The Month of Rajab
By Mufti Taqi Usmani
http://www.albalagh.net/general/rajab.shtml
Rajab is the seventh month in the Islamic lunar calendar. This month was
regarded as one of the sacred months (Al-Ashhur-al-hurum) in which battles were
prohibited in the days of the Holy Prophet (sallallahu alayhi wasallam). It is
also a prelude to the month of Ramadan, because Ramadan follows it after the
intervening month of Sha'ban. Therefore, when the Holy Prophet sighted the moon
of Rajab, he used to pray to Allah in the following
words: "O Allah, make the months of Rajab and Sha'ban blessed for us, and let
us reach the month of Ramadan (i.e. prolong our life up to Ramadan, so that we
may benefit from its merits and blessings)."
Yet no specific way of worship has been prescribed by the Shari'ah in this
month. However, some people have invented some special rituals or practices in
this month, which are not supported by reliable resources of the Shari'ah or
are based on some unauthentic traditions. We would like to explain here the
correct position about them.
1. Celebration of Lailatul Mi'raj
It is generally believed that the great event of Mi'raj (ascension of the Holy
Prophet to the heavens) took place in the night of 27th of Rajab. Therefore,
some people celebrate the night as "Lailatul- Mi'raj" (the night of ascension
to heavens). Indeed, the event of mi'raj was one of the most remarkable
episodes in the life of our beloved Holy Prophet . He was called by Almighty
Allah. He travelled from Makkah to Baitul-Maqdis and from there he ascended the
heavens through the miraculous power of Allah. He was honored with a direct
contact with his Creator at a place where even the angels had no access.
This was the unique honor conferred by Allah to the Holy Prophet alone. It was
the climax of the spiritual progress which is not attained by anybody except
him. No doubt the night in which he was blessed with this unparalleled honor
was one of the greatest nights in the history of this world. But, Islam has its
own principles with regard to the historic and religious
events. Its approach about observing festivals and celebrating days and nights
is totally different from the approach of other religions.
The Holy Qur'an and the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet did not prescribe any
festival or
any celebration to commemorate an event from the past, however remarkable it
might have been. Instead, Islam has prescribed two annual celebrations only.
One is Eid-ul-Fitr and the other is Eid ul-Adha. Both of these festivals have
been fixed at a date on which the Muslims accomplish a great 'ibadah (worship)
every year. Eid-ul-Fitr has been prescribed after the fasts of Ramadan, while
Eid-ul-Adha has been fixed when the Muslims perform the Hajj
annually.
None of these two eids is designed to commemorate a particular event of the
past which has happened in these dates. This approach is indicative of the fact
that the real occasion for a happy celebration is the day in which the
celebrators themselves have accomplished remarkable work through their own
active effort. As for the accomplishments of our
ancestors, their commemoration should not be restricted to a particular day or
night. Instead, their accomplishments must be remembered every day in the
practical life by observing their teachings and following the great examples
they have set for us. Keeping this principle in view, the following points
should be remembered with regard to the "Lailatul-mi'raj":
(1) We cannot say with absolute certainty in which night the great event of
mi'raj took place. Although some traditions relate this event to 27th night of
the month of Rajab, yet there are other traditions that suggest other dates.
Al-Zurqani, the famous biographer of the Holy Prophet has referred to five
different views in this respect: Rabi-ul-Awwal, Rabi-u-Thani, Rajab, Ramadan
and Shawwal. Later, while discussing different traditions, he has added a sixth
opinion, that the mi'raj took place in the month of Zulhijjah. Allama Abdulhaq
Muhaddith Dehlawi, the well-known scholar of the Indian subcontinent, has
written a detailed book on the merits of Islamic months. While discussing the
'Lailatul-mi'raj' has mentioned that most of the scholars are of the view that
the event of mi'raj took place in the month of Ramadan or in Rabi-ul-awwal.
