1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from Salih ibn al-Sindiy, from Ja‘far ibn Bashir al-Khazzaz from Ah ibn abu Hamzah from abu Basir who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘If the birth of a child for one of you is delayed, he should say this prayer, ‘O Lord, do not leave me all by myself- and You are the best heir- alone and frightened so that my thoughts about a child reduce my thanks (to You). Grant me truthful consequences (successors) of male (children) and female ones who comfort me in my apprehension and I can find tranquility with them in my loneliness and thank You upon completion of bounties, O Magnanimous, O Great and O giver of greatness. Thereafter grant me good health and the ability to thank You until You take me to the stage where You will be pleased with me in truthfulness of words, safe return of trust and keeping the promise.”’

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

2. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from Sayf ibn ‘Amirah from abu Bakr al- Hadramiy from al-Harith al-Nasriy who has said the following: “I once said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), that I belong to a family that is extinct and I do not have any children. He (the Imam) said, ‘Pray when you are in Sajdah (prostration), ‘[My Lord, grant me from Your dominion an heir who will inherit me]. O Lord, grant me fine offspring from Your dominion; You hear the prayers. O Lord, do not leave me alone and You are the best heir.’ He (the narrator) has said that I followed the instruction, then Ali and al-Husayn (my sons) were born.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

3. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from a man from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “Abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), has said, ‘One who wishes for pregnancy should perform two Rak’at Salat (prayer) after Friday Salat (prayer) with long Ruku’ (bowing down on one’s knees) and Sajdah (prostration): then say, “O Lord, I ask and appeal before You as Zakariya had done. O Lord, do not leave me alone by myself -You are the best heir. O Lord, grant me from Your dominion fine offspring; You hear the prayer. O Lord, by Your name I have made her lawful and in Your trust I have taken her. If You have determined a child in her womb make it a son, a blessed one, [a clean one] and do not allow Satan to have a share or portion in him.’””

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

4. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from Ibn Abi ‘Umayr from certain persons of his people who has said the following: “Once al-Abrash al-Kalbiy complained before abu Ja‘far (a.s.), and said that he did not have any child and asked him (the Imam) to teach him something. He (the Imam) said, say, ‘I ask forgiveness from Allah, my Lord and return to Him in repentance’ one hundred times every day and every night, because Allah says, ‘Ask forgiveness from your Lord; He is forgiving. ... He helps you by means of your wealth and sons.’” (71:10)

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

5. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-Sayyariy from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn abu Najran from Sulayman ibn Ja‘far from a Shaykh from al-Madinah from Zurarah who has said the following: “Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘Once I wanted to visit Hisham ibn ‘Abd al-Malik but permission for a meeting was delayed and I felt worried.’ He ‘Abd al-Malik had a guard who was wealthy but had no children. Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), asked him, ‘If you can arrange a meeting with Hisham I will teach you a prayer and you will have a child.’ The guard agreed and arranged a meeting between him (the Imam) and Hisham who complied with all that he (the Imam) asked. When the meeting was over the guard said, I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, the prayer that you had mentioned.’ He (the Imam) said, ’Everyday in the morning and evening, say seventy times, Tasbih (Allah is free of all defects).’ Then say, I ask forgiveness from Allah, my Lord and return to Him in repentance’ ten times then Tasbih (Allah is free of all defects) nine times and finish the tenth with, I ask forgiveness from Allah, my Lord and return to Him in repentance.’ Then say the words of Allah, most Majestic, most Glorious, ‘Ask forgiveness from your Lord; He is forgiving. He sends you abundant rain from the sky. He helps you by means of your wealth and sons. He makes for you gardens and canals.’ (71:12) The guard followed the instruction and he was granted a great many children. He thereafter kept good relations with abu Ja’far (a.s.). Sulayman has said, ‘I also said those prayers and I had married the daughter of my uncle but there was a delay in the birth of a son for me from her. I taught her also the prayer; then a son was born to me and the woman believed that whenever she wanted she could become pregnant after saying the prayer. I taught to more than one person of banu Hashim who did not have children: then many children were born to them. All praise belongs to Allah.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

6. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Ya’qub ibn Yazid from Muhammad Shu’ayb from al-Nadr ibn Shu’ayb from Sa’id ibn Yasar who has said the following: “A man once said to abu ‘ Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘We wish to have a child but the birth of a child has not happened for us.’ He (the Imam) instructed him to say, ‘I ask forgiveness from Allah, my Lord and return to Him in repentance’ one hundred times just before it is dawn. If you forget; do its Qada’ (compensatory prayer for it ).’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

