“Time has completed its cycle and is as it was on the Day when Allaah created the heavens and the earth. The year is twelve months, of which four are sacred, three consecutive months – Dhool-Qa’dah, Dhool-Hijjah and Muharram – and the Rajab of Mudar which comes between Jumaada and Sha’baan” The Prophet said – solla Allahu alayhi wa sallam.
And this hadeeth is in explanation to the verse 36 of Taobah:
[Surely the number of months with Allah is twelve months in Allah’s ordinance since the day when He created the heavens and the earth, of these four being sacred;….]
It was called Rajab of Mudar because the tribe of Mudar did not tamper with its timing, they respected it so much, so it was attributed to them. Unlike the rest of the Arabs, who used to tamper with the months and change their order depending on whether they were in a state of war or not (verse 37 of Taobah).
These months are calculated according to the movements of the moon, not the movements of the sun.
One aspect of Allah’s choosing and preferring is the fact that He has chosen some days and months and given them preference over others. Among the months, Allaah has chosen four which He has made sacred. The present month of Rajab is one of them.
Which means we are to pay attention to the sanctity of these four months, because Allaah has singled them out for a special status and has forbidden us to commit sins out of respect for their sanctity, for sins committed at this time are even worse, because of the sanctity of the time which Allaah has made sacred. And this will also help our spiritual growth coupled with Ramadhaan.
The Prophet sent a detachment of seven men on expedition (another narration says eight men) under the command of Abdullah bn Jahsh, consisting of Ammar bn Yaasir, Utbah bn Rabee’ah, Sa’d bn Waqaas, Utbah bn Ghazwaan, Suhayl, Aamir bn Fuhairah and Waaqid bn Abdillah(radiya Allahu anhum). They were sent to raid Nakhlah(between Makkah and Taa’if) to gather information on what the Quraysh(the enemy) were doing.
While on the journey, they encountered some kuffaar – Hakam bn Kaysaan, Abdullah bn Mugheerah, Mugheerah bn Uthmaan, Amr Al-Hadramiy, some arguments occurred which led to fight, they took Hakam and Abdullah as captives, while Al-Hadramiy was killed by Waaqid.
This incidence happened 30th of the month of Rajab, while the sahaabah thought they were in Sha’baan already.
When they returned to the Prophet, he was angry and said: “I did not order you to fight in the sacred month” The sahaabah felt guilty and sad.
The Quraish started the noise “Muhammad and his companions have violated the sacred month, shed blood there in, taken booty and captured men, he is lieing being on the same religion with his fore-father Ibraheem”
This is said by reliable Islamic historians to be the reason behind the revelation of verse 217 of Al Baqarah: [They ask you concerning the sacred month about fighting in it. Say: fighting in it is a grave matter…..]
It is not permissible to initiate fighting during the sacred months unless the enemy attacks the Muslim lands, it is obligatory for the inhabitants to defend themselves, whether that happens during a sacred month or not.
FASTING IN THE MONTH OF RAJAB
No clear-cut hadeeth may be used as evidence concerning fasting this month or fasting in any specific part of it, or observing Qiyaam al-Layl specifically during this month.
While the fact remains that there have been quranic verses and narrations denoting on the sacred of this month, all forms of good deeds are encouraged there in as sins there in should be distanced from. Fasting that is prescribed in Rajab is the same as that prescribed in other months, namely fasting on Mondays and Thursdays, and the three days of al-Beed, fasting alternate days.
Those who wish to offer private tahajjud or make dua/dhikr on these days should not be discouraged from doing so because they are all good deeds we need to increase in.
However, those who exaggerate beyond this and think that these days are more blessed than Ramadhaan, they fast all the 30 of Rajab – should be (gently) corrected.
And those who believe that weak ahadeeth should not be followed and that it is an innovation to do anything extra at any time should act upon that, even while understanding that their position is a minority one, and that the vast majority of the scholars of our religion had an alternative view.
SACRIFICE DURING RAJAB (A’teerah):
During the Jaahiliyyah, the Arabs used to slaughter a sacrifice during Rajab as an act of worship towards their idols. They call it Ateerah.
With the advent of Islam, teaching that sacrifices were to be offered only to Allaah, this deed of the Jaahiliyyah was abolished. The fuqahaa’u differed as to the rulings on offering sacrifices during Rajab.
While many of the Hanafis, Maalikis and Hanbalis stated that the sacrifice of al-‘Ateerah was abrogated(Mansuukh). With the hadeeth: “There is no Fir’ and no ‘Ateerah” being their evidence.
The Shaafi’iyyah said that al-‘Ateerah had not been abrogated, and they regarded it as mustahabb (recommended act). This was the view of the taabi’ Ibn Siireen and some other taabi’een.
Ibn Hajar Asqalaani however said: this stance is supported by the hadeeth recorded by Abu Dawood, al-Nisaa’i, and Ibn Maajah, and classed as saheeh by al-Haakim and many scholars from Nubayshah, who said:
“A man called out to the Messenger of Allaah salla Allahu alayhi wa sallam: We used to offer the sacrifice of al-‘Ateerah during the Jaahiliyyah in the month of Rajab. What do you command us to do? The Prophet said: Offer sacrifices, no matter which month is it…”
Ibn Hajar said: the Prophet did not abolish it in principle, but he abolished the idea of making this sacrifice especially in Rajab.
THE PRAYER “Allahumma Baarik Lana fii Rajab wa Sha’baan wa ballighnaa Ramadhaan”
There are arguments surrounding the authenticity of this dua in which going deeper into the arguments will not benefit us much. It was said to be a weak narration because of its chain of transmission but no scholar ever said the context(meaning) of the hadeeth is bad.
The prayer means: “Oh Allah bless us in Rajab and sha’baan and make us reach Ramadhaan”. This is a good prayer and favor to asked Allah for and since the meaning changes nothing in the fundamental of the religion, the prayer remains valid and should be said.
Many weak ahadeeth have been accepted by scholars if its meaning is good and does not contradict any fundamental of the religion. Scholars and especially Ibn Taemiyah would say:
“معناه صحيح لكن لا يعرف له إسناد ثابت”
“It’s meaning is correct but we do not know a sound chain of transmission with it”
An example is also the hadeeth “whoever is not grateful to mankind cannot be grateful to Allah” and etc.
May Allah grant us all goodness in Rajab, strengthen us in Sha’baan and make us reach Ramadhaan and beyond.