(2) It is also not known in which year the event of Mi'raj took place. The
books of history suggest a wide range between the fifth-year and the twelfth
year after the Holy Prophet was entrusted with prophethood. Now, if it is
assumed that the event of Mi'raj took place in the fifth year of his
prophethood, it will mean that the Holy Prophet remained in this world for
eighteen years after this event. Even if it is presumed that the mi'raj took
place in the twelfth year of his prophethood, his remaining life-time after
this event would be eleven years. Throughout this long period, which may range
between eleven years and eighteen years, the Holy Prophet never celebrated the
event of mi'raj, nor did he give any instruction about it. No one can prove
that the Holy Prophet ever performed some specific modes of worship in a night
calling it the 'Lailatul-mi'raj' or advised his followers to commemorate the
event in a particular manner.
(3) After the demise of the Holy Prophet also, no one of his companions is
reported to celebrate this night as a night of special acts of worship. They
were the true devotees of the Holy Prophet and had devoted their lives to
preserve every minute detail of the sunnah of the Holy Prophet and other
Islamic teachings. Still, they did not celebrate the event of mi'raj in a
particular night in a particular way. All these points go a long way to prove
that the celebration of the 27th night of Rajab, being the lailatul-mi'raj has
no basis in the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet or in the practice of his noble
companions. Had it been a commendable practice to celebrate this night, the
exact date of this event would have been preserved accurately by the Ummah and
the Holy Prophet and his blessed companions would have given specific
directions for it.
Therefore, it is not a Sunnah to celebrate the Lailatul-mi'raj'. We cannot
declare any practice as a sunnah unless it is established through authentic
sources that the Holy Prophet or his noble Companions have recognized it as
such, otherwise it may become a bid'ah about which the Holy Prophet has
observed in the following words: "Whoever invents something in our religion
which is not a part of it, it is to be rejected." Being mindful of this serious
warning, we should appreciate that the 27th night of the month of Rajab is not
like 'Lailatul-qadr' or 'Lailatul-bara'ah' for which special merits have been
mentioned expressly either by the Holy Qur'an or by the Holy Prophet.
However, all the recognized modes of 'ibadah (worship) like Salat, recitation
of the Holy Qur'an, dhikr, etc. are commendable any time, especially in the
late hours of night, and obviously the 27th night of Rajab is not an exception.
Therefore, if someone performs any recognized 'ibadah in this night from this
point of view nothing can stop him from doing so,
and he will be entitled to the thawab (reward allocated for that recognized
'ibadah insha-Allah.) But it is not permissible to believe that performing
'ibadah in this night is more meritorious or carries more thawab like
'Lailatul-qadr' or 'Lailatul-bara'ah', because this belief is not based on any
authentic verse or on a sunnah of the Holy Prophet. Similarly, it is not a
correct practice to celebrate this night collectively and to invite people to
special ritual congregations.
(4) Some people suggest some special modes of worship to be performed in this
night. Since no special mode of worship is prescribed by the Shari'ah in this
night, these suggestions are devoid of any authority and should not be acted
upon. It is believed by some that the Muslims should keep fast on 27th of
Rajab. Although there are some traditions attributing special merits to the
fast of this day yet the scholars of hadith have held these traditions as very
weak and unauthentic reports which cannot be sufficient to establish a rule of
Shari'ah. On the contrary, there is an authentic report that Sayyidna 'Umar,
Radi-Allahu anhu, used to forbid people from fasting on this day, rather to
compel them to eat if they had started fasting.
It should be borne in mind here that a "nafl" fast can be observed any day
(except the six prohibited days of the year); therefore, fasting on 27th of
Rajab is not prohibited in itself. What is prohibited is the belief that
fasting on this day is more meritorious than fasting in other normal days. One
should not fast in this day with this belief. But if someone fasts
therein, believing it to be a normal nafl fast, there is no bar against it.