7. It is narrated from the narrator of the previous Hadith from certain persons of our people who has said the following: “Once, a man complained before abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), saying, ‘The birth of a child does not take place for us.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘When going to bed with your wife say, ‘O Lord, if You grant me a son I will name him Muhammad.’ He (the narrator) has said that he followed the instruction, then a son was born to him.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

8. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ali ibn al-Hakam from ’Isma’il ibn ‘Abd al-Khaliq from certain persons of our people from abu ‘Ubaydah who has said the following: “I was sixty years old and had no children. I went to perform al-Hajj then visited abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), and complained about not having any child. He (the Imam) asked, ‘Has any child ever been born to you?’ I replied, ‘No, it has not happened.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘When you go to Iraq marry a woman and it does not matter if she is not Sawa’. I then asked, ‘What is Sawa’?’ He (the Imam) said, ‘It is a woman who has certain degree of ugliness because such women give birth to more children and say this prayer. I hope Allah will grant you male and female children, ‘O Lord, do not leave me one, lonely and afraid, so that my thoughts reduce my thanking You. O Lord, (I appeal before You to) grant me comfort, truthful male successors and female ones in whom I can seek tranquility against fear, comfort against loneliness and thank You for completion of bounties. O Magnanimous, O Great , O the One who grants (favors), grant me with every successor goodness until You take me as far as You will be pleased with me in truthful words, safe return of trust and keeping the promise.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

9. Muhammad ibn Yahya has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from al-‘ Abbas ibn Ma’ruf from Ali ibn Mahziyar from Muhammad ibn Rashid who has said the following: “Hisham ibn Ibrahim narrated to me that he complained before abu al-Hassan (a.s.), about not having a child. He (the Imam) commanded him to raise his voice with Adhan in his house. He has said, ‘I followed the instruction: then Allah removed my shortcoming and my children became many.’ Muhammad ibn Rashid has said, ’I remained ill all the time as well as a group of my servants and family (wife), so I would remain alone at home without anyone to help. I heard it from Hisham, I then practiced it and Allah removed the illnesses from me and my family. All praise belongs to Allah.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

10. Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-‘Asemiy has narrated from Ali ibn al-Hassan al-Taymuliy from ‘Amr ibn ‘Uthman from abu Jamilah who has said the following: “Once, a man from Khurasan in al-Rabadhah said to abu ‘Abd Allah (a.s.), ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, I have not been granted any children.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘When you return to your country and then decide to go to bed with your wife then read, ‘When the companion of fish went away in anger he thought that We will not apply any measures against him. He then in the dark called, “I testify that no one other than You deserves worship. You are free of all defects. I have been of those who wrong themselves.” Read up to three verses, you will be granted a child by the will of Allah.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

11. A number of our people have narrated from Sahl ibn Ziyad from Musa ibn Ja‘far from ‘Amr ibn Sa‘id from Muhammad ibn ‘Umar [‘Amr] who has said the following: “I never had a child . I went to Makkah and did not have any children. A man met me and gave good news of the birth of a boy to me. I then went on and visited Ali ibn al-Husayn (a.s.). When I went before him (the Imam), he (the Imam) asked, ‘How are you and how is your son?’ I said, ‘I pray to Allah to keep my soul in service for your cause, I left home but I did not have a son. My neighbor met me and said, “A boy is born to you .’” He (the Imam) smiled and asked, ‘Have you given him a name?’ I replied, ‘No, I have not given him a name.’ He (the Imam) said, ‘Name him Ali; whenever a delay would take place in giving birth of any of my father’s girls he would ask her to keep her intention to name him Ali, then without much delay she would give birth to a boy.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.

12. Al-Husayn from Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla’ ibn Muhammad from al-Hassan ibn Ali from Aban ibn ‘Uthman from Hariz from Muhammad ibn Muslim who has said the following: “Abu Ja‘far (a.s.), has said, ‘When you want to have a son then at the time of your going to bed with your wife say, “O Lord, grant me a son, make him pious, without any deficiency or extra in his physical condition and make his consequences in goodness.’”

Translation: Muhammad Sarwar — attributed by Thaqalayn·The Arabic above is the original.