Shaykh al-Tusi says in Misbah al-Mutahajjid: Imam al-Husayn ibn `Ali (peace be upon him) was born on the third of Sha`ban. Abu’l-Qasim ibn `Ala’ al-Hamadani, the representative of Imam al-Hasan al-`Askari (peace be upon him), received a document telling that our master, Imam al-Husayn ibn `Ali (peace be upon him), was born on the third of Sha`ban; therefore, you should observe fast on this day and say the following:

اَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَسْأَلُكَ بِحَقِّ ٱلْمَوْلُودِ فِي هٰذَا ٱلْيَوْمِ

allahumma inni as'aluka bihaqqi almawludi fi hadha alyawmi

O Allah, I beseech You in the name of the one born on this day,

ٱلْمَوْعُودِ بِشَهَادَتِهِ قَبْلَ ٱسْتِهْلالِهِ وَوِلادَتِهِ

almaw`udi bishahadatihi qabla istihlalihi wa wiladatihi

the promised with martyrdom before the beginning of his lifetime and before his birth,

بَكَتْهُ ٱلسَّمَاءُ وَمَنْ فِيهَا

bakat-hu alssama'u wa man fiha

the heavens and all their inhabitants wept for him;

وَٱلأَرْضُ وَمَنْ عَلَيْهَا

wal-ardu wa man `alayha

and so did the earth and those living one it

وَلَمَّا يَطَأْ لابَتَيْهَا

wa lamma yata' labatayha

before his feet stepped on it,

قَتِيلِ ٱلْعَبْرَةِ

qatili al`abrati

the mourned slain one,

وَسَيِّدِ ٱلأُسْرَةِ

wa sayyidi al-usrati

the master of the Family (of Prophethood),

ٱلْمَمْدُودِ بِٱلنُّصْرَةِ يَوْمَ ٱلْكَرَّةِ

almamdudi bilnnusrati yawma alkarrati

the one who shall be backed with victory on the Day of Return,

ٱلْمُعَوِّضِ مِنْ قَتْلِهِ أَنَّ ٱلأَئِمَّةَ مِنْ نَسْلِهِ

almu`awwidi min qatlihi anna al-a'immata min naslihi

the one whom has been awarded the favor of the Imams’ being from his offspring as recompense of his being slain,

وَٱلشِّفَاءَ فِي تُرْبَتِهِ

walshshafa'a fi turbatihi

the one awarded the favor of the soil of his grave carrying cure,

وَٱلْفَوْزَ مَعَهُ فِي أَوْبَتِهِ

walfawza ma`ahu fi awbatihi

the one awarded the favor that he will be triumphing when he will be returned

وَٱلأَوْصِيَاءَ مِنْ عِتْرَتِهِ

wal-awsiya'a min `itratihi

and the Prophet’s Successors from his offspring will be returned

بَعْدَ قَائِمِهِمْ وَغَيْبَتِهِ

ba`da qa'imihim wa ghaybatihi

after the advent of their Rising Imam and after his occultation

حَتَّىٰ يُدْرِكُوٱ ٱلأَوْتَارَ

hatta yudriku al-awtara

so that they shall take revenge,

وَيَثْأَرُوٱ ٱلثَّارَ

wa yath'aru alththara

retaliate,

وَيُرْضُوٱ ٱلْجَبَّارَ

wa yurdu aljabbara

please the Omnipotent Lord,

وَيَكُونُوٱ خَيْرَ أَنْصَارٍ

wa yakunu khayra ansarin

and be the best supporters.

صَلَّىٰ ٱللَّهُ عَلَيْهِمْ مَعَ ٱخْتِلافِ ٱللَّيْلِ وَٱلنَّهَارِ

salla allahu `alayhim ma`a ikhtilafi allayli walnnahari

May Allah’s blessings be perpetually upon them whenever night and day succeed each other.

اَللَّهُمَّ فَبِحَقِّهِمْ إِلَيْكَ أَتَوَسَّلُ

allahumma fabihaqqihim ilayka atawassalu

O Allah, I thus beg You in the name of them

وَأَسْأَلُ سُؤَالَ مُقْتَرِفٍ مُعْتَرِفٍ

wa as'alu su'ala muqtarifin mu`tarifin

and implore You with the imploration of a sinful one who confesses of his sin,

مُسِيءٍ إِلَىٰ نَفْسِهِ

musi'in ila nafsihi

and who has done evil to himself

مِمَّا فَرَّطَ فِي يَوْمِهِ وَأَمْسِهِ

mimma farrata fi yawmihi wa amsihi

due to his violations—the past and the present.

