The 1st Day of Ramadan (Ramaḍān)
The rites of the first day of Ramadan are as follows:
It is recommended to bathe oneself in flowing water and to pour on the head thirty handfuls of water, for such a deed brings about security against all pains and ailments up to the next year.
It is recommended to wash one’s face with a handful of rose water so as to be saved against humiliation and poverty, and to pour some of it on the head so as to be saved from pleurisy
It is recommended to offer the prayer of the first of the month that consists of two units and to give alms after that.
It is recommended to offer a two-unit prayer at the first of which Surah al-Faatehah and Surah al-Fath (No. 48) should be recited and at the second, Surah al-Faatehah and any other Surah. If one offers this prayer, Almighty Allah will save him from all evils and will keep him under His custody up to the next year.
When the dawn breaks forth, it is recommended to say the following supplicatory prayer:
اللّٰهُمَّ قَدْ حَضَرَ شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ وَ قَدِ افْتَرَضْتَ عَلَيْنَا صِيَامَهُ وَ اَنْزَلْتَ فِيهِ الْقُرْآنَ هُدًى لِلنَّاسِ وَ بَيِّنَاتٍ مِنَ الْهُدَى وَ الْفُرْقَانِ اللّٰهُمَّ اَعِنَّا عَلَى صِيَامِهِ وَ تَقَبَّلْهُ مِنَّا وَ تَسَلَّمْهُ مِنَّا وَ سَلِّمْهُ لَنَا فِي يُسْرٍ مِنْكَ وَ عَافِيَةٍ اِنَّكَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ .
Translation:
O Allah, the month of Ramadan has commenced.You have made obligatory upon us to observe fasting during it.You revealed the Qur'an in it as guidance for people and clear proofs of true guidance and distinction (between the right and the wrong). O Allah, (please) help us observe fasting in it, accept it from us, receive it from us (with acceptance), and keep it sound for us with easiness and good health from You. You verily have power over all things.
If one has not had the opportunity to say it at night, it is recommended to say the supplication No. 44 of al-Sahifah al-Kamilah al-Sajjadiyyah, which has been previously cited.
In his book of Zad al-Ma’ad, ‘Allamah al-Majlisi has mentioned that al-Kulayni, al-Tusi, and others, through an authentic chain of authority, have reported Imam Musa al-Kazim (a.s.) as saying, “Say the following supplicatory prayer in the month of Ramadan (on the first day of it, as is understood by scholars), for whoever prays Almighty Allah with this supplicatory prayer purely and without associating any false purposes or showing off, will be saved throughout that year from all seditious and misleading matters as well as all afflictions that may injure his religion or his body. In addition, Almighty Allah will save him from the evils of all the misfortunes that will take place that year.” The supplicatory prayer is as follows:
