In the Name of Allah, Most Merciful
Praise is to Allah, the Lord of all Time and all Place. Prayers and Salutations to the Final Messenger sent by Allah, to show us the best way to worship Allah, to indicate to us the best times to worship Allah; and to point out the best places for all this. May Allah raise his status and join us in his company.
Introduction:
It has come to my attention that whenever there is mention of the month of Rajab, a group of Muslims become somewhat tense and uneasy. They quickly denounce any virtue to this month; and are prompt in stripping it of any worthiness. This kind of practice is quite strange, as with their practice they are distracting people from virtuous acts during virtuous times.
And instead of allowing Muslims to reap good reward from making use of great times; they become hurdles and obstacles in front of the Muslims in coming closer to Allah. I often refer to these kinds of people as highwaymen, as they rob people of the opportunities of getting closer to Allah.
From this basis, I sought to compile a few words which indicate the virtue of this great sacred month: Rajab. (Actually, I compiled this nearly 14 years ago, but still relevant).
Having said this, I do submit that there are many weak and fabricated aḥādīth going around in relation to this month; but one shouldn’t reject everything wholesale; resulting in “throwing out the baby with the bath water.”
I ask Allah for guidance always; and I hope He makes us of those who guide others to Him; and not those who make it their task to deter people from reaching Him.
And Allah knows best.
What is Rajab?
Rajab is the seventh month in the Hijrī (lunar) Calendar. It is a special month; as it is one of the Sacred months. Linguistically, it means to magnify. And it has this name as it is a month which is (was) magnified.
Abu Bakrah (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates that the Prophet (ṣalla Allahu ʿalayhi wa sallam) delivered a sermon on the farewell pilgrimage (hajj); in which he said, “Time has revolved back to its (original) state on the day Allah created the Heavens and the Earth: The year is made of twelve months; of them are four sacred months: Three consecutive: Dhul Qiʿdah, Dhul Ḥijjah and Muḥarram; and Rajab Muḍar which is between Jumāda and Shaʿbān.”[1]
The saying of the Prophet (ṣalla Allahu ʿalayhi wa sallam) is the explanation of the Words of Allah the Almighty who said, “The Number of months with Allah is twelve months, preserved in the Book of Allah, the day He created the Heavens and the Earth. Of them are four sacred. This is the Upright Religion, so wrong not yourselves in them.” [2]
The Scholars differ about which is the best of the sacred months; and some assert that Rajab is the best of the sacred months.[3]
The Scholars also differed about the reason behind these months being declared sacred. Some said that it is due to their greatness; and to the graveness of the sin committed in it.
It has been narrated that Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Allah has specified the four months and made them sacred; and made the limits in them great; and He made the sin in it greater; and made the good deeds and reward in them greater.” [4]
Kaʿab (may Allah be pleased with him) said, “Allah has chosen certain times; and the most beloved of time to Him are the sacred months.” [5]
It has been suggested that the reason that Allah made them sacred is to prohibit fighting in them; and this was something known in the pre-Islamic era. And this was such to allow the Arabs to perform Hajj and ʿUmrah, safely without fear of being attacked. So, Dhul Hijjah is the month of Hajj; and the month before it and that after it to allow people time for travelling to and back from Makkah. And as for Rajab, which stands alone, it is to enable those close to Makkah to do Umrah.
When Islam was revealed with the advent of Muhammad (ṣalla Allahu ʿalayhi wa sallam), the rules pertaining to the sanctuary of these four months remained.
As Allah, Glorified be He, said: “They ask you about the Sacred Month, can there be fighting in it? Say: ‘Fighting in it is a major sin’.” [6]
And whether this rule was abrogated or not remains an issue of dispute amongst the people of knowledge.
The point worth noting is that in the pre-Islamic times, Rajab was a month in which ʿUmrah was performed by those close to Makkah; and that was the reason it was a sacred month, as some ascertain.
Slaughtering in Rajab:
Of the actions that were carried out pre-Islamic era was the specific slaughtering in Rajab; which they named ʿAtīrah’. The scholars actually differ about its ruling. Some are of the opinion that Islam negated it. Others, like ibn Sīrīn and the scholars of Baṣrah say that it is recommended. Both parties have evidence which they build their deduction on. The fact that there is a group of scholars as great as Ibn Sīrīn who concluded its recommendation based on hadith indicates that there is room for such a practice.
And without going into detail of the different evidence in this matter; this itself gives weight to the fact that Rajab had a special place amongst a group of scholars, like those from al-Baṣrah.
The Fasting in the Month of Rajab:
Firstly: we have to understand that fasting in any of the sacred months is highly virtuous due to the generalisation of aḥādīth in this matter.
