The Blessings of the Sacred Months

The Blessings of the Sacred Months

Let us advance our piety (taqwa) and good deeds by obeying Allah’s entire commands and omitting all the forbidden.

The month of Rajab is one of the sacred months in Islam. Allah subhanahu wata’ala says:

“Indeed, the number of months with Allah is twelve (lunar) months in the register of Allah (from) the day He created the heavens and the earth; of these, four are sacred. That is the correct religion, so do not wrong yourselves during them. And fight against the disbelievers collectively as they fight against you collectively. And know that Allah is with the righteous (who fear Him).”

[At-Tawbah, 9: 36]

In Islam, there are four months called the sacred months (Months of Haram) as mentioned in the verse. These are Dzulqa’idah, Dzulhijjah, Muharram and Rajab. These months are sacred because fighting and war were prohibited in them since the pre-Islamic era. History recorded a number of important incidents that occurred in the month of Rajab, among which were:

1 – Isra’ and Mi’raj - according to some reports, during this incident, Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam traveled from Makkah to Bayt al-Maqdis in one night and then was brought up to the seventh heaven to meet Allah subhanahu wata’ala, during which the command for the five daily prayers were communicated to him.

2 – The first migration to Abyssinia by the earliest Muslims such as Uthman bin Affan radhiallahu and his wife Ruqayyah, the daughter of the Prophet Sallallahu alayhi wasallam. The purpose of this migration is to safeguard and protect their belief (Aqeedah) and safety from the persecution inflicted by the non-believers in Makkah at that time

3 – The battle of Tabuk in the 9th year of Hijrah. The expedition was lead by Rasulullah to prevent the Romans from attacking the Muslim land. However, the Roman army retreated and abandoned the border towns because they were frightened with the Muslim army.

Other important events that happened in this noble month include the re-conquering of Bayt al-Maqdis from the Christian army by Salehuddin Al-Ayubi in the year 538 H. Imam As-Shafi’e, one of the great scholar of Islam, was born in the year 150 H.

Some of us will increase our acts of charity (Sadaqah) for the special merits, unlike any other months.

However, it should be informed that the Muslim scholars agree that most of the hadiths that contain excessive and disproportionate merits pertaining to the month itself are either weak or fabricated. Nevertheless, the month of Rajab is included in the sacred months, and there are authentic reports encouraging us to enhance our acts of worship in the sacred months, without specifying the rewards.

Therefore, we should increase our prayer, fasting, giving in charity and so on. Allah alone knows the rewards for our acts of worship. Thus, it is incumbent upon us to increase our acts of worship for Him alone in the sacred months, as well as in other months.

Indeed, there are many Quranic verses and Hadith that teach us to increase our good deeds, regardless of the month.

In conjunction with the arrival of Rajab, there are many recommended acts to be performed, among which are:

1 – To fast on Monday and Thursday or most of Rajab.

We are encouraged to intensify our fast in the month of Rajab including other months as stipulated in the Hadith Qudsi:

“Allah said, 'All the deeds of the son of Adam are for them, except fasting, which is for Me, and I will give the reward for it.”

 [Bukhari]

'Uthman b. Hakim al-Ansari said: I asked Sa'id b. Jubair about fasting In Rajab, and we were then passing through the month of Rajab, whereupon he said: I heard Ibn 'Abbas (Allah be pleased with both of them) as saying:

“The Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) used to observe fast (so continuously) that we (were inclined) to say that he would not break (them) and did not observe them so continuously) that we (were inclined to say) that he would not observe fast.”

 [Muslim]

2 – To increase Sadaqah especially to the poor and needy.

Hakim bin Hizam reported that Rasulullah sallallahu alayhi wasallam said:

“…The upper (giving) hand is better than the lower (taking) hand.”

 [Bukhari]

3 –To increase the remembrance of Allah through Zikir, by thanking Him, glorifying Him and so on.

Allah says in Al-Qur’an:

 “Unquestionably, by the remembrance of Allah, hearts are assured.”

[Ar-Raad,13: 28]

These are among the acts of worships that we can and should practice during the month of Rajab and in other months. If performed sincerely, it will help us to become a stronger believer and prevent us from being involved in immoral acts or any social problem.

However, we, young and old, often neglect these noble practices. Consequently, we are controlled by our lusts, which then drive us to commit immoral acts. Recent social problems such as rape, killing, burglary, excessive entertainment and so on are due to hearts devoid of piety. These immoral acts do not only involve the young, but also older and mature people.

Is it not an abomination for us when a rape case was reported to involve a grandfather and his own grandchild or a father with his own child? Is it not a disgrace when research revealed that most of those involved with drugs are Muslims? Where did we are to deliver us to this point?

As Muslims, we should not forget our Prophet Sallallahu alayhi wasallam advice when he said,

 “Fasting is shield”

[Muslim].

Fasting shields us from immoral acts. We should also remember when Allah says,

“Unquestionably, with the remembrance of Allah hearts are assured”

[Ar-Ra’d, 13:28]

These are the promises of Allah and His Messenger that we should believe in, be certain of and practice. We should revise and rethink of the importance of the recommended (Sunnah) acts in educating our souls and building perfect characters.

With the advent of Rajab, we should help educate our youngsters and ourselves to increase our acts of worship and good deeds so that we will become a true believer of Allah subhanahu wata’ala.

We hope that our deeds in this month are performed with sincerity and will be a catalyst for us to gain the pleasure of Allah.

“So whoever does an atom’s weight of good will see it, And whoever does an atom’s weight of evil will see it.“

[Al-Zalzalah, 99: 7 -8]

[Excerpted from Khutbah Jumaat delivered on 26 June 2009 at Masjidil Darul Ehsan Subang Jaya, Selangor]