Shafaqna English- The Month of Rajab is the greatest Month of Allah (SWT) and no month can come close to matching its sanctity and grace.
There are four sacred months for the Muslim community. One of them is the Month of Rajab. Rajab is a great month during which Almighty Allah doubles the rewards of good actions and erases the punishments for evil actions. In this particular month, the smallest act goes a long way.
The same act that you would do in another month would get you maybe two steps closer to God. But in this month, by doing these same actions, you would get ten steps closer to Allah (SWT) for no other reason than God is Merciful. And, we have to use this month as a training opportunity for the Month of Ramadhan.
The eve of the first night of Rajab is considered one of the most important nights of the year. Imam Ali (AS), for example, paid special attention to the night of the first of Rajab as one of the four nights he liked throughout the year.
What is the philosophy behind the phenomenon of special months and their importance in the development of spirituality?
People today have an obsessive concern with time, which is becoming increasingly limited. There are certain periods and occasions when you can connect with the eternal, which is called sacred time. This is the time when you can get an opening into the essence of time, which is the eternal. And these times are special gaps in time that we are called upon to observe, called upon to see its importance, and called upon to take advantage of it. And in these gaps, one of them is Rajab. Another one is Ramadhan, another one is Dhul-Hijjah. These are very, very important occasions where we can transcend time.
So we are encouraged to use these times wisely and the Hadith and so forth mention to us to increase the ‘qibla’ aspect of our hearts, the ‘turning towards’ aspect of our hearts, the ‘inclination’ of our hearts to do this.
We have many Hadith that tell us about the rewards that we should expect in this particular time so that our hearts become inclined to. This is why we fast so comfortably for the 30 days in the Month of Ramadan. And these things lead to what? Lead to the soul being inclined towards doing that. So everything is important for the development of our soul, Allah (SWT) has made it so that the rewards are great and some of them, especially in terms of the importance of avoiding them, require great punishment.
Many traditions reported from Ahlul-Bayt (AS) demonstrate the excellence of the Month of Rajab
Many traditions reported from the Ahlul-Bayt (AS) demonstrate the excellence and merits of the Month of Rajab.
It is narrated from the Prophet (PBUH) who said: ‘The Month of Rajab is the greatest Month of Allah (SWT). No month can come close to matching its sanctity and grace. Fighting the disbelievers in it is prohibited. Indeed, Rajab is the month of Allah (SWT), while Shaʿban is my month and (the Month of) Ramaḍhan is the month of my community. Surely, the one who fasts (even) one day in (the Month of) Rajab deserves the greatest pleasure of Allah (SWT). The Wrath of Allah (SWT) moves away from him, and a door from the doors of hell is closed for him.’
Sheikh Saduq has also reported from Imam Musa Kazim (AS) saying:
رَجَبٌ نَهْرٌ فِي الْجَنَّةِ أَشَدُّ بَيَاضاً مِنَ اللَّبَنِ وَأَحْلَى مِنَ الْعَسَلِ، فَمَنْ صَامَ يَوْماً مِنْ رَجَبٍ سَقَاهُ اللهُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ النَّهْرِ.
Rajab is (the name of) a river in Paradise that is whiter than milk and sweeter than honey. Hence, if one fast for even a single day in Rajab, Almighty Allah will allow him to drink from that river. Through several chains of authority, some of which are valid, Imam Sadiq (AS) is reported to have said:
إِنَّ نُوحاً عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ رَكِبَ السَّفِينَةَ أَوَّلَ يَوْمٍ مِنْ رَجَبٍ، فَأَمَرَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلاَمُ مَنْ مَعَهُ أَنْ يَصُومُوا ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمِ. مَنْ صَامَ ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمَ تَبَاعَدَتْ عَنْهُ النَّارُ مَسِيرَةَ سَنَةٍ، وَمَنْ صَامَ سَبْعَةَ أَيَّامٍ أُغْلِقَتْ عَنْهُ أَبْوَابُ النِّيرَانِ السَّبْعَةُ، وَمَنْ صَامَ ثَمَانِيَةَ أَيَّامٍ فُتِحَتْ لَهُ أَبْوَابُ الْجِنَانِ الثَّمَانِيَةُ، وَمَنْ صَامَ خَمْسَةَ عَشَرَ يَوْماً أُعْطِيَ مَسْأَلَتَهُ، وَمَنْ زَادَ زَادَهُ اللهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ.
On the first of Rajab, (Prophet) Noah (AS) embarked on the Ark; he therefore ordered those who accompanied him to fast on that day. If one fasts on this day in Rajab, Hellfire will go away from him a distance of one year on foot. If one fast for seven days of Rajab, the seven gates of the Fire will close in his face. If one fast for eight days of Rajab, the eight gates of Paradise will be wide open before him. If one fasts for fifteen days, his request will be granted. If one fast for more days, he will gain more rewards from Almighty Allah.
Source:
- Merits of the Month of Rajab (Excerpted from Mafatih al-Jinan)
- The Role of the Ahl al-Bayt in Building the Virtuous Community Book Eight: The System of Devotional Acts of the Virtuous Community, Sayyid Muhammad Baqir al-Hakim
- How To Benefit From the Month Of Rajab In Spiritual Development?