The most virtuous month after Ramadan and Muharram

والصَّلَاةُ والسَّلاَمُ عَلَى سَيّدِنَا مُحَمَّدٍ أَشْرَفِ اْلمُرْسَلِيْنَ وَعَلَى آلِهِ وَصَحْبِهِ الطَّيّبِيْنَ الطَّاهِرِيْن

Allah has created beings in diverse forms and has manifested His favour among them in evident and observable ways. This extends even to places, times, and other occurrences within both the celestial and terrestrial realms. And He has elevated some months over others in virtue and merit.

So, He favoured the sacred months after Ramadan over all other months, and He made Rajab among them a beacon for every grateful worshipper. Praise be to Him, indeed He is Ash-Shakur, Al-Ghafur.

Allah said:

﴿إِنَّ عِدَّةَ الشُّهُورِ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ مِنْهَا أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ﴾

[Suratu t-Tawbah :36]²

This means: "Indeed, the number of months according to the judgment of Allah is twelve as decreed from His rulings the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred."

The virtue of the month of Rajab

The month of Rajab is the most virtuous month after Ramadan and Muharram. Numerous hadiths highlight its merit, and although many of them are weak, their collective narrative underscores the profound significance of Rajab and the virtues of engaging in worship during this month. For, according to the consensus of scholars like Imam An-Nawawiyy and others, even weak hadiths are considered and acted upon in the context of virtuous deeds.

Supplications for the month of Rajab

‘Anas ibnu Malik reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would say when the month of Rajab began: "O Allah, bless us in Rajab and Sha^ban, and let us reach Ramadan." At-Tabaraniyy narrates this hadith in his Al-Mu^jamu l-‘Awsat.

“اللَّهُمَّ بَارِكْ لَنَا فِي رَجَبٍ وَشَعْبَانَ، ‌وَبَلِّغْنَا ‌رَمَضَانَ“

The ruling on fasting in the month of Rajab

Fasting during the month of Rajab is recommended and holds a special status due to the general encouragement found in various hadiths regarding fasting. Sahih of Muslim contains a chapter titled ‘The fasting of the Prophet in months outside of Ramadan and the recommendation of not leaving any month without fasting’. Additionally, ‘Abu Dawud mentioned in his Sunan, that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ encouraged fasting during the sacred months, of which Rajab is one. And Allah knows best.

The ruling on fighting in the month of Rajab

The Arabs in the pre-Islamic era greatly revered the four sacred months despite their state of misguidance and disbelief and refrained from fighting during them. Even if a man encountered his father's killer during these months, he would not approach him. Islamic law initially prohibited fighting against the polytheists during these sacred months but later permitted it.

Historians narrated that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent ^Abdu l-Lah ibnu Jahsh along with a group of companions to gather intelligence on the polytheist. He did not command to fight them. When they neared Mecca, a Quraysh caravan passed carrying raisins, edibles, and trade goods. Among them was ^Amr ibnu l-Hadramiyy.

The Muslims debated whether to attack: "We are on the final day of Rajab, the sacred month. If we engage them in battle, we will violate the sanctity of this sacred time. However, if we allow them to proceed tonight, they will reach the sanctuary of Mecca."

They finally decided to confront them and killed ^Amr. When they returned to Medina, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ disapproved of what they had done and said, "I did not command you to fight in the sacred month."

The Quraysh said, "Muhammad has shed blood in the sacred month, taken wealth, captured men, and violated the sanctity of the sacred month." Allah the Exalted revealed:

﴿يَسْأَلُونَكَ عَنِ الشَّهْرِ الْحَرَامِ قِتَالٍ فِيهِ قُلْ قِتَالٌ فِيهِ كَبِيرٌ وَصَدٌّ عَنْ سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ وَكُفْرٌ بِهِ وَالْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَإِخْرَاجُ أَهْلِهِ مِنْهُ أَكْبَرُ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ وَالْفِتْنَةُ أَكْبَرُ مِنَ الْقَتْلِ﴾

[Suratu l-Baqarah: 217]

This means: "They ask you regarding the sacred month – about fighting therein. Say, 'Fighting therein is great [sin], but averting [the Messenger of Allah and his companions] from the path of Allah, disbelieving in Him and [obstructing access to] Al-Masjidu l-Haram, and expelling its inhabitants are greater [evil] in the judgment of Allah [than mistakenly engaging in combat during the sacred month]. And the fitnah [i.e., polytheism] is greater than the act of killing [these non-Muslims during the sacred month]."