يَسْأَلُكَ ٱلْعِصْمَةَ إِلَىٰ مَحَلِّ رَمْسِهِ

yas'aluka al`ismata ila mahalli ramsihi

He thus beseeches You for Your protection up to the place of his grave.

اَللَّهُمَّ فَصَلِّ عَلَىٰ مُحَمَّدٍ وَعِتْرَتِهِ

allahumma fasalli `ala muhammadin wa `itratihi

O Allah, (please) send blessings to Muhammad and his Offspring,

وَٱحْشُرْنَا فِي زُمْرَتِهِ

wahshurna fi zumratihi

include us with his group (on the Resurrection Day),

وَبَوِّئْنَا مَعَهُ دَارَ ٱلْكَرَامَةِ

wa bawwi'na ma`ahu dara alkaramati

and allow us to dwell in the House of Honor with him

وَمَحَلِّ ٱلإِقَامَةِ

wa mahalla al-iqamati

and in the abode of residence.

اَللَّهُمَّ وَكَمَا أَكْرَمْتَنَا بِمَعْرِفَتِهِ فَأَكْرِمْنَا بِزُلْفَتِهِ

allahumma wa kama akramtana bima`rifatihi fa-akrimna bizulfatihi

O Allah, as You have conferred upon us with the honor of our recognition of him, so (please) confer upon us with the honor of being near to him,

وَٱرْزُقْنَا مُرَافَقَتَهُ وَسَابِقَتَهُ

warzuqna murafaqatahu wa sabiqatahu

bestow upon us with the bliss of accompanying him and enjoying a close rank to him,

وَٱجْعَلْنَا مِمَّنْ يُسَلِّمُ لأَمْرِهِ

waj`alna mimman yusallimu li-amrihi

and include us with those who submit to him totally

وَيُكْثِرُ ٱلصَّلاةَ عَلَيْهِ عِنْدَ ذِكْرِهِ

wa yukthiru alssalata `alayhi `inda dhikrihi

and those who invoke Your blessings upon him whenever they mention him,

وَعَلَىٰ جَمِيعِ أَوْصِيَائِهِ وَأَهْلِ أَصْفِيَائِهِ

wa `ala jami`i awsiya'ihi wa ahli asfiya'ihi

and upon all his Successors and Selected Ones,

ٱلْمَمْدُودِينَ مِنْكَ بِٱلْعَدَدِ ٱلإِثْنَيْ عَشَرَ

almamdudina minka bil`adadi al-ithnay `ashara

whom are defined by You as twelve persons,

ٱلنُّجُومِ ٱلزُّهَرِ

alnnjumi alzzuhari

being the luminous stars,

وَٱلْحُجَجِ عَلَىٰ جَمِيعِ ٱلْبَشَرِ

walhujaji `ala jami`i albashari

and the Arguments against all humankind.

اَللَّهُمَّ وَهَبْ لَنَا فِي هٰذَا ٱلْيَوْمِ خَيْرَ مَوْهِبَةٍ

allahumma wa hab lana fi hadha alyawmi khayra mawhibatin

O Allah, and (please) grant us on this day the best of grants,

وَأَنْجِحْ لَنَا فِيهِ كُلِّ طَلِبَةٍ

wa anjih lana fihi kulla talibatin

make all our prayers on this day responded,

كَمَا وَهَبْتَ ٱلْحُسَيْنَ لِمُحَمَّدٍ جَدِّهِ

kama wahabta alhusayna limuhammadin jaddihi

just as You gifted al-Husayn to Muhammad, his grandfather,

وَعَاذَ فُطْرُسُ بِمَهْدِهِ

wa `adha futrusu bimahdihi

just as the angel Futrus sought refuge with his (i.e. al-Husayn) cradle,

فَنَحْنُ عَائِذُونَ بِقَبْرِهِ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ

fanahnu `a'idhuna biqabrihi min ba`dihi

we are thus seeking refuge with his tomb after him (i.e. his martyrdom),

نَشْهَدُ تُرْبَتَهُ وَنَنْتَظِرُ أَوْبَتَهُ

nashhadu turbatahu wa nantaziru awbatahu

as we are witnessing the soil of him and expecting his return.

آمِينَ رَبَّ ٱلْعَالَمِينَ

amina rabba al`alamina

Respond to us, O Lord of the worlds.

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After that, you may say Du`a' al-Husayn , which is the last prayer he said when his enemies surrounded him in large numbers on the Day of Ashura (the tenth of Muharram):
Ibn `Ayyash has reported al-Husayn ibn `Ali ibn Sufyan al-Bazufi as saying that he heard Imam Ja`far al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) saying this prayer on the third of Sha`ban, the birthday of Imam al-Husayn (peace be upon him).

اَللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ مُتَعَالِي ٱلْمَكَانِ

allahumma anta muta`ali almakani

O Allah, You are verily the Elevated in position,

عَظِيمُ ٱلْجَبَرُوتِ

`azimu aljabaruti

the Magnificent in omnipotence,

شَدِيدُ ٱلْمِحَالِ

shadidu almihali

the Mighty in prowess,

غَنِيٌّ عَنِ ٱلْخَلاَئِقِ

ghaniyyun `an alkhala'iqi

the Self-Sufficient from the creatures,

عَرِيضُ ٱلْكِبْرِيَاءِ

`aridu alkibriya'i

the Ample in pride,

قَادِرٌ عَلَىٰ مَا تَشَاءُ

qadirun `ala ma tasha'u

the Powerful over all that which You want,

قَرِيبُ ٱلرَّحْمَةِ

qaribu alrrahmati

the Close in mercy,

صَادِقُ ٱلْوَعْدِ

sadiqu alwa`di

the Truthful in promise,

سَابِغُ ٱلنِّعْمَةِ

sabighu alnni`mati

the Opulent in favors,

حَسَنُ ٱلْبَلاَءِ

hasanu albala'i

the Sympathetic in ordeals,

قَرِيبٌ إِذَا دُعِيتَ

qaribun idha du`ita

the Nigh when Your are prayed,

مُحِيطٌ بِمَا خَلَقْتَ

muhitun bima khalaqta

the All-encompassing of all that which You have created,

قَابِلُ ٱلتَّوْبَةِ لِمَنْ تَابَ إِلَيْكَ

qabilu alttawbati liman taba ilayka

the Accepter of the repentance of him who repents to You,

قَادِرٌ عَلَىٰ مَا أَرَدْتَ

qadirun `ala ma aradta

the Powerful to do whatever You want,

وَمُدْرِكٌ مَا طَلَبْتَ

wa mudrikun ma talabta

the Taker in all that which You decide,

وَشَكُورٌ إِذَا شُكِرْتَ

wa shakurun idha shukirta

the Thankful for those who thank You,

وَذَكُورٌ إِذَا ذُكِرْتَ

wa dhakurun idha dhukirta

and the Rememberer of those who mention You.

أَدْعُوكَ مُحْتَاجاً

ad`uka muhtajan

I pray You for I need You,

وَأَرْغَبُ إِلَيْكَ فَقِيراً

wa arghabu ilayka faqiran

I desire for You for I am in want of You,

وَأَفْزَعُ إِلَيْكَ خَائِفاً

wa afza`u ilayka kha'ifan

I resort to You for I am terrified,

وَأَبْكِي إِلَيْكَ مَكْرُوباً

wa abki ilayka makruban

I weep before You for I am distressed,

وَأَسْتَعِينُ بِكَ ضَعِيفاً

wa asta`inu bika da`ifan

I seek Your aid for I am weak,

وَأَتَوَكَّلُ عَلَيْكَ كَافِياً

wa atawakkalu `alayka kafiyan

and I depend upon You for I trust in none save You.

أُحْكُمْ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَ قَوْمِنَا بِٱلْحَقِّ

uhkum baynana wa bayna qawmina bilhaqqi

(Please do) decide between our people and us with the truth,

فَإِنَّهُمْ غَرُّونَا وَخَدَعُونَا

fa'innahum gharruna wa khada`una

for they have deceived us, cheated us,

وَخَذَلُونَا وَغَدَرُوٱ بِنَا وَقَتَلُونَا

wa khadhaluna wa ghadaru bina wa qataluna

disappointed us, betrayed us, and killed us.

وَنَحْنُ عِتْرَةُ نَبِيِّكَ

wa nahnu `itratu nabiyyika

We are the progeny of Your Prophet

وَوَلَدُ حَبِيبِكَ

wa waladu habibika

and the sons of Your beloved one;

مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِٱللَّهِ

muhammadi bni `abdillahi

namely, Muhammad the son of `Abdullah,

ٱلَّذِي ٱصْطَفَيْتَهُ بِٱلرِّسَالَةِ

alladhi istafaytahu bilrrisalati

whom You have chosen for the Divine Mission

وَٱئْتَمَنْتَهُ عَلَىٰ وَحْيِكَ

wa'tamantahu `ala wahyika

and for keeping Your Revelation.

فَٱجْعَلْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا فَرَجاً وَمَخْرَجاً

faj`al lana min amrina farajan wa makhrajan

So, (please) prepare a way out and a relief for us,

بِرَحْمَتِكَ يَا أَرْحَمَ ٱلرَّاحِمِينَ

birahmatika ya arhama alrrahimina

out of Your mercy, O most Merciful of all those who show mercy!