Alhamdulillah we’ve officially reached the sacred month of Rajab! This means we’re entering the part of the year where we tend to strengthen our deen and prepare for Ramadan. Let’s see how you can make the most of the next three months and become a better Muslim insha’Allah.
What is so special about Rajab?
We certainly all have a deep love for Ramadan, but Subhan’Allah, our Creator gave us so many more opportunities to strengthen our belief (imaan) and our bond with Him. Funnily enough, we all focus so much on Ramadan that we forget the sacred month of Rajab!
Allah tells us in the Quran, “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.” (9:36). Prophet Muhammad (saws) then enlightened us on those four months: Dhu’l-Qa’dah, which is the month during which Muslims used to travel to Mecca for Hajj, Dhu’l-Hijjah which is the month of the Pilgrimage, Muharram, which is the first month of the Islamic calendar and during which pilgrimages used to go back home, and finally Rajab.
Rajab can be translated as ‘the separate one’ as it isn’t a consecutive month to the three aforementioned, but holds its value in the fact that it is the month of The Night Journey (Al Isrâ' wal Miʿrâj) during which Prophet Muhammad (saws) led the prayer at Masjid Al-Aqsa before ascending into the different levels of Jannah to meet all the Prophets (as). The way we pray our five obligatory (fardh) today was revealed to him on that Journey.
And what about Sha’ban?
Well, Usamah ibn Zayd (ra) reported: I said, “O Messenger of Allah, I do not see you fasting any month as much as you fast during Sha’ban.” and the Prophet (saws) said, “It is a month people neglect between the months of Rajab and Ramadan. It is a month in which the deeds are raised to the Lord of the worlds and I like for my deeds to be raised while I am fasting.” (Sunan al-Nasā’ī). Can you imagine the reward of spreading goodness and multiplying our acts of ‘ibadah during this month?!
Make sure to also pay close attention to the middle night of Sha’ban. In the weak hadith, the Prophet (saws) said, “Allah looks down at His creation on the middle night of Sha’ban and He forgives all of His creatures, except for an idolater or one filled with malice.” In other words, make sure to spend that night reading the Quran, being sincere in repentance and performing additional prayers to increase your chances of being forgiven for your past sins insha’Allah.
How can I prepare for Ramadan?
With Ramadan only being two months away, now is the perfect time to start preparing for it peacefully. Our first advice is to get back into the good habits you usually implement during Ramadan: fast on Mondays and Thursdays and during the White Days (avoid fasting right before Ramadan, the last two weeks of Sha’ban, though), be generous in charity, set time to listen to khutbahs or read Islamic books… Then set faith goals you want to achieve by the end of Ramadan. One of them could be to become a sustainable Muslim and why not start with investing in your first Rahatnook product!
As Imam Abu Bakr al-Warraq al-Balkhi (ra) said, ‘The month of Rajab is the month of planting the seed, Sha‘ban is the month of watering, and Ramadan is the month of harvesting the crop’.
Oh Allah, let us reach the month of Ramadaan - Allahuma Ballighna Ramadan!
My your hearts always be rahat,
Assia