Shaykh Abdul Qadir Gilani's al-Ghunya li-Talibi Tariq al-Haqq on the Excellent Qualities of the month of Rajab

Shaykh Abdul Qadir Gilani's al-Ghunya li-Talibi Tariq al-Haqq
on the Excellent Qualities of the month of Rajab

Fasting the Month of Rajab

by Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani

Fasting the months of Rajab and Sha`ban as a nafila or supererogatory worship is recommended, with the intention of following the Sunna of the Prophet (s) by which the merit of this fast has clearly been established.
`Abd al-Rahman al-Jazai'ri in his book al-Fiqh `ala al-madhahib al-arba` (Islamic law according to the Four Schools) in the chapter entitled "Fasting Rajab, Sha`ban and the Rest of the Holy Months" states:

• Fasting the months of Rajab and Sha`ban is recommended (mandub) as agreed upon by three of the Imams, while the Hanbalis differed in that they said fasting Rajab singly is disliked, except if one breaks the fast during it then it is not disliked. Regarding the holy months Dhul Qi`da, Dhul-Hijja, Muharram, and Rajab fasting them is recommended according to three of the Imams, while the Hanafis differed in that they said what is recommended in the Holy months is to fast three days from each of them, which are Thursday, Friday and Saturday.(1:557)

HADITHS ON RAJAB

In Muslim, Abu Dawud, and Ahmad: Uthman ibn Hakim al-Ansari said: I asked Sa`id ibn Jubayr about fasting in Rajab, and we were then passing through the month of Rajab, whereupon he said: I heard Ibn `Abbas(r) saying: "The Messenger of Allah (s) used to observe fast so continuously that we thought he would not break it, and did not observe it so continuously that we thought he would not observe fast." Imam Nawawi commented on this in Sharh Sahih Muslim:

"It would appear that the meaning inferred by Sa`id ibn Jubayr from Ibn `Abbas' report is that fasting in Rajab is neither forbidden nor considered praiseworthy in itself, rather, the ruling concerning it is the same as the rest of the months."

Imam Nawawi continues:

"Neither prohibition nor praiseworthiness has been established for the month of Rajab in itself, however, the principle concerning fasting is that it is praiseworthy in itself, and in the Sunan of Abu Dawud the Prophet (s) has made the fasting of the sacred months praiseworthy, and Rajab is one of them."

Ibn Majah and Ahmad, relate the hadith of a man who repeats:
"I can bear more," [i.e. supererogatory fasting] and to whom the Prophet (s) finally says: "Fast during the sacred months."
In Abu Dawud and Bayhaqi:
From Mujiba al-Bahiliyya who reported that her father (or uncle) was told by the Prophet (s) three times: "Fast some and leave some in the sacred months."
Bayhaqi and Abu Nu`aym relate from `Umer ibn Shibl mawqufan, who said:
"I heard Abu Qilaba say: 'There is a palace in Paradise for those who fast the month of Rajab.'
Ibn Qudama states in al-Mughni (3:118-119):
"It is disliked that Rajab be singled out for fasting.
Imam Ahmad said:
'If a man fasts during that month, let him break the fast for one day in it, or several, just so as not to fast it all.'"
Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal said:"Whoever fasts all year round may fast all of it [i.e. Rajab]. Otherwise, let him not fast all of it but only some of it so that he will not liken it to Ramadan."
In conclusion, it is definitely allowed to fast Rajab and Sha`ban in part or in whole, and we say it is recommended, as the clarity of the intention to follow the Sunna and the knowledge that only the fast of Ramadan is obligatory, preclude the reprehensibility of those who used to honor Rajab in rivalry with Ramadan, and Allah knows best.

On the excellent qualities of the month of Rajab
(PART 1)

Traditional prayers of supplication [ad'iya ma'thura] that are particularly appropriate on the first night of Rajab.

When the worshipper has duly performed his ritual prayer [salat] on the first night of Rajab, he is recommended to offer the following prayer of supplication [du'a']:

"O Allah, to You the applicants apply this night, to You the aspirants aspire, and for Your gracious bounty and beneficence the seekers look in hope. You have special favors [nafahat] to bestow this night, and prizes and gifts and presents. You will bestow them upon whomever You choose from among Your servants, and You will withhold them from those who are not ready to receive Your providential care ['inaya]. Well, here am I, Your servant who is sorely in need of You, hoping for Your gracious bounty and beneficence! If it pleases You, O my Master [ya Mawlaya], to bestow Your grace this night upon one of Your creatures, and if You will be so generous as to grant him a favor out of Your kindness, then bless Muhammad and his family, and let me enjoy Your superabundance and beneficence, O Lord of All the Worlds [ya Rabba'l-'Alamin]!"

