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Return of the shroud
There once lived a lady in Basra. As she was about to die, she said to her son, 'Son, shroud me in a shroud prepared from the clothes I wore to perform worship in Rajab.' When the lady passed away, her son shrouded her in a different shroud. When he returned home from the graveyard, he was shocked to discover that his mother's shroud was at home and the clothes which she wanted had disappeared! Suddenly, a voice was heard saying, 'Take back your shroud. We have shrouded her (in the shroud which she willed). We do not leave the people who fast in Rajab unhappy in their graves.' (Nuzha-tul-Majaalis, V1, P155, Maktaba-tul-Quds Quetta)
The blossoms of Rajab
Hujja-tul-Islam Sayyiduna Imaam Muhammad Ghazali says in the book entitled 'Mukashifa-tul-Quloob', 'Rajab has actually been derived from the word (tarjeeb) which means 'to honour'. It is also known as (Al-Asab) (meaning fast pouring), because in this blessed month, mercy is poured fast upon those who repent. Also, the light of acceptance descends upon the worshippers in this month. It is also called (Al-Asam) (meaning the most deaf) because during this month, the sound of war and weaponry wasn't heard at all. Another name for it is because there is a river in Heaven named 'Rajab'. Its water is whiter than milk, sweeter than honey and cooler than snow. Only those people will drink from it who fasts in the month of Rajab. (Mukashifa-tul-Quloob, V301, Dar-ul-Kutubul Ilmiyyah Beirut)
It is stated in Ghunya-tut-Talibeen that this month is also called because Satan's are stoned in this month so that they do not harm the Muslims. This blessed month is also known by (very deaf) because nobody heard that Allah punished a nation in this month whereas previously, Allah had sent punishment in all the other months. (Ghunya-tut-Talibeen, P229, Dar Ihyaut-turathul Arabi Beirut)
The 'three letters' of Rajab
Subhan Allah ! Dear Islamic brothers! What can be said about the excellences of the blessed month of Rajab! It is stated in 'Mukashifa-tul-Quloob' that our pious predecessors said, 'There are three letters in Rajab: , and . stands for Rehmat-e-Ilahi (mercy of Allah ), stands for 'Jurm' (crime) of a person and stands for 'Birr' (kindness). It is as if Allah is saying, 'place my person's crime between My mercy and my kindness. (Mukashifa-tul-Quloob, P301)
The month to sow seeds
Sayyiduna Allama Safauri says, 'Rajab-ul-Murajjab is the month to sow the seeds, Sha'baan-ul-Mu'azzam is the month to water them and Ramadan-ul-Mubarak is the month to reap the harvest. Therefore, if someone does not sow the seeds of worship in Rajab and does not water the seeds with tears of remorse, how can he expect to reap the harvest of mercy?' He further says, 'Rajab purifies the body, Sha'baan purifies the heart and Ramadan purifies the soul.' (Nuzha-tul-Majaalis, V1, P155)
Heavenly River
Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik narrates that the beloved of Allah said, 'Indeed there is a river in Heaven which is called 'Rajab'. Its water is whiter than milk and sweeter than honey. Whoever keeps one fast in the month of 'Rajab', Allah will let him quench his thirst by drinking from that river. (Shu'ubul-Imaan, V3, P368, Hadith 3800, Dar-ul-Kutubul Ilmiyyah Beirut)
Grand palace in Heaven
Tabi'ee Sayyiduna Abu Qilaba says, 'There is a grand palace in Heaven for those who fast in Rajab.' (Taif-ul-Ma'arif ibn Rajab Hambli, P228, Dar Ibn-e-Katheer, Beirut
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Five blessed nights
Sayyiduna Abu Umaama narrates that the Holy Prophet said, 'There are five nights in which supplications are not turned down. (1) The first night of Rajab, (2) 15th Sha'baan, (3) the night between Thursday and Friday, (4) the night of Eid-ul-Fitr and (5) the night of Eid-ul-Adha.' (Jami'-us-Sagheer, P241, Hadith 3952, Dar-ul-Kutubul Ilmiyyah Beirut)
Sayyiduna Khalid bin Ma'daan says, 'There are five particular nights in a whole year, that whosoever by testifying them spends these nights in worship with intention of gaining virtues, Allah will grant him entrance into Heaven. (1) The first night of Rajab, (worships in the night and fasts during the day), (2) & (3) Both nights of Eid (Eid-ul-Fitr & Eid-ul-Adha) (worships in these nights but does not fast in the day (it is impermissible to fast on both Eid days)), (4) the 15th night of Sha'baan (worships in the night and fasts the following day) and (5) the night of 'Ashura (10th night of Muharram-ul-Haraam) (worships in the night and fasts the following day).' (Ghunya-tut-Talibeen, P236, Dar-Ihyaut-turathul Arabi Beirut)
First fast of Rajab is penitence for 3 years of sin
Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Abbas narrates that the Holy Prophet said, 'The fast of the first day of Rajab is penitence for 3 years, the fast of the second day is penitence for 2 years and the fast of the third day is penitence for 1 year and then each remaining day of Rajab is penitence for 1 month.' (Jami'-us-Sagheer, Hadith 5051, P311, Dar-ul-Kutubul Ilmiyyah Beirut)
Take the mercies
