Rajab - one of the sacred months
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the World and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.
Rajab is the seventh month in the Islamic lunar calendar. This month is regarded as one of the sacred months (Al-Ashhur-al-hurum) in which battles were prohibited in the days of the Holy Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).
The Koran says, “Verily, the number of months with Allah is twelve months (in a year), so was it ordained by Allah on the Day when He created the heavens and the earth; of them four are Sacred (i.e. the 1st, the 7th, the 11th and the 12th months of the Islamic calendar). That is the right religion, so wrong not yourselves therein.” (Sura At-Tawbah, ayah 36).
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “The year is twelve months, of which four are sacred: three consecutive months, Dhu’l-Qa’dah, Dhu’l-Hijjah and Muharram, and Rajab.” (Narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim). As we look through the Koran and Sunnah (Prophetic tradition), we are taught to respect and honour what God and His Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) have honoured. These sacred months are a time for us to reflect on our lives, exert ourselves in extra worship and ask Almighty Allah the Almighty for His forgiveness.
Specifically, the Creator reminds us to guard our actions during the sacred months, “O you who have believed, do not violate the rites of Allah or [the sanctity of] the sacred month [...]” (Sura AlMa’idah, ayah 2).
The Almighty reminds us not once but twice to be careful of what we do during a sacred month: “[...] so do not wrong yourselves during them (i.e., the sacred months) [...]” (Sura At-Tawbah, ayah 36). These two ayat show us the importance of being a conscientious believer.
The only way we can make sure we do not wrong ourselves during the sacred months is to be conscious of our actions. Time and time again we forget or are lax in our duties to God. Almighty Allah has given us these sacred months to turn back to Him and to take account of ourselves.
The month of Rajab comes at an important time of the year for us.
The coming of this month means that we are close to yet another Ramadan, God willing. We can use this month with the intention to mentally and physically prepare for Ramadan. How can we honour the month of Rajab and use it as a preparation for Ramadan? Reflect on your life and deeds. Take some alone time and ask yourself the hard questions we normally do not like to think about: If I died today, where would I stand with God? Have I prepared for Ramadan? Have I been conscious of what I am saying and doing to those around me? Am I stagnant in my worship?
Deprive your Nafs (lower self)
Eat a simple meal for a few days instead of an expensive or huge meal. Wake up early and go for a walk. Pray extra prayers. Go to the mosque for fajr if you normally do not do so. Exert yourself and do something to “teach your nafs a lesson.” Know that Rajab is a virtuous month in which worship is gloriously rewarded – especially fasting and seeking repentance (istighfar).
On the 27th night of Rajab, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was taken on the Isra wa Mi’raj (The Night Journey and Ascension to the Heavens). This was a great and glorious night, as is known to most Muslims, in which the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) met his Lord and was given the commandment to perform the 5 daily prayers.
Rajab is God’s month in which He pours His Mercy upon the penitent and He accepts the actions that people have done for His sake. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, “Rajab is the month of God, and Sha’aban is my month, and Ramadan is the month of my Ummah.” (Narrated by Imam AlSuyuti in Al-Jami).
Imam Nawawi says, “It would appear that the meaning inferred by Sa’eed ibn Jubayr from Ibn ‘Abbas's report is that fasting in Rajab is neither forbidden nor considered praiseworthy in itself, rather, the ruling concerning it is the same as the rest of the months.
Neither prohibition not praiseworthiness has been established for the month of Rajab in itself, however, the principle concerning fasting is that it is praiseworthy in itself, and in the Sunan of Abu Dawud the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) has made the fasting of the sacred months praiseworth, and Rajab is one of them. And Allah knows best.”
Source: Islam.ru.en
