Introduction
Supplication holds a central place in Islamic spirituality, serving as a means through which believers seek divine mercy, guidance, and blessings. The transition from Shaban to Ramadan is a particularly significant period in the Islamic calendar, marked by deep reflection and spiritual preparation. This paper explores the supplications recommended for the last night of Sha’ban and the first night of Ramadan, emphasizing their theological significance and practical implications for a believer’s spiritual journey. Drawing upon Quranic verses and Prophetic traditions, this study examines how these supplications encapsulate key themes such as repentance, divine proximity, and readiness for the sacred month of fasting. By understanding these supplications, Muslims can approach Ramadan with a heightened sense of devotion, fully prepared to reap its spiritual rewards.
Last Night of Shaban
The month of Sha’ban (i.e, the eighth month in the Islamic Calendar) is a preparatory period for the holy month of Ramadan. In the last night of Shaban and the first night of Ramadan, certain supplications are recommended. We shall therefore discuss the recommended supplication in this article.
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
اللّهُمَّ إنَّ هذَا الشَّهْرَ الْمُبَارَكَ الَّذِي أُنْزِلَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنُ وَجُعِلَ هُدَىً لِلنَّاسِ وَبَيِّنَاتٍ مِنَ الْهُدَى وَالْفُرْقَانِ قَدْ حَضَرَ فَسَلِّمْنَا فِيهِ وَسَلَّمْهُ لَنَا وَتَسَلَّمْهُ مِنَّا فِي يُسْرٍ مِنْكَ وَعَافِيَةٍ، يَا مَنْ أَخَذَ الْقَلِيلَ وَشَكَرَ الْكَثِيرَ اقْبَلْ مِنِّي الْيَسِيرَ
O’ Allah! This is the blessed month in which the Qur’an was revealed as guidance for mankind and clear evidence of guidance and discrimination (of right from wrong) is being witnessed by us. Therefore, keep us healthy in it and keep us sound in our faith in it and accept it from us in a state of prosperity and health granted to us by You, O’ He who acknowledges and gives answer many times to the very little offered to Him and thanks us by giving us plenty, accept my simple (acts).
اللّهُمَّ إنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ لِي إلَى كُلِّ خَيْرٍ سَبِيلاً، وَمِنْ كُلِّ مَا لا تُحِبُّ مَانِعاً يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ، يَا مَنْ عَفَا عَنِّي وَعَمَّا خَلَوْتُ بِهِ مِنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ، يَا مَنْ لَمْ يُؤَاخِذْنِي بِارْتِكَابِ الْمَعَاصِي، عَفْوَكَ عَفْوَكَ عَفْوَكَ، يَا كَرِيمُ
O’ Allah! I ask You to provide me with a way towards all good and keep me away from all that You do not like, O’ the Most Merciful of those who show mercy!
O’ One who forgave me and forgave me all my misdeeds committed secretly. O’ One who does not punish me for my disobedience! Your forgiveness. Your forgiveness! Your forgiveness! O’ the Generous!
إلهِي وَعَظْتَنِي فَلَمْ أَتَّعِظْ، وَزَجَرْتَنِي عَنْ مَحَارِمِكَ فَلَمْ أَنْزَجِرْ، فَمَا عُذْرِي؟ فَاعْفُ عَنِّي يَا كَرِيمُ، عَفْوَكَ عَفْوَكَ
O’ my Lord! You admonished me but I did not respond; You reproached me concerning Your prohibited (things) but I cared not for it – what excuse do I now have? So then pardon me O’ the Generous! Your pardon! Your Pardon!
اللّهُمَّ إنّي أَسْأَلُكَ الرَّاحَةَ عِنْدَ الْمَوْتِ، وَالْعَفْوَ عِنْدَ الْحِسَابِ، عَظُمَ الذَّنْبُ مِنْ عَبْدِكَ فَلْيَحْسُنِ التَّجَاوُزُ مِنْ عِنْدِكَ، يَا أَهْلَ التَّقْوَى وَيَا أَهْلَ الْمَغْفِرَةِ، عَفْوَكَ عَفْوَكَ
O’ Allah! I beseech you for ease at the time of my death and forgiveness at the time of reckoning (on the Day of Resurrection). The sins of Your slave are great (in number) but forgiveness from You should serve my purpose well. O’ the One deserving to be feared and fitted to pardon. Your pardon! Your Pardon!
اللّهُمَّ إنِّي عَبْدُكَ بْنُ عَبْدِكَ بْنُ أَمَتِكَ ضَعِيفٌ فَقِيرٌ إلَى رَحْمَتِكَ، وَأَنْتَ مُنْزِلُ الْغِنَى وَالْبَرَكَةِ عَلَى الْعِبَادِ، قَاهِرٌ مُقْتَدِرٌ أَحْصَيْتَ أَعْمَالَهُمْ، وَقَسَمْتَ أَرْزَاقَهُمْ، وَجَعَلْتَهُمْ مُخْتَلِفَةً أَلْسِنَتُهُمْ وَأَلْوَانُهُمْ خَلْقاً مِنْ بَعْدِ خَلْقٍ، وَلا يَعْلَمُ الْعِبَادُ عِلْمَكَ، وَلا يَقْدِرُ الْعِبَادُ قَدْرَكَ، وَكُلُّنَا فَقِيرٌ إلَى رَحْمَتِكَ، فَلا تَصْرِفْ عَنِّي وَجْهَكَ، وَاجْعَلْنِي مِنْ صَالِحِي خَلْقِكَ فِي الْعَمَلِ وَالأَمَلِ وَالْقَضَاءِ وَالْقَدَرِ
O’ Allah! I am Your servant, son of Your servant and son of Your slave girl, I am weak and stand in need of Your Mercy. You are Omnipotent and Mighty. You have reckoned their deeds and accordingly distributed to them their livelihood and made them creation after creation of different languages and colours. The people know not what You know and esteem You not with the estimation due to You and all of us standing in need of Your mercy. Do not turn Your face away from us and ordain in Your decree to make me among Your creatures – virtuous in deeds and hopes and in your decree and verdict.
