The Invocation of Shaban

It has been arrated by Ibn Khlawayh who commented on it, saying, “This is the confidential prayer of Imam `Ali Amir al-Mu'mineen and the Holy Imams, his descendants, (a.s) who used to recite it in the month of Sha`ban.”

In the name of Allah the Beneficent, the Merciful.

My Lord, bestow Your blessings on Muhammad and his descendants; respond to my prayer when I pray to You; listen to my call when I call You; and turn to me when I make my submission to You in confidence. I have come running to You and am standing before You imploring You in humility and hoping to get the reward You have for me. You know what is in my heart, and You are aware of what I need. You know my mind and are not unaware of my future and of my present, of what I want to begin my speech with; of the request I would utter, and of the hopes I have in regard to my ultimate lot. My Lord, whatever You have destined for me up to tbe end of my life, whether concerning the open aspect of my life or the hidden aspect of it, is bound to come. What is to my advantage and what is to my disadvantage - all my losses and gains are in Your hand, not in the hand of anybody else. My Lord, if You deprive me, who else will provide me; and if You let me down, who else will help me? My Lord, I seek Your protection from Your anger and from earning Your displeasure. If I am not fit for gaining Your Mercy, You are certainly fit to be generous to me by virtue of Your Magnanimity. My Lord, I see as if I am standing before You protected by my trust in You. You said what befitted You and covered me with Your forgiveness. My Lord, if You forgive me, then who is more suited than You to do that? If the time of my death has come near and my deeds have not still brought me close to You, I make this confession of my sins a means of approaching You. I have been unjust to my soul for I have not looked after it. It will certainly be doomed if You do not forgive it. My Lord, You have always been kind to me during my life time. Therefore do not cut off Your favour from me at the time of my death. My Lord, how can lose the hope of Your looking kindly, in me after my death, when you have always been good to me during my life. My Lord, in my case do what befits You and bestow Your favour on me - a sinner enwrapped in his ignorance. My Lord, You have concealed many of my sins in this world. I am in a greater need of their being conceded in the next. As You have not revealed my sins even to any of Your pious bondmen, do not expose me on the Day of Resurrection before everybody. My Lord, Your generosity has expanded my aspiration, and Your forgiveness is superior to my deeds. Therefore gladden my heart by allowing me to meet You on the day You administer justice to Your bondmen. My Lord, my apology to You is the apology of him who cannot afford his apology being not accepted. Therefore accept my apology, You the Most Magnanimous of those to whom the evildoers tender their apology. My Lord, do not turn down my request; do not foil my desire; and do not cut off my hope and expectation of You. My Lord, if You had wanted to disgrace me, You would not have guided me; and if You had wanted to expose my faults and vices, You would not have kept me safe and sound. My Lord, I do not think that You will turn down my request for that in asking You for which I have spent my whole life. My Lord, all praise is due to You, always and forever, growing not diminishing, as You like and please. My Lord, if You condemn me for my crimes, I will cling to Your forgiveness, and if You hold me for my sins, I will cling to Your granting pardon. If You haul me into the hell, I will tell its inmates that I love You. My Lord, if my deeds are too small in relation to how I should obey You, my aspirations are high enough as compared to what I should expect of You. My Lord, how can I go away from You unsuccessful and disappointed, when I had a high hope that You will be kind enough to send me away enjoying safety and deliverance. My Lord, I have wasted my life committing the crime of forgetting You and