Prayers and Dhikr to Recite During the Three Months
As the blessed Three Months (Recep, Sha’ban, and Ramadan) approach, we can enrich our spiritual lives by reciting prayers and performing acts of worship during this special time. Here’s what you should keep in mind during the Three Months:
Duas to Recite in Recep Month
At the beginning of Recep month, our Prophet (peace be upon him) would recite the following prayer:
Arabic: Allahümme barik lenâ fi Recebe ve Şaban. Ve belliğna Ramazân.
Transliteration: “Allahummah barik lana fi Rajab wa Sha’ban. Wa ballighna Ramadan.”
Meaning: “O Lord! Bless us in Recep and Sha’ban. And let us reach Ramadan.” (Ibn Hanbel, I, 259)
With this prayer, we implore Allah to grant us a blessed passage through the months of Recep and Sha’ban and allow us to reach the month of Ramadan. It is also recommended to recite one hundred repetitions of the Tawhid (declaration of oneness of God) daily from the beginning of Recep until the end of Ramadan.
The Night Prayer for Regaib
Neither the Noble Qur’an nor the honorable hadith mention a specific prayer or form of worship specifically related to the Night of Regaib. However, some pious individuals recommend performing missed (qada) prayers to enliven this blessed night.
Mahmud Sami Ramazanoğlu in his work “Prayers and Dhikr” also recommends reciting the following prayer on the Night of Regaib:
- On the Thursday preceding Laylat al-Regaib, observe a fast, break it with a few bites in the evening, and after performing the obligatory (ada) prayers, perform twelve nafl (supererogatory) prayers with one greeting.
- In each rak’ah (unit of prayer), after reciting the Fatiha, recite Surah Kadir three times and Surah Ikhlas twelve times. Alternatively, you can recite Surah Kadir once and Surah Ikhlas three times.
- Upon completion of the prayer, seventy times: “O Allah, send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his companions.” should be recited.
- Then prostrate and while in prostration, recite seventy times: “Our Lord, the Lord of the Spirit and the noble angels, is free from all imperfections and pure from all deficiencies and exalted.”
- After raising your head from prostration and sitting, recite seventy times: “My Lord, forgive me, have mercy on me, pass me over all my known and unknown shortcomings, surely You are the Most Exalted and the Most Generous.”
- Prostrate again and while in prostration, recite seventy times: “Our Lord, the Lord of the Spirit and the noble angels, is free from all imperfections and pure from all deficiencies and exalted.”
- Finally, any worldly or hereafter needs can be requested from Allah – Glorified and Exalted.
The Night Prayer for Isra & Miraj
Neither the Noble Qur’an nor the honorable hadith mention a specific prayer related to the Night of Isra and Miraj. However, pious individuals recommend performing missed (qada) prayers to enliven this blessed night and offer other recommendations.
Mahmud Sami Ramazanoğlu in his work “Prayers and Dhikr” also recommends reciting the following prayer on the Night of Isra & Miraj:
- It is highly recommended to perform twelve nafl (supererogatory) prayers coinciding with the twenty-seventh night of Rajab, which is the blessed Night of Isra’ and Miraj.
- In each rak’ah, after reciting the Fatiha, recite another chapter of the Qur’an and give one greeting.
- Then recite the remembrance (dhikr) “I glorify Allah/I declare His perfection from all imperfections, praise be to Allah, there is no god but Allah, Allah is the Greatest” one hundred times.
- Seek forgiveness one hundred times and send blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) one hundred times.
It is also recommended to fast during the day.
How to Perform the Night of Bara’ah Prayer
In Mahmud Sami Ramazanoğlu’s work “Prayers and Dhikr,” it is recommended to recite three Yasin chapters and recite the following prayer after each Yasin:
“In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful…
O Allah, O Possessor of grace and generosity, and He to whom grace is not given, O Possessor of majesty and honor, O He who is abundant in favor and grace, there is no god but You, You are the Refuge of those who seek refuge, the Aman (security) of those who take shelter, and the One to whom those who fear turn for safety.
O Allah! If You have written me among Your wretched/unfortunate or deprived or rejected or with a meager provision in the Book of Decrees, O Allah, by Your favor and grace, erase my wretchedness, deprivation, rejection, and scarcity of provision, and write me among Your blessed/fortunate servants who are successful to good deeds and abundant provision in the Book of Decrees. Surely You have spoken the truth in the Book which is revealed upon the tongue of your Messenger, and Your word is the truth: “Allah removes [what He wills], and He confirms [what He wills]. And with Him is the Mother of the Book.” (Ar-Ra’d, 39)
O Divine! In the greatest manifestation of Yours, in the blessed half of Sha’ban where everything is decreed and decided, remove from us all calamities known to us, unknown to us, and those that You know. Surely You are the Most Exalted and the Most Generous. May Allah send blessings and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his companions!” (See Ali al-Muttaqi, no: 5090)
On the fifteenth night of Sha’ban, the Night of Bara’ah, three repetitions of Surah Yasin are recited after the evening prayer, and this Bara’ah prayer is recited after each one.
- When reciting the first Yasin chapter, it should be recited with the intention of being among Allah’s blessed servants.
- The second time, it should be recited with the intention of a long and virtuous life.
- The third time, it should be recited for safety from calamities and for a virtuous provision.
On the Night of Bara’ah, after midnight prayers, one hundred rak’ahs of prayer are performed, giving one greeting in between each two rak’ahs. In each rak’ah, after reciting the Fatiha, Surah Ikhlas is recited ten times. After completing the prayer, as much blessings upon the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) as possible are recited, sincere repentance and seeking forgiveness from Allah are made, and one requests and implores Allah for his worldly and hereafter needs.
Prayers and Other Acts of Worship to Perform on Laylat al-Qadr
Neither the Noble Qur’an nor the honorable hadith mention a specific prayer related to the Night of Power (Laylat al-Qadr). However, pious individuals recommend performing missed (qada) prayers to enliven this blessed night and offer other recommendations.
Our Prophet (peace be upon him) recommended reciting the following prayer on Laylat al-Qadr, which is more precious than a thousand months:
Transliteration: “Allahummah innaka afuwwun tuhibbül afve fa’fü anni.”
Meaning: “O Allah! You are the Most Forgiving and love forgiveness, so forgive me!” (Tirmidhi, Daawat 84. See also Ibn Majah, Dua 5)
Iftar Prayer
“O Allah! I fasted for Your pleasure, I believed, and I trusted in You. With Your provision, I break my fast.” (Compare Abu Dawud, Fasting, 22)