These month-by-month Qur’anic recitations, supplications and simple rituals—practiced with sincerity—are traditionally recommended to bring spiritual calm to the mother and blessing to the unborn child.
Pregnancy is a special period for every woman. It is a sensitive time because, in addition to the mother herself, a fetus is present in her womb that is connected to the mother’s emotions and even her nutrition. Reciting prayers, sūras, and performing religious deeds during pregnancy provides the mother with spiritual and physical calm and can influence the fetus. For this reason, reciting sūras and religious acts in pregnancy is advised.
Each day send 17 salawāt (blessings on the Prophet and his family) — with the intention for the 14 Infallibles, the prophets and saints, martyrs and the righteous, the truthful, and the near angels.
Recite the istighfār (request for forgiveness) 70 times daily.
Recite “Lā ilāha illā Allāh” 100 times every day.
Recite Sūrat al-Wāqiʿah every night.
Give charity each day.
Read Sūrat al-Qadr and Sūrat al-Tawḥīd frequently.
Recitation of Sūrat al-Mu’minūn is recommended.
In the ʿAṣr prayers, recite the sūras Zilzāl, ʿAṣr and ʿĀdiyāt.
On Thursdays recite Sūrat al-Ḥajj and on Fridays Sūrat Fāṭir.
Be in a state of wudūʾ (ablution) whenever possible, especially at mealtimes.
Recite the forty-day Ziyārat Ashūrāʼ with one hundred salutations and one hundred curses and the Duʿā al-ʿAqīmah.
Recite the Tasbīḥāt of Lady Fāṭimah (peace be upon her) after every prayer and at night before sleep.
Play Qur’ān recordings daily and recite Qur’ān regularly — this is believed to help the child become a memoriser of the Qur’an.
Perform a complete khatm (full reading) of the Qur’an.
Recite the forty-day Ziyārat Jamāʿah.
Recite forty days of Ziyārat Āl Yā-Sīn and its following supplication.
Recite forty days of the Friday supplication (Duʿā Nudbah).
Recite the forty Thursday-night Duʿā Kumayl.
Recite forty Friday ʿAṣr Duʿā al-Samāt.
Recite the Duʿā al-ʿAhd forty times after morning prayer.
Recite the Hadith al-Kisāʼ forty times and send salutations to Imam al-Mahdī (a).
First month: Each day, over two dates (two pieces of dried date fruit) read Sūrat al-Qadr and eat them on an empty stomach. On Thursdays and Fridays recite Sūrat Yā-Sīn and Sūrat al-Ṣāffāt and blow lightly toward the belly. Eat a small amount of sweet apple in the mornings. On Fridays before breakfast eat pomegranate, and before sunrise take a small amount of the soil (turbat) of Sayyid al-Shuhadāʼ (if available). Perform the daily prayers at their prescribed times, and before each prayer say the adhān and iqāmah, placing the hand on the belly when saying adhān/iqāmah.
Second month: Each day over two jujube fruits (junaib) recite Sūrat al-Tawḥīd and eat them on an empty stomach. On Thursdays and Fridays recite Sūrat al-Mulk. On Thursday recite salawāt 140 times and on Friday 100 times adding “wa ʿajjal farajahum” (and hasten their relief). Place the hand on the belly and recite the Salawāt al-Kabīr (a lengthy blessing formula). Each week eat some meat with a little milk and sweet apple.
Third month: Each day over one apple recite Ayat al-Kursī and eat it on an empty stomach; also eat a small amount of frankincense (kandūr) the size of a lentil on an empty stomach. On Thursdays and Fridays recite Sūrat Āl ʿImrān. Recite salawāt 140 times with “wa ʿajjal farajahum”. Before prayer place the hand on the belly and recite Salawāt al-Kabīr. Each week eat some wheat, meat and milk, and take a little honey in the mornings.