'Ali ibn Abi Talib (karamAllah wajhu) would devote himself entirely to worship during four nights of the year, namely: The first night of Rajab; the night of the [Festival of] Fastbreaking [lailat al-Fitr]; the night of the [Festival of] Sacrifices [lailat al-Adha]; and the night of the middle of Sha'ban. Here is the prayer of supplication [du'a'] he used to offer on those nights:

"O Allah, bless Muhammad and his family, those lanterns of wisdom [masabih al-hikma], masters of grace [mawali 'n-ni'ma] and mines of virtue [ma'adin al-'isma]! Let them be my protection against all evil. Do not take me by surprise or unawares. Do not cause the outcome of my life's work to be nothing but disappointment and regret. May it please You to view me with favor, for Your forgiveness is granted to the wrongdoers and I am one of the wrongdoers. O Allah, forgive me that which cannot do You any harm, and grant me that which cannot bring You any benefit. You are the One whose Mercy [Rahma] is all-embracing, the One whose Wisdom [Hikma] is incomparable, so grant me the blessings of comfort and composure, security and good health, thankfulness, well-being, and devotion to duty [taqwa]. Instill patience and honesty in me and in your saintly friends [awliya']. Let ease [yusr] be Your gift to me, and do not let it come with difficulty ['usr] attached. Extend these same blessings to my wife and children, to my brothers in You, and to all those Muslim men [Muslimin] and Muslim women [Muslimat], those believing men [mu'minin] and believing women [mu'minat], who have helped me to become the man I am today."

On the excellent qualities of the month of Rajab
(PART 2)

Some traditional reports concerning the special blessings bestowed by Allah (Almighty and Glorious is He) upon those who perform the ritual prayer [salat] during the month of Rajab.
It was just after the new moon had appeared to mark the beginning of Rajab, as Shaikh Imam Hibatu'llah ibn al-Mubarak as-Saqati (may Allah bestow His mercy upon him) has informed us on good traditional authority, that the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) turned to Salman al-Farisi (may Allah be well pleased with him) and said:

O Salman, Allah will surely erase all the sins from the record of any believing man [mu'min], and of any believing woman [mu'mina], who performs thirty cycles of ritual prayer [yusalli thalathina rak'a] in the course of this month, reciting in each cycle the Opening Sura of the Book [Fatihat al-Kitab] and the Sura that begins with "Say: 'He is Allah, One'" three times, and the Sura that begins with "Say: 'O unbelievers'" three times. That man or woman will be granted the same reward as a person who has fasted throughout the entire month. He or she will be treated as one of those who continue to perform the ritual prayer [al-musallin] right through to the following year, and will be credited every day with a deed as noble as that of one of the martyrs of the battle of Badr [shahid min shuhada'i Badr].

For every day of fasting [in Rajab], the worship of an entire year will be recorded in favor of the believer concerned, whose credit will be enhanced by a thousand degrees. If the believer keeps the fast throughout the whole of this month, as well as performing this particular salat-prayer [i.e., the aforementioned thirty cycles of ritual prayer], Allah will deliver that man or woman from the Fire of Hell and declare that he or she is entitled to enter the Garden of Paradise, therein to dwell in the vicinity of Allah (Glory be to Him).
Gabriel (peace be upon him) informed me of this, and then he went on to say: "O Muhammad, this a clear sign to mark the distinction between you true believers, on the one hand, and the polytheists [mushrikin] and hypocrites [munafiqin] on the other, because the hypocrites do not perform that ritual prayer [la yusalluna dhalik]."
Having heard these words addressed to him by the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace), Salman (may Allah be well pleased with him) responded by saying: "O Messenger, tell me exactly how I must perform that particular salat-prayer, and exactly when I must perform it."
"O Salman," said Allah's Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace): "on the first day of the month you must perform ten cycles of the salat-prayer. In each cycle [rak'a] you must recite the Opening Sura of the Book [Fatihat al-Kitab] one time only, then the Sura that begins with 'Say: "He is Allah, One"' three times, and then the Sura that begins with 'Say: "O unbelievers"' three times. When you have pronounced the final salutation [sallamta], you must raise your hands and say:

