Bounties of the month of Rajab

As you know the blessed month of Rajab has started. It is the first of the four sacred months of the Islamic Calendar, and has its own special virtues, since in this month the gates of Divine Mercy are opened for the believers.

Now we have a special feature in this regard. We will present you some of the observations that could be recited throughout this month without attachment to any specific date. 

It should be known that the month of Rajab, along with the following two months of Sha’ban and Ramadhan, has an absolute excellence and there are many hadith which mention its virtues. Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) is reported to have said:

“Rajab is the great month of Allah. No other month equals it in sanctity and merit. During this month fighting against the infidels is prohibited. Indeed Rajab is the month of Allah, Sha’ban is my month, and Ramadhan is the month of my ummah. Surely, whoever fasts a day of Rajab secures Allah’s greatest pleasure, distances himself from the wrath of Allah, and one of the gates of hell is shut closed for him.”

The Prophet has also been quoted as saying that God Almighty grants the reward of a hundred thousand good deeds to those who recite the Arabic phrase la ilaha il-Allah (there is no god but Allah) a thousand times during the month of Rajab and He shall build for them a hundred cities in paradise.

The Commander of the Faithful Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (AS) quotes the Prophet as saying: God Almighty shall forgive all the sins of the person who recites these phrases every day and night throughout the months of Rajab, Sha’ban and Ramadhan. Recite each of the following three times: Surah al-Hamd, Ayat al-Kursi, the Surahs Kafirun, Towheed, Falaq, and Naas. Then, say thrice Subhan-Allah, wal-hamdu lillah, wa la ilaha il-Allah wa-Allah-o Akbar, wa la howla wala quwatta illah billah (Glory be to Allah, All Praise belongs to Allah, there is no god except Allah, and Allah is Greater; there is no power or force except what derives from Allah, the Exalted and Almighty). Then say each of the following thrice. Allahumma salle ala Mohammadin wa aal-e Mohammad (O Allah, bless Mohammad and the Progeny of Mohammad). Allahmum-maghfir-lil-momineen-wa’l-moninaat (O Allah, forgive the faithful, men and women). Thereafter say four hundred times Ashtaghfirullah wa atubu ilayh (I plead to Allah for forgiveness, and turn to Him penitently).

Imam Ja’far as-Sadeq (AS), the Prophet’s 6^th Infallible Heir, has quoted the Prophet as saying: “Rajab is the month of istighfar (seeking forgiveness) for my Ummah. Therefore, plead for God’s forgiveness often during this month, for Allah is All-Forgiving and All-Merciful.”

It is related from the Prophet’s 7^th Infallible Successor, Imam Musa Kazem (AS): “For those who fast a day of Rajab, the fire of hell recedes from them a distance of a year’s journey. And whoever fasts three days of Rajab is certain to enter Paradise.”

In another narration, the 6^th Imam has said: “Rajab is a river in paradise, much whiter than milk and much sweeter than honey. Whoever fasts a day of Rajab, will be given a drink from that river by Allah, the Almighty and Glorious.”

The famous Iranian Islamic scholar Shaikh Sadouq, who lived over a thousand years ago, has reported on reliable authority from Imam Ja’far Sadeq (AS) that “Allah has exalted this month and given it a stupendous sanctity, taking it upon Himself to honour those who fast it. And whoever fasts a single day of the latter part of Rajab it will save him from the severity of the throes of death, from the horrors encountered after death, and from the torments of the grave. Whoever fasts two days of the latter part of this month will cross over with ease the “Sirat” (the sharper than razor-narrower than hair-string bridge over hell that leads to paradise). And whoever fasts three days of the latter part of this month will be secure from the terrors and calamities of the Day of the greatest terror and will be granted immunity from hell.”

Once when Imam Sadeq (AS) was asked by a person for a supplication to God for this month, he answered: “Write down, In the Name of Allah the All-Beneficent and the All-Merciful, and make this supplication every day during Rajab, morning and evening, after the daily and nightly prayers:

“O You from whom I expect every good, and seek safety from Your displeasure in the face of every evil!

“O You Who give abundantly for that which is trivial!

“O You Who grant to whomever that beseeches You.

“O You Who, out of Your compassion and mercy, give also to those who neither ask You nor know You.

“Grant me, for my petition to You, all the good of the world and all the good of the Hereafter! Save me, through my petition to You, from all the evils of the world and the Hereafter, for what You grant is never deficient, and enhance me out of You grace, O All-Munificent!’ ”

The narrator says, “The Imam while reciting this supplication in an entreating manner, gently held his beard with his left hand and moving the index finger of his right hand, added, “O Majestic and Munificent! O All-Generous Bestower of blessings, O Dispenser of favours and bounties; save my grey hair from the Fire!”

It has also been narrated that a person who recites during the month of Rajab Astaghfirullah wa atubu ilayh seventy times in the morning and seventy times in the evening and thereafter raising his hands says Allahum∙magh∙fir li wa tub alayya, should he/she die during Rajab, God shall be pleased with him/her and hellfire shall not touch him/her due to the blessings of Rajab. The Prophet is also reported to have said that God Almighty shall forgive all the sins of someone who offers ten raka’ah of the ritual prayer during one of the nights of Rajab, reciting Surah al-Hamd and Surah Kafirun once and Surah Towheed thrice in each raka’ah.

The merits of Rajab are manifold, beginning with special prayers, supplications and acts of devotion on its eve and the fast of the following day (that is, 1^st). Then comes the glories of the “Laylat ar-Ragha’eb” (Night of Desirability) on the eve of its First Friday. “Desirability” here means the innate desires of dedicated and pious Muslims for attaining the proximity of the Lord Most High, and this is possible only through acts of virtue. For the information of our listeners, concerning this blessed night, a special observance has been narrated from Prophet Mohammad (SAWA). Among the virtues of this observance is expiation of many sins. It is mentioned that when someone who has offered this prayer dies, on the first night of his burial God Almighty sends the reward for it in the most beautiful of forms, with a bright and gracious face, to greet him/her in the grave. Speaking in an eloquent manner, it says: “My friend, congratulations for having been delivered from every hardship and suffering.” The person asks: “Who are you? By God, I have never seen a more beautiful face, never heard a sweeter speech, nor smelled a better fragrance than yours!” It replies: “I am the reward of the prayer you offered on such and such a night of such and such a month in such and such a year. I have come tonight to fulfill my debt to you, to give you company in your solitude, and to relieve you of your loneliness. When the Trumpet is sounded I will shade you on the