The Reminder

The Authenticity Of The Aḥādīth Reported About The Virtue Of The Month Of Rajab

Shaykh Muḥammad Ṣāliḥ al-'Uthaymīn رحمه الله was asked: "Is there any authentic aḥādīth that confirm the virtue of both the months of Rajab and Sha'ban and confirm the virtue of fasting in them?"

The shaykh responded رحمه الله: "No, there has not been reported concerning the virtue of Rajab (a single) authentic aḥādīth. The finest (narration reported) about it as shaykh al-Islām Ibn Taymiyyah said: The finest (narration reported) about it is what the Prophet ﷺ use to say: "O Allāh bless us in Rajab and Sha'bān and allow us to reach Ramadan,' although this ḥādīth has also been criticised/spoken against. Therefore, the month of Rajab does not differ from Jumādā al-Ākhirah, which is before it, except that it is from the scared months. Despite that (i.e. Rajab being from the sacred months), there is no legislated fasting, salāh, 'Umrah - absolutely nothing. It is like other than it from the (other) months.

As for Sha'bān, then yes it is unique since the Prophet ﷺ would increase his fasting. Rather, he would fast most of this month. Therefore, it is befitting to increase fasting in Sha'bān.

The Wisdom Behind Why Singling Out The Month Of Rajab With Fasting Is Makrūh (Disliked)

Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله said: "Exalting 'Āshūrā' by singling it out was disliked since the People of the Book (i.e. Jews) exalted it; and singling out Rajab is also disliked since the mushrikūn exalted it.

He also said: "The sunnah has established that singling out Rajab and also singling out the day of Jumu'ah with fasting is disliked. And it has been transmitted by way of the Salaf what indicates to the fact that fasting on the 'Eids of the kuffār - even though fasting is a good deed in itself - is disliked, as precaution not to resemble them and to exalt something that is not permissible to be exalted."

Is Making 'Umrah In The Month Of Rajab Mustahab (Recommeneded)?

Shaykh al-'Uthaymīn رحمه الله said: "The salaf have differed regarding whether 'Umrah in Rajab is a Sunnah or not. Some of them say it is a Sunnah and others say it is not because if it were a Sunnah then the Messenger ﷺ would have made it clear that is was Sunnah either by way of speech or by way of actions. And performing 'Umrah in the month of Hajj is better than performing 'Umrah in Rajab because the Messenger ﷺ made 'Umrah in the month of Hajj, in any case,

I do not know of single clear proof which proves that making 'Umrah in Rajab is Mustahab (recommended)."

Singling Out The Month Of Rajab To Pay Zakāh Has No Basis In The Sunnah Nor Was It Done By Any Of The Salaf

Ibn Rajab رحمه الله said: "As for Zakaah, the people of this country made it a custom to pay it in the month of Rajab, which has no basis in the Sunnah nor was it known to be done by any of the Salaf. In any case, Zakaah becomes compulsory after a year of possessing the nisaab. Everyone has his period/time frame that is specific to him based one when he possessed the nisaab. So when his year passes over, it becomes compulsory upon him to pay the Zakaah in whichever month that may occur."

All The Narrations About The Virtue Of The Month Of Rajab Are Inauthentic

Ibn Ḥajar رحمه الله said: "There has not been narrated concerning the virtue of the month of Rajab nor fasting the entire month nor fasting some specific days in this month nor performing any salāh in any specific night an authentic hadīth that is worthy to support (these claims)."

He also said: "As for the ahadīth that mention the virtue of (the month of) Rajab or the virtue of fasting this entire month or fasting some days in this month, then they are clearly divided into two categories:

weak and fabricated."

It Is Not Permissible To Single Out The Month Of Rajab To Fast

Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله said: "As for singling out (the month of) Rajab for fasting, then all of the ahādīth are weak. Rather, they are fabricated and the People of Knowledge do not rely on any of them. However it has been authentically narrated that 'Umar Ibn al-Khattab used to strike the hands of the people so as to force them to eat in Rajab and he used to say: 'Do not liken it to Ramadhān'."

Ṣalāt ar-Raghā`ib, a prayer that is said on the night of first Friday of the month of Rajab is an evil Bid’ah, so be warned and warn others, below are the statements of the Imāms of Ahlus-Sunnah concerning this innovation:

Imām an-Nawawī رحمه الله said: “May Allāh kill the one who introduced (this Bid’ah) and fabricated it, for it is an evil Bid’ah, a Bid’ah that (constitutes of) misguidance and ignorance and in it is open opposition (to Sharī'ah).”

● [شرح مسلم]

Ibn Ḥajar رحمه الله was asked: “Is it permissible to pray Ṣalāt ar-Raghā`ib in congregation or not?”, he said: “.. It is an innovation which is disliked and condemned, the Ḥadīth regarding it is fabricated and it is not permissible to act upon it (i.e pray it) be it individually or in congregation.”

