Rajab-ul-Murajjab, The Month for Sowing Seeds

Shaykh-e-Tareeqat, Ameer-e- Ahl-e-Sunnat دَامَـتْ بَـرَكَـاتُـهُـمُ الْـعَـالِـيَـه has narrated: In essence, the word ‘رَجَب’[Rajab] has been derived from the word ‘تَرۡجِيۡب’[Tarjeeb], which means to pay respect. It is also known as ‘اَلۡاَصَبۡ’ [Al-Asab], which means ‘fast flowing’, as the downpour of mercy is increased upon those who repent in this blessed month, and those who worship in this month are showered with the light of blessings of acceptance. It is also called ‘اَلۡاَصَمّ’ [Al-Asam], which means ‘the deaf’, because in this month, the sound of fighting/battles is not heard at all. This month is also called ‘شَهۡرِ رَجَم’ (the month of stoning), because the devils are stoned in it so that they do not harm Muslims.

(Ghunya-tut-Talibeen, vol. 1, pp. 319)

Similarly, one more reason for this month to be highly respected is that it is included among those months which are respectable and sacred months to Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ:

It is stated in verse 36 of Surah At-Taubah, part 10

اِنَّ عِدَّۃَ الشُّہُوۡرِ عِنۡدَ اللّٰہِ اثۡنَا عَشَرَ شَہۡرًا فِیۡ کِتٰبِ اللّٰہِ یَوۡمَ خَلَقَ السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الۡاَرۡضَ مِنۡہَاۤ اَرۡ بَعَۃٌ حُرُ مٌ ؕ ذٰ لِکَ الدِّیۡنُ الۡقَیِّمُ

Translation from Kanz-ul-Iman: Indeed the number of months with Allah is twelve in the Book of Allah, since the day He created the Heavens and the earth, of which four are sacred; this is the right religion.

(Part 10, Surah At-Taubah, verse 36)

The greatness and glory of this blessed month is so clear since it is also the favourite month of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ.The Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم said, ‘Rajab is the month amongst the favourite months of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ;it is the month of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ; the person who respects Allah’s month (Rajab), he respects Allah’s command and the one who respects the command of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will make him enter the gardens of blessings, and for that person, He عَزَّوَجَلَّwill make His great pleasure Wajib (necessary).

(Kanz-ul-‘Ummal, vol. 12, pp. 144, Hadees 35212)

Keeping in mind the rank and status of our Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم we must display great respect for him. Acting upon his blessed way of living and blessed sayings we should occupy ourselves with preparations for the Hereafter. In particular, in the month of Rajab, apart from the five-times Salahs with Jama’at, we should do a lot of Nafl acts of worship, recitation of the Holy Quran, and try to protect ourselves from lying, backbiting, tale-telling, abuse, films and dramas and every other type of sin.

But Alas! At present there are a number of people who are unaware of the (complete) glory and greatness of this blessed month and know only a little about its respect and honour. They remain heedless in this sacred month, with no effect and change in their daily living. Sayyiduna ‘Allamah Saffuri رَحْمَةُ الـلّٰـهِ تَـعَـالٰی عَـلَيْـه has stated, ‘Rajab-ul-Murajjab is the month for sowing seeds, Sha’ban-ul-Mu’azzam for watering, and Ramadan-ul-Mubarak is the month for reaping the crops. Therefore, if someone does not sow the seeds of worship in Rajab-ul-Murajjab and does not water them with tears in Sha’ban-ul-Mu’azzam, then how will he be able to reap the crops of mercy in the blessed month of Ramadan-ul-Mubarak?’ He رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has further said, ‘Rajab-ul-Murajjab purifies the body, Sha’ban-ul-Mu’azzam purifies the heart and Ramadan-ul-Mubarak purifies the soul.

(Nuzha-tul-Majalis, vol. 1, pp. 209)

Excellence of fasting in Rajab

1. The month of Rajab is one of the sacred months and its days are inscribed on the portal of the sixth sky. If a person observes one fast in Rajab with piety, the portal and the day (he fasted) will seek repentance for that person from Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ and will humbly say, ‘O Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, forgive him.’ If the person fasts without piety, then the portal and the day will not request for his forgiveness and say to him, O bondsman, ‘Your Nafs has deceived you.

(Masabata-bis-Sunnah, pp. 342)

2. In Heaven, there is a stream called ‘Rajab’ which is whiter than milk and sweeter than honey. The one who observes one fast in Rajab, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّwill quench his thirst from that stream.

(Shu’ab-ul-Iman, vol. 3, pp. 367, Hadees 3800)

3. Whoever keeps one fast in Rajab, it will be similar to keeping one year’s fasts. Whoever keeps seven fasts, all seven doors of Hell will be closed for him. Whoever keeps eight fasts, all eight doors of Heaven will be opened for him. Whoever keeps ten fasts, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّwill grant him whatever he asks for. If someone keeps fifteen fasts, an announcement is made for him from the sky, ‘Your previous sins have been forgiven, now start your deeds again because your sins have been turned into virtues’, and if anyone does more, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will give him more reward.

(Shu’ab-ul-Iman, vol. 3, pp. 368, Hadees 3801)

Advantages of fasting

Persuading (Islamic brothers/sisters) to observe fasts and informing them of the worldly and the Hereafter benefits, Shaykh-e-Tareeqat, Ameer-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat دَامَـتْ بَـرَكَـاتُـهُـمُ الْـعَـالِـيَـه has stated: In addition to the Fard fasts, one should also get into the habit of observing Nafl (optional/voluntary) fasts as there are countless religious and worldly advantages for us in doing so. There is so much reward in it that one feels like continuously fasting. The religious benefits also include protection of faith, deliverance from Hell and the attainment of Heaven. As far as the worldly benefits are concerned, fasting includes saving of time and money (the time and money spent on eating and drinking), a healthy digestive system and protection from many illnesses and, above all, it leads to the pleasure of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ.

