General Amaal for Shaban

GENERAL AAMAL IN Sha‘bān

Importance of Sha‘bānImportance of Month of Sha‘bān IstigfarIt is recommended to recite the following imploration for forgiveness 70 times every day in Sha’ban:

اَسْتَغْفِرُ اللّٰهَ وَ اَسْاَلُهُ التَّوْبَةَ

IstigfarIt is recommended to recite the following imploration for forgiveness 70 times every day in Sha’ban:

اَسْتَغْفِرُ اللّٰهَ الَّذِي لَا اِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الرَّحْمَنُ الرَّحِيمُ الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ وَ اَتُوبُ اِلَيْهِ.

However, some narrations have mentioned this imploration with some difference in the order of the statements, by preceding the phrase, “alhayyu alqayyumu” to “arrahmanu arrahimu”. In any case, any form of the supplication is acceptable.

According to narrations, the best words that are advisably said in Sha’ban are the implorations for the forgiveness of Almighty Allah (i.e. istighfar). Hence, to implore for Almighty Allah’s forgiveness seventy times a day in Sha’ban is equal to imploring for His forgiveness seventy thousand times a day in the other months.

Give almsIt is recommended to give alms in this month even if it is as small as a half date. Almsgiving in this month brings about rescue from Hellfire. In this respect, it has been narrated that when Imam al-Sadiq (﵇) was asked about the merits of observing fasting in Rajab, he answered, “Why do you not ask about the merits of observing fasting in Sha’ban?” “What is then the reward of one who observes fasting on one day in Sha’ban?” asked the narrator. The Imam (﵇) answered, “The reward will be Paradise. I swear it by Allah.” The narrator then asked again, “What are the best deeds that should be done in Sha’ban.” The Imam (﵇) answered, “Almsgiving and imploring for forgiveness are the best deeds in Sha’ban. Verily, if anyone of you gives alms in Sha’ban, Almighty Allah will breed that alms in the very same way as you breed your small camels. Hence, this alms will be as huge as Mount Uhud on the Resurrection Day.” GlorificationIt is recommended to repeat the following 1000 times in Sha’ban:

لَا اِلَهَ إِلَّا اللّٰهُ وَ لَا نَعْبُدُ إِلَّا اِيَّاهُ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ الدِّينَ وَ لَوْ كَرِهَ الْمُشْرِكُونَ

This devout rite brings about a great reward. The reward of one who repeats this glorification in Sha’ban is that one is awarded the reward of serving (Almighty Allah) for one thousand years. 2 rakat prayer and fastingIt is recommended to offer a two rakat prayer every Thursday in Sha’ban. In each unit, it is recommended to recite Surah al-Fatehah once and repeat Surah al-Tawḥīd one hundred times. After accomplishment, one should invoke God’s blessings upon the Holy Prophet and his Household one hundred times. This amaal achieves the granting of all worldly and religious needs. It is also recommended to observe fasting on Thursdays in Sha’ban. In this respect, a Hadith reads that the skies decorate themselves each Thursday in Sha’ban and the angels pray Almighty Allah, saying, “O our God, (please do) forgive those who observe fasting on this day and respond to their prayers.”

The Holy Prophet (ﷺ) is also reported as saying, “If one observes fasting each Monday and Thursday in Sha’ban, Almighty Allah will grant forty of his needs - twenty appertained to the worldly life and twenty to the Hereafter.” SalawatIt is highly recommended to recite the invocation of blessings upon the Holy Prophet and his Household.

It is recommended to recite the following form of invocation of blessings upon the Holy Prophet and his Household that is reported from Imam Ali ibn al-Husayn al-Sajjad (i.e. Imam Zayn al-’Abidin) each midday in Sha’ban and at the fifteenth night of it:

اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ شَجَرَةِ النُّبُوَّةِ وَ مَوْضِعِ الرِّسَالَةِ وَ مُخْتَلَفِ الْمَلَائِكَةِ وَ مَعْدِنِ الْعِلْمِ وَ اَهْلِ بَيْتِ الْوَحْيِ اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْفُلْكِ الْجَارِيَةِ فِي اللُّجَجِ الْغَامِرَةِ يَأْمَنُ مَنْ رَكِبَهَا وَ يَغْرَقُ مَنْ تَرَكَهَا الْمُتَقَدِّمُ لَهُمْ مَارِقٌ وَ الْمُتَاَخِّرُ عَنْهُمْ زَاهِقٌ وَ اللازِمُ لَهُمْ لاحِقٌ اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ الْكَهْفِ الْحَصِينِ وَ غِيَاثِ الْمُضْطَرِّ الْمُسْتَكِينِ وَ مَلْجَاِ الْهَارِبِينَ وَ عِصْمَةِ الْمُعْتَصِمِينَ اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَاةً كَثِيرَةً تَكُونُ لَهُمْ رِضًى وَ لِحَقِّ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ اَدَاءً وَ قَضَاءً بِحَوْلٍ مِنْكَ وَ قُوَّةٍ يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ الطَّيِّبِينَ الْاَبْرَارِ الْاَخْيَارِ الَّذِينَ اَوْجَبْتَ حُقُوقَهُمْ وَ فَرَضْتَ طَاعَتَهُمْ وَ وِلَايَتَهُمْ اَللّٰهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اعْمُرْ قَلْبِي بِطَاعَتِكَ وَ لَا تُخْزِنِي بِمَعْصِيَتِكَ وَ ارْزُقْنِي مُوَاسَاةَ مَنْ قَتَّرْتَ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ رِزْقِكَ، بِمَا وَسَّعْتَ عَلَيَّ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ وَ نَشَرْتَ عَلَيَّ مِنْ عَدْلِكَ وَ اَحْيَيْتَنِي تَحْتَ ظِلِّكَ وَ هٰذَا شَهْرُ نَبِيِّكَ سَيِّدِ رُسُلِكَ شَعْبَانُ الَّذِي حَفَفْتَهُ مِنْكَ بِالرَّحْمَةِ وَ الرِّضْوَانِ الَّذِي كَانَ رَسُولُ اللّٰهِ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ وَ [سَلَّمَ‏] يَدْاَبُ فِي صِيَامِهِ وَ قِيَامِهِ فِي لَيَالِيهِ وَ اَيَّامِهِ بُخُوعا لَكَ فِي اِكْرَامِهِ وَ اِعْظَامِهِ اِلَى مَحَلِّ حِمَامِهِ اَللّٰهُمَّ فَاَعِنَّا عَلَى الاسْتِنَانِ بِسُنَّتِهِ فِيهِ وَ نَيْلِ الشَّفَاعَةِ لَدَيْهِ اَللّٰهُمَّ وَ اجْعَلْهُ لِي شَفِيعاًمُشَفَّعاًوَ طَرِيقاًاِلَيْكَ مَهْيَعاًوَ اجْعَلْنِي لَهُ مُتَّبِعاًحَتَّى اَلْقَاكَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ عَنِّي رَاضِياًوَ عَنْ ذُنُوبِي غَاضِياًقَدْ اَوْجَبْتَ لِي مِنْكَ الرَّحْمَةَ وَ الرِّضْوَانَ وَ اَنْزَلْتَنِي دَارَ الْقَرَارِ وَ مَحَلَّ الْاَخْيَارِ.

Munajat al-ShabaniyyahIt is recommended to recite Munajat al-Shabaniyyah that has been narrated by Ibn Khalawayh who commented on it, saying, “This is the confidential prayer of Imam Ali Ameer al-Momineen and the Holy Imams (﵇) who used to recite it in the month of Sha’ban.”