The Sacred Month of Rajab

Allah has given a special status to certain days, months, places, and people. The Prophets of God are the most honored among mankind; Makkah is the holiest of all cities; Ramadan is the best month; and the Night of Power (Laylatul Qadr) is the greatest night of the year.

Allah says in the Qur'an:

إِنَّ عِدَّةَ الشُّهُورِ عِندَ اللّهِ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِي كِتَابِ اللّهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَات وَالأَرْضَ مِنْهَا أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ ذَلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ فَلاَ تَظْلِمُواْ فِيهِنَّ أَنفُسَكُمْ وَقَاتِلُواْ الْمُشْرِكِينَ كَآفَّةً كَمَا يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ كَآفَّةً وَاعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللّهَ مَعَ الْمُتَّقِينَ 9:36)

These four sacred months were mentioned by the Prophet during his farewell pilgrimage:

"O People! Time has gone back to how it was at the time Allah created the Heavens and the Earth. A year has twelve months, four of which are sacred, three consecutive, Dhul-Qi'dah, Dhul-Hijjah, Muharram, and Rajab." (Bukhari)

As we look through the Qur'an and Sunnah (Prophetic tradition), we are taught to respect and honor what God and His Prophet have honored. These sacred months are a time for us to reflect on our lives, exert ourselves in extra worship and ask Allah for His forgiveness.

Specifically, Allah reminds us to guard our actions during the sacred months:

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُواْ لاَ تُحِلُّواْ شَعَآئِرَ اللّهِ وَلاَ الشَّهْرَ الْحَرَامَ وَلاَ الْهَدْيَ وَلاَ الْقَلآئِدَ وَلا آمِّينَ الْبَيْتَ الْحَرَامَ يَبْتَغُونَ فَضْلاً مِّن رَّبِّهِمْ وَرِضْوَانًا وَإِذَا حَلَلْتُمْ فَاصْطَادُواْ وَلاَ يَجْرِمَنَّكُمْ شَنَآنُ قَوْمٍ أَن صَدُّوكُمْ عَنِ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ أَن تَعْتَدُواْ وَتَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى الْبرِّ وَالتَّقْوَى وَلاَ تَعَاوَنُواْ عَلَى الإِثْمِ وَالْعُدْوَانِ وَاتَّقُواْ اللّهَ إِنَّ اللّهَ شَدِيدُ الْعِقَابِ 5:2

"O you who have believed, do not violate the rites of Allah or [the sanctity of] the sacred month [...]" (Qur'an, 5:2)

He reminds us not once but twice to be careful of what we do during a sacred month:

"[...] so do not wrong yourselves during them (i.e., the sacred months) [...]" (Qur'an, 9:36)

These two verses show us the importance of being a conscientious believer. The only way we can make sure we do not wrong ourselves during the sacred months is to be conscious of our actions. Time and time again we forget or are lax in our duties to God. Allah has given us these sacred months to turn back to Him and to take account of ourselves.

How can we honor the month of Rajab and use it as a preparation for Ramadan?

Reflect on your Life and Deeds

Deprive your Nafs (lower self)

Fasting

There is no better way to prepare for Ramadan than to fast some extra days. A'isha was known to fast during the summer, and when the scholars would mention her habit, they would add: "If the price is cheap, then everyone will buy it." Ibn Rajab explained: "She wanted to do those actions that only a few were capable of due to how hard it was to do them, and this is indicative of the high aspirations she had." While we can't get out of having Ramadan in the summer, we can follow our mother A'isha and be of the few that do something valuable before we are all obligated to fast. Now is the time to not only prepare for fasting but to gain some reward as the temperature rises.

Remember the Hereafter

The Prophet said:

"Hell complained to its Lord saying: O Lord! My parts are eating (destroying) one another. So Allah allowed it to take two breaths, one in the winter and the other in the summer. The breath in the summer is at the time when you feel the severest heat and the breath in the winter is at the time when you feel the severest cold." (Bukhari)

Charity

Supplicate (make du`a') to Allah

Ask for His forgiveness and guidance. Ask Allah to bless us to reach Ramadan and to make the month of Rajab, and the following month of Sha'ban, a means for us to prepare for Ramadan. It is reported that the Prophet of God used to supplicate when Rajab came, "O Allah! Bless us during Rajab and Sha'ban, and let us reach Ramadan."

Take Care of Your Tree

"The year is like a tree. The days of Rajab are its foliation. The days of Sha'ban are its branching and the days of Ramadan are wherein its fruits are reaped. The reapers are the believers. It is befitting for the one who has blackened his pages with sins to whiten them with repentance in this month, and for the one who has squandered his life in idleness to profit in it from what remains of his life."