Stick to Shari’ah in Rajab

The Sacred Months are Dhul-Qi’dah, Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab (as the 1st, the 7th, the 11th and the 12th months).The months are considered sacred because Allah (SWT) has (1) Declared that fighting is forbidden in them, unless initiated by the enemy; and (2) Transgression of the sacred limits during these months is worse than at […]

The Sacred Months are Dhul-Qi’dah, Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram and Rajab (as the 1st, the 7th, the 11th and the 12th months).
The months are considered sacred because Allah (SWT) has (1) Declared that fighting is forbidden in them, unless initiated by the enemy; and (2) Transgression of the sacred limits during these months is worse than at other times.
The Glorious Quran (At-Tawbah 9:36) says: “Verily, the number of months with Allah is 12 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.
 Prophet Muhammad (SAW) also tells us: “Time has come back to its original state, which it had when Allah created the heavens and the earth. The year is 12 months, of which four are sacred: three are in succession, namely, Dhul-Qi’dah, Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram, and (the fourth one) Rajab (of the tribe of) Mudar, which is between Jumada (Thani) and Sha’ban.” – Bukhari and Muslim)
He (SAW) is reported to have also said: “Rajab is the month of Allah, Sha`ban is my month, and Ramadan is the month of my Ummah.”
In Rajab, some say among others, that the Al Isra’ wal Mi’raj (the Night Journey and Ascension) that is the occasion that Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was taken from the Ka’aba in Makkah to Al-Aqsa mosque in Al-Quds (Jerusalem) and from there he (SAW) was taken through the heavens close to the throne of Allah (SWT) was recorded. That was the greatest ennoblement that Allah (SWT) has ever bestowed on any created being.
Some scholars though said the narration is in the level of weak (da`if), saying the great event might have happened in the month of Rabi` Al-Awwal.
However, the place of Rajab as the month of Allah (SWT) demands that we redouble  effort in upholding the Shari’ah and staying away from acts that negate it. Recall that in the course of the month, reward for acceptable acts are multiplied for the believer while commission of sin attracts graver punishment than in the other eight months. “Wrong not yourselves therein.” al-Tawbah 9:36.
Of course this is not to say that transgression is condoned sometimes and punished at other times.
Rajab has many other supposedly beneficial acts attributed to it such as, fasting its entire days which some people call ‘azumin tsofoffi’, special prayers on specified days,  among others. But scholars have said there is no authentic hadith to indicate that there is any special virtue in fasting all or part of the month or offering prayers specific to particular days of the month.
The Prophet (SAW) is however reported indicating that it is mustahab to fast during the sacred months (and Rajab is one of the months).
He (SAW) said: “Fast some days of the sacred months and not others.” Narrated by Abu Dawood; classed as da’if by al-Albani in Da’if Abi Dawood. The scholars further observe that even if this hadith were sahih, it indicates that it is mustahab to fast during the sacred months. So if a person fasts during Rajab because of this, and he also fasts in the other Sacred Months, there is nothing wrong there. But singling out Rajab for fasting is not right.
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyah (AS) said in Majmoo’ al-Fatawa: “As for fasting in Rajab in particular, the hadith concerning that are all da’if (weak), and in fact maudu’ (fabricated). The scholars do not rely on any of them. They are not among the da’if hadith which have been narrated concerning virtues, rather most of them are fabricated and false.
In al-Musnad and elsewhere there is a hadith which says that the Prophet (SAW) enjoined fasting the sacred months, but this has to do with fasting during all of them, not just Rajab.
However, as Muslims, we know that in order to receive rewards of Allah (SWT), we must strive to be pure at heart and in deed; we must be repentant at all times. It has been narrated: “Seek much forgiveness from Allah in Rajab because in every hour (of the month) Allah frees people from the Fire.” – al-Daylami.
And with about three weeks left of the sacred month of Rajab we should stick to the dictates of the shari’ah in the day-to-day activities of our lives and strive to sustain same even beyond – all year round – .