Sacrifice (qurbani) in the month of Rajab
In the days of ignorance (jahiliyyah) the Arabs used to offer the sacrifice of
a goat in the month of Rajab. This sacrifice used to be called "Atirah' or
'Rajabiyyah'. This sacrifice was offered in the name of different so-called
gods and their icons. In the beginning of Islam, this custom was retained, but
the Muslims modified it by offering the sacrifice of 'Atirah in the name of
Allah instead of the false gods. But finally, this custom was abandoned and the
Holy Prophet prohibited the offering of 'Atirah. In a tradition of Sayyidna Abu
Hurairah, Radi-Allahu anhu, reported by both al-Bukhari and Muslim, the Holy
Prophet has said: "Fara' is nothing and 'Atirah is nothing." Abu Hurairah,
Radi-Allahu anhu, has explained in the same tradition that 'Fara" was the first
child of a she-camel. Whenever a she-camel delivered its first child, the Arabs
used to sacrifice it in the name of their so-called gods, while the 'Atirah'
was a goat used to be sacrificed in the month of Rajab. Since the Holy Prophet
stopped both these customs, 'Atirah is no longer a recognized practice.
'Umrah in the month of Rajab
Ibn 'Abidin, the well-known scholar of the Islamic jurisprudence, has
mentioned that the people of Makkah (in his days) used to perform 'umrah in the
month of Rajab. Perhaps they believed that performing 'umrah in this month is
more meritorious than in other months. Then Ibn Abidin himself has rejected the
authenticity of this practice, because no tradition of the Holy Prophet is
found to this effect. Conversely Sayyidah 'Aishah, Radi-Allahu anha, has
expressly negated the presumption by saying that the Holy Prophet never
performed an 'umrah in the month of Rajab (Sahih Muslim 1:409)
However, Ibn 'Aibidin has quoted a narration that 'Abdullah ibn Zubair,
Radi-Allahu anhu, completed the renovation of Ka'bah shortly before 27th of
Rajab, and as a sign of gratefulness he performed 'umrah and slaughtered some
animals. But this report cannot form the basis of a recognized annual practice,
firstly because the report is not very authentic, and secondly because it does
not mention that Abdullah ibn Zubair, Radi-Allahu anhu, had adopted it as a
continuing practice. At the most, he performed 'umrah once as a sign of
gratefulness on the completion of Ka'bah. It does not mean that he performed it
as a characteristic of the month of Rajab. Therefore, performing 'Umrah in this
month is like performing it in any other month and no special merit can be
attached to it merely because it has been performed in the month of Rajab.
The Salaat of "Raghaa'ib"
Another special mode of worship attributed by some people to this month is the
Salat of Raghai'b. According to the custom of such people, this Salat is
performed in the night of first Friday of the month of Rajab. The Salat of
Raghaib is said to consist of twelve rak'ats to be performed in pairs with six
salams, and in each rak'at the surah al-qadr is recited three times
followed by the Surah-al-ikhlas. This type of Salat is also not based on any
sound source of Shari'ah. Therefore, almost all the jurists and scholars of
Shari'ah have held that the Salat of Raghaib is a baseless practice and it is
not permissible to treat it as a recognized practice of this month. It is true
that there is a tradition, narrated by Razin, the author of a book of
hadith, which attributes the origin of this practice to the Holy Prophet but
almost all the scholars of the science of hadith have held it to be absolutely
unauthentic. Therefore, no importance can be attached to it.
Distribution of Breads:
Another baseless practice in the month of Rajab is that the people bake
special types of breads and, after reciting some verses and prayers on them,
distribute them among their friends and neighbors. This custom has two
different shapes.
1). In some communities, this custom is celebrated on 17th of Rajab on the
assumption that Sayyidna Ali, Radi-Allahu anhu, was born on 11th of Rajab and
the 17th of Rajab is the day on which his 'Aqiqa (Shaving of his head) was
performed. In order to celebrate this happy event, the breads of some special
type are prepared and after reciting Surah Al-Mulk on them, they are
distributed among the relatives and friends. These breads are generally called
"breads of Tabarak" because Surah Al-Mulk is usually recited on them. This
practice is baseless because it is never proved that Sayyidna Ali, Radi-Allahu
anhu, was born on 11th of Rajab or that his Aqiqa was performed on 17th of this
month and, as explained earlier, even if these events are proved to have
happened in those days, their commemoration through these specific rituals is
not warranted by the Shari'ah.