● [الفتاوى الفقهية الكبرى ١\٢١٦]

Ibn Taymiyyah رحمه الله: “This (Ṣalāt ar-Raghā`ib) is not prescribed in Islām, that is is the agreement of the Imāms of Islām and also this is what has been stated by the respected scholars of this Ummah, no one allowed it except for an ignorant innovator, for innovations as such open the door to altering the Sharī'ah of Deen, this prayer was not offered by the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ nor any Companion nor any Tabi'ī nor any Imām, the scholar have a consensus upon it that the Ḥadīth regarding this prayer that has been narrated from the Prophet ﷺ is a fabricated lie, hence ‘Ulamā said it is *forbidden* (to offer this prayer) and it is not recommended.”

● [الفتاوى الكبرى ٢\٢٣٩-٢٦٢]

Ibn al-Jawzī رحمه الله: “Ṣalāt ar-Raghā`ib is a fabricated lie upon the Prophet ﷺ, had it been prescribed the Salaf would not be unaware of it, and it (this innovation) was introduced after 400 Ḥijrī.”

● [الموسوعة الفقهية ٢\٢٦٢]

Shaykh al-'Uthaymīn رحمه الله said: As for what is called Salāh ar-Raghā'ib which comprises of 1000 rak'ah that is prayed on the first night of Rajab or the first friday nightnof Rajab, then this is also not correct and it is not legislated (by the Sharī'ah)."

● [لقاء الباب المفتوح ٢١٧]

Ibn Rajab رحمه الله said: "As for salāh, then there is nothing authentic confirmed in the month of Rajab that is specific and specified to this month. And the ahādīth that were reported about the eminence of Salāh at-Ragā'ib on the first Friday night in the month of Rajab are lies and falsehood - they are not authentic. And this salāh is an innovation, as deemed by the majority of the 'Ulamā'."

قال الإمام ابن القيم رحمه الله : وأما التهنئة بشعائر الكفر المختصة به فحرام بالاتفاق ، مثل أن يهنئهم بأعيادهم وصومهم ، فيقول : عيد مبارك عليك ، أو تهنأ بهذا العيد ونحوه ، فهذا إن سلم قائله من الكفر فهو من المحرمات ، وهو بمنزلة أن يهنئه بسجوده للصليب ، بل ذلك أعظم إثماً عند الله ، وأشد مقتاً من التهنئة بشرب الخمر وقتل النفس وارتكاب الفرج الحرام ونحوه . وكثير ممن لا قدر للدين عنده يقع في ذلك ، ولا يدري قبح ما فعل فمن هنأ عبداً بمعصية أو بدعة أو كفر فقد تعرض لمقت الله وسخطه

Imām Ibn al-Qayyim Raḥimahullāh said: “And as for congratulating Kuffar on the rituals which are SPECIFIC to them, then it is HARAM (FORBIDDEN) by the AGREEMENT (of Fuqahā), for example congratulating them on their festivals and fasts by saying: ‘A happy festival to you’ or ‘May you enjoy your festival,’ and so on, so if the one who says this has been saved from Kufr, it is STILL FORBIDDEN, and it is like congratulating someone for PROSTRATING to the CROSS, rather that (congratulating Kuffar) is GREATER of a SIN with Allah.

And it is MORE HATEFUL (to Allah) than congratulating someone for DRINKING WINE, or MURDERING an INNOCENT SOUL, or COMMITTING ADULTERY, and the likes of it, and many of those who have NO RESPECT for their religion fall into that (error); without REALISING the OFFENSIVENESS of their action, so whoever congratulates a person for his DISOBEDIENCE or BID’AH or KUFR thus exposes himself to the WRATH and ANGER of Allah.”

● [أحكام أهل الذمة ١/١٦١]

As for those who say ‘Well we congratulate disbelievers Christmas and New Year out of courtesy and good manners’, then we say: O Miskeen the Messenger of Allāh Ṣallallāhu-‘Alaihi Wa Sallam and his Companions (Raḍi-Allāhu ‘Anhum) were more courteous and well-mannered than you and yet they never congratulated Kuffār for their ‘Eīds or New Year,

And last but not least remember this 👇

ولن ترضى عنك اليهود ولا النصارى حتى تتبع ملتهم قل إن هدى الله هو الهدى ولئن اتبعت أهواءهم بعد الذي جاءك من العلم ما لك من الله من ولي ولا نصير

“Whoever seeks knowledge to revive Islām with it, then he is from the truthful ones and his rank is (straight) after the rank of Prophethood.”

“Do not let the bad thoughts of yourself and abundance of your sins prevent you from calling upon your Lord for indeed He answered the Du'ā of Iblees (Shayṭān) when he said: 'O my Lord! Give me then respite till the Day they (the dead) will be resurrected’.”

“Correct people with your actions (as an example), and not your speech (alone).”

“The one who doesn't love knowledge has no goodness in him and between you & him there shouldn't be any friendship.”