Rajab

The month of Rajab is one of the sacred months. Observing fasting in that month is a praiseworthy act that entails a great reward. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have encouraged his companions to observe fasting in the sacred months including the month of Rajab.

I’d like to stress the fact that observing voluntary fasting during the sacred months or Al-Ashhur Al-Hurum, including the month of Rajab, is recommended or mandub. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have instructed his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) to observe voluntary fasting in Al-Ashhur Al-Hurum.

He (peace and blessings be upon him) used to urge his Companions to fast three days of every month. Thus, fasting during the month of Rajab is recommended but there is no authentic hadith that indicates that fasting certain days of Rajab, for example the first day, entails a special reward.

There are some months as well as some places that have more worth in Almighty Allah’s sight than others. But the standing of a certain place or time in Islam is established only through authentic proofs. Hence, on quoting a certain hadith, one is to make sure of its authenticity so that no false hadiths are reported to have been said by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

Many of the hadiths reported about the worth and standing of Rajab are either weak or fabricated. However, we should remember that there are many important events in Islamic history that took place in the month of Rajab, such as the Night Journey and Ascension (Israa’ and Mi‘raj), the Battle of Tabuk, and the liberation of Al-Aqsa Mosque from the crusaders at the hands of Salah Ad-Din Al-Ayyubi. Muslims should recall these great victories and derive lessons from them.

The standing of Rajab is like the standing of the rest of the other sacred months. Allah Almighty says: “Lo! the number of the months with Allah is twelve months by Allah’s ordinance in the day that He created the heavens and the earth. Four of them are sacred: that is the right religion. So wrong not yourselves in them” (At-Tawbah: 36).

The names of these sacred months are mentioned in an authentic hadith said by the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) in the Farewell Pilgrimage. According to this hadith, the sacred months are four, three in succession—that is, Dhul-Qi‘dah, Dhul-Hijjah, and Muharram—and the fourth is Rajab, which comes between Jumada Thani and Sha‘ban.

Allah Almighty has ordered the Muslims not to wrong themselves (or others), especially in these sacred months. So no fighting between tribes was to be waged during these months, so that people would guarantee that the way to the Sacred House be safe. This is indicated by Almighty Allah’s saying in another verse: “Then, when the sacred months have passed, slay the idolaters wherever ye find them” (At-Tawbah: 5). Another manifestation of not wronging oneself in the sacred months is to avoid committing sins or wronging others.

Hence, doing good deeds, including fasting, in Rajab is generally praiseworthy like doing so in the rest of the sacred months. According to Ibn Hajar, there is no hadith, whether authentic or good, reported to the effect that observing fasting in Rajab entails a special reward.

It goes without saying that the obligatory fast is the one in Ramadan, but perpetual fasting all through Rajab and Sha‘ban and joining them with Ramadan is not recommended by some scholars. However, offering fast for some days in Rajab and Sha‘ban is recommended, and earns a great reward.

“Fasting in Ramadan is obligatory as well as offering fast for fulfilling a vow, or as an expiation. As for other types of fasting, they are merely recommended. Furthermore, the commendable fast is in the sacred months, of which Rajab is one, as well as in Sha`ban.

However, Ibn Hajar related that it is reprehensible to fast in Rajab carrying the intention of making it similar to Ramadan or thinking that it has a special merit pertaining to the month itself.

There are authentic hadith about the virtues of fasting in Sha‘ban. Al-Bukhari reported that ‘A’ishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said that the Prophet (peace and blessingsbe upon him) used to observe the most fast in Sha‘ban.

(Sheikh ‘Atiyyah Saqr is the former head of Al-Azhar Fatwa Committee)

It should be noted, first of all, that the exact date of Al-Israa’ and Al-Mi‘raj is not known. There is no evidence to support the saying that it happened on 27 Rajab. Even if 27 Rajab is the day of Al-Israa’ and Al-Mi‘raj, there is no way to say that we have to fast that day, since we cannot innovate fasting on our own without having evidence from the sources of Shari‘ah supporting it. However, if a person customarily fasts on Mondays and Thursdays and 27 Rajab falls on one of those two days, then there is nothing wrong in fasting on that day.

Among the prohibited types of fasting is any kind of fasting people initiate on their own without any Shari‘ah text or evidence. An example of this is the fasting on 27 Rajab thinking that it is the day that followed the night of Al-Israa’ and Al-Mi‘raj.

Some people would fast on that day as a token of gratitude and thankfulness to Allah for the blessing of Al-Israa’ and Al-Mi‘raj. It is really important for a Muslim to prove thankful in the remembrance of every event that brought blessings to the Muslim Ummah. These events are many indeed.

In his brilliant book Zaad Al-Ma‘aad, Imam Ibn Al-Qayyim wrote that Ibn Taymiyah. said, “It is not recorded that any Muslim attributed any merit or privilege to the night of Al-Israa’ and Al-Mi‘raj. None of the Companions ever did so. That is why we cannot tell when exactly Al-Israa’ and Al-Mi‘raj happened.” Ibn Al-Qayyim wrote, “There is no clear evidence of the exact month when it happened, or the exact date of it. There are, in fact, so many reports in this regard and none of then is decisive. There is no specific ritual pertaining to it.”

It is thus clear that there is no clear evidence that the night of Al-Israa’ and Al-Mi‘raj is 27 Rajab, despite of the common belief that it happened that day.

Muslims are urged to strive hard in getting close to Allah with all forms of acts of worship; they should take that as a top priority. However, they are instructed that whatever they do, they should not deviate from the teachings and principles set by the noble Prophet, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). He has set for us a shinning model that we should emulate in order to keep firm on the Right Path. Therefore it’s very important for a committed Muslim to make sure that his acts of worship have basis both in the Qur’an and the Sunnah of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).

“The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was keen on fasting in the month of Sha`ban more than he was in other months. ` The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to fast some days of every month. `Aishah (may Allah be pleased with her) said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sometimes would observe fasting continuously, to the extent that his Companions thought he’d never break fast, and in other times he would refrain from fasting to the extent that they thought he’d never fast again.

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) usually observed fasting on Monday and Thursday and three days of each month (the 13th, 14th and 15th).

The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) used to observe fasting in Sha‘ban more than he did in other months. This was a kind of self-preparation for the coming of Ramadan; that is, to act as some sort of girding oneself for Ramadan. But there are no textual evidence that there are specific days in Sha‘ban in which fasting is commendable. It is, by and large, impermissible for one to prefer certain days to observe voluntary fasting or certain nights to perform Night Prayers, lacking any juristic basis for that action. Religious acts are not left for man’s whims. Rather, they are subject to Divine legislation.