Shaykh al-Tusi has narrated on the authority of Harith ibn Mughirah al-Nadri that Imam al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) used to say the following supplication at the last night of Sha`ban and the first night of Ramadan month
اَللَّهُمَّ إِنَّ هٰذَا ٱلشَّهْرَ ٱلْمُبَارَكَ
allahumma inna hadha alshshahra almubaraka
O Allah, this blessed month
ٱلَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ ٱلْقُرْآنُ
alladhi unzila fihi alqur'anu
in which the Qur'an was revealed
وَجُعِلَ هُدَىً لِلنَّاسِ
wa ju`ila hudan lilnnasi
and was made guidance for people
وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِنَ ٱلْهُدَىٰ وَٱلْفُرْقَانِ
wa bayyinatin min alhuda walfurqani
and clear proofs of the guidance, and the Criterion (of right and wrong),
qad hadara
has commenced.
fasallimna fihi
So, (please) keep us out of blemish during it,
wa sallimhu lana
keep it sound for us,
وَتَسَلَّمْهُ مِنَّا فِي يُسْرٍ مِنْكَ وَعَافِيَةٍ
wa tasallamhu minna fi yusrin minka wa `afiyatin
and receive it from us with means of easiness and good health from You.
يَا مَنْ أَخَذَ ٱلْقَلِيلَ وَشَكَرَ ٱلْكَثِيرَ
ya man akhadha alqalila wa shakara alkathira
O He Who has accepted the little (deed) and thanked for the much,
ٱقْبَلْ مِنِّي ٱلْيَسِيرَ
iqbal minni alyasira
(please) accept from me the little (deed).
اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ
allahumma inni as'aluka
O Allah, I beseech You
أَنْ تَجْعَلَ لِي إِلَىٰ كُلِّ خَيْرٍ سَبِيلاً
an taj`ala li ila kulli khayrin sabilan
to make for me a path to every decency,
وَمِنْ كُلِّ مَا لاَ تُحِبُّ مَانِعاً
wa min kulli ma la tuhibbu mani`an
and to make for me a barrier against everything that You do not like.
يَا أَرْحَمَ ٱلرَّاحِمِينَ
ya arhama alrrahimina
O most Merciful of all those who show mercy!
يَا مَنْ عَفَا عَنِّي وَعَمَّا خَلَوْتُ بِهِ مِنَ ٱلسَّيِّئَاتِ
ya man `afa `anni wa `amma khalawtu bihi mina alssayyi'ati
O He Who has pardoned me and overlooked the misdeeds that I have committed secretly!
يَا مَنْ لَمْ يُؤَاخِذْنِي بِٱرْتِكَابِ ٱلْمَعَاصِي
ya man lam yu'akhidhni birtikabi alma`asi
O He Who has not punished me for my committing acts of disobedience to Him!
عَفْوَكَ عَفْوَكَ عَفْوَكَ يَا كَرِيمُ
`afwaka `afwaka `afwaka ya karimu
I seek Your pardon, I seek Your pardon, I seek Your pardon, O All-generous!
إِلٰهِي وَعَظْتَنِي فَلَمْ أَتَّعِظْ
ilahi wa`aztani falam atta`iz
O my God, You advised me, but I have not followed Your advice
وَزَجَرْتَنِي عَنْ مَحَارِمِكَ فَلَمْ أَنْزَجِرْ
wa zajartani `an maharimika falam anzajir
and You rebuked me for violating that which You have deemed forbidden, but I have not stopped.
fama `udhri
Now, what is my excuse?
فَٱعْفُ عَنِّي يَا كَرِيمُ
fa`fu `anni ya karimu
So, (please) pardon me, O All-generous!
`afwaka `afwaka
I seek Your pardon, I seek Your pardon!
اَللَّهُمَّ إِنّي أَسْأَلُكَ
allahumma inni as'aluka
O Allah, I beseech You
ٱلرَّاحَةَ عِنْدَ ٱلْمَوْتِ
alrrahata `inda almawti
for rest at death
وَٱلْعَفْوَ عِنْدَ ٱلْحِسَابِ
wal`afwa `inda alhisabi
and for pardon at calling to account.