اللّٰهُمَّ اِنِّي اَسْاَلُكَ بِاسْمِكَ الَّذِي دَانَ لَهُ كُلُّ شَيْءٍ وَ بِرَحْمَتِكَ الَّتِي وَسِعَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ وَ بِعَظَمَتِكَ الَّتِي تَوَاضَعَ لَهَا كُلُّ شَيْءٍ وَ بِعِزَّتِكَ الَّتِي قَهَرَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ وَ بِقُوَّتِكَ الَّتِي خَضَعَ لَهَا كُلُّ شَيْءٍ وَ بِجَبَرُوتِكَ الَّتِي غَلَبَتْ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ وَ بِعِلْمِكَ الَّذِي اَحَاطَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ يَا نُورُ يَا قُدُّوسُ يَا اَوَّلا قَبْلَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَ يَا بَاقِيا بَعْدَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ يَا اللّٰهُ يَا رَحْمَانُ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اغْفِرْ لِيَ الذُّنُوبَ الَّتِي تُغَيِّرُ النِّعَمَ وَ اغْفِرْ لِيَ الذُّنُوبَ الَّتِي تُنْزِلُ النِّقَمَ وَ اغْفِرْ لِيَ الذُّنُوبَ الَّتِي تَقْطَعُ الرَّجَاءَ وَ اغْفِرْ لِيَ الذُّنُوبَ الَّتِي تُدِيلُ الْاَعْدَاءَ وَ اغْفِرْ لِيَ الذُّنُوبَ الَّتِي تَرُدُّ الدُّعَاءَ وَ اغْفِرْ لِيَ الذُّنُوبَ الَّتِي يُسْتَحَقُّ بِهَا نُزُولُ الْبَلاءِ، وَ اغْفِرْ لِيَ الذُّنُوبَ الَّتِي تَحْبِسُ غَيْثَ السَّمَاءِ وَ اغْفِرْ لِيَ الذُّنُوبَ الَّتِي تَكْشِفُ الْغِطَاءَ وَ اغْفِرْ لِيَ الذُّنُوبَ الَّتِي تُعَجِّلُ الْفَنَاءَ وَ اغْفِرْ لِيَ الذُّنُوبَ الَّتِي تُورِثُ النَّدَمَ وَ اغْفِرْ لِيَ الذُّنُوبَ الَّتِي تَهْتِكُ الْعِصَمَ وَ اَلْبِسْنِي دِرْعَكَ الْحَصِينَةَ الَّتِي لا تُرَامُ وَ عَافِنِي مِنْ شَرِّ مَا اُحَاذِرُ بِاللَّيْلِ وَ النَّهَارِ فِي مُسْتَقْبَلِ سَنَتِي هَذِهِ اللّٰهُمَّ رَبَّ السَّمَاوَاتِ السَّبْعِ وَ رَبَّ الْاَرَضِينَ السَّبْعِ وَ مَا فِيهِنَّ وَ مَا بَيْنَهُنَّ وَ رَبَّ الْعَرْشِ الْعَظِيمِ وَ رَبَّ السَّبْعِ الْمَثَانِي وَ الْقُرْآنِ الْعَظِيمِ وَ رَبَّ اِسْرَافِيلَ وَ مِيكَائِيلَ وَ جَبْرَئِيلَ وَ رَبَّ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ سَيِّدِ الْمُرْسَلِينَ وَ خَاتَمِ النَّبِيِّينَ اَسْاَلُكَ بِكَ وَ بِمَا سَمَّيْتَ بِهِ نَفْسَكَ يَا عَظِيمُ اَنْتَ الَّذِي تَمُنُّ بِالْعَظِيمِ، وَ تَدْفَعُ كُلَّ مَحْذُورٍ وَ تُعْطِي كُلَّ جَزِيلٍ وَ تُضَاعِفُ الْحَسَنَاتِ بِالْقَلِيلِ وَ بِالْكَثِيرِ وَ تَفْعَلُ مَا تَشَاءُ يَا قَدِيرُ يَا اللّٰهُ يَا رَحْمَانُ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اَهْلِ بَيْتِهِ وَ اَلْبِسْنِي فِي مُسْتَقْبَلِ سَنَتِي هَذِهِ سِتْرَكَ وَ نَضِّرْ وَجْهِي بِنُورِكَ وَ اَحِبَّنِي بِمَحَبَّتِكَ وَ بَلِّغْنِي رِضْوَانَكَ وَ شَرِيفَ كَرَامَتِكَ وَ جَسِيمَ عَطِيَّتِكَ وَ اَعْطِنِي مِنْ خَيْرِ مَا عِنْدَكَ وَ مِنْ خَيْرِ مَا اَنْتَ مُعْطِيهِ اَحَدا مِنْ خَلْقِكَ وَ اَلْبِسْنِي مَعَ ذَلِكَ عَافِيَتَكَ يَا مَوْضِعَ كُلِّ شَكْوَى وَ يَا شَاهِدَ كُلِّ نَجْوَى وَ يَا عَالِمَ كُلِّ خَفِيَّةٍ وَ يَا دَافِعَ مَا تَشَاءُ مِنْ بَلِيَّةٍ يَا كَرِيمَ الْعَفْوِ يَا حَسَنَ التَّجَاوُزِ تَوَفَّنِي