Fourth month: Take frankincense the size of a lentil on an empty stomach. Each day over two figs recite Sūrat Ṭīn and eat them on an empty stomach. Over a red apple recite Sūrat Yūsuf and eat it. On Thursdays and Fridays recite Sūrat al-Dahr. In every prayer, recite Sūrat al-Qadr in one rakaʿah. After prayer place the hand on the belly and recite Sūrat al-Qadr, Sūrat al-Kawthar and Salawāt al-Kabīr, then say: Rabbana hab lanā min azwājinā wa dhurriyyātinā qurrat aʿyunin wa ijʿalnā lil muttaqīn imāmā. Say “Astaghfirullāh wa atūbu ilayh” seven times. After prayers send 140 salawāt each day. Eat sweet apple, honey and pomegranate.
Fifth month: Each day over one egg recite Sūrat al-Fātiḥah and eat it on an empty stomach. On Thursdays and Fridays recite Sūrat al-Fath. In one rakʿah recite Sūrat al-Naṣr and after prayer touch the soil of Karbalāʼ and wipe it over the belly. Each morning eat some dates. From the beginning of the fifth month during prayer put the hand on the belly and say adhān and iqāmah. Recitation of Sūrat Yūsuf and Sūrat al-Ḥijr is recommended this month.
Religious and spiritual practices during pregnancy are said to affect the body and spirit of the fetus.
Sixth month: Each day over one pomegranate recite Sūrat al-Fath and eat it on an empty stomach. On Thursdays and Fridays recite Sūrat al-Wāqiʿah. At night in one rakʿah recite Sūrat al-Walātīn. After each prayer touch the soil of Imam Ḥusayn and wipe it on the belly. After breakfast eat figs and olives; try to eat some bone marrow during the day or night and avoid eating suet (animal fat).
Seventh month: Each day over one apple or quince recite Sūrat Yā-Sīn and eat it on an empty stomach. From the seventh month onward, after morning prayer recite Sūrat al-Anʿām over almonds and then eat them; continue this for forty days. Do not forget to say adhān and iqāmah and the night prayer. On Mondays recite Sūrat al-Naḥl, on Thursdays and Fridays recite Sūrat Yā-Sīn and Sūrat Tabāraka, and throughout months seven, eight and nine recite Sūrat al-Nūr; in daily prayers recite Sūrat al-Qadr and Sūrat al-Tawḥīd. Send 140 salawāt daily. After every meal eat watermelon and do not drink water immediately before or after it. From the seventh month onward, recite five sūras starting with the tasbīḥ (sūras that begin with a tasbīḥ — e.g., al-Ḥadīd, al-Ḥashr, al-Ṣaff, al-Jumʿah, al-Taghābun).
Eighth month: Each day eat sesame and recite Sūrat Hal-Atā. In addition to the items listed for month seven, perform the following: on Saturdays after morning prayer recite Sūrat al-Qadr ten times; on Sundays after morning prayer recite Sūrat al-Walātīn twice; on Mondays recite Sūrat Yā-Sīn; on Tuesdays recite Sūrat al-Furqān; on Wednesdays recite Sūrat al-Dahr; on Thursdays recite Sūrat Muḥammad (s); and on Fridays recite Sūrat al-Ṣāffāt. Do not neglect eating sweet yogurt and honey. Each Friday on an empty stomach eat sweet pomegranate. If it does not cause harm, once a week take a small amount of vinegar. While eating kebab and saffron, recite Sūrat al-Naṣr and then eat.
Ninth month: Each day over some milk and dates recite Sūrat al-Dahr and drink/eat on an empty stomach. Recite Sūrat al-Mu’min daily. It is preferable for her diet to include kebab; avoid spices. Eat dates. For the health of Imam al-Mahdī (may God hasten his return) it is recommended to slaughter a sheep and eat from it. In the dhuhr or ʿaṣr prayer recite Sūrat al-ʿAṣr and Sūrat al-Dhāriyāt. On Thursdays recite Sūrat al-Ḥajj and on Fridays Sūrat Fāṭir. Walk a little every day. Reduce looking at pictures and mirrors. It is recommended each day to recite Sūrat al-Ḥadīd, al-Ḥashr, al-Ṣaff, al-Taghābun and al-Nūr.
Three times recite Sūrat al-Tawḥīd and offer it as a gift to Lady Fāṭimah so that childbirth will be easy.
During labor, recite Sūrat al-Inshiqāq and the invocation “Nād ʿAlī” — either the mother or, if she is unable, those around her should recite them.
After childbirth, the first thing the mother should eat is a date (rūṭb or kharmā).
