Sahifa Sajjadiya 44: For the Coming of the Month of Ramadan

الْحَمْدُ للهِ الَّذِي هَدَانَا لِحَمْدِهِ وَجَعَلَنَا مِنْ أَهْلِهِ، لِنَكُونَ لِإِحْسَانِهِ مِنَ الشَّاكِرِينَ وَلِيَجْزِيَنَا عَلَى ذلِكَ جَزَآءَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ وَالْحَمْدُ للهِ الَّذِي حَبَانَا بِدِينِهِ، وَاخْتَصَّنَا بِمِلَّتِهِ، وَسَبَّلَنَا فِي سُبُلِ إحْسَانِهِ، لِنَسْلُكَهَا بِمَنِّهِ إلَى رِضْوَانِهِ، حَمْدَاً يَتَقَبَّلُهُ مِنَّا، وَيَرْضَى بِهِ عَنَّا. وَالْحَمْدُ لِلّه الَّذِي جَعَلَ مِنْ تِلْكَ السُّبُلِ شَهْرَهُ شَهْرَ رَمَضَانَ، شَهْرَ الصِّيَامِ، وَشَهْرَ الإِسْلاَم، وَشَهْرَ الطَّهُورِ، وَشَهْرَ التَّمْحِيْصِ، وَشَهْرَ الْقِيَامِ، الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيْهِ الْقُرْآنُ هُدىً لِلنَّاسِ، وَبَيِّنَات مِنَ الْهُدى وَالْفُرْقَانِ، فَأَبَانَ فَضِيْلَتَهُ عَلَى سَائِرِ الشُّهُورِ بِمَا جَعَلَ لَهُ مِنَ الْحُرُمَاتِ الْمَوْفُورَةِ وَالْفَضَائِلِ الْمَشْهُورَةِ، فَحَرَّمَ فِيْهِ ما أَحَلَّ فِي غَيْرِهِ إعْظَاماً، وَحَجَرَ فِيْهِ الْمَطَاعِمَ وَالْمَشَارِبَ إكْرَاماً، وَجَعَلَ لَهُ وَقْتاً بَيِّناً لاَ يُجِيزُ جَلَّ وَعَزَّ أَنْ يُقَدَّمَ قَبْلَهُ، وَلا يَقْبَـلُ أَنْ يُؤَخَّرَ عَنْهُ، ثُمَّ فَضَّلَ لَيْلَةً وَاحِدَةً مِنْ لَيَالِيهِ عَلَى لَيَالِي أَلْفِ شَهْر، وَسَمَّاهَا لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ، تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ فِيهَا بِإذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ مِنْ كُلِّ أَمْر، سَلاَمٌ دَائِمُ الْبَرَكَةِ إلَى طُلُوعِ الْفَجْرِ، عَلَى مَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ بِمَا أَحْكَمَ مِنْ قَضَائِهِ. اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّد وَآلِهِ، وَأَلْهِمْنَا مَعْرِفَةَ فَضْلِهِ وَإِجْلاَلَ حُرْمَتِهِ وَالتَّحَفُّظَ مِمَّا حَظَرْتَ فِيهِ وَأَعِنَّـا عَلَى صِيَامِـهِ بِكَفِّ الْجَـوَارِحِ عَنْ مَعَاصِيْكَ، وَاسْتِعْمَالِهَا فِيهِ بِمَا يُرْضِيْكَ حَتَّى لاَ نُصْغِىَ بِأَسْمَاعِنَا إلَى لَغْو، وَلا نُسْرِعَ بِأَبْصَارِنَا إلَى لَهْو، وَحَتَّى لاَ نَبْسُطَ أَيْدِيَنَا إلَى مَحْظُور، وَلاَ نَخْطُوَ بِأَقْدَامِنَا إلَى مَحْجُور، وَحَتَّى لاَ تَعِيَ بُطُونُنَا إلاَّ مَا أَحْلَلْتَ، وَلا تَنْطِقَ أَلْسِنَتُنَا إلاَّ بِمَا مَثَّلْتَ وَلا نَتَكَلَّفَ إلاَّ ما يُدْنِي مِنْ ثَوَابِكَ، وَلاَ نَتَعَاطَى إلاّ الَّذِي يَقِيْ مِنْ عِقَابِكَ، ثُمَّ خَلِّصْ ذَلِكَ كُلَّهُ مِنْ رِئآءِ الْمُرَائِينَ وَسُمْعَةِ الْمُسْمِعِينَ، لاَ نَشْرَكُ فِيهِ أَحَداً دُونَكَ، وَلا نَبْتَغِيْ فِيهِ مُرَاداً سِوَاكَ. أللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّد وَآلِهِ، وَقِفْنَـا فِيْـهِ عَلَى مَـوَاقِيْتِ الصَّلَوَاتِ الْخَمْس بِحُدُودِهَا الَّتِي حَدَّدْتَ، وَفُرُوضِهَا الَّتِي فَرَضْتَ وَوَظَائِفِهَا الَّتِي وَظَّفْتَ، وَأَوْقَاتِهَا الَّتِي وَقَّتَّ، وَأَنْزِلْنَا فِيهَا مَنْزِلَةَ الْمُصِيْبينَ لِمَنَازِلِهَا الْحَافِظِينَ لاِرْكَانِهَا الْمُؤَدِّينَ لَهَـا فِي أَوْقَاتِهَـا عَلَى مَا سَنَّـهُ عَبْدُكَ وَرَسُـولُكَ صَلَوَاتُـكَ عَلَيْهِ وَآلِـهِ فِي رُكُوعِهَا وَسُجُودِهَا وَجَمِيْعِ فَوَاضِلِهَا عَلى أَتَمِّ الطَّهُورِ، وَأَسْبَغِهِ وَأَبْيَنِ الْخُشُوعِ وَأَبْلَغِهِ، وَوَفِّقْنَا فِيهِ لاِنْ نَصِلَ أَرْحَامَنَا بِالبِرِّ وَالصِّلَةِ وَأَنْ نَتَعَاهَدَ جِيرَانَنَابِالاِفْضَالِ وَالْعَطِيَّةِ وَأَنْ نُخَلِّصَ أَمْوَالَنَا مِنَ التَّبِعَاتِ، وَأَنْ نُطَهِّرَهَا بِإخْرَاجِ الزَّكَوَاتِ، وَأَنْ نُرَاجِعَ مَنْ هَاجَرَنَـا وَأَنْ نُنْصِفَ مَنْ ظَلَمَنَا وَأَنْ نُسَـالِمَ مَنْ عَادَانَا حَاشَا مَنْ عُودِيَ فِيْكَ وَلَكَ، فَإنَّهُ الْعَدُوُّ الَّذِي لاَ نُوالِيهِ، وَالحِزْبُ الَّذِي لاَ نُصَافِيهِ. وَأَنْ نَتَقَرَّبَ إلَيْكَ فِيْهِ مِنَ الأَعْمَالِ الزَّاكِيَةِ بِمَا تُطَهِّرُنا بِهِ مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ، وَتَعْصِمُنَا فِيهِ مِمَّا نَسْتَأنِفُ مِنَ الْعُيُوبِ، حَتَّى لا يُورِدَ عَلَيْكَ أَحَدٌ مِنْ مَلاَئِكَتِكَ إلاّ دُونَ مَا نُورِدُ مِنْ أَبْوابِ الطَّاعَةِ لَكَ، وَأَنْوَاعِ القُرْبَةِ إلَيْكَ. أللَّهُمَّ إنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِحَقِّ هَذَا الشَّهْرِ، وَبِحَقِّ مَنْ تَعَبَّدَ لَكَ فِيهِ مِنِ ابْتِدَائِهِ إلَى وَقْتِ فَنَائِهِ مِنْ مَلَك قَرَّبْتَهُ أَوْ نَبِيٍّ أَرْسَلْتَهُ أَوْ عَبْد صَالِح اخْتَصَصْتَهُ أَنْ تُصَلِّيَ عَلَى مُحَمَّد وَآلِهِ، وَأَهِّلْنَا فِيهِ لِمَا وَعَدْتَ أَوْلِياءَكَ مِنْ كَرَامَتِكَ، وَأَوْجِبْ لَنَا فِيهِ مَا أَوْجَبْتَ لأِهْلِ الْمُبَالَغَةِ فِي طَاعَتِكَ، وَاجْعَلْنَا فِي نَظْمِ مَنِ اسْتَحَقَّ الرَّفِيْعَ الأعْلَى بِرَحْمَتِكَ. أللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّد وَآلِهِ، وَجَنِّبْنَا الإلْحَادَ فِي تَوْحِيدِكَ وَالتَّقْصِيرَ فِي تَمْجِيدِكَ وَالشَّكَّ فِي دِينِـكَ وَالْعَمَى عَنْ سَبِيْلِكَ وَالاغْفَالَ لِحُرْمَتِكَ، وَالانْخِدَاعَ لِعَدُوِّكَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ. أللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّد وَآلِهِ وَإذَا كَانَ لَكَ فِيْ كُلِّ لَيْلَة مِنْ لَيَالِيْ شَهْرِنَا هَذَا رِقَابٌ يُعْتِقُهَا عَفْوُكَ أَوْ يَهَبُهَا صَفْحُكَ فَاجْعَلْ رِقَابَنَا مِنْ تِلْكَ الرِّقَابِ وَاجْعَلْنَا لِشَهْرِنَا مِنْ خَيْرِ أَهْل وَأَصْحَاب. أللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّد وَآلِهِ وَامْحَقْ ذُنُوبَنَا مَعَ امِّحاقِ هِلاَلِهِ وَاسْلَخْ عَنَّا تَبِعَاتِنَا مَعَ انْسِلاَخِ أَيَّامِهِ حَتَّى يَنْقَضِي عَنَّا وَقَدْ صَفَّيْتَنَا فِيهِ مِنَ الْخَطِيئاتِ وَأَخْلَصْتَنَا فِيهِ مِنَ السَّيِّئاتِ أللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّد وَآلِهِ، وَإنْ مِلْنَا فِيهِ فَعَدِّلْنا، وَإنْ زِغْنَا فِيهِ فَقَوِّمْنَا وَإنِ اشْتَمَلَ عَلَيْنَا عَدُوُّكَ الشَّيْطَانُ فَاسْتَنْقِذْنَا مِنْهُ أللَهُمَّ اشْحَنْهُ بِعِبَادَتِنَا إيَّاكَ وَزَيِّنْ أَوْقَاتَهُ بِطَاعَتِنَا لَكَ، وَأَعِنَّا فِي نَهَـارِهِ عَلَى صِيَـامِـهِ، وَفِي لَيْلِهِ عَلَى الصَّـلاَةِ وَالتَّضَرُّعِ إلَيْكَ وَالخُشُوعِ لَكَ، وَالذِّلَّةِ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ حَتَّى لا يَشْهَدَ نَهَارُهُ عَلَيْنَا بِغَفْلَة، وَلا لَيْلُهُ بِتَفْرِيط. أللَّهُمَّ وَاجْعَلْنَا فِي سَائِرِ الشُّهُورِ وَالأَيَّامِ كَذَلِكَ مَا عَمَّرْتَنَا، وَاجْعَلْنَا مِنْ عِبَادِكَ الصَّالِحِينَ الَّذِينَ يَرِثُونَ الْفِرْدَوْسَ، هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ، وَالَّذِينَ يُؤْتُونَ مَا آتَوْا وَقُلُوبُهُمْ وَجِلَةٌ أَنَّهُمْ إلَى رَبِّهِمْ رَاجِعُـونَ، وَمِنَ الَّذِينَ يُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ وَهُمْ لَهَا سَابِقُونَ. أللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّد وَآلِهِ، فِي كُلِّ وَقْت وَكُلِّ أَوَان وَعَلَى كُـلِّ حَال عَـدَدَ مَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى مَنْ صَلَّيْتَ عَلَيْهِ، وَأَضْعَافَ ذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ بِالاضْعافِ الَّتِي لا يُحْصِيهَا غَيْرُكَ، إنَّكَ فَعَّالٌ لِمَا تُرِيدُ.

