This is the seventh month in the Islamic calendar. The word Rajab is extracted from the root word Tarjeeb and the meaning of this word signifies respect. The early Arabs considered this as a month which belonged to the Almighty azza wa jall and used to respect it.

This is also referred to as something which is deaf and dumb, in other words, the sounds of armor were not heard in this month.

 

On the first day of this month, Nabi Nuh alaihis salaam boarded the Ark.

On the fourth of this month, the battle of Siffin took place.

On the 27th of this month, the incident of Meraj also took place.

This month is also referred to as Asab because there is so much of Divine Mercy which is revealed as if the Almighty azza wa jall capsizes His Divince Mercy on creation. The ibaadah and dua of many people are accepted on this night. It is said that even in the early days of ignorance, whenever someone wanted to curse his enemy, he used to wait for the month of Rajab to appear. Such was their confidence in this month. There are many Ahadith which prove the greatness of this blessed month.

(Ajaaibul Mukhluqaat. 45)

 

This is also one of those four months which have been considered sacred in the Holy Quran. We will present a few hadith shareef in this regard.

  1. The Holy Prophet peace be upon him has stated:

رَجَبُ شَھْرُ اللّٰہِ، شَعْبَانُ شَھْرِیْ، رَمَضَانُ شَھْرُ اُمَّتِیْ

“Rajab is the month of Allah azza wa jall and Shaban is my month and Ramadan is the month of my Ummah.”

(Ma thabata minnas Sunnah. 21)

 

  1. “Without doubt, the month of Rajab is a great month and the reward in this month is doubled. Whoever keeps a single fast in this month, it is like he has fasted the whole year.”

)Ma Thabata minnas Sunnah. 126)

 

  1. On this night, the Almighty azza wa jall also revealed and sent the Holy Prophet peace be upon him.

(Bahiqi shareef in the Shuhubul Imaan. Ma Thabata minas Sunnah. 127)

 

  1. The excellence of the month of Rajab is like the excellence of the Holy Prophet peace be upon him among the other Prophets. And the excellence of the month of Ramadan over the other months is like the Divine Status of Allah azza wa jall over everything else and over His servants.

(Ma Thabata min Sunnah. 128)

 

Fasting in this month

There is no doubt that there is immense reward for fasting in this month. The Holy Prophet peace be upon him has stated that, “The month of Rajab is a very great month and the Almighty azza wa jall doubles the reward in this month.”

 

“One who keeps one single fast in this month, it is as if he has kept fast the entire year. Whoever keeps fast for seven days in this month, for him the seven doors of Hell will be closed. He who keeps eight fasts in this month, the eight doors of Jannah will be opened for him. Whoever keeps ten fast in this month, whatever he asks the Almighty azza wa jall, it will be given to him. Whoever keeps fifteen fast in this month, a caller from the heavens calls out, ‘Your past sins have been pardoned and now, perform further deeds. Whoever keeps more fasts, the Almighty azza wa jall will grant him even more’.”

(Ma Thabata minas Sunnah. 126).

 

Incident

It is mentioned that one day, Nabi Esa alaihis salaam was walking past a mountain and he saw a Nur appearing from this mountain. He then pleaded in the Divine Court of Allah azza wa jall, “O Allah! please give me permission to speak to this mountain.”

As soon as he said this, the mountain spoke to him, “O Roohullah! What is it that you wish for?” He asked the mountain how is it that Nur was appearing from it. The mountain replied, “Inside me, there is a pious servant of Allah azza wa jall and it is through his barakah, that this Nur appears.” Nabi Esa alaihis salaam then asked the Almighty azza wa jall to present to him this pious person. The mountain suddenly burst into two and the person appeared who was very handsome and good looking. This person then revealed, “I am from the ummah of Nabi Moosa alaihis salaam. I had also made dua to Allah azza wa jall that he gives me such long life that I am able to be in the era of the Holy Prophet peace be upon him and so that I can also become his Ummati. I have been busy in ibaadah in this mountain for nearly six hundred years.”

 

When Nabi Esa alaihis salaam heard this, he asked, “O Allah! is there anyone else on this earth who is a greater person in devotion than him?” In response to this, the Almighty azza wa jall replied, “O Esa! A person in the ummah of Nabi Mohammed peace be upon him who keeps a single fast in the month of Rajab, that person is even more closer to me than this worshipper.”

