Supplication for the Coming of the Month of Ramadan (44)

وَ كَانَ مِنْ دُعَائِهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ إِذَا دَخَلَ شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ
His Supplication for the Coming of the Month of Ramadan
Translated by William C. Chittick

     الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي هَدَانَا لِحَمْدِهِ ،

Praise belongs to God who guided us to His praise

    وَ جَعَلَنَا مِنْ أَهْلِهِ

and placed us among the people of praise,

    لِنَكُونَ لِإِحْسَانِهِ مِنَ الشَّاكِرِينَ ،

that we might be among the thankful for His beneficence

    وَ لِيَجْزِيَنَا عَلَى ذَلِكَ جَزَاءَ الْمُحْسِنِينَ .

and that He might recompense us for that with the recompense of the gooddoers!

     وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي حَبَانَا بِدِينِهِ ،

And praise belongs to God who showed favour to us through His religion,

    وَ اخْتَصَّنَا بِمِلَّتِهِ ،

singled us out for His creed,

    وَ سَبَّلَنَا فِي سُبُلِ إِحْسَانِهِ

and directed us onto the roads of His beneficence,

    لِنَسْلُكَهَا بِمَنِّهِ إِلَى رِضْوَانِهِ ،

in order that through His kindness we might travel upon them to His good pleasure,

    حَمْداً يَتَقَبَّلُهُ مِنَّا ،

a praise which He will accept from us

    وَ يَرْضَى بِهِ عَنَّا .

and through which He will be pleased with us!

     وَ الْحَمْدُ لِلَّهِ الَّذِي جَعَلَ مِنْ تِلْكَ السُّبُلِ شَهْرَهُ

And praise belongs to God who appointed among those roads His month,

    شَهْرَ رَمَضَانَ ،

the month of Ramadan,

    شَهْرَ الصِّيَامِ ،

the month of fasting,

    وَ شَهْرَ الْإِسْلَامِ ،

the month of submission,

    وَ شَهْرَ الطَّهُورِ ،

the month of purity,

    وَ شَهْرَ التَّمْحِيصِ ،

the month of putting to test,

    وَ شَهْرَ الْقِيَامِ

the month of standing in prayer,

    الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ ، هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ ، وَ بَيِّنَاتٍ مِنَ الْهُدَى وَ الْفُرْقَانِ

in which the Qur'an was sent down as guidance to the people, and as clear signs of the Guidance and the Separator!

     فَأَبَانَ فَضِيلَتَهُ عَلَى سَائِرِ الشُّهُورِ

He clarified its excellence over other months

    بِمَا جَعَلَ لَهُ مِنَ الْحُرُمَاتِ الْمَوْفُورَةِ ، وَ الْفَضَائِلِ الْمَشْهُورَةِ ،

by the many sacred things and well-known excellencies which He placed therein,

    فَحَرَّمَ فِيهِ مَا أَحَلَّ فِي غَيْرِهِ إِعْظَاماً ،

for He made unlawful in it what He declared lawful in others to magnify it,

    وَ حَجَرَ فِيهِ الْمَطَاعِمَ وَ الْمَشَارِبَ إِكْرَاماً ،

He prohibited foods and drinks in it to honour it,

    وَ جَعَلَ لَهُ وَقْتاً بَيِّناً لَا يُجِيزُ جَلَّ وَ عَزَّ

and He appointed for it a clear time which He (majestic and mighty is He)

    أَنْ يُقَدَّمَ قَبْلَهُ ، وَ لَا يَقْبَلُ أَنْ يُؤَخَّرَ عَنْهُ .

allows not to be set forward and accepts not to be placed behind.

     ثُمَّ فَضَّلَ لَيْلَةً وَاحِدَةً مِنْ لَيَالِيهِ

Then He made one of its nights surpass

    عَلَى لَيَالِي أَلْفِ شَهْرٍ ،

the nights of a thousand months

    وَ سَمَّاهَا لَيْلَةَ الْقَدْرِ ،

and named it the Night of Decree;

    تَنَزَّلُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَ الرُّوحُ فِيهَا

in it the angels and the Spirit descend

    بِإِذْنِ رَبِّهِمْ مِنْ كُلِّ أَمْرٍ سَلَامٌ ،

by the leave of their Lord upon every command, a peace

    دَائِمُ الْبَرَكَةِ إِلَى طُلُوعِ الْفَجْرِ

constant in blessings until the rising of the dawn

    عَلَى مَنْ يَشَاءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ

upon whomsoever He will of His servants

    بِمَا أَحْكَمَ مِنْ قَضَائِهِ .

according to the decision He has made firm.

     اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

O God, bless Muhammad and his Household,

    وَ أَلْهِمْنَا مَعْرِفَةَ فَضْلِهِ وَ إِجْلَالَ حُرْمَتِهِ ،

inspire us with knowledge of its excellence, veneration of its inviolability,

    وَ التَّحَفُّظَ مِمَّا حَظَرْتَ فِيهِ ،

and caution against what Thou hast forbidden within it,

    وَ أَعِنَّا عَلَى صِيَامِهِ بِكَفِّ الْجَوَارِحِ عَنْ مَعَاصِيكَ ،

and help us to fast in it by our restraining our limbs from acts of disobedience toward Thee

    وَ اسْتِعْمَالِهَا فِيهِ بِمَا يُرْضِيكَ

and our employing them in that which pleases Thee,

    حَتَّى لَا نُصْغِيَ بِأَسْمَاعِنَا إِلَى لَغْوٍ ،

so that we lend not our ears to idle talk

    وَ لَا نُسْرِعَ بِأَبْصَارِنَا إِلَى لَهْوٍ

and hurry not with our eyes to diversion,

     وَ حَتَّى لَا نَبْسُطَ أَيْدِيَنَا إِلَى مَحْظُورٍ ،

we stretch not our hands toward the forbidden

    وَ لَا نَخْطُوَ بِأَقْدَامِنَا إِلَى مَحْجُورٍ ،

and stride not with our feet toward the prohibited,

    وَ حَتَّى لَا تَعِيَ بُطُونُنَا إِلَّا مَا أَحْلَلْتَ ،

our bellies hold only what Thou hast made lawful

    وَ لَا تَنْطِقَ أَلْسِنَتُنَا إِلَّا بِمَا مَثَّلْتَ ،

and our tongues speak only what Thou hast exemplified,

    وَ لَا نَتَكَلَّفَ إِلَّا مَا يُدْنِي مِنْ ثَوَابِكَ ،

we undertake nothing but what brings close to Thy reward

    وَ لَا نَتَعَاطَى إِلَّا الَّذِي يَقِي مِنْ عِقَابِكَ ،

and pursue nothing but what protects from Thy punishment!

    ثُمَّ خَلِّصْ ذَلِكَ كُلَّهُ مِنْ رِئَاءِ الْمُرَاءِينَ ،

Then rid all of that from the false show of the false showers

    وَ سُمْعَةِ الْمُسْمِعِينَ ،

and the fame seeking of the fame seekers,

    لَا نُشْرِكُ فِيهِ أَحَداً دُونَكَ ،

lest we associate therein anything with Thee

    وَ لَا نَبْتَغِي فِيهِ مُرَاداً سِوَاكَ .

or seek therein any object of desire but Thee!

اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

     O God, bless Muhammad and his Household,

    وَ قِفْنَا فِيهِ عَلَى مَوَاقِيتِ الصَّلَوَاتِ الْخَمْسِ

in it make us attend to the appointed moments of the five prayers

    بِحُدُودِهَا الَّتِي حَدَّدْتَ ،

within the bounds Thou hast set,

    وَ فُرُوضِهَا الَّتِي فَرَضْتَ ،

the obligations Thou hast decreed,

    وَ وَظَائِفِهَا الَّتِي وَظَّفْتَ ،

the duties Thou hast assigned,

    وَ أَوْقَاتِهَا الَّتِي وَقَّتَّ

and the times Thou hast specified;

     وَ أَنْزِلْنَا فِيهَا مَنْزِلَةَ الْمُصِيبِينَ لِمَنَازِلِهَا ،

and in the prayers make us alight in the station of the keepers of their stations,

    الْحَافِظِينَ لِأَرْكَانِهَا ،

the guardians of their pillars,

    الْمُؤَدِّينَ لَهَا فِي أَوْقَاتِهَا

their performers in their times,

    عَلَى مَا سَنَّهُ عَبْدُكَ وَ رَسُولُكَ

as Thy servant and Thy messenger set down in his Sunna

    صَلَوَاتُكَ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ

(Thy blessings be upon him and his Household)

    فِي رُكُوعِهَا وَ سُجُودِهَا وَ جَمِيعِ فَوَاضِلِهَا

in their bowings, their prostrations, and all their excellent acts,

    عَلَى أَتَمِّ الطَّهُورِ وَ أَسْبَغِهِ ،

with the most complete and ample ritual purity

    وَ أَبْيَنِ الْخُشُوعِ وَ أَبْلَغِهِ .

and the most evident and intense humility!

     وَ وَفِّقْنَا فِيهِ لِأَنْ نَصِلَ أَرْحَامَنَا بِالْبِرِّ وَ الصِّلَةِ ،

Give us success in this month to tighten our bonds of kin with devotion and gifts,

    وَ أَنْ نَتَعَاهَدَ جِيرَانَنَا بِالْإِفْضَالِ وَ الْعَطِيَّةِ ،

attend to our neighbours with bestowal and giving,

    وَ أَنْ نُخَلِّصَ أَمْوَالَنَا مِنَ التَّبِعَاتِ ،

rid our possessions from claims,

    وَ أَنْ نُطَهِّرَهَا بِإِخْرَاجِ الزَّكَوَاتِ ،

purify them through paying the alms,

    وَ أَنْ نُرَاجِعَ مَنْ هَاجَرَنَا ،

go back to him who has gone far from us,

    وَ أَنْ نُنْصِفَ مَنْ ظَلَمَنَا ،

treat justly him who has wronged us,

    وَ أَنْ نُسَالِمَ مَنْ عَادَانَا

make peace with him who shows enmity toward us

    حَاشَى مَنْ عُودِيَ فِيكَ وَ لَكَ ،

(except him who is regarded as an enemy in Thee and for Thee,

    فَإِنَّهُ الْعَدُوُّ الَّذِي لَا نُوَالِيهِ ،

for he is the enemy whom we will not befriend,

    وَ الْحِزْبُ الَّذِي لَا نُصَافِيهِ .

the party whom we will not hold dear),

    . وَ أَنْ نَتَقَرَّبَ إِلَيْكَ فِيهِ مِنَ الْأَعْمَالِ الزَّاكِيَةِ

and seek nearness to Thee through blameless works

    بِمَا تُطَهِّرُنَا بِهِ مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ ،

which will purify us from sins

    وَ تَعْصِمُنَا فِيهِ مِمَّا نَسْتَأْنِفُ مِنَ الْعُيُوبِ ،

and preserve us from renewing faults,

    حَتَّى لَا يُورِدَ عَلَيْكَ أَحَدٌ مِنْ مَلَائِكَتِكَ

so that none of Thy angels will bring for Thee

     إِلَّا دُونَ مَا نُورِدُ مِنْ أَبْوَابِ الطَّاعَةِ لَكَ ، وَ أَنْوَاعِ الْقُرْبَةِ إِلَيْكَ .

the kinds of obedience and sorts of nearness-seeking unless they be less than what we bring!

    . اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِحَقِّ هَذَا الشَّهْرِ ،

O God, I ask Thee by the right of this month

   وَ بِحَقِّ مَنْ تَعَبَّدَ لَكَ فِيهِ

and by the right of him who worships Thee within it

    مِنِ ابْتِدَائِهِ إِلَى وَقْتِ فَنَائِهِ

from its beginning to the time of its passing,

    مِنْ مَلَكٍ قَرَّبْتَهُ ،

whether angel Thou hast brought nigh to Thee,

    أَوْ نَبِيٍّ أَرْسَلْتَهُ ،

prophet Thou hast sent,

    أَوْ عَبْدٍ صَالِحٍ اخْتَصَصْتَهُ ،

or righteous servant Thou hast singled out,

    أَنْ تُصَلِّيَ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

that Thou bless Muhammad and his Household,

    وَ أَهِّلْنَا فِيهِ لِمَا وَعَدْتَ أَوْلِيَاءَكَ مِنْ كَرَامَتِكَ ،

make us worthy of the generosity Thou hast promised Thy friends,

    وَ أَوْجِبْ لَنَا فِيهِ مَا أَوْجَبْتَ

make incumbent for us what Thou hast made incumbent

    لِأَهْلِ الْمُبَالَغَةِ فِي طَاعَتِكَ ،

for those who go to great lengths in obeying Thee,

    وَ اجْعَلْنَا فِي نَظْمِ مَنِ اسْتَحَقَّ الرَّفِيعَ الْأَعْلَى بِرَحْمَتِكَ .

and place us in the ranks of those who deserve through Thy mercy the highest elevation!

    اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

O God, bless Muhammad and his Household, turn us aside from

    وَ جَنِّبْنَا الْإِلْحَادَ فِي تَوْحِيدِكَ ،

turn us aside from deviation in professing Thy Unity,

    وَ الْتَّقْصِيرَ فِي تَمْجِيدِكَ ،

falling short in magnifying Thee,

    وَ الشَّكَّ فِي دِينِكَ ،

doubt in Thy religion,

    وَ الْعَمَى عَنْ سَبِيلِكَ ،

blindness toward Thy path,

    وَ الْإِغْفَالَ لِحُرْمَتِكَ ،

heedlessness of Thy inviolability,

    وَ الِانْخِدَاعَ لِعَدُوِّكَ الشَّيْطَانِ الرَّجِيمِ .

and being deceived by Thy enemy, the accursed Satan!

     اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

O God, bless Muhammad and his Household,

    وَ إِذَا كَانَ لَكَ فِي كُلِّ لَيْلَةٍ مِنْ لَيَالِي شَهْرِنَا هَذَا

and when in every night of this month's nights

    رِقَابٌ يُعْتِقُهَا عَفْوُكَ ،

Thou hast necks which Thy pardon will release

    أَوْ يَهَبُهَا صَفْحُكَ

and Thy forgiveness disregard,

    فَاجْعَلْ رِقَابَنَا مِنْ تِلْكَ الرِّقَابِ ،

place our necks among those necks

    وَ اجْعَلْنَا لِشَهْرِنَا مِنْ خَيْرِ أَهْلٍ وَ أَصْحَابٍ .

and place us among the best folk and companions of this our month!

     اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

O God, bless Muhammad and his Household,

    وَ امْحَقْ ذُنُوبَنَا مَعَ امِّحَاقِ هِلَالِهِ ،

efface our sins along with the effacing of its crescent moon,

    وَ اسْلَخْ عَنَّا تَبِعَاتِنَا مَعَ انْسِلَاخِ أَيَّامِهِ

and make us pass forth from the ill effects of our acts with the passing of its days,

    حَتَّى يَنْقَضِيَ عَنَّا وَ قَدْ صَفَّيْتَنَا فِيهِ مِنَ الْخَطِيئَاتِ ،

until it leaves us behind, while within it Thou hast purified us of offenses

    وَ أَخْلَصْتَنَا فِيهِ مِنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ .

and rid us of evil deeds!

     اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

O God, bless Muhammad and his Household,

    وَ إِنْ مِلْنَا فِيهِ فَعَدِّلْنَا ،

and should we go off to one side in this month, set us aright;

    وَ إِنْ زُغْنَا فِيهِ فَقَوِّمْنَا ،

should we swerve, point us straight;

    وَ إِنِ اشْتَمَلَ عَلَيْنَا عَدُوُّكَ الشَّيْطَانُ

and should Thy enemy Satan enwrap us,

    فَاسْتَنْقِذْنَا مِنْهُ .

rescue us from him!

     اللَّهُمَّ اشْحَنْهُ بِعِبَادَتِنَا إِيَّاكَ ،

O God, fill this month with our worship of Thee,

    وَ زَيِّنْ أَوْقَاتَهُ بِطَاعَتِنَا لَكَ ،

adorn its times with our obedience toward Thee,

    وَ أَعِنَّا فِي نَهَارِهِ عَلَى صِيَامِهِ ،

help us during its daytime with its fast,

    وَ فِي لَيْلِهِ عَلَى الصَّلَاةِ وَ التَّضَرُّعِ إِلَيْكَ ،

and in its night with prayer and pleading toward Thee,

    وَ الْخُشُوعِ لَكَ ، وَ الذِّلَّةِ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ

humility toward Thee, and lowliness before Thee,

    حَتَّى لَا يَشْهَدَ نَهَارُهُ عَلَيْنَا بِغَفْلَةٍ ،

so that its daytime may not bear witness against our heedlessness,

    وَ لَا لَيْلُهُ بِتَفْرِيطٍ .

nor its night against our neglect!

     اللَّهُمَّ وَ اجْعَلْنَا فِي سَائِرِ الشُّهُورِ

O God, make us like this in the other months

    وَ الْأَيَّامِ كَذَلِكَ مَا عَمَّرْتَنَا ،

and days as long as Thou givest us life,

    وَ اجْعَلْنَا مِنْ عِبَادِكَ الصَّالِحِينَ

and place us among Thy righteous servants,

    الَّذِينَ يَرِثُونَ الْفِرْدَوْسَ هُمْ فِيهَا خَالِدُونَ ،

those who shall inherit Paradise, therein dwelling forever,

    وَ الَّذِينَ يُؤْتُونَ مَا آتَوْا وَ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَجِلَةٌ ،

those who give what they give, while their hearts quake,

    أَنَّهُمْ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ رَاجِعُونَ ،

that they are returning to their Lord,

    وَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ يُسَارِعُونَ فِي الْخَيْرَاتِ

those who vie in good works,

    وَ هُمْ لَهَا سَابِقُونَ .

outracing to them!

     اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

O God, bless Muhammad and his Household

    فِي كُلِّ وَقْتٍ وَ كُلِّ أَوَانٍ وَ عَلَى كُلِّ حَالٍ

in every time, in all moments, and in every state,

    عَدَدَ مَا صَلَّيْتَ عَلَى مَنْ صَلَّيْتَ عَلَيْهِ ،

to the number that Thou hast blessed whomsoever Thou hast blessed

    وَ أَضْعَافَ ذَلِكَ كُلِّهِ بِالْأَضْعَافِ

and to multiples of all that, through multiples

    الَّتِي لَا يُحْصِيهَا غَيْرُكَ ،

which none can count but Thee!

    إِنَّكَ فَعَّالٌ لِمَا تُرِيدُ

Surely Thou art Accomplisher of what Thou desirest