Sayyiduna Uthman bin Matar narrates that the Holy Prophet said, 'Rajab is a very honourable month. Allah doubles the rewards in this month. Whoever fasts for a day in Rajab, it is as if he fasted a year and whoever fasts for seven days, the seven gates of Hell are closed to him. Whoever fasts for eight days, the eight gates of Heaven are opened for him and whoever fasts for ten days will be given anything that he asks for from Allah . Whoever fasts for fifteen days, a caller will call out from the sky, 'Verily you have been forgiven whatever is past so renew your good actions.' Whoever does more, Allah gives him more. Allah transported Nuh in the ark in this month and Nuh fasted and ordered all those with him to fast.' (Tabaraani Kabeer, V6, P69, Hadith 5538, Dar Ihyaut-turathul Arabi Beirut
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Excellence of keeping one fast
Sayyiduna Sheikh Abdul Haq Muhaddith Dehlvi mentions that the Holy Prophet said, 'Rajab is one of the sacred months and its days are inscribed on the gate of the sixth Heaven. If a person fasts for one day of this month and he keeps his fast clean through obedient devotion to Allah , the gate and the day (when he fasted) will seek repentance for that person in the court of Allah and will say, 'Oh Allah , forgive him!' If that person fails to make his fast complete through obedient devotion to Allah , the gate and day will make no such plea for him to be forgiven. They will say, 'Your own nafs has betrayed you'.' (Maasabata bis'sunnah, P342)
Dear Islamic Brothers! Through this, we learn that the purpose of fasting is not merely to stay hungry and thirsty but it is vital to safeguard all the bodily limbs from sins. If despite fasting, sins are also committed then that is serious deprivation.
The fast of the 27th is penitence for 10 years of sins
AlaHazrat Imaam Ahmad Raza Khan says that it is written in 'Fawaid-e-Nihaad' that Sayyiduna Anas has narrated that the Merciful Prophet said, 'I was given Prophethood on the 27th of Rajab. Whoever fasts on this day then supplicates at the time of Iftaar, it will be penitence for 10 years of his sins.' (Fatawa-e-Razaviya, V4, P658, Maktaba-e-Razaviya, Karachi)
60 months of virtues
Sayyiduna Abu Huraira says, 'If someone fasts on the 27th of Rajab, he will be given the reward of fasting for 60 months (5 years) and this is the day in which Jibra'eel came down to give Prophethood to Prophet Muhammad .' (Tanzee-hush-Shariah, V2, P161, Maktaba Kaahira, Egypt)
100 years of fasts
Sayyiduna Salmaan Farsi narrates that the Holy Prophet said, 'There is a day and a night in the month of Rajab on which if a person fasts during the day and stands (for worship) in the night, it will be as if he fasted for one hundred years. This is the 27th of Rajab. This is the day on which the beloved of Allah was given Prophethood.' (Shu'ubul-Imaan, V3, P374, Hadith 3811
The excellence of relieving someone's trouble
Sayyiduna Abdullah ibn Zubair says, 'Whoever in the month of Rajab relieves someone's trouble, Allah will reward him with a palace in Heaven which will be spacious as the eye could see. Honour Rajab and Allah will honour you a thousand times more.' (Ghunya-tut-Talibeen, P234)
Advice for the acceptance of Dua
Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik narrates that the leader of the Prophets has said, 'There is a night in Rajab on which if someone performs a good deed, he will receive the reward of doing good deeds for 100 years and that is the 27th night of Rajab. Whoever prays 12 rak'ats, recites Sura Fatiha once in every rak'at plus another Sura, 'Attihiyyat…' after every 2 rak'ats and after performing salaam on either side he reads 100 times, Istighfaar 100 times, Durood Shareef 100 times and then does Dua asking Allah for whatever he wishes (to gain in the world and afterlife) and then fasts the following day, Allah will accept all of his supplications except that supplication which is for a sin.' (Shu'ubul-Imaan, V3, P374, Hadith 3812)
Dear Islamic Brothers! There are four months which are very special to Allah , hence Allah says in Sura Tauba,
Translation Kanzul-Imaan: Indeed the number of months before Allah is twelve - in the Book of Allah - since the day He created the heavens and the earth, of which four are sacred; this the straight religion; so do not wrong yourselves in those months; and constantly fight against the polytheists as they constantly fight against you; and know well that Allah is with the pious. (Sura Tauba, Para 10, Verse 36)
Dear Islamic Brothers! In the above blessed verse, the lunar months are mentioned which are worked out by the moon. The law of the Shariah is also based upon the lunar months. For example, the fasts of Ramadan, Zakah, Hajj rites etc. Also, Islamic festivals such as Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi , Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Adha, Shab-e-Mi'raaj, Shab-e-Bara'at, Giyarveen Shareef, yearly Urs of saints etc. are all celebrated according to the lunar months. Sadly, a Muslim today is not only heedless of countless sunan; he is also becoming unaware of important Islamic dates. If a question was put forward to a gathering of a million Muslims that, 'Tell me, what is the Islamic year, month, and date today?' There will probably be only 100 Muslims who will reply correctly.
