Salaam dear young friends, and heartiest congratulations to you all. Today is the start of the blessed month of Sha’ban, in which we have a string of dates to celebrate.
Hopefully, you are geared up to mark the auspicious occasions in this month, which ever since the victory of the Islamic Revolution, has been associated with important social events for inspiring the society to tread the dynamic paths blazed out for our guidance by Prophet Muhammad (SAWA) and his Blessed Household – the Infallible Imams of the Ahl al-Bayt.
Yes, dear youngsters. As we said, Sha’ban is a month of great merits. It is associated with Prophet Mohammad (SAWA), who used to fast throughout this month. He would say: “Sha’ban is my month, and whoever fasts a day of this month of mine will surely be admitted into paradise.”
The best supplication during this month is “isteghfar” or seeking forgiveness in the Divine Court. One should say 70 times every day “Astaghfirullaha, wa as’aluhut-tawbah”! (I plead to Allah for forgiveness and beseech Him to accept my repentance)!” Another recommended act for this month is “sadaqa” (charity), even if it be as little as half a date, so that God may make immune one’s body from the fire of hell. A highly recommended act is to offer a 2-raka’ah prayer on every Thursday of Sha’ban with recitation of “Surat al-Hamd” once, followed by “Surat at-Tawhid” 100 times in each raka’ah, and after salaam “Salawat” to be recited 100 times. It is said God Almighty fulfills all needs pertaining to the world and the Hereafter of those who perform this. It is also meritorious to fast on this day, and as per a hadith the heavens are adorned every Thursday of Sha’ban and the angels plead with God to forgive those who fast on it and to answer their supplications.
Now coming to the special occasions of this meritorious month, first and foremost we would be celebrating the birthday of Imam Husain (AS) on the Friday, the 3rd of Sha’ban. As the younger grandson and 3rd Infallible Heir of Prohet Muhammad (SAWA), the Immortal Martyr of Karbala needs no introduction. Every year, for two months we commemorate his epical tragedy that salvaged Islam and humanitarian values. As you know, in Iran, we mark his blessed birth anniversary as “Rouz-e Pasdaraan” or Day of the Islamic Revolution’s Guards Corps, in honour of the inspiration the IRGC continues to draw for the past 36 years from the heroic stand of Imam Husain (AS) against injustice and tyranny.
The next day, that is, Saturday Sha’ban 4 is the birth anniversary of the valiant Standard-Bearer of Karbala, Hazrat Abbas, who preferred to court death in acute thirst rather than sipping s drop from the waters of the River Euphrates, whose siege he had broken, since women and children in the besieged camp of Imam Husain (AS) were thirsty. We pay our tribute to Imam Husain’s loyal brother (born of a different mother), by marking the day as “Rouz-e Janbazaan” or Day of the Heroic War Veterans.
The 5th of Sha’ban happens to be the blessed birthday of the Survivor of the Tragedy of Karbala, Imam Zain al-Abedin (AS), who underwent imprisonment in order to liberate Islam from the shackles of Omayyad tyranny. The day is marked as “Rouz-e Azadagaan” or Day of the Freemen.
That is all for this week. Goodbye and God bless you until we meet again.