Then, the ruling was abrogated by His saying:

﴿إِنَّ عِدَّةَ الشُّهُورِ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ مِنْهَا أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ  ذَٰلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ  فَلَا تَظْلِمُوا فِيهِنَّ أَنْفُسَكُمْ وَقَاتِلُوا الْمُشْرِكِينَ كَافَّةً كَمَا يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ كَافَّةً  وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الْمُتَّقِينَ﴾

[Suratu t-Tawbah: 36]

This means: "Indeed, the number of months according to the judgment of Allah is twelve as decreed from His rulings the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred. That is the correct religion, so do not wrong yourselves during them. And fight against the disbelievers collectively as they fight against you collectively. And know Allah is with the righteous [who fear Him]."

Interpretation of "Fitnah is greater than killing"

And the meaning of His saying, the Exalted,﴾وَالْفِتْنَةُ أَكْبَرُ مِنَ الْقَتْلِ﴿ (“and fitnah is greater than killing”) is that shirk (associating partners with Allah) is more severe than killing. One must be cautious of a common misconception among some people who say that mere discord between two Muslims is worse than unjustly killing a Muslim. It is well known among Muslims that killing a Muslim unjustly is the gravest sin after disbelief. This is supported by what was said to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ regarding the most severe sin: He said, "To associate a partner with Allah while He created you." (i.e., to commit shirk). He was then asked, "What next then?" He said, "To kill your child for fear of poverty." He was asked again, "What next then?" He said, "To fornicate with your neighbour’s wife." This hadith is narrated by Al-Bukhariyy. These sins are considered the gravest sins as per the hadith, and the Prophet ﷺ did not mention causing discord between two individuals in this context. Therefore, caution is advised.

The Arabs' postponement (An-nasi’) of the sacred months including Rajab

However, if they needed to engage in warfare, some would declare another month as sacred in place of the original one, and they would fight during the sacred months. The reason for this was that many of the Arabs were engaged in continuous wars and raids, and it was difficult for them to endure months or even a single month without launching raids.

So, they would postpone the sanctity of Rajab and transfer it to another month, thus allowing themselves to fight during the sacred months. They would make the forbidden [acts] permissible and the permissible forbidden.

Allah the Exalted revealed His saying:

﴿إِنّمَا النّسِيءُ زِيَادَةٌ فِي الْكُفْرِ يُضَلّ بِهِ الّذِينَ كَفَرُوا يُحِلّونَهُ عَامًا وَيُحَرّمُونَهُ عَامًا لِيُوَاطِئُوا عِدّةَ مَا حَرّمَ اللَّهُ﴾

(Suratu t-Tawbah: 37)

This means: "Indeed, the postponing [of restriction within sacred months] is an increase in disbelief by which those who have disbelieved are led [further] astray. They make it lawful one year and unlawful another year to adjust the number of months forbidden by Allah.

The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said:

إِنَّ الزَّمَانَ قَدِ اسْتَدَارَ كَهَيْئَتِهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ اللهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ، السَّنَةُ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا، مِنْهَا أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ، ثَلَاثٌ مُتَوَالِيَاتٌ: ذُو الْقَعْدَةِ وَذُو الْحِجَّةِ وَالْمُحَرَّمُ، ‌وَرَجَبُ مُضَرَ الَّذِي بَيْنَ جُمَادَى وَشَعْبَانَ

This means: "Time has completed its cycle and has come to its original state the day Allah created the heavens and the earth. The year consists of twelve months of which four are sacred: three consecutive months – Dhu l-Qa^dah, Dhul-Hijjah and Muharram - and Rajab, the month of Mudar, which comes between Jumada and Sha^ban." (Reported by Al-Bukhariyy)

Notable Events that Occurred in the Month of Rajab

1. The pregnancy of Lady ‘Aminah with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, as mentioned by Ibnu Hajar al-Haytamiyy and others.
   