(Nuzhatul Majaalis. 1/130)

 

Incident

It is mentioned that when Nabi Nuh alaihis salaam stepped on to the Ark in the month of Rajab, he was fasting and instructed the others with him to also keep fast. It is by the barakah of it that the Ark continued to travel for nearly six months. On the day of Ashurah, it stopped by a mountain. When they disembarked from this Ark, all of them kept fast as a mark of gratitude.”

(Ma thabata minas Sunnah. 126)

 

Incident

Once, there was a pious lady who lived in Basrah. Before she could pass away, she mentioned to her family that they should bury her with the same clothes in which she used to perform ibaadah in the month of Rajab. However, the children did not remember this and buried her with another set of clothing.

When they had buried her and returned home, they found that the clothes with which they had buried her with were still in the house. They were very surprised by this. Suddenly, they heard a voice saying, “Keep these clothes, we have already adorned her with the clothes which she had given instruction for. We do not wish to see this lady sad in her grave because she used to keep fast in the month of Rajab.”

(Nuzhatul Majaalis. 1/130)

 

The excellence of Laylatur Raghaa’ib

The first Thursday night in the month of Rajab is called Laylatul Raghaa’ib. There are some Ulama who consider the various Ahadith in this regard being weak, however, among some of the eminent Awliyah, they consider these Ahadith as being authentic.

 

After Maghrib salah, one is advised to read twelve rakah of Salah with six Salaam. In other words, two rakah each. In each rakah, after surah Fatiha, one should read Surah Qadr three times and surah Ikhlas twelve times. After this Salah, one should read the following Durood shareef seventy times:

اَللّٰھُمَّ صَلِّ عَلٰی مُحَمَّدِ نِ النَّبِیِّ الْاُمِّیِّ وَعَلٰی اٰلِہٖ وَاَصْحَابِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ

After completing this, one should go into Sajdah and read the following Tasbeeh seventy times:

سُبُّوحٌ قُدُّوْسٌ رَبُّنَا وَرَبُّ الْمَلَائِکَۃِ وَالرُّوْحِ

After awaking from Sajdah, one should read the following seventy times:

رَبِّ اغْفِرْ وَارْحَمْ وَتَجَاوَزْ عَمَّا تَعْلَمُ اِنَّکَ اَنْتَ الْعَلِیُّ الْاَعْظَمُ

One should then go into sajdah again and read the same Dua and in Sajdah, Insha Allah whatever dua you make, it will be accepted.

(Ma Thabata min sunnah. 136. Ghunyatut Taalibeen. 1/186)

 

The night of the 27th

This is certainly a very great and auspicious night because it was on this night that the Holy Prophet peace be upon him went for Me’raj. He was also blessed with the Divine Vision of the Almighty azza wa jall. Therefore, one should also keep fast on this day. The Holy Prophet peace be upon him has stated that whosoever, keeps fast on the 27th, he will be rewarded with sixty months of fasting.

(Ghunyatut Taalibeen. 1/186)

 

Nafil on the 27th night

One should read two rakah of Salah; after the surah Fatiha, he should read Surah Ikhlas 21 times. After he completes the Salah, he should read Durood shareef ten times and then read the following Du’a:

اَللّٰھُمَّ اِنِّیْ اَسْئَلُکَ بِمُشَاھَدَۃِ اَسْرَارِ الْمُحِبِّیْنَ وَبِالْخِلْوَۃِ الَّتِیْ خَصَّصْتَ بِھَا سَیِّدَ الْمُرْسَلِیْنَ حِیْنَ اَسْرَیْتَ بِہٖ لَیْلَۃَ السَّابِعِ وَالْعِشْرِیْنَ اَنْ تَرْحَمَ قَلْبِیْ الْحَزِیْنَ وَتُجِیْبُ دَعْوَتِیْ یَا اَکْرَمَ الْاَکْرَمِیْنَ

The Almighty azza wa jall will accept his dua and when the hearts of others become spiritually dead, his heart will still be alive.

(Nuzhatul Majaalis. 1/130)

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