Bismillāh. قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَنْ تَزَكَّى وَ ذَكَرَ اسْمَ رَبِّهِ فَصَلَّى Successful is he who purifies his soul, remembers the name of his Lord, and prays. Sūrat Al-A‘lā, No. 87, Āyāt 14-15 What is success? All human beings seek success in life. This is a part of their Divinely gifted nature. Some human beings find success … Read more
Bismillāh. إِنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ اتَّقَوا وَّالَّذِينَ هُم مُّحْسِنُونَ Indeed, Allah is with those who are God conscious and those who are virtuous. Sūrat al-Nahl, No. 16, Āyat 128 During the battle of ‘Uhud, the Prophet sallallāhu ‘alayhi wa-ālihi wasallam was greatly disturbed by the way his uncle Hamza was martyred. He complained to Allah … Read more
Bismillāh. Imam al-Sādiq (peace be upon him) has said: “The beginning of the year is the Night of Qadr. In it is written what shall transpire from one year to the next year.” Bihār al-Anwār, vol. 93, p. 3444 وَلِتُكَبِّرُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ مَا هَدَىٰكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ …and so that you may magnify Allah for guiding … Read more
Bismillāh. The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him and his family) said: “Indeed the doors of heaven are opened on the first night of the month of Ramadan, and they are not shut until the last night from it.” Bihār al-Anwār, vol. 10, p. 504 أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ الْقُرْآنَ ۚ وَلَوْ كَانَ مِنْ عِندِ غَيْرِ … Read more
Bismillāh. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family) has said: Allah, Blessed and Exalted, said: “Every deed of the son of Adam is for him, except fasting; it is for Me, and I Myself shall reward it.” al-Khisāl, vol. 4, p. 45 وَإِذَا سَأَلَكَ عِبَادِي عَنِّي فَإِنِّي قَرِيبٌ ۖ … Read more
Bismillāh. The Messenger of God (s) said: “O Jābir, this is the month of Ramadān: whoever fasts its days, prays a portion of its nights, keeps his belly and private parts pure, and restrains his tongue, his sins depart from him as they depart at the end of the month.” Jābir said: “O Messenger of … Read more
Bismillāh. Imam al-Sādiq (peace be upon him) said: “Whoever fasts three days at the end of Shaʿbān and connects them with the month of Ramaḍān, God — the Exalted — records for him the fast of two consecutive months.” Wasā’il al-Shī’ah, vol. 10, p. 504 إِنَّمَا ٱلْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ The faithful are indeed brothers. Sūrat al-Hujurāt, … Read more
Bismillāh. The Prophet (s) said: “Shaʿbān is my month, and Ramadān is the month of God. Whoever fasts a day of my month, I will be his intercessor on the Day of Judgment, and whoever fasts the month of Ramadān will be freed from the Fire.” Wasā’il al-Shī’ah, vol. 10, p. 503 ٱقْتَرَبَتِ ٱلسَّاعَةُ وَٱنشَقَّ ٱلْقَمَرُ … Read more
Bismillāh. From ʿAlī ibn Mūsā al-Ridā (a): “Whoever asks forgiveness from God — Blessed and Exalted — seventy times during Shaʿbān, God will forgive his sins, even if they are as numerous as the stars.” Bihār al-Anwār, v. 94, p. 90 الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ The Merciful [whose mercy is all-encompassing], the Merciful [whose special mercy is … Read more
Bismillāh. From the Forty Hadith on Rajab and Sha’bān Ibrāhīm b. Maymūn asked Imam al-Ridhā ‘alayhis-salām: What is the best supplication in this month? So, he (the Imam) replied: doing istighfār; surely whoever does istighfār seventy times in Sha‘bān, is like one who does istighfār seventy thousand times in other months. I asked him: How … Read more