   
2. The death of the righteous Caliph ^Umar ibnu ^Abdi l-^Aziz: May Allah have mercy on him, he passed away on the fifth last day of Rajab in the year 101 AH, at the age of thirty-nine. He was a knowledgeable, pious, and ascetic saint. He was the one who forbade cursing our master ^Aliyy on the minbars. He is the sixth rightly guided caliph, following our masters ‘Abu Bakr, ^Umar, ^Uthman, ^Aliyy, and Al-Hasan ibnu ^Aliyy.
   
   
3. The death of Imam Ash-Shafi^iyy: May Allah have mercy on him, he passed away in the month of Rajab in the year 204 AH, at the age of fifty-four. He was buried in Egypt. He is the renowned Imam, the founder of the well-known school of thought (madh-hab). At-Tirmidhiyy narrated an authentic (sahih) hadith about him: "A scholar from Quraysh will fill the earth with knowledge." This hadith was explained by scholars including Imam ‘Ahmad ibn Hanbal regarding Imam Ash-Shafi^iyy. He was born in Palestine, in Gaza, then lived in Iraq before settling in Egypt, where he passed away. His shrine in Old Cairo - Egypt is famous and visited for blessings.
   
   
4. The Death of the Negus (An-Najashiyy), King of Abyssinia: He passed away, may Allah have mercy on him, as a righteous and pious Muslim in the ninth year of the Hijra in the month of Rajab. A group of companions, including Ja^far ibnu ‘Abi Talib, sought refuge with him upon the guidance of the Prophet ﷺ. They presented Islam to him, and he accepted it and became one of the saints. When he died, the Prophet ﷺ performed the absentee funeral prayer for him.
   
   
5. The commemoration Night Journey and Ascension (Al-‘Isra’ and Al-Mi^raj): This event is commemorated on the 27th of Rajab. During this night, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) was taken on a journey from the house of ‘Ummu Hani’ in Mecca to the Al-‘Aqsa There, all the prophets were gathered for him, and he led them in prayer, demonstrating his honour, stature, and that he is the best of all God's creation. Following this, he ascended to the seventh heaven.
   
   
6. The Conquest of Jerusalem by Sultan Salahu d-din Al-‘Ayyubiyy: This occurred on the anniversary Al-‘Isra’ and Al-Mi^raj in the year 583 AH (1187 CE).

Conclusion

Before a person speaks, they should weigh their words according to the principles of Shariah, especially if what they say pertains to the laws of Allah. An error in such matters is graver than in others. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: "It is enough falsehood for a man to relate everything he hears," as reported by Muslim.

“‌كَفَى ‌بِالْمَرْءِ كَذِبًا أَنْ يُحَدِّثَ بِكُلِّ مَا سَمِعَ“

Therefore, one must be cautious of a fabricated hadith that has become popular among some people, falsely attributed to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, entirely concocted and baseless, claiming that whoever blesses people in the month of Rajab will be forbidden from Hellfire. This is a lie against the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, as he did not say this. Instead, what is authentically reported from the Messenger of Allah ﷺ is that he said: "Indeed, lying about me is not like lying about anyone else. Whoever lies about me deliberately, let him take his seat in Hellfire," as narrated by Muslim in his Sahih.

“إنَّ كَذِبًا عَلَيَّ لَيْسَ كَكَذِبٍ عَلَى أَحَدٍ، فَمَن كَذَبَ عَلَيَّ مُتَعَمِّدًا فَلْيَتَبَوَّأْ مَقْعَدَهُ مِنَ النَّارِ“

Allah knows best and is the Wisest. Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds.

Sources

These issues have been compiled and summarized from:

• Fathu l-Bari, Commentary on Sahihu l-Bukhariyy
• Ar-Rawdu l-‘Unuf by As-Suhayliyy
• Lata'ifu l-Ma^arif by Ibnu Rajab
• At-Tabsirah by Ibnu l-Jawziyy