عَظُمَ ٱلذَّنْبُ مِنْ عَبْدِكَ
`azuma aldhdhanbu min `abdika
Great is the sin of Your servant;
فَلْيَحْسُنِ ٱلتَّجَاوُزُ مِنْ عِنْدِكَ
falyahsun alttjawuzu min `indika
so, let Your overlooking him be excellent.
يَا أَهْلَ ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ وَيَا أَهْلَ ٱلْمَغْفِرَةِ
ya ahla alttaqwa wa ya ahla almaghfirati
O He Who is worth being feared and is worth forgiving!
`afwaka `afwaka
I seek Your pardon, I seek Your pardon.
اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي عَبْدُكَ ٱبْنُ عَبْدِكَ ٱبْنُ أَمَتِكَ
allahumma inni `abduka ibnu `abdika ibnu amatika
O Allah, I am Your servant and the son of Your servant and Your she-servant
ضَعِيفٌ فَقِيرٌ إِلَىٰ رَحْمَتِكَ
da`ifun faqirun ila rahmatika
and I am weak and in need for Your mercy;
وَأَنْتَ مُنْزِلُ ٱلْغِنَىٰ وَٱلْبَرَكَةِ عَلَىٰ ٱلْعِبَادِ
wa anta munzilu alghina walbarakati `ala al`ibadi
while You are the Pourer of wealth and bless on the servants (of You),
qahirun muqtadirun
You are omnipotent and full of power,
ahsayta a`malahum
You have recorded all their (i.e. Your servants) deeds,
wa qasamta arzaqahum
decided the sustenance of each one them,
وَجَعَلْتَهُمْ مُخْتَلِفَةً أَلْسِنَتُهُمْ وَأَلْوَانُهُمْ
wa ja`altahum mukhtalifatan alsinatuhum wa alwanuhum
and made them of different languages and colors
خَلْقاً مِنْ بَعْدِ خَلْقٍ
khalqan min ba`di khalqin
in different stages of creation.
وَلاَ يَعْلَمُ ٱلْعِبَادُ عِلْمَكَ
wa la ya`lamu al`ibadu `ilmaka
Your servants can never attain Your knowledge
وَلاَ يَقْدِرُ ٱلْعِبَادُ قَدْرَكَ
wa la yaqdiru al`ibadu qadraka
and Your servants can never recognize the real estimate that is due to You.
وَكُلُّنَا فَقِيرٌ إِلَىٰ رَحْمَتِكَ
wa kulluna faqirun ila rahmatika
All of us are needy for Your mercy.
فَلاَ تَصْرِفْ عَنِّي وَجْهَكَ
fala tasrif `anni wajhaka
So, (please) do not turn Your Face away from me
وَٱجْعَلْنِي مِنْ صَالِحِي خَلْقِكَ
waj`alni min salihi khalqika
and include me with the virtuous creatures of You
fi al`amali wal-amali
in deeds, hopes,
walqada'i walqadari
and Your decisions (for me).
اَللَّهُمَّ أَبْقِنِي خَيْرَ ٱلْبَقَاءِ
allahumma abqini khayra albaqa'i
O Allah, (please) keep me alive in the best manner of living,
وَأَفْنِنِي خَيْرَ ٱلْفَنَاءِ عَلَىٰ مُوَالاةِ أَوْلِيَائِكَ
wa afnini khayra alfana'i `ala muwalati awliya'ika
decide for me to die in the best manner of death keeping loyal to Your representatives,
wa mu`adati a`da'ika
incurring the enmity of Your enemies,
وَٱلرَّغْبَةِ إِلَيْكَ وَٱلرَّهْبَةِ مِنْكَ
walrraghbati ilayka walrrahbati minka
keeping desiring for You, fearing from You,
وَٱلْخُشُوعِ وَٱلْوَفَاءِ وَٱلتَّسْلِيمِ لَكَ
walkhushu`i walwafa'i walttaslimi laka
and submitting to You, being loyal to You, complying with You,
وَٱلتَّصْدِيقِ بِكِتَابِكَ
walttasdiqi bikitabika
believing in Your Book,
وَٱتِّبَاعِ سُنَّةِ رَسُولِكَ
wattiba`i sunnati rasulika
and following Your Prophet’s instructions.
