Bismillah [IslamCity] the month of Rajab
In the Name of Almighty Allah Most Gracious, Most Merciful Assalamualaykum Warahmatullahi Wabarakatuhu Alhamdu Lillaahi Rabbil 'Aalameen was-Salaatu was-Salaamu 'alaa Asrafil Anbiyaa'e wal Mursaleen. Wa Ba'd: Oo see kum Ibad'allah Bi Taqwa'llah Alhumdoelillah! On this Mubarak Day of Jummah as we enter the month of Rajab, it is imperative for each and every one of us to understand what Islam is all about. It is indeed a most wonderful blessing when we get into the attitude of humble devotion to Almighty Allah Subuhanahu Wata'ala because in so doing we get to know who we are, we get to know what we are; and we get to know why we are here and where we are heading too. During the month of Rajab let us get into the habit of remembering our Glorious Creator and Maker. Let us remember Him all the time whether we are sitting or walking, sleeping or awake. In our Ibadah let us stand in complete humility and humbleness to show that we are indeed His grateful servants and that we are eagerly preparing ourselves to welcoming the wonderful months of Sha'baan and Ramadan. Beloved Ummatal Qur'an!The month of Rajab prepares us for devotion and doing good deeds because we come to the realization that a true Muh'min does not build his or her hopes on the vanities of this material world, but on Almighty Allah's Grace and Mercy. Such a person is 'endued with understanding' and receives Allah's Message with fervour and alacrity. The message of Rajab is for us to understand Almighty Allah's Message and to expand our spiritual understanding and to receive Allah's Light, so that we may travel farther and farther to our Goal in the Path of Truth and Righteousness. After all, we are not to be compared to those who shut out Allah's Light from their hearts. Almighty Allah makes it very clear to us in verse 9 of Surah Az-Zumar. He tells that there is spiritual progress for those who seek Him through constant Ibadah and hoping for His Mercy in the Hereafter [Aghirah]. As for those who have closed their hearts to Him- they have floundered and retrogressed on the Straight Path and cannot walk with those of assured Faith. Is he who prays in the late hours of the night, prostrating and standing, beware of the Hereafter and hoping for the Mercy of his Lord, (to be counted equal) with a disbeliever? Say (unto them, O Muhammad): Are those who know be treated equal with those who know not? But only men of understanding will pay heed. During the analysis and study of the Most Noble and Holy Qur'an, the first question that arises is whether the Glorious Qur'an can be studied and understood. Has this Divine Book been introduced for the purpose of studying and understanding it, or whether it is just for reading and reciting and obtaining reward and blessings? You may wander why I have raised such a question. The Most Glorious Qur'an demands that the believers and the faithful, and even invites the infidels to contemplate, reflect and ponder upon its verses. Addressing us the Most Noble Qur'an declares in verse 24 of Surah Muhammad: Do they not then earnestly seek to understand the Qur'an, or is it that there are locks upon their hearts? O Ummatul Muslimeen! The Most Glorious Qur'an has not been sent to us to be kissed, embraced and to be placed on a niche or pedestal just to gather dust. It was sent to us to be read, to ponder upon, to reflect and to contemplate upon its divine meanings. The Most Glorious Qur'an, like the book of Nature, is a Divine Revelation that was not sent for a specific age and time. Our most Beloved Nabee Sallallahoo Alayhi Wasallam said: The Qur'an, like the sun and the moon, will preserve its movement and continuity because the Glorious Book of Almighty Allah is not static or monotonous. He is also reported to have said: The Holy Qur'an is most beautiful outwardly and inwardly it is deep and unfathomable. In short, the Most Glorious Qur'an is not for an exclusive age or for an exclusive people because it has been sent for all ages and for the entire human race. One of the questions that I would like to raise is verse 6 of Surah Al Fatiha: Ih'dinas Seeratal Mustaqeem [Guide us in the Straight Path]. What does it signify that some of us repeat this verse at least 48 times every day in the performance of our Salaat - Guide us in the Straight Path? If Islam is the Straight Path, are we not already on the Right Path being Muslims? If Almighty Allah Subhanahu Wata'ala Most Merciful has shown us the Right Path, why do we continue to ask Him to guide us in the Straight Path? In answer to such questions it is a fact that the notion of: Ih'dinas Seeratal Mustaqeem has not only been formulated for the purpose of uttering it every day in our Salaat, but because we are always in need of Divine Guidance. Why? Because human life is not similar to the highly automated cycles of a machine or a computer that works according to certain
Bismillah [IslamCity] The Month of Rajab By: Mufti Taqi Usmani
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 the events changed suddenly. The king released the Prime
Minister from the jail and reinstated him on his former position.
As it can be seen by any reasonable person, this story is totally forged on
the face of it. The person who has coined this story did not even know that
Madinah had never a king nor a Prime Minister. All the Muslim rulers were named
as caliphs and had no Prime Minister at all. In the days of Umayyads, their
capital was Damascus and in the days of Abbasids, their permanent seat was in
Baghdad. It is ironical that the story of such a woodcutter is not even known
to anybody in Madinah, nor in any city of the Arab countries. No Arabic book
has ever referred to it. It has no mention except in an Urdu book
'Dastaan-e-Ajeeb', the author of which is unknown. One can easily see that a
custom based on such a fallacious and mythical story can never be an Islamic
custom. Islam has always been far away from such superstitions. Therefore, this
baseless custom should completely be avoided by the true Muslims. Some
historians have opined that in fact, this custom has been coined by some
Shi'ites because the date of 22nd of Rajab is the date of the demise of
Sayyidna Mu'awiyah whom they take as their biggest enemy. They took that date
as a happy occasion and made the Sunni Muslims also to celebrate it on the
pretext of the above mentioned story.
Be that as it may, it is evident that such customs have crept into the Muslim
society by their long association with Hindus who commemorate different
historical events of their religion in the like manner. The Muslims must be
careful about these customs, because they are not only an invention of
ignorance but also the imitation of non-Muslims in their religious rituals. No
doubt the 'isaal-al-thawab' to the soul of a deceased Muslim, and particularly
to a pious person is not only permissible but also a commendable practice but
the Shari'ah has not prescribed a particular date, nor a particular mode to do
so. If someone wants to make
'isaal-al-thawab to Sayyidna 'Ali, Radi-Allahu anhu, or to Ja'far al-Sadiq,
he can do it any day and by performing any act of worship, like Salaat, fast,
Sadaqah, dhikr etc.
There is no reason why it should be restricted to a special type of meal or
bread distributed on a particular date. What makes this practice worse is the
fact that the people accustomed
to this practice deem it as necessary as a fard (obligation); rather they
treat it as more necessary than fard because they do not care to perform the
obligatory Salat or to fulfill the rights of men obligated on them, but they
are very strict and punctual to perform these activities. Moreover, if a person
does not observe this practice, they reproach him and call him with bad names.
Such behavior makes this custom a bid'ah which is condemned by the Holy Prophet
as a misguidance. Therefore, the Muslims must abandon all such practices and
should not cling to it only because it has been the practice of their society
for many years. A Muslim is supposed to follow the dictates of Shari'ah and not
the practice of the society, if it violates any of its principles.
Conclusion
The upshot of the above discussion is that the Shari'ah has not prescribed any
specific way to observe the month of Rajab or to perform a specific mode of
worship or a ritual in any one of its dates. However, being a prologue to the
month of Ramadan, it should be availed of for preparing oneself for Ramadan and
one should pray Allah to make him reach the blessed month and to benefit from
its unique merits.
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
Bismillah [IslamCity] The Month of Rajab By: Mufti Taqi Usmani - to be continued
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
