Prayers and Supplications

(Wise Sayings of Imam Khomeini)

o Prayers take men out of darkness and, once out of darkness they become

     men who work for God, take up sword in the path of God, kill and get

     killed for the sake of God and his uprising is also for God; prayers do not

deactivate men!

o At any rate, there are unprecedented subtleties in these holy prayers; heed

     them well; they can make men move.

o These prayers, especially those for the blessed months of Rajab and

     Sha'ban are preludes; they deck and dress one's heart in preparation for

     attending to a reception, God's Reception (i.e., the fasting month of

Ramadan).

o The Sha'baniyyah Prayer' is one of the greatest divine teachings and

      supplications, as well as one of the most important affairs, which is

      understood by the initiates, each according to his capacity to comprehend.

o The prayers that have come down in the holy months of Ramadan and

      Sha'ban are our guides toward the destiny.

o During the Night of Power2 the Muslims who keep vigil and say nocturnal

     prayers of supplications all night, save themselves from the bondage of

     things other than God””that is, the shayattn [evils] from among the jinn

and men””and come to the servitude of God.

o Those who criticize the prayer books do so out of ignorance; they are

     ignorant; they are desperate. They have no idea how these prayer books

     mold human being.

Sha 'bdniyyah: a litany that was recited by all the Imams, something true of no other prayer or invocation, during the month of Sha'ban. During his blessed life Imam Khomeini used to emphasize its importance.

2 Laylah al-Oadr. The Night of Power (or Decree), has a very special signiicance in the Muslim calendar because it is the anniversary of that night when the Qur'an was irst revealed to the Prophet Muhammad {s). This night has been described as 'beter than a thousand months' (Surah al-Qadr 97). and tradition holds that requests made to God during Lailah alOadr will be granted.

Source: 'Wise Sayings of Imam Khomeini" book 

Other Links:

Kolineh and Seyyed Sadeq offensive operation (2) (March 6th, 1981)  

Democracy in an Islamic Community   

The Concept and Principles of Democracy   

Roqabieh offensive operation (March 19th, 1980)     

Chaghalvand offensive operation (March 20th, 1980)