With the arrival of Rajab-ul-Murajjab we should be happy because the season of good deeds is about to begin. Now the season is about to begin in which the seeds of worship is planted in the month of Rajab then watered in the month of Sha’ban-ul-Mu’azzam so that it may become a plant and then in the month of Ramadan-ul-Mubarak it becomes a fruitful tree from which we pluck fruit. Just ponder! When a farmer has sown seeds for his crop, he works very hard. First of all, he cleans the whole land, removes everything from the entire field which may harm the crops. Then by ploughing the fields he softens the soil so that the seeds can easily be planted. Having planted the seeds, from time to time he waters the crops. For increasing the production of the crops he spreads fertilizer etc. at a suitable time. The farmer guards the crops and tries to protect them from insects, weeds and other harmful things (which damage the crops) until they are ripened.

Thus after a long struggle when the crops are ready, he thinks to reap it and spends his energy on it. After a long time, he benefits from the tiny seeds. Likewise, it should happen that with the arrival of the blessed month of Rajab, we should try to plant a seed of worship in our heart. After investigating the things which may distract us from worship, we should try to remove them from us. Being associated with the company of righteous people we should try to gain Islamic knowledge, study the parables of acts of worship of saints, and then perform worship and spiritual exercises in the month of Rajab. This routine should be continued in the month of Sha’ban as well and with the arrival of blessed Ramadan, worship and spiritual exercises should be increased, because blessed Ramadan is the month of reaping the crops of mercy, receiving the fruit of worship and seeking one’s own forgiveness.

نہ کرنا حشر میں پُرسِش مِری ہو بے سبب بخشش

عطا کر باغِ فردوس از پئے شاہِ اُمم مولٰی

Generally the whole month of Rajab is filled with blessings and mercies by the grace of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ, but in particular, many virtues of the nights of the 1st and 27th of this month have been mentioned in blessed Ahadees and have been narrated by our Islamic saints. Ameer-ul-Mu`mineen Sayyiduna ‘Ali-ul-Murtada کَـرَّمَ الـلّٰـهُ تَـعَـالٰی وَجۡـھَـهُ الۡـکَـرِیۡم used to follow a method in which he رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ would reserve four nights in the year only for the purpose of worshipping and doing nothing else (he would perform only worship with full attention in these four nights, amongst these nights one is the 1st night of Rajab).

(Ghunya-tut-Talibeen, vol. 1, pp. 328)

Sayyiduna Khalid Bin Ma’daan رَحْمَةُ اللهِ تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has said, ‘There are five nights in the year. The one spending them in worship, testifying them with the intention of gaining reward, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will make him enter Heaven: One of these nights is also the first night of Rajab.

(Ghunya-tut-Talibeen, vol. 1, pp. 328)

The 1st night of this sacred month has great virtues. Similarly, the 27th night of this month has countless virtues. It is the great night in which the Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم was taken for the Mi’raaj and it is the same night when the first revelation was sent to the Noble Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم.
It is stated in a blessed Hadees: In Rajab, the one performing good deeds gets the reward of a hundred years.

(Shu’ab-ul-Iman, vol. 3, pp. 374, Hadees 3812)

It is stated in another blessed Hadees: There is a day and a night in Rajab. The person who fasts during the day and spends the night in Nawafil, it will be equal to the fasts of one hundred years and it is the 27th of Rajab.

(Shu’ab-ul-Iman, vol. 3, pp. 373, Hadees 3811)

The month of Rajab-ul-Murajjab is a very holy month. Its dignity and greatness have not only been proven in the Holy Quran, but they have also become clear by blessed Ahadees as well. The letters of forgiveness are distributed among the fortunate people who observe the Nafl fasts of the month of Rajab. The fortunate ones who observe the Nafl fasts of the month of Rajab will be blessed with the drinking of water from the Heavenly stream namely ‘Rajab’ by the mercy of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ.The reward for good deeds becomes double in the month of Rajab. Du’as are answered in this month; difficulties are solved and the Du’a of a true believer is not rejected in this month. The person who performs good deeds on the 27th Rajab will earn the reward of 100 years. Observing fast in the day and spending the night offering Nawafil are equal to the fasts of 100 years. On the 15th of Rajab-ul-Murajjab, many devotees of Ahl-e-Bayt give Niyaz and make Isal-e-Sawab to Sayyiduna Imam Ja’far Sadiq رَضِىَ اللهُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهُ and earn lots of rewards. Our Beloved Prophet صَلَّى اللهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم would specially observe fasts in this month. If there is no Shar’i hindrance, then we should also observe as many fasts as possible in this month, otherwise we should try to observe fast at least every blessed Monday. As a matter of fact, the whole month is full of blessings and mercies, but the night of the 1st and 27th have special excellence, therefore, one should give greater importance to these nights.

May Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ enable us to spend this month in performing good deeds and give importance to this month!

اٰمِيۡن بِجَاهِ النَّبِيِّ الۡاَمِيۡن صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيۡهِ وَاٰلِه وَسَلَّم

صَلُّوۡا عَلَى الۡحَبِيۡب صَلَّى اللّٰهُ تَعَالٰى عَلٰى مُحَمَّد