اَللَّهُمَّ مَا كَانَ فِي قَلْبِي
allahumma ma kana fi qalbi
O Allah, as for whatever I bear in my heart,
min shakkin aw ribatin
including suspicion, doubt,
أَوْ جُحُودٍ أَوْ قُنُوطٍ
aw juhudin aw qunutin
denial, despair,
أَوْ فَرَحٍ أَوْ بَذَخٍ أَوْ بَطَرٍ
aw farahin aw badhakhin aw batarin
(excessive) joy, lavish expenditure or recklessness,
أَوْ خُيَلاءَ أَوْ رِيَاءٍ أَوْ سُمْعَةٍ
aw khuyala'a aw riya'in aw sum`atin
pride, arrogance, ostentation,
أَوْ شِقَاقٍ أَوْ نِفَاقٍ
aw shiqaqin aw nifaqin
discord, hypocrisy,
أَوْ كُفْرٍ أَوْ فُسُوقٍ أَوْ عِصْيَانٍ
aw kufrin aw fusuqin aw `isyanin
unbelief, licentiousness, disobedience,
أَوْ عَظَمَةٍ أَوْ شَيْءٍ لاَ تُحِبُّ
aw `azamatin aw shay'in la tuhibbu
conceit, or anything else that You do not like;
فَأَسْأَلُكَ يَا رَبِّ أَنْ تُبَدِّلَنِي مَكَانَهُ إِيـمَاناً بِوَعْدِكَ
fa-as'aluka ya rabbi an tubaddilani makanahu imanan biwa`dika
I thus beseech You, O my Lord, to substitute all that with belief in Your promise,
wa wafa'an bi`ahdika
fulfillment of my covenant to You,
wa ridan biqada'ika
satisfaction with what You decide for me,
wa zuhdan fi alddunya
indifference to the worldly pleasures,
وَرَغْبَةً فِيمَا عِنْدَكَ
wa raghbatan fima `indaka
desire for that which You have,
وَأَثَرَةً وَطُمَأْنِينَةً
wa atharatan wa tuma'ninatan
altruism, tranquility,
wa tawbatan nasuhan
and sincere repentance.
أَسْأَلُكَ ذٰلِكَ يَا رَبَّ ٱلْعَالَمِينَ
as'aluka dhalika ya rabba al`alamina
I beseech You for all that, O Lord of the worlds!
إِلٰهِي أَنْتَ مِنْ حِلْمِكَ تُعْصَىٰ فَكَأَنَّكَ لَمْ تُرَ
ilahi anta min hilmika tu`sa faka'annaka lam tura
O my God, because You are so forbearing, You are disobeyed as if You are not present,
وَمِنْ كَرَمِكَ وَجُودِكَ تُطَاعُ فَكَأَنَّكَ لَمْ تُعْصَ
wa min karamika wa judika tuta`u faka'annaka lam tu`sa
and because You are so generous and magnanimous, You are obeyed as if You have not been disobeyed at all.
وَأَنَا وَمَنْ لَمْ يَعْصِكَ سُكَّانُ أَرْضِكَ
wa ana wa man lam ya`sika sukkanu ardika
Both those who have not disobeyed You and I are the inhabitants of Your lands;
فَكُنْ عَلَيْنَا بِٱلْفَضْلِ جَوَاداً
fakun `alayna bilfadli jawadan
so, (please) confer magnanimously upon us with Your favors
wa bilkhayri `awwadan
and always refer to us with Your goodness.
يَا أَرْحَمَ ٱلرَّاحِمِينَ
ya arhama alrrahimina
O most Merciful of all those who show mercy!
وَصَلَّىٰ ٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِهِ صَلاةً دَائِمَةً
wa salla allahu `ala muhammadin wa alihi salatan da'imatan
May Allah bless Muhammad and his Household with endless blessings
لاَ تُحْصَىٰ وَلاَ تُعَدُّ
la tuhsa wa la tu`addu
that are innumerable, uncountable,
وَلاَ يَقْدِرُ قَدْرَهَا غَيْرُكَ
wa la yaqdiru qadraha ghayruka
and none can do it save You.
يَا أَرْحَمَ ٱلرَّاحِمِينَ
ya arhama alrrahimina
O most Merciful of all those who show mercy!
