This is a prayer that should be recited during the sighting of the new moon at the beginning of the Islamic month of Ramadan.
When your eyes fall on the new moon, you must not point to it; rather you should turn yourself towards the kiblah, raise both your hands towards the sky, and address the new moon with the following words:
رَبّي وَرَبّكَ اللّهُ رَبّ العَالَمِينَ.
Your and my Lord is Allah; the Lord of the worlds.
اللّهُمّ أَهِلّهُ عَلَيْنَا بِالأَمْنِ وَالإيمَانِ
O Allah: (please do) cause this crescent to carry with it for us security and faith
وَالسّلامَةِ وَالإسْلامِ
And safety and Islam
وَالمُسَارَعَةِ إلَى مَا تُحِبّ وَتَرْضَى.
And expedition to whatever You love and please.
اللّهُمّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِي شَهْرِنَا هذَا،
O Allah: (please do) bless us in this month,
وَارْزُقْنَا خَيْرَهُ وَعَوْنَهُ،
And confer upon us with its goodness and aid,
وَاصْرِفْ عَنَّا ضُرّهُ وَشَرّهُ وَبَلاءَهُ وَفِتْنَتَهُ.
And save us from its harm, evil, ordeals, and sedition.
It has been narrated that when the Holy Prophet (a.s) would see the new moon of Ramadhan, he would turn his face to the kiblah direction and say the following:
اللّهُمّ أَهِلّهُ عَلَيْنَا بِالأَمْنِ وَالإيمَانِ
O Allah: (please do) cause this crescent to carry with it for us security and faith
وَالسّلامَةِ وَالإسْلامِ
And safety and Islam
وَالعَافِيَةِ المُجَلّلَةِ وَدِفَاعِ الأَسْقَامِ
And encompassing good health and repulsion of ailments,
وَالعَوْنِ عَلَى الصّلاةِ وَالصّيَامِ وَالقِيَامِ
And assistance on praying, observing fasting, and doing acts of worship,
وَتِلاوَةِ القُرْآنِ.
And on reciting the Qur'an.
اللّهُمّ سَلّمْنَا لِشَهْرِ رَمَضَانَ،
O Allah: (please do) keep us sound for the month of Ramadan,
وَتَسَلّمْهُ مِنَّا،
And accept our deeds during it,
وَسَلّمْنَا فِيهِ
And save us during it,
حَتَّى يَنْقَضِيَ عَنَّا شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ
Until the month of Ramadan will not elapse
وَقَدْ عَفَوْتَ عَنَّا وَغَفَرْتَ لَنَا وَرَحِمْتَنَا.
Except that You have pardoned us, forgiven us, and had mercy upon us
Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s) is also reported to have said: When you see the new moon of Ramadhan, you may say the following:
اللّهُمّ قَدْ حَضَرَ شَهْرُ رَمَضَانَ
O Allah: the month of Ramadan has commenced,
وَقَدِ افْتَرضْتَ عَلَيْنَا صِيَامَهُ،
And You have made obligatory upon us to observe fasting during it,
وَأَنْزَلْتَ فِيهِ القُرْآنَ
And You revealed the Qur'an in it,
هُدَىً لِلنَّاسِ وَبَيّنَاتٍ مِنَ الهُدَى وَالفُرْقَانِ.
As guidance for people and clear proofs of true guidance and distinction (between the right and the wrong).
اللّهُمّ أَعِنَّا عَلَى صِيَامِهِ،
O Allah: (please) help us observe fasting in it,
وَتَقَبّلْهُ مِنَّا،
And accept it from us,
وَسَلّمْنَا فِيهِ،
And keep us safe during it,
وَسَلّمْنَا مِنْهُ،
And help us observe it adequately,
وَسَلّمْهُ لَنَا فِي يُسْرٍ مِنْكَ وَعَافِيَةٍ،
And keep it sound for us with easiness and good health from You.
إنّكَ عَلَى كُلّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ،
You verily have power over all things.
يَا رَحْمنُ يَا رَحِيمُ.
O the All-beneficent, O the All-merciful