عَلَى مِلَّةِ اِبْرَاهِيمَ وَ فِطْرَتِهِ، وَ عَلَى دِينِ مُحَمَّدٍ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ وَ سُنَّتِهِ وَ عَلَى خَيْرِ الْوَفَاةِ فَتَوَفَّنِي مُوَالِيا لِاَوْلِيَائِكَ وَ مُعَادِيا لِاَعْدَائِكَ اللّٰهُمَّ وَ جَنِّبْنِي فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ كُلَّ عَمَلٍ اَوْ قَوْلٍ اَوْ فِعْلٍ يُبَاعِدُنِي مِنْكَ وَ اجْلِبْنِي اِلَى كُلِّ عَمَلٍ اَوْ قَوْلٍ اَوْ فِعْلٍ يُقَرِّبُنِي مِنْكَ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ يَا اَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ وَ امْنَعْنِي مِنْ كُلِّ عَمَلٍ اَوْ قَوْلٍ اَوْ فِعْلٍ يَكُونُ مِنِّي اَخَافُ ضَرَرَ عَاقِبَتِهِ وَ اَخَافُ مَقْتَكَ اِيَّايَ عَلَيْهِ حِذَارَ اَنْ تَصْرِفَ وَجْهَكَ الْكَرِيمَ عَنِّي فَاَسْتَوْجِبَ بِهِ نَقْصا مِنْ حَظٍّ لِي عِنْدَكَ يَا رَءُوفُ يَا رَحِيمُ. اللّٰهُمَّ اجْعَلْنِي فِي مُسْتَقْبَلِ سَنَتِي هَذِهِ فِي حِفْظِكَ وَ فِي جِوَارِكَ وَ فِي كَنَفِكَ وَ جَلِّلْنِي سِتْرَ عَافِيَتِكَ وَ هَبْ لِي كَرَامَتَكَ عَزَّ جَارُكَ وَ جَلَّ ثَنَاؤُكَ وَ لا اِلَهَ غَيْرُكَ اللّٰهُمَّ اجْعَلْنِي تَابِعا لِصَالِحِي مَنْ مَضَى مِنْ اَوْلِيَائِكَ وَ اَلْحِقْنِي بِهِمْ وَ اجْعَلْنِي مُسَلِّما لِمَنْ قَالَ بِالصِّدْقِ عَلَيْكَ مِنْهُمْ وَ اَعُوذُ بِكَ اللّٰهُمَّ اَنْ تُحِيطَ بِي خَطِيئَتِي وَ ظُلْمِي وَ اِسْرَافِي عَلَى نَفْسِي وَ اتِّبَاعِي لِهَوَايَ وَ اشْتِغَالِي بِشَهَوَاتِي فَيَحُولُ ذَلِكَ بَيْنِي وَ بَيْنَ رَحْمَتِكَ وَ رِضْوَانِكَ فَاَكُونَ مَنْسِيّا عِنْدَكَ مُتَعَرِّضا لِسَخَطِكَ وَ نِقْمَتِكَ اللّٰهُمَّ وَفِّقْنِي لِكُلِّ عَمَلٍ صَالِحٍ تَرْضَى بِهِ عَنِّي وَ قَرِّبْنِي اِلَيْكَ زُلْفَى اللّٰهُمَّ كَمَا كَفَيْتَ نَبِيَّكَ مُحَمَّدا صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ هَوْلَ عَدُوِّهِ وَ فَرَّجْتَ هَمَّهُ وَ كَشَفْتَ غَمَّهُ وَ صَدَقْتَهُ وَعْدَكَ وَ اَنْجَزْتَ لَهُ عَهْدَكَ، اللّٰهُمَّ فَبِذَلِكَ فَاكْفِنِي هَوْلَ هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ وَ آفَاتِهَا وَ اَسْقَامَهَا وَ فِتْنَتَهَا وَ شُرُورَهَا وَ اَحْزَانَهَا وَ ضِيقَ الْمَعَاشِ فِيهَا وَ بَلِّغْنِي بِرَحْمَتِكَ كَمَالَ الْعَافِيَةِ بِتَمَامِ دَوَامِ النِّعْمَةِ عِنْدِي اِلَى مُنْتَهَى اَجَلِي اَسْاَلُكَ سُؤَالَ مَنْ اَسَاءَ وَ ظَلَمَ وَ اسْتَكَانَ وَ اعْتَرَفَ وَ اَسْاَلُكَ اَنْ تَغْفِرَ لِي مَا مَضَى مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ الَّتِي حَصَرَتْهَا حَفَظَتُكَ وَ اَحْصَتْهَا كِرَامُ مَلائِكَتِكَ عَلَيَّ وَ اَنْ تَعْصِمَنِي اِلَهِي مِنَ الذُّنُوبِ فِيمَا بَقِيَ مِنْ عُمُرِي اِلَى مُنْتَهَى اَجَلِي يَا اللّٰهُ يَا رَحْمَانُ يَا رَحِيمُ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ اَهْلِ بَيْتِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آتِنِي كُلَّ مَا سَاَلْتُكَ وَ رَغِبْتُ اِلَيْكَ فِيهِ فَاِنَّكَ اَمَرْتَنِي بِالدُّعَاءِ وَ تَكَفَّلْتَ لِي بِالْاِجَابَةِ يَا اَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ.