اللّهُمَّ أَبْقِنِي خَيْرَ الْبَقَاءِ، وَأَفْنِنِي خَيْرَ الْفَنَاءِ عَلَى مُوَالاةِ أَوْلِيَائِكَ، وَمُعَادَاةِ أَعْدَائِكَ وَالرَّغْبَةِ إلَيْكَ، وَالرَّهْبَةِ مِنْكَ، وَالْخُشُوعِ وَالْوَفَاءِ وَالتَّسْلِيمِ لَكَ، وَالتَّصْدِيقِ بِكِتَابِكَ، وَاتِّبَاعِ سُنَّةِ رَسُولِكَ
O’ Allah! Keep me alive to live the best life (of righteousness) and cause me to die the best death in a state of love (in my heart) towards Your friends and in a state of enmity towards Your enemies and with a desire to meet You and fearing You and with humility and fulfilling the promise and submitting to Your will, testifying to Your Book and following the life-pattern of Your Messenger (Muhammad).
اللّهُمَّ مَا كَانَ فِي قَلْبِي مِنْ شَكٍّ أَوْ رِيبَةٍ أَوْ جُحُودٍ أَوْ قُنُوطٍ أَوْ فَرَحٍ أَوْ بَذَخٍ أَوْ بَطَرٍ أَوْ خُيَلاءَ أَوْ رِيَاءٍ أَوْ سُمْعَةٍ أَوْ شِقَاقٍ أَوْ نِفَاقٍ أَوْ كُفْرٍ أَوْ فُسُوقٍ أَوْ عِصْيَانٍ أَوْ عَظَمَةٍ أَوْ شَيْءٍ لا تُحِبُّ، فَأَسْأَلُكَ يَا رَبِّ أَنْ تُبَدِّلَنِي مَكَانَهُ إيمَاناً بِوَعْدِكَ، وَوَفَاءً بِعَهْدِكَ، وَرِضاً بِقَضَائِكَ، وَزُهْداً فِي الدُّنْيَا، وَرَغْبَةً فِيمَا عِنْدَكَ، وَأَثَرَةً وَطُمَأْنِينَةً وَتَوْبَةً نَصُوحاً، أَسْأَلُكَ ذلِكَ يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ
O’ Allah! That which lays hold of my mind (from the following): doubt, disbelief, disappointment, intoxication, conceit, insolence, vanity, show, desire for fame, disagreement, hypocrisy, infidelity, transgression, disobedience, pride or anything that You do not love may kindly be substituted with: faith according to Your promise, inspiration to fulfil Your promises, contentment with Your decision, piety in the world, a desire of that which is with you (good) impression, mental tranquillity, and sincere repentance. I ask You O’ Lord of the Worlds for all of these.
إلهِي أَنْتَ مِنْ حِلْمِكَ تُعْصَى فَكَأَنَّكَ لَمْ تُرَ، وَمِنْ كَرَمِكَ وَجُودِكَ تُطَاعُ فَكَأَنَّكَ لَمْ تُعْصَ، وَأَنَا وَمَنْ لَمْ يَعْصِكَ سُكَّانُ أَرْضِكَ فَكُنْ عَلَيْنَا بِالْفَضْلِ جَوَاداً، وَبِالْخَيْرِ عَوَّاداً، يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ
O’ my Lord! Disobedience to You is due to Your forbearance (of us disobeying you), and obedience is due to Your generosity and magnanimity as if You were never disobeyed. I and the other person who never disobeyed are the dwellers of Your earth. Therefore with Your grace, pardon me and invite us to You with Your goodness, O’ the Most Merciful of those who show Mercy!
وَصَلَّى اللّهُ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِهِ صَلاةً دَائِمَةً لا تُحْصَى وَلا تُعَدُّ وَلا يَقْدِرُ قَدْرَهَا غَيْرُكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ
And may the everlasting prayers of Allah be upon Muhammad and his progeny, unlimited blessings which neither could be reckoned nor appreciated by anyone except You. O’ the Most Merciful of those who show Mercy! (1)
Conclusion
The supplications recited on the last night of Sha’ban and the first night of Ramadan serve as a profound spiritual gateway into the blessed month of fasting. They not only invoke divine mercy and forgiveness but also help believers cultivate sincerity, humility, and gratitude. Through these prayers, one acknowledges the immense opportunity that Ramadan presents for purification and renewal. This paper has highlighted the importance of these supplications within the broader Islamic tradition, demonstrating their role in fostering a deeper connection with God. Ultimately, embracing these supplications with sincerity can transform one’s Ramadan experience, ensuring that it becomes a period of spiritual elevation and divine proximity.
NOTE:
______________________________________________
1. Al-Balad Al-Amin, P. 192
