي مَا لا يَنْقُصُكَ فَاِنَّكَ الْوَسِيعُ رَحْمَتُهُ الْبَدِيعُ حِكْمَتُهُ وَ اَعْطِنِي السَّعَةَ وَ الدَّعَةَ وَ الْاَمْنَ وَ الصِّحَّةَ وَ الْبُخُوعَ وَ الْقُنُوعَ وَ الشُّكْرَ وَ الْمُعَافَاةَ وَ التَّقْوَى وَ الصَّبْرَ وَ الصِّدْقَ عَلَيْكَ وَ عَلَى اَوْلِيَائِكَ وَ الْيُسْرَ وَ الشُّكْرَ وَ اعْمُمْ بِذَلِكَ يَا رَبِّ اَهْلِي وَ وَلَدِي وَ اِخْوَانِي فِيكَ وَ مَنْ اَحْبَبْتُ وَ اَحَبَّنِي وَ وَلَدْتُ وَ وَلَدَنِي مِنَ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ.

Ibn Ashyam says: It is advisable to say this supplicatory prayer after offering the eight-unit salat al-Layl (Night Prayer) and before offering the three-unit salat al-witr. Immediately after offering this prayer, it is recommended to say this supplicatory prayer while sitting:

الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي لا تَنْفَدُ خَزَائِنُهُ وَ لا يَخَافُ آمِنُهُ رَبِّ اِنِ ارْتَكَبْتُ الْمَعَاصِيَ فَذَلِكَ ثِقَةٌ [ثِقَةً] مِنِّي بِكَرَمِكَ اِنَّكَ تَقْبَلُ التَّوْبَةَ عَنْ عِبَادِكَ وَ تَعْفُو عَنْ سَيِّئَاتِهِمْ وَ تَغْفِرُ الزَّلَلَ وَ اِنَّكَ [فَاِنَّكَ‏] مُجِيبٌ لِدَاعِيكَ وَ مِنْهُ قَرِيبٌ وَ اَنَا تَائِبٌ اِلَيْكَ مِنَ الْخَطَايَا وَ رَاغِبٌ اِلَيْكَ فِي تَوْفِيرِ حَظِّي مِنَ الْعَطَايَا يَا خَالِقَ الْبَرَايَا يَا مُنْقِذِي مِنْ كُلِّ شَدِيدَةٍ [شِدَّةٍ] يَا مُجِيرِي مِنْ كُلِّ مَحْذُورٍ وَفِّرْ عَلَيَّ السُّرُورَ وَ اكْفِنِي شَرَّ عَوَاقِبِ الْاُمُورِ [فَاِنَّكَ‏] فَاَنْتَ اللّٰهُ عَلَى نَعْمَائِكَ وَ جَزِيلِ عَطَائِكَ مَشْكُورٌ وَ لِكُلِّ خَيْرٍ مَذْخُورٌ .

It is worth mentioning that our scholars have mentioned special prayers to be offered at each night in Rajab. Yet, it takes a long time to mentioned these prayers.