Translation:
O Allah, I beseech You in the name of Your Name before which everything kneels down, in the name of Your mercy which encompasses everything, in the name of Your greatness which dwarfs everything, in the name of Your power which subdues everything, in the name of Your control which dominates everything, in the name of Your omnipotence which overreaches and possesses everything, and in the name of Your knowledge which comprehends everything. O Light! O Holy! O Foremost before everything! O Ever-living after all things! O Allah! O All-beneficent! Send blessings to Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad, forgive me my sins that alter the bounties, forgive me my sins that bring in punishments, forgive me my sins that cut off hope, forgive me my sins that give ascendancy to the enemies, forgive me my sins that preclude the prayers, forgive me my sins that make me liable to suffer misfortunes, forgive me my sins that stops the rain of the sky, forgive me my sins that lay bare the sealed, forgive me my sins that whip off destruction, forgive me my sins that leave behind remorse, forgive me my sins that tear up my integrity, surround me with Your impregnable and invincible shield, and keep me safe from the evil of I beware in nights and days in the beginning of this year. O Allah, the Lord of the seven skies, the Lord of the seven (layers of) earth, all that is therein, and all that is between them, the Lord of the Great Throne, the Lord of the seven oft-repeated verses and the matchless Quran, the Lord of (Archangels) Seraph, Michael, and Gabriel, and the Lord of Muhammad, blessings of Allah be on him and on his Household, the Chief of the Messengers, the Seal of Prophet! I beseech You in Your name and in the name of that which You referred to Yourself! O Great! You are He who distributes bounties freely, repels all avoided things, gives all abundant things, doubles the recompense of good deeds with little and much recompense, and does what He wills. O Omnipotent! O Allah! O All-beneficent! Send blessings to Muhammad and his Household, surround me, during this year, with Your protection, let Your light beautify my face, let Your love draw me closest to You, and let Your pleasure to reach me as well as Your excellent generosity and Your weighty rewards. Give me from the good that You have and from the good You give to any one from among Your creation, and with that kind of Your protection, keep me safe. O He Who settles all complaints! O He Who witnesses all confidential talks! O He Who knows all hidden things! O He Who repels whatever misfortune He wishes! O He Who is oft-forgiving compassionate! O He Who overlooks excellently! Make me die following religion and nature of Abraham, the faith and traditions of Muhammad, with the best departure, make me die following Your friends, and antagonizing Your enemies. O Allah, keep me far off, during his year, from every deed, word, or act that takes me away from You, bring me near to every deed, word, or act that takes me near to You in this year. O most Merciful of all those who show mercy! Forbid me to do any deed, word, or act that I fear its result, and I fear Your wrath because of it; lest, You may turn Your Noble Face away from me. Then, I am restrained from obtaining my share of good fortune. O Compassionate! O Merciful! O Allah, keep me, throughout this year, under Your protection, in Your vicinity, and under Your care. Cover me with Your protective covering, and give me Your kindness. Strong is he who is in Your vicinity, glorious is Your praise, and there is no god but You. O Allah, make me follow the example of Your upright intimate servants, attach me to them, make me submissive to those who convey from You truthfully. I seek Your protection, O my God, lest I am encompassed by my sin, wrongdoing, immoderation towards myself, going after my whims, and being involved in my caprices; as a result, all that will prevent me from attained Your mercy and pleasure and I may be forsaken by You and exposed to Your wrath and chastisement. O Allah, please guide me successfully to every righteous deed due to which You be pleased with me and take me nearer to You. O Allah, just as You saved Your Prophet Muhammad—blessings of Allah be on him and his Household—from the terror of his enemies, removed his anxieties, dispersed his troubles, proved true the promise You made to him, and fulfilled Your word to him, so also, O Allah, keep me safe from the horror of this year as well as its epidemics, ailments, sedition, evils, sadnesses, and economic distress. In the name of Your mercy, make me attain perfect wellbeing through the perfection of the perpetuity of Your favors to me up to the end of my lifetime. I beseech You the beseeching of one who has made mistake and wronged, but then submitted and confessed. I beseech You to forgive those earlier sins which are counted by Your Preserving Angels and recorded by Your appointed Angels, to protect me, O Allah, against sinning in the rest of my lifetime up to my death. O Allah! O All-beneficent! O All-merciful! Send blessings to Muhammad and the Household of Muhammad, and give me whatever I have asked from You and whatever I have desirably wanted from You, for You have ordered me to pray You and You have promised of response. O most Merciful of all those who show mercy!