played havoc with my youth, intoxicated with keeping myself away from You. My Lord, I did not wake up when I was under a delusion about You and was inclined to earn Your displeasure. My Lord, I am Your bondman, son of Your bondman. I am standing before You, trying to use Your own magnanimity as a means of approaching You. My Lord, I am a bondman of Yours, I want to rid myself of the sins I used to commit in Your presence because I lacked the sense of feeling ashamed that You were looking at me. I request You to forgive me, because forgiveness is a characteristic of Your Kindness. My Lord, I was not strong enough to move away from Your disobedience, except when You awakened me to Your love. I was exactly as You wanted me to be. I am thankful to You for introducing me to Your Kindness and purging my heart of the impurities of being inattentive to You. My Lord, look upon me as the person whom You called and he responded to You, whom You helped by using his ser-vices, and he obeyed You. You Near One, Who is not far from one who is away from You. You Munificent, Who does not withhold His reward from one who hopes for it. My Lord, provide me with a heart, the passion of which may bring it near You, with a tongue the truth of which may be submitted to You, and with a vision the nature of which may bring it close to You. My Lord, whoever gets acquainted with You, is not un-known; whoever takes shelter under You, is not disappointed; and one to whom You turn, is not a slave. One who follows Your path is enlightened; and one who takes refuge in You, is saved. My Lord, I have taken refuge in You. Therefore do not disappoint me of Your Mercy and do not keep me secluded from Your Kindness. My Lord, place me among Your friends in the position of one who hopes for an increase in Your love. My Lord, inspire me with a passionate love of remembering You so that I may keep on remembering You, and by Your Holy Name and Pure Position cherish my cheerful determination into a success. My Lord, I invoke You to admit me to the place reserved for those who obey You, and to attach me to the nice abode of those who enjoy Your good pleasure. . . I can neither defend myself nor do I control what is advantageous for me. My Lord, I am Your powerless sinning slave and Your repentant bondman. So do not make me one of those from whom You turn away Your face, and whom his negligence has secluded from Your forgiveness. My Lord, grant me complete severance of my relations with everything else and total submission to You. Enlighten the eyes of our hearts with the light of their looking at You to the extent that they penetrate the veils of light and reach the Source of Grandeur, and let our souls get suspended by the glory of Your sanctity. My Lord, make me one of those whom You call and they respond; when You look at and they are thunderstruck by Your majesty. You whisper to them secretly and they work for You openly. My Lord, I have not allowed my pessimistic despair to overcome my good opinion about You, nor did I ever lose my hope of Your benevolence. My Lord, if my errors have degraded me with You, You may forgive me in view of my unqualified reliance on You. My Lord, if my sins have made me unfit to receive Your tender affection, my firm belief has reminded me of Your Compassion. My Lord, if my disregard for preparations to meet You has put me to sleep, my knowledge of Your kind bounties has awakened me. My Lord, if Your severe punishment calls me to Hell, the abundance of Your reward invites me to Paradise. My Lord, I ask You and pray to You earnestly, I desire and request You to show Your favour to Muhammad and his descendants, make me one of those who always remember You and never violate the pledge they make to You, who do not fail to show You their gratitude and do not take Your orders lightly. My Lord, let me be attached to the Light of Your Majestic Glory, so that I may know You alone, be away from others, and have a heart fearful of You and an eye watchful of You. May Allah's blessing and peace be on Muhammad and those of his descendants who are pure.