In explaining the mentioned verse, Sayyiduna Moulana Naeem-ud-Deen Muraadabaadi says in 'Khazain-ul-Irfaan', '(Out of the four sacred months) 3 are together: Dhul-Qa'dah, Dhul-Hijja and Muharram and one is separate which is Rajab. Arabians, even in the era of ignorance, believed it was Haraam to kill (to do battle) in these months. However, in Islam, the significance and sacredness of these months is increased even more.'
A faith enlightening account
This incident relates to the time of Sayyiduna Isa . It is stated that for some time, a person was madly in love with a woman. One day he managed to grab hold of her. From the commotion of the people, he noticed that they were looking at the moon. He asked the woman, 'Which month's moon are the people looking at?' She replied, 'The month of Rajab'. Although this person was a disbeliever, as soon as he heard 'Rajab', he immediately moved away from the woman, due to the respect and honour of Rajab, and refrained from adultery. Sayyiduna Isa was commanded by Allah to go and visit this person so Sayyiduna Isa visited the person and explained to him the command of Allah and the purpose of coming. Upon hearing this, that person's heart became enlightened with the Noor of Islam and he immediately became a Muslim. (Anees-ul-Waizeen, P177, Maktaba-e-Arabiya Quetta)
Dear Islamic Brothers! Do you see the 'blossoms of Rajab'? A disbeliever was gifted with the treasure of Imaan because of respecting Rajab. If a Muslim respects 'Rajab', he will undoubtedly receive tremendous amount of blessings and rewards. Muslims must respect the month of Rajab. The Holy Qur'an also prohibits people of wronging themselves in the sacred months. Explaining (Translation Kanzul-Imaan: do not wrong yourselves in those months), it is stated in 'Noor-ul-Irfaan', 'Do not sin yourself, especially in these four sacred months because it is causing harm to one self, (or) do not oppress and harm each other.'
Virtues of 2 years
Sayyiduna Anas narrates that the Holy Prophet said, 'Whoever, in the sacred months, fasts for 3 days (Thursday, Friday and Saturday), will receive virtues of 2 years of worship.' (Majma'uz Zawaaid, V3, P438, Hadith 5151, Dar-ul-Fikr Beirut)
Dear Islamic Brothers! By sacred months, it is meant the same four months i.e. Dhul-Qa'dah, Dhul-Hijja, Muharram and Rajab. If you keep these three fasts in any of the four sacred months, In'shaa-Allah you will receive the virtues of 2 years of worship.
Luminous mountain
Once, Sayyiduna Isa passed by a luminous mountain that was sparkling with light. He said to Allah , 'Oh Allah ! Bless this mountain with the power to speak.' The mountain spoke and said, 'Oh RoohAllah ()! What do you desire?' He replied, 'Tell me your state.' The mountain said, 'A person lives inside me.' Sayyiduna Isa said to Allah , 'Allow me to see him.' The mountain split open and a very beautiful pious man emerged from it. This pious man said, 'I am the follower of Sayyiduna Musa . I supplicated to Allah that He lets me live until the time of His beloved Messenger so that I may receive the honour of seeing him and also be privileged of becoming his follower. Alhamdu-Lillah ! I have been busy worshipping Allah inside this mountain for 600 years.' Sayyiduna Isa asked Allah , 'Oh Allah ! Is there anyone on this earth dearer to you than this person?' Allah answered 'Oh Isa ! Whoever, from the Ummah of Muhammad fasts for a single day in the month of Rajab, he is dearer to me than this person.' (Nuzha-tul-Majaalis, V1, P155)
