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In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
In the twinkling of an eye, six lunar months have rolled by. As if the first month, Muharram, was yesterday, the seventh lunar month is here. How time flies! The one you call the old people’s month of fast is here. The one we call the scared month of Rajab is here.
Indeed, it is great month ordained by Allah as His own month. It is a blessed month for men of faith to reflect. It is an isolated sacred month to prepare us for greater challenges in the physical and spiritual world as other sacred months Zul-Qu’ada, the 11th month; Zul- Hijja, the 12th month; and Muharram, the first month follow one another in succession.
Rajab is believed to be the month of Allah, which is the reason why Muslims pay great attention to it. The Prophet said that Rajab is the month of Allah and the Prophet’s month is Shaban, whereas Ramadan is the month of the ummah. For this reason, Muslims devote their time in prayers and helping the needy during Rajab as good done during the month of Allah earns rewards and blessings.
The sacred months are prohibited months when all forms of fighting and hostilities are forbidden. The Holy Qur’an, Taubah, 9:36-37, says, “The number of months in the sight of God is twelve (in a year)— So ordained by Him the day He created the heavens and the earth; of them four are sacred: That is the straight usage. So wrong not yourselves therein, and fight the pagans all together as they fight you all together. But know that God is with those who restrain themselves. Verily the transposing (of a prohibited month) is an addition to unbelief: The unbelievers are led to wrong thereby: for they make it lawful one year, and forbidden another year, in order to adjust the number of months forbidden by God and make such forbidden ones lawful. The evil of their course seems pleasing to them. But God guideth not those who reject faith”.
Rajab is a month of self-discipline when self-restraint is highly recommended as far as possible. It is a month of withdrawal into spiritual shell when true believers fast and pray fervently for the sake of Allah. It is a special month when true men of faith enter into spatial connection with Allah (SWT) and fast through Sha’ban and Ramadan. A Hadith of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) says, “Abu Thaar Al Gee’fari reported that the Prophet states, ‘Whosoever fasts the first day of Rajab, it will be equivalent to fasting one month. And whosoever fasts seven days in the month of Rajab, the seventh doors of hell will be closed to them’” (Sahih Bukhari and Muslim).
The month of Rajab has another name, which is Rajab Mudar, according to a hadith in which the Prophet said, “And (the fourth one), Rajab (of the tribe of) Mudar, which is between Jumada (Thani) and Sha`ban.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim). Mudar is an Arab tribe and Rajab is named after it, because that tribe used to give much respect to this month and protect its sanctity.
The lunar mouth of Rajab is a great one when the Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was taken on a spiritual journey (Israa’) from Masjidi-e-Haram in Makkah to Masjid-Aqsa in Jerusalem (Q. 17:1) and shown signs of Allah. In reference to this journey, Almighty Allah states, in the Holy Qur’an, Israa’ 17:1 that “(Glorified be He [Allah] Who took His servant [Prophet Muhammad] for a journey by night from Al-Masjid Al-Haram [at Makkah] to the farthest mosque [Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem], the neighborhood whereof We have blessed, in order that We might show him [Muhammad[ of Our signs. Verily, He [Allah] is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer)”.
The miracle of Prophet Muhammad’s trip to Jerusalem Mosque from Haram Mosque in Makkah (Al-Israa) was intended to honour the Messenger (SAW), strengthen his heart, and to show him the kingdom of heavens and earth. It was also meant to comfort the Prophet after the deaths of his uncle Abu Talib and his wife Khadijah in the Year of Sadness, and after the suffering he had experienced in At-Taif where its people assaulted him.
It is a powerful month when Prophet Muhammed (SAW) was ascended to heaven (Lalatul -Mira’j) and taken to the highest part of in horizon as a demonstration for us that the spiritual world is not an illusion. The Holy Quran, An-Najm 53:7-18, refers to Al-Miraj (Prophet’s Muhammad ascension to the heavens), “While he [Angel Gabriel] was in the highest part of the horizon, he approached and came closer and was at a distance of two bows’ length or (even) nearer. So did [Allah] convey the Inspiration to His servant [Prophet Muhammad]. The (Prophet’s) heart lied not (in seeing) what he (Muhammad) (SAW). Will you then dispute with him about what he saw [during Al-Mi`raj]. And indeed he (Muhammad) saw him [Angel Gabriel] at a second descent (i.e. another time). Near Sidrat Al-Muntaha [lote-tree of the utmost boundary (beyond which none can pass). Near it is the Paradise of Abode. When that covered the lote-tree, which did cover it! The sight (of Prophet Muhammad) turned not aside (right or left), nor it transgressed beyond (the) limit (ordained for it). Indeed he (Muhammad) did see, of the Greatest Signs, of his Lord (Allah)”.
Rajab is a unique month when the king of angels (Jubril) appeared in visible form on earth and ascended Prophet Muhammad (SAW) to heaven on the mystical horse Burak. It is a moment of truth when five canonical daily prayers were given to the Prophet as a practical demonstration of our faith in the unity of Allah that is only worthy of worship submission. It is indeed a spiritual month to awaken our spiritual well-being for greater spiritual awareness (Qur’an 11:114; 17:78-79; 20:130; 30:17-18).
The Holy Qur’an 17:78-81 says, “Establish regular prayers— At the sun’s decline till the darkness of the night, and the morning prayer and reading: for the prayer and reading in the morning carry their testimony. And pray in the small watches of the morning: (it would be) an additional prayer (or spiritual profit) For thee: soon will thy Lord raise thee to a station of praise and glory! Say: ‘O my Lord! Let my entry be by the Gate of Truth and Honour, and likewise my exit by the Gate of Truth and Honour; and grant me from Thy Presence an authority to aid (me)’. And say: ‘Truth has (now) arrived, and falsehood perished: For Falsehood is (by its nature) bound to perish.”
As a people so much loved by Allah with the much-talked vast human and material resources, the spiritual month has come as a period of cleansing of filth in the land as we entered into rebellion against God where all forms of forbidden acts pervade the entire world, with wars, increase in population of refugees, asylum seekers, returned refugees, internally displaced and stateless people to the tune of about 100 million globally in 137 countries, about half of whom are under the age of 18 without education, health care, employment, and freedom of movement (UNHCR, 2023).
May Almighty Allah guide us to change our ways and seek His forgiveness in this month of Rajab. Ameen.
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