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Islamic Months

The Month of Rajab

When the moon of Rajab (seventh month of the Islamic calendar) was sighted, the Messenger of Allah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) used to read the following du’a (prayer):

Allaahumma baarik lanaa fi rajaba wa sha’baana wa ballighnaa ramadhaan.

Oh Allah! Grant us blessings in the months of Rajab and Sha’baan and take us forth to Ramadhaan.

This du’a should be recited regularly in the months of Rajab and Sha’baan. In order to enter Ramadaan in the best possible manner, one has to prepare himself in the months of Rajab and Sha’baan. It has been said that Rajab is the month to sow the seeds of good actions, Sha’baan is the month in which we should water those seeds and Ramadaan is the month in which we reap the harvest. When Sa’eed bin Jubair was asked about fasting during Rajab he said that Ibn Abbaas (radiyallaahu’anhu) told that the Messenger of Allah (Sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam) used to fast to such an extent that they thought that he would never break his fast and then he would go without fasting to such an extent that they thought he would never fast. [Sunan Abu Dawud]

[The following compiled from Khutubât-ul-Ahkâm of Maulânâ Ashraf ‘Ali Thânwi and the collections of hadeeth]

    All praise is due to Allah, Who carried His servant by night from the inviolable place of worship (Masjid-il-Harâm, Makkah) to the far-distant place of worship (Masjid-il-Aqsâ, Jerusalem) and from there to the highest of skies. The month of Rajab has begun and upon its arrival, the Holy Prophet would make the supplication (du’a) listed at the top of this page.

There are a number of narrations concerning fasting on particular days of this month. Of those ahâdeeth whose chains of narrators reach the Prophet none are sound, most being weak and some even fabricated. Further, it has been narrated on the authority of Kharashah that, “I saw ‘Umar ibn al-Khattâb hitting the palms of the people for fasting in Rajab, until they left it by eating.” Thirdly, in a mawqoof narration (i.e. a tradition not established directly as a statement of the Prophet but confirmed to be that of one of his companions), Abu Hurairah reports, “Whoever fasts the 27th day of Rajab, Allah will write the reward of 60 months for him.” This is a brief summary and example of what has been related and established by the Sunnah.

    The Mi’râj (the Prophet Muhammad’s Ascension to Heaven) took place on the 27th of this month and, as mentioned above, there are some traditions regarding fasting on this day. However, none of these have a strong chain of narration and for this reason it is better not to keep fast on that day. Of course, if one does so, not with the intention that it is prescribed by the Sunnah, but that at least it will simply be a Nafl, then there is no harm in it.

    Often on the 27th night of Rajab, functions are arranged in which the episode of Mi’râj is told. These practices are undertaken by both the general public as well as scholars who are uninformed of this issue. The ruling of this is similar to that of the ruling related to the blessed birth of the Holy Prophet [i.e. though not impermissible in itself, to consider it as an integral part of the religion will be an innovation; and in the case of engagement in manifest wrong practices in such functions, the scholars have passed clear verdicts of impermissibility].