2). A more common practice of this type is observed on 22nd of Rajab whereby
some breads and meals of a special type are prepared and distributed among the
people. Since these special meals are usually placed in some bowls made of
clay, the custom is usually known as "Koonda", an Urdu equivalent of such
bowls. It is usually believed that the custom is designed to make
'isal-al-thawab to the soul of Sayyidna Jafar Al-Sadiq who himself has
directed his followers to observe this custom and has promised them that
whoever observes it, his desires will be fulfilled.
All these assumptions also have no basis at all, neither historically, nor
according to the principles of Shari'ah. In fact, the date of 22nd of Rajab has
no concern whatsoever with Sayyidna Jafar al-Sadiq, Rahimah-u-Allah. According
to the historians, he was born on 8th of Ramadan 80 A.H. and died in Shawwal
148 A.H. No specific event of the life of Sayyidna Jafar al-Sadiq is proved to
have happened on this date. The people believing in the custom
refer to a coined story mentioned in an unauthentic book named
"Dastaan-e-Ajeeb". Briefly stated, the gist of the story is that a poor
woodcutter lived in Madinah in the days of Jafar Al-Sadiq. He went abroad to
earn his livelihood. His wife was employed in the house of the Prime Minister.
Once she was cleaning the courtyard of the Prime Minister when Sayyidna Jafar
al-Sadiq passed by her.
It was 22nd of Rajab. He advised her to bake some breads of a special type and
make 'isal-al-sawab to him. According to this story, he promised her that if
her desire is not fulfilled after this practice, she can catch hold of him at
the doom's day. On hearing this, the woman made a vow that if her husband will
come back with a considerable wealth, she will observe the custom of "Koonda".
On the same day her husband, who was in another country, found a valuable
treasure in the earth and came back with it to Madinah where he established
himself as a rich man and started living in a magnificent castle.
When his wife told the story to the wife of the Prime Minister, she
disbelieved her and because of this disbelief, she and her husband, the Prime
Minister, were punished by Allah. He was removed by the king from the prime
minister-ship and was imprisoned in a jail and was ordered to be hanged. While
being in the prison, the wife of the Prime Minister remembered that she had
disbelieved the story of Jafar al-Sadiq told to her by her maidservant and
their misery might be the punishment of their disbelief. On this point, she and
her husband repented before Allah and made a vow to observe the custom of
"Koonda", if they are released from the jail. After they made such a vow, the
whole scenario of
PoEtEsS
"Happiness is the key to the foundation of satisfaction, contentment and
acceptance"…Zohra Moosa
------------------------------------
***************************************************************************
{Invite (mankind, O Muhammad ) to the Way of your Lord (i.e. Islam) with wisdom
(i.e. with the Divine Inspiration and the Qur'an) and fair preaching, and argue
with them in a way that is better. Truly, your Lord knows best who has gone
astray from His Path, and He is the Best Aware of those who are guided.} (Holy
Quran-16:125)
{And who is better in speech than he who [says: "My Lord is Allah (believes in
His Oneness)," and then stands straight (acts upon His Order), and] invites
(men) to Allah's (Islamic Monotheism), and does righteous deeds, and says: "I
am one of the Muslims."} (Holy Quran-41:33)
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: "By Allah, if
Allah guides one person by you, it is better for you than the best types of
camels." [al-Bukhaaree, Muslim]
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said, "Whoever
calls to guidance will have a reward similar to the reward of the one who
follows him, without the reward of either of them being lessened at all."
[Muslim, Ahmad, Aboo Daawood, an-Nasaa'ee, at-Tirmidhee, Ibn Maajah]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
Recommended:
http://www.ikhwanweb.com
http://www.islamonline.net
http://www.islam-guide.com
http://www.prophetmuhammadforall.org
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
All views expressed herein belong to the individuals concerned and do not in
any way reflect the official views of IslamCity unless sanctioned or approved
otherwise.
If your mailbox clogged with mails from IslamCity, you may wish to get a daily
digest of emails by logging-on to http://www.yahoogroups.com to change your
mail delivery settings or email the moderators at [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the
title "change to daily digest". Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/islamcity/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/islamcity/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
