The month of Rajab has arrived, along with the Gregorian New Year on January 1, 2025. Muslims have been preparing to increase their reward in this month by performing the practices of Rajab. Starting from praying sunnah, fasting sunnah, dhikr, to commemorating the day of Isra Mi’raj. However, some of these practices are heretical or not prescribed by religion. In fact, it was never mentioned by Allah Swt or the Messenger of Allah Saw. What are these practices?
The Month of Rajab: 1 of 4 Haram Months
“Verily, the number of months in the sight of Allah is twelve, in the decree of Allah when He created the heavens and the earth, among which are four forbidden months. So do not wrong yourselves in these four months, and fight the polytheists as they have fought you, and know that Allah is with those who fear.”
(QS. At-Taubah: 36)
The Prophet said: “A year consists of twelve months. Among them are the four forbidden months, three consecutive months of Dhu al-Qa’dah, Dhu al-Hijjah, and Muharram, and Rajab, which is between Jumada and Sha’ban.”
(HR Bukhari, Muslim, and Abu Dawud)
In the Hijri calendar, Rajab is the seventh month. According to the Qur’anic verse and the Prophet’s words above, Rajab is one of the forbidden months. This month was highly revered by the people during the pre-Islamic era. In fact, the Arab community honored this month so much that they stopped and prohibited wars from taking place in the month of Rajab.
Read also: Rajab Month: Here are 6 of Its Virtues & Efforts to Increase Righteous Deeds
Why is it called the haram month? Because, in these months warfare is prohibited or forbidden. It is also forbidden to commit murder, injustice, and other bad deeds (sins). Because, sins committed in the forbidden months will be multiplied more than other months.
Since the month of Rajab begins until its end, Allah gives three privileges to humans. These include mercy without punishment, generosity without stinginess, and goodness (fertility) without drought. For this reason, it is not surprising that most Muslims are competing to increase their worship in this month. Starting from doing voluntary prayers, voluntary fasting, to other practices that are recommended to be done in the month of Rajab.
However, among the well-known practices performed in the month of Rajab, there are practices that are actually never in the sunnah or commonly referred to as bidah (lies). What are these practices?
Practices of Rajab that are not in the Sunnah
During the month of Rajab, many people perform heretical practices that were never taught by the Prophet Muhammad. The practices of Rajab include:
1. The Sunnah Raghaib Prayer
The Raghaib prayer is a twelve-rakat voluntary prayer performed on the night of the first Friday of Rajab. It is performed after the Isha prayer or between the Isha and Maghrib prayers. This prayer emerged in the 4th century.
In the book Lathaif al-Maarif, Ibn Rajab said, “there is no authentic tradition about a particular prayer performed in the month of Rajab. The traditions narrated about the virtue of praying Raghaib on the night of the first Friday of Rajab are false, invalid and invalid”. Based on Ibn Rajab’s explanation, it can be concluded that there is no particular Sunnah prayer or prayer that is recommended to be performed in the month of Rajab alone.
2. Fasting
Sunnah fasting is said to be a recommended practice of Rajab. However, you need to be aware that there are actually various kinds of fasting that are not recommended by the Prophet Muhammad Saw. These include:
- Fasting the first, second and third days of Rajab. This fast is based on false traditions such as: “Whoever fasts three days Thursday, Friday, and Saturday of the unlawful month, Allah will give him the reward of nine hundred years of worship” in another wording “sixty years”. Another hadith says: “Fasting the first day of Rajab expiates the sins of three years, the second day expiates two years, and the next day one month.” Another hadith says: “Rajab is the month of Allah, Sha’ban is my month, and Ramadan is the month of my people”. All these traditions are false.
- Fasting the seventh day followed by the Raghaib prayer. Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah said: “What is correct according to the scholarly opinion is the prohibition of specializing in the seventh day by fasting and praying heretical prayers and all forms of glorification of this day by making food, displaying jewelry, etc.”.
- Fasting the whole month. In the book Tabyinul ajab bima warada fi faghli Rajab, al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar explains: “There is no authentic Hadīth that can be used as evidence for the virtue of the month of Rajab, whether it is fasting the whole month, fasting some of its days, or praying on certain nights of it.”
3. Visiting the grave of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him)
Visiting the grave of the Prophet Muhammad and visiting his mosque is prescribed for all Muslims without time limit. Or in other words, it can be done throughout the year. This is a form of worship and obedience. There is no rule to visit the Prophet’s grave at certain times, including in the month of Rajab. If anyone specializes it to be done in the month of Rajab, then it is a heresy for which there is no evidence.
4. Umrah in Rajab
There are no traditions that indicate that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) performed Umrah in the month of Rajab. This was also denied by the Prophet’s third wife, Aisha.
“‘Aisha said: ’May Allah have mercy on Abu ‘Abdur-Rahman, never did the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) perform ’Umrah unless I went with him and he never performed ‘Umrah in the month of Rajab’.”
(Muttafaq alaih)
But certainly, there is a hadith of the Prophet that reads: “Umrah in Ramadan is equivalent to performing Hajj”. (HR Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
The scholars are unanimous in denying the specialization of the month of Rajab for performing Umrah. However, they say that if a person goes for Umrah during the month of Rajab without believing in any particular virtue in it or because of his ability at that time, then it is okay.
5. Celebrating Isra Mi’raj
On every twenty-seventh night of Rajab, Muslims, especially in Indonesia, celebrate Isra Mi’raj with great fanfare. Starting from holding a feast, tabligh akbar, religious art performances, and so on. In fact, there is no evidence that Isra Mi’raj occurred on the 27th of Rajab. Both in the Qur’an and hadith. The determination of this date is based more on tradition and ijtihad of the scholars.
This is a heresy practiced by many people. Even if Isra Mi’raj did occur on the 27th night, we should not celebrate it, nor should we privilege it, because it is not prescribed by Allah and the Messenger.
Had the commemoration of Isra Mi’raj been prescribed, the Prophet Muhammad would have explained it to his people by word or deed. If it had happened in his time, it would have been known and recognized and reported to us by his Companions. This is because they have explained everything that the Prophet’s people needed and they never neglected to convey matters relating to religion, rather they were the first in every good thing. If the commemoration of Isra Mi’raj was in accordance with the Shari’ah, the Companions would have done it first.
Read also: Why is Al-Aqsa Mosque important for Muslims?
Friends, we need to be aware of the practices of the month of Rajab that turn out to be heretical. This can become a new culture that changes the religion. On the other hand, by doing things that are not prescribed, we are wasting our time, wasting our money, and wasting our energy. Wallahu’alam… (RQA)