There is no god except Allah, Alone. No partner has He. To Him belongs the kingdom and to Him belongs the praise. He brings to life and causes death, while He is Ever-Living and never dies. All goodness is in His Hand, and He is Powerful over all things. O Allah, no one can withhold what You have given, and no one can give what You have withheld, nor will the worldly fortune of the possessor of such fortune profit him, if he does not obtain the fortune that comes from You [in the hereafter].

"Then you must rub your face with your hands, for at this point you will have completed the first set of ten cycles."
"In the middle of the month you must perform another ten cycles of the salat-prayer. In each cycle [rak'a] you must again recite the Opening Sura of the Book [Fatihat al-Kitab] one time only, then the Sura that begins with ' Say: "He is Allah, One"' three times, and then the Sura that begins with 'Say: "O unbelievers"' three times. When you have pronounced the final salutation [sallamta], you must raise your hands as you did before, but this time you must say:

There is no god except Allah, Alone. No partner has He. To Him belongs the kingdom and to Him belongs the praise. He brings to life and causes death, while He is Ever-Living and never dies. All goodness is in His Hand, and He is Powerful over all things. Qadir. (I worship Him) as God, Single, One, Everlasting, Alone, Unique. He takes unto Himself neither female consort nor son.

"Then you must rub your face with your hands, for at this point you will have completed the second set of ten cycles.
"At the end of the month you must perform the third and final set of ten cycles of salat-prayer, and in each cycle [rak'a] you must again recite the Opening Sura of the Book [Fatihat al-Kitab] one time only, then the Sura that begins with 'Say: "He is Allah, One"' three times, and then the Sura that begins with 'Say: "O unbelievers"' three times. When you have pronounced the final salutation [sallamta], you must raise your hands as before, but this time you must say:

There is no god except Allah, Alone. No partner has He. To Him belongs the kingdom and to Him belongs the praise. He brings to life and causes death, while He is Ever-Living and never dies. All goodness is in His Hand, and He is Powerful over all things. May Allah bless our Master Muhammad and the pure members of his family. There is neither any power nor any strength except with Allah, the Most High, the Almighty.

"You should then ask for whatever you need, whereupon He will surely give a positive response to your prayer of supplication [du'a']. Allah will interpose seventy ditches between you and Hell [Jahannam], and each of those ditches will be as wide as the distance that separates this earth from heaven above. For every cycle of salat-prayer you have performed, He will credit you with a million cycles [alf alf rak'a]. He will also inscribe on your record an exemption from the Fire of Hell and a permit to cross the Narrow Bridge [sirat]."
Salman (may Allah be well pleased with him) is reported as having said: "As soon as the Prophet (Allah bless him and give him peace) had finished speaking, I sank to the ground in humble prostration, weeping as I sought to express my gratitude to Allah (Exalted is He) for what I had just been privileged to hear."

On the excellent qualities of the month of Rajab
(PART 3)

Traditional reports in which great emphasis is placed on the special merit of fasting on the first Thursday in Rajab, and of performing the ritual prayer [salat] during the first Friday night of that month.
The following report has been conveyed to us by Shaikh Imam Abu'l-Barakat ['Father of Blessings'] Hibatu'llah ibn al-Mubarak as-Saqati (may Allah bestow His mercy upon him), who cites good traditional authority in support of its authenticity: Allah's Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) once said:

Rajab is Allah's month, Sha'ban is my month, and Ramadan is the month of my Community [Ummati].
Someone then asked him: "O Messenger of Allah, what do you mean exactly, when you say that Rajab is Allah's month?" So he explained (Allah bless him and give him peace):
" [I call it Allah's month] because it is specifically associated with forgiveness, because in it the shedding of blood is brought to a halt, because in it Allah (Exalted is He) relents toward His Prophets [anbiya'], because in it He rescues His saints [awliya'] from the hands of their enemies, and because anyone who fasts during this month becomes entitled to receive three things from Allah (Exalted is He). The first and second of these are forgiveness for all the sins he has previously committed, and impregnable virtue ['isma] for the remainder of his life. As for the third, he will be safe from thirst on the Day of the Greatest Review [Yawm al-'Ard al-Akbar]."
At this point a feeble old man stood up and said: "O Messenger of Allah, I am physically incapable of fasting through the whole of the month," so Allah's Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) went on to say:
"Fast during the first day of the month and during the day that comes in the middle of it, and also during the very last day of the month, for then you will be given the same reward as someone who has fasted through the whole of the month, since one good deed is equal in value to ten of the same kind.
" It is most important, however, that none of you should neglect the fFirst Friday in Rajab, for it is the night that the angels call the Night of [the Granting of] Wishes [Lailat ar-Ragha'ib]. This is because, by the time the first third of the night has elapsed, there will not be a single angel still at large in the heavens, nor in any region of the earth bar one. They will all be gathered together in the Ka'ba and the area immediately surrounding it. Allah (Exalted is He) will condescend to notice that they have assembled there, and He will say: "My angels, ask Me for whatever you wish!" Their response to this will be: "Our Lord, the request we wish to make is that You grant forgiveness to those who faithfully keep the fast in Rajab," whereupon Allah (Exalted is He) will tell them: "That I have already done!"
Then Allah's Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
" No one will go unrewarded if he fasts during the daytime on Thursday, the first Thursday in Rajab, and if he then performs twelve extra cycles of salat-prayer during the period between sunset [maghrib] and late evening ['isha'], i.e., during the first segment ['atama] of the night of Friday. In each cycle [rak'a] he must recite the Opening Sura of the Book [Fatihat al-Kitab] one time only, then the Sura that begins with "Behold, We sent it down on the Night of Power" three times, and the Sura that begins with "Say: 'He is Allah, One'" twelve times. The twelve cycles must be divided into sets of two, with a salutation [taslima] to mark the conclusion of each pair."
When he has completed his salat-prayer, he must invoke blessings upon me, by repeating seventy times:
O Allah, bestow blessings anda peace upon Muhammad, the Holy Prophet, and upon his family. He must then bow down low in an act of prostration [sajda], repeating seventy times while he is in the posture of prostration [sujud]:
All-Glorious, All-Holy,n Lord of the Angels and of the Spirit! Then he must raise his head and repeat seventy times:
My Lord, forgive and have mercy m pardon that which You well know, for You are the Mighty, the Supreme. f Then he must bow down low for the second time and repeat the words he uttered during the first prostration [sajda]. Finally, while he is still in the posture of prostration [sujud], he should ask Allah to grant his personal request, for that request will surely be fulfilled.
Allah's Messenger (Allah bless him and give him peace) also said:
" By Him in whose Hand is my soul [wa 'lladhi nafsi bi-yadih], I assure you that no servant [of His], whether manservant ['abd] or maidservant [ama], will ever perform this particular salat-prayer without Allah forgiving all the sins of which that individual has ever been guilty, even if they are like the flecks of foam upon the ocean, as numerous as all the grains of sand, as heavy as the mountains, and as many as the drops of rain and the leaves on all the trees. On the Day of Resurrection [Yawm al-Qiyama], he will be allowed to intercede on behalf of seven hundred members of his family."
On the first night that worshipful servant spends in his grave, the reward for this salat-prayer will come to visit him [in the shape of a human being], with a cheerful face and an eloquent tongue. "O my dear friend," it will say to him, "rejoice in the good tidings, for I am here to tell you that you have been delivered from every severe affliction!" This will prompt the servant to exclaim: "Who are you? By Allah, I swear that I have never seen a man with a better-looking face than yours. Never have I heard a form of speech more charming than your way of speaking, and never have I smelled a fragrance more delightful than that of your perfume." So then it will tell him: "O my dear friend, I am the reward for that salat-prayer, the one you performed on whichever night it was, in whichever month it was, in whichever year it was. I have come here tonight in order to fulfill your request, to entertain you in your solitary state, and to banish your loneliness from you. Later on, when the trumpet is sounded, I shall provide you with shade to protect your head from the scorching heat on the Fields of the Resurrection ['Arasat al-Qiyama]. So rejoice in the good tidings, for you will never be deprived of the blessing that comes from your Master [Mawla]."

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http://www.sunnah.org/ibadaat/Rajab/ghunya_rajab_frame.htm