Transliteration

bismillah al-rahman al-raheem allahumma salli 'alaa muhammadin wa aali muhammad. wasma' du'aa'i idhaa da'awtuk. wasma' nidaa'i idhaa naadaytuk. waqbil 'alayya idhaa naajaytuk. faqad harabtu ilayka wa waqaftu bayna yadayk. mustakeenan lak, mutadharri'an ilayk, raajiyan limaa ladayka thawaabi, wa ta'lamu maa fi nafsi, wa takhburu haajati, wa ta'rifu dhameeri, wa laa yakhfaa 'alayka amru munqalabi wa mathwai, wa maa ureedu an ubdi'a bihi min mantiqi, wa atafawwaha bihi min talibati, wa arjoohu li-'aaqibati. wa qad jarat maqaadeeruka 'alayya yaa sayyidi fimaa yakunu minni ilaa aakhiri 'umri min sareerati wa'alaaniyati, wa biyadika laa biyadi ghayrika ziyaadati wa naqsi, wa naf'i wa dharri. ilaahi, in harramtani faman dhaa alladhiy yarzuquni? wa in khadhaltani, fa man dhaa alladhiy yansuruni? ilaah a'udhu bika min ghadhabika wa hyulooli sakhatik ilaahi in kunta ghayr musta'hilin lirahmati, fa anta ahlun an tajooda 'alayya bi-fadhli sa'atik. ilaahi, ka-anny binafsy waaqifatun bayna yadayk, waqad azhallahaa husnu tawakkuli 'alayk. faqulta maa anta ahluhu wa taghammadtani bi-'afwik. ilaahi, in 'afawta fa-man awlaa minka bi-dhaalik? wa in kaana qad danaa ajali wa lam yudneeni minka 'amali faqad ja'altu-l-iqraara bi-dh-dhanbi ilayka waseelati. ilaahi qad jurtu 'alaa nafsi fi-n-nazhari lahaa, falahaa-l-wailu in lam taghfir lahaa. ilaahi lam yazal birruka 'alaa ayyaami hayaati, falaa taqta' birraka 'anni fi mamaati. ilaahi, kayfa aayasu min husni nazharika li ba'da mamaati, wa anta lam toolini illa-l-jamkeela fi hayaati. ilaahi, tawalla min amri maa anta ahluhu, wa 'ud 'alayya bi-fadhlika 'alaa mudhnibin qad ghamarahu jahluhu. ilaahi qad satarta 'alayya dhunooban fi-d-dunyaa, wa ana ahwaju ilaa satrihaa 'alayya minka fil-ukhraa. ilaahi qad ahsanta ilayya ith lam tuzh-hirhaa li-ahadin min 'ibaadika-s-saaliheen, falaa tafdhahni yawm al-qiyaamati 'alaa ru'oos-il-ash-haad. ilaahi, jooduka basata amali, wa 'afwuka afdhalu min 'amali. ilaahi, fasurrani bi-liqaa'ika yawma taqdhi feehi bayna 'ibaadik. ilaahi, i'tidhaari ilayka i'tidhaaru man lam yastaghni 'an qabooli 'udhrihi, faqbal 'udhri yaa akrama man i'tadhara ilayhi-l-musee'oon. ilaahi, laa tarudda haajati, wa laa tukhayyib tama'i, wa laa taqta' minka rajaa'i wa amali. ilaahi, law aradta hawaani lam tahdini, wa law aradta fadheehati lam tu'aafini. ilaahi, ma azhunnuka tarudduni fi haajatin qad afnaytu 'umri fi talabihaa mink. ilaahi, fa-laka al-hamdu abadan daa'iman sarmadan, yazeedu wa laa yabeed, kamaa tuhibbu wa tardhaa. ilaahi, in akhadhtani bi-jurmi, akhadhtuka bi-'afwik, wa in akkhadhtani bi dhunoobi, akhadhtuka bi-maghfiratik, wa in adkkhaltani-n-naara a'lamtu ahlahaa anny uhibbuk. ilaahi, in kaana saghura fee janbi taa'atika 'amali, faqad kabura fee janbi rajaa'ika amali ilaahi, kayfa anqalibu min 'indika bil-khaybati mahrooma, wa qad kaana husnu zhanni bijoodika an taqlibani bi-n-najaati marhooma ilaahi wa qad afnaytu 'umri fee sharratis-sahwi 'ank, wa ablaytu shabaabi fi sakrati-t-tabaa'udi mink ilaahi fa-lam astayqizh ayyama ightiraari bik, wa rukooni ilaa sabeeli-sakhatik ilaahi wa ana 'abduka wa-ibnu 'abdik, qaa'imun bayna yadayk, mutawassilun bi-karamika ilayk ilaahi ana 'abdun atanassalu ilayka mimmaa kuntu uwaajihuka bihi min qillati istihyaa'i min nazharik, wa atlubu-l-'afwa minka idh-il-'afwu na'atun li-karamik ilaahi lam yakun li hawlun fa-antaqila bihi 'an ma'siyatik, illa fi waqtin ayqazhtani li-mahabbatik. wa kamaa aradta an akoona kuntu fa-shakartuka bi-idkhaali fi karamik, wa li-tatheeri qalbi min awsaakhi-l-ghaflati 'ank. ilaahi, unzhur ilayya nazara man naadaytahu fa-ajaabak, wasta'maltahu bi-ma'oonatika fa-ataa'ak. yaa qareeban laa yab'udu 'an al-mughtarri bih, wa yaa jawaadan laa yabkhalu 'amman rajaa thawaabah ilaahi, hab li qalban yudneehi minka shawquhu, wa lisaanan yurfa'u ilayka sidquhu, wa nazharan yuqarribuhu minka haqquhu ilaahi, inna man ta'arrafa bika ghayru majhool, wa man laadha bika ghayru makhdhool, wa man aqbalta 'alayhi ghayru mamlook ilaahi inna man intahaja bika la-mustaneer, wa inna man i'tasama bika la-mustajeer. wa qad ludhtu bika yaa ilaahi falaa tukhayyib zhanni min rahmatika wa laa tahjubni 'an ra'fatik ilaahi aqimni fee ahli wilaayatika maqaama man rajaa-z-ziyaadata min mahabbatik ilaahi walhimni walahan bi-dhikrika ilaa dhikrik, wa himmati fee rawhi najaahi asmaa'ik, wa mahalli qudsik ilaahi, bika 'alayka illa alhaqtani bi-mahalli ahli taa'atik wal-mathwaa-s-saalihi min mardhaatik, fa-inni laa aqdiru li-nafsi daf'an, wa laa amliku lahaa naf'an ilaahi ana 'abduka-dh-dhaeef al-mudhnib wa mamlookukal-muneeb, falaa taj'alni mimman sarafta 'anu wajhaka wa hajabahu sahwuhu 'an 'afwik ilaahi hab li kamaal-al-inqitaa'i ilayka wanir absaara quloobina bi-dhiyaa'i nazharihaa ilayka hatta takhriqa absaarul-quloobi hujub-an-noori fa-tasila ilaa ma'din-il-'azhamati wa taseera arwaahunaa mu'allaqatan bi-'izzi qudsik ilaahi waj'alni mimman naadaytahu wa-ajaabak, walaahazhtahu fa-sa'iqa li-jalaalik, fa-naajaytahu sirran wa 'amila laka jahran ilaahi lam usallit 'alaa husni zhanni qunoot-al-ayaas, wa laa inqata'a rajaa'i min jameeli karamik ilaahi, in kaanat-il-khataayaa qad asqatni ladayk, fasfah 'anni bi-husni tawakkuli 'alayka iilaahi, in hattatni-dh-dhunoobu min makaarimi lutfik, faqad nabbahani-l-yaqeenu ilaa karami 'atfik ilaahi in anaamatni al-ghaflatu 'an-il-isti'daadi li-liqaa'ik, faqad nabbahatni-l-ma'rifatu bi-karami-alaa'ik ilaahi, in da'aani ilaa-n-naari 'aqheemu 'iqaabik, faqad da'aani ilaal-jannatu jazeelu thawaabik ilaahi, fa-laka as'alu wa ilayka abtahilu wa arghab, fa-as'aluka an tusalli 'alaa muhammadin wa aali muhammad, wa an taj'alani mimman yudeemu dhikraka wa laa yanqudhu 'ahdaka wa laa yaghfulu 'an shukrika wa laa yastakhiffu bi-amrik ilaahi, walhiqni binoori 'izzika-l-abhaj, fa-akoona laka 'aarifan, wa 'an siwaaka munharifan, wa minka khaa'ifan muraaqiban. yaa dhaal-jalaali wal-ikraam. wa sallallahu 'alaa muhammadin wa rasoolihi wa aalihi-t-taahireen, wa salaama tasleeman katheeran.