The Prophet (ṣalla Allahu ʿalayhi wa sallam) said, “The best fasting after Ramaḍān is the fasting of Allah’s sacred month.” [7]
Whilst some scholars may say this refers to Muḥarram (1st month in the Hijri calendar); others would argue that it refers to all the sacred months; and Rajab is one of them.
But, leaving that aside we have another hadith which is that the Prophet (ṣalla Allahu ʿalayhi wa sallam) said, “Fast from the sacred months, and leave.” Thrice. [8]
He said this to the Bāhilī man who used to fast daily; and as a result, wasn’t recognised by the Prophet (ṣalla Allahu ʿalayhi wa sallam) when he met him later on. He said “…and leave” to relieve the burden off him.
The Prophet (ṣalla Allahu ʿalayhi wa sallam) also said, “Fast of the sacred months.” [9]
Secondly: The virtue of Rajab was widely known to the Companions of the Prophet (ṣalla Allahu ʿalayhi wa sallam). This is demonstrated by the hadith of ʾUsāmah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him) who said: “I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! I don’t see you fasting in the other months like you fast in Shaʿbān?’
“He said, ‘It is a month between Rajab and Ramaḍān, which people are distracted from it’.” [10]
Hadith Master Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī said, “In this hadith, there is indication that in Rajab there is something similar to Ramaḍān; and that people are occupied in Rajab with the same that they are occupied with in Ramaḍān; yet they are distracted from doing the same in Shaʿbān. And that’s why he used to fast it. And in specifying it with fasting, is an indication of the virtue of Rajab; and that this was known and established with them [the Companions].” [11]
It was narrated that some people who were fasting Rajab were mentioned to the Prophet (ṣalla Allahu ʿalayhi wa sallam). So, he said, “Where are you from Shaʿbān?” [12]
This hadith indirectly points to the virtue of Rajab, as the Prophet (ṣalla Allahu ʿalayhi wa sallam) didn’t prevent them from Rajab; rather he affirmed their fasting in Rajab, but further brought their attention to Shaʿbān; as was narrated in the hadith of ʾUsāmah ibn Zayd (may Allah be pleased with him).
Thirdly: It was the actions of the righteous predecessors. Scholars like AbdUllah ibn ʿOmar, al-Ḥasan al-Baṣrī and Abu Isḥāq As-Subayʿī used to fast all of the sacred months. [13]
Sufyan al-Thawrī said, “I love to fast in the sacred months.” [14]
Fourthly: Although I mention it here, but it is clear that this evidence doesn’t stand up to scrutiny. Imam al-Bayhaqī narrates from Abu Qilābah that he said, “In al-Jannah, there is a palace for those who fast Rajab.” [15]
Al-Bayhaqī comments that Abu Qilābah is one of big followers; and something like this cannot be said without a chain of narration.
(I only mention this here as an addition; and I understand that this isn’t strong to use as evidence.)
The Umrah in Rajab:
It is narrated that ʿOmar ibn al-Khaṫṫāb and others preferred ʿUmrah in Rajab; like his son AbdUllah and ʿAishah (may Allah be pleased with them).[16]
Ibn Sīrīn further adds that the companions used to do it.[17]
The issue of ʿUmrah in Rajab was an issue well rooted in the practice of the Companions; such that Hadith Narrator Ibn Abi Shaybah compiled a chapter in his book titled: “The ʿUmrah of Rajab: who used to love it and perform it”.
In this chapter, he mentions that the following companions performed ʿUmrah in Rajab: ʿOmar ibn al-Khaṫṫāb, ʿOthmān ibn ʿAffān, AbdUllah ibn ʿOmar, al-ʾAswad and ʿĀʾishah (may Allah be pleased with them). And from the followers: al-Qāssim ibn Muhammad ibn Abi Bakr, and the students of AbdUllah ibn ʿOmar who would not substitute the ʿUmrah of Rajab for anything else.
Some of this is due to their belief that the Prophet (ṣalla Allahu ʿalayhi wa sallam) performed an ʿUmrah in Rajab; as reported by AbdUllah ibn ʿOmar. Yes, it is true that ʿĀʾishah refuted that claim saying that the Prophet (ṣalla Allahu ʿalayhi wa sallam) never performed such an ʿUmrah; and in front of AbdUllah; yet AbdUllah didn’t reject her refutation; but neither did he affirm it.
And Imam al-Nawawī and others support that the Prophet (ṣalla Allahu ʿalayhi wa sallam) did perform an ʿUmrah based on the fact that AbdUllah is affirming and Aishah is negating[18]. And the one affirming is in a stronger position, as he is narrating what he witnessed; whereas the one negating can only do so based on their knowledge; and it may be that she wasn’t there on that instance. [Which is similar to her stance on salah al-Ḍuḥa].
Conclusion
The month of Rajab is one of the four sacred months. These months are sacred as chosen by Allah the Almighty. The very fact that Allah has chosen these months is enough for a Muslim to give extra attention to these months in terms of one’s general worship and obedience.
We mentioned what Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) said: “Allah has specified the four months and made them sacred; and made the limits in them great; and He has made the sins in it greater; and made the good deeds and their reward in them greater.” [19]
And that is an invite to increase one’s good deeds in these months. And by “good deeds” it means all good deeds of ṣalāh, charity, dhikr, recitation, fasting, acts of kindness and so on.
This is further supported by the fact that the Prophet (ṣalla Allahu ʿalayhi wa sallam) emphasised the fasting of the sacred months; as we demonstrated before. The companions and followers understood this and they practised it as well. And this in itself is enough evidence.
Imam Ibn Ḥajar al-Haytamī said, “It is enough evidence to the virtue of fasting in Rajab what has been narrated of aḥādīth with indicate the general virtue of fasting in the sacred months.” [20]
As with regards to the ʿUmrah, we demonstrated that it was the opinion of Ibn ʿOmar that the Prophet (ṣalla Allahu ʿalayhi wa sallam) performed ʿUmrah in Rajab; even though ʿĀʾishah disputed this. And this is supported by two things:
- Rajab continues to be a sacred month in Islam; and fighting is prohibited in it (as is the opinion of some scholars); and the reasoning behind this is to allow those close to Makkah to do ʿUmrah without endangering themselves.
- Some of the companions and followers continued to do ʿUmrah in Rajab based on their witnessing of the Prophet (ṣalla Allahu ʿalayhi wa sallam) or their understanding of its virtue as a sacred month.
The opinion of Ibn ʿOmar has supporters of later scholars, based on principles of the religion.
Lastly; what beautiful words of Imam Abu Bakr Al-Warrāq who said, “The Month of Rajab is the month for sowing. The Month of Shaʿbān is the month of watering. The Month of Ramaḍān is the month of harvesting.”
And he said, “Rajab is like the wind; Shaʿbān is the clouds; and Ramaḍān is the Rain.”
And finally: Hadith Master Ibn Rajab al-Ḥanbalī (who shares his name with this month) narrates that others have said, “The year is a like a tree. The month of Rajab is when the leaves come out. In Shaʿbān the branches spread. In Ramaḍān the fruit ripens. And the believers are the ones who pick the fruit. It is incumbent on those who have darkened their pages with sins, to erase then with repentance in this month; and for those who have wasted their life dossing to make use of what remains of it.” [21]
And Allah knows best and He is the One who guides to what is sound.
Omer H. El-Hamdoon
Compiled on the Night of Jumu’ah 3rd Rajab 1433AH.
Revised on the Morning of Monday 2nd Rajab 1447AH
[1] Narrated by Imams al-Bukhārī and Muslim
[2] Holy Quran: The Chapter of Repentance 9:36.
[3] Laṫāif Al-Maʿārif by Ibn Rajab al-Ḥanbalī
[4] Shuʿab al-Īmān (The Branches of Īmān) by al-Bayhaqī
[5] Shuʿab al- Īmān (The Branches of Īmān) by al-Bayhaqī
[6] Holy Quran: The Chapter of The Cow 2:217
[7] Hadith: narrated by Muslim.
[8] Hadith: narrated by Abu Dāwūd.
[9] Hadith: narrated by Ibn Mājah.
[10] Hadith narrated by An-Nasāʾī.
[11] Tabyīn Al-ʿAjab by Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalaani.
[12] Hadith narrated by Abd al-Razzāq and Ibn Abi Shaybah.
[13] Laṫāif Al-Maʿārif by Ibn Rajab al-Ḥanbalī
[14] Laṫāif Al-Maʿārif by Ibn Rajab al-Ḥanbalī
[15] Laṫāif Al-Maʿārif by Ibn Rajab al-Ḥanbalī i
[16] Laṫāif Al-Maʿārif by Ibn Rajab al-Ḥanbalī
[17] Laṫāif Al-Maʿārif by Ibn Rajab al-Ḥanbalī
[18] “Iʾānatul al-Ṫalibīn” (The Aid for the seekers).
[19] Shuʿab al-Īmān (The Branches of Īmān) by Al-Bayhaqi.
[20] Al-Fatāwa al-Kubra al-Fiqhiya.
[21] Lataaif Al-Maa’rif by Ibn Rajab Al-Hanbali