Praise belongs to God who guided us to His praise and placed us among the people of praise, that we might be among the thankful for His beneficence and that He might recompense us for that with the recompense of the good-doers! And praise belongs to God who showed favour to us through His religion, singled us out for His creed, and directed us onto the roads of His beneficence, in order that through His kindness we might travel upon them to His good pleasure, a praise which He will accept from us and through which He will be pleased with us! And praise belongs to God who appointed among those roads His month, the month of Ramadan, the month of fasting, the month of submission, the month of purity, the month of putting to test, the month of standing in prayer, "in which the Qur'an was sent down as guidance to the people, and as clear signs of the Guidance and the Separator" (2:185)! He clarified its excellence over other months by the many sacred things and well-known excellencies which He placed therein, for He made unlawful in it what He declared lawful in others to magnify it, He prohibited foods and drinks in it to honour it, and He appointed for it a clear time which He (majestic and mighty is He) allows not to be set forward and accepts not to be placed behind. Then He made one of its nights surpass the nights of a thousand months and named it the Night of Decree; "in it the angels and the Spirit descend by the leave of their Lord upon every command, a peace" (97:4-5) constant in blessings until the rising of the dawn upon whomsoever He will of His servants according to the decision He has made firm. O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, inspire us with knowledge of its excellence, veneration of its inviolability, and caution against what You hast forbidden within it, and help us to fast in it by our restraining our limbs from acts of disobedience toward You and our employing them in that which pleases You, so that we lend not our ears to idle talk and hurry not with our eyes to diversion, we stretch not our hands toward the forbidden and stride not with our feet toward the prohibited, our bellies hold only what You hast made lawful and our tongues speak only what You hast exemplified, we undertake nothing but what brings close to Your reward and pursue nothing but what protects from Your punishment! Then rid all of that from the false show of the false showers and the fame seeking of the fame seekers, lest we associate therein anything with You or seek therein any object of desire but You! O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, in it make us attend to the appointed moments of the five prayers within the bounds You hast set, the obligations You hast decreed, the duties You hast assigned, and the times You hast specified; and in the prayers make us alight in the station of the keepers of their stations, the guardians of their pillars, their performers in their times, as Your servant and Your messenger set down in his Sunna (Your blessings be upon him and his Household) in their bowings, their prostrations, and all their excellent acts, with the most complete and ample ritual purity and the most evident and intense humility! Give us success in this month to tighten our bonds of kin with devotion and gifts, attend to our neighbours with bestowal and giving, rid our possessions from claims, purify them through paying the alms, go back to him who has gone far from us, treat justly him who has wronged us, make peace with him who shows enmity toward us (except him who is regarded as an enemy in You and for You, for he is the enemy whom we will not befriend, the party whom we will not hold dear), and seek nearness to You through blameless works which will purify us from sins and preserve us from renewing faults, so that none of Your angels will bring for You the kinds of obedience and sorts of nearness-seeking unless they be less than what we bring! O God, I ask You by the right of this month and by the right of him who worships You within it from its beginning to the time of its passing, whether angel You hast brought nigh to You, prophet You hast sent, or righteous servant You hast singled out, that You bless Muhammad and his Household, make us worthy of the generosity You hast promised Your friends, make incumbent for us what You hast made incumbent for those who go to great lengths in obeying You, and place us in the ranks of those who deserve through Your mercy the highest elevation! O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, turn us aside from deviation in professing Your Unity, falling short in magnifying You, uncertainty in Your religion, blindness toward Your path, heedlessness of Your inviolability, and being deceived by Your enemy, the accursed Satan! O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, and when in every night of this month's nights You hast necks which Your pardon will release and Your forgiveness disregard, place our necks among those necks and place us among the best folk and companions of this our month! O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, efface our sins along with the effacing of its crescent moon, and make us pass forth from the ill effects of our acts with the passing of its days, until it leaves us behind, while within it You hast purified us of offenses and rid us of evil deeds! O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, and should we go off to one side in this month, set us aright; should we swerve, point us straight; and should Your enemy Satan enwrap us, rescue us from him! O God, fill this month with our worship of You, adorn its times with our obedience toward You, help us during its daytime with its fast, and in its night with prayer and pleading toward You, humility toward You, and lowliness before You, so that its daytime may not bear witness against our heedlessness, nor its night against our neglect! O God, make us like this in the other months and days as long as You givest us life, and place us among Your righteous servants, "those who shall inherit Paradise, therein dwelling forever" (23:11), "those who give what they give, while their hearts quake, that they are returning to their Lord" (23:60), those who "..vie in good works, outracing to them" (23:61)! O God, bless Muhammad and his Household in every time, in all moments, and in every state, to the number that You hast blessed whomsoever You hast blessed and to multiples of all that, through multiples which none can count but You! Surely You art Accomplisher of what You desirest.