Rajab: One of the four sacred months

“Verily the number of months according to Allāh is twelve (as written) in the Book of Allāh on the day He created the Heavens and the Earth; from among them, four are sacred…” (Qur’ān Karīm, 9/36)

Nabi Sallalāhu’ Alayhi wa Sallam explained these four “Sacred months” to be: “Three consecutive months; Zhul Qa’dah, Zhul Hijjah, Muharram, and (Rajab)…” (Bukhāri, 3197).

These months are from the “Sha’ā’ir” (Salient features) of Islām. Holding them in high esteem has been deemed by Allāh Ta’ālā as “Taqwā of the heart.” (Qur’ān Karīm, 22/32)

The first of these in the Islāmic calendar is the sanctified month we currently find ourselves in, Rajab.

Allāh Ta’ālā calls these months “Hurum” (sanctified, sacred). They have certain specialties over others – Allāh Ta’ālā had prohibited fighting in these months, a law later abrogated.

Secondly, Ibn ‘Abbās Radhiyallāhu ‘Anhu explains, “Allāh had chosen four months and made these sanctified. He then increased their sanctity and made a sin within them worse, and a good deed within them greater.” This is a specialty that remains.

A Muslim should be ever wary of the weight of a sin committed. However, in these months, he should pay further regard to this. ‘Abdullāh bn Mas’ūd Radhiyallāhu ‘Anhu narrates: “The believer sees his sins as if he was at the base of a mountain, fearing that it might fall upon him (at any time). While a sinner sees his sins as (inconsequential as) a fly sitting upon his nose, which he can simply swat away….” (Tirmidhi, 2497).

Similarly, a believer should strive even harder to carry out good deeds. He looks at these opportunities as a “sale”; he should grab them with both hands.

The month of Rajab also signifies the coming of another special month; Ramadhān Al Mubārak. One should regard these two months as a springboard- if he gradually increases in his Salāh, his recitation of the Qur’ān Karīm, his charity, and his attending of Dīni gatherings now, he will be raring to go come the month of Ramadhān!

It has been mentioned that Rajab is “The opener to the months of Khayr (goodness) and Barakah (blessings).”

One of our pious predecessors beautifully put it: “The month of Rajab is the month of planting (the seeds). The month of Sha’bān is the month of watering the fields. Ramadhān is (then) the month of harvesting.”

May Allāh Ta’ālā grant us the opportunity to plant an abundance of spiritual “seeds” in this month, water these “seeds” in Sha’bān, and may he allow us to witness Ramadhān in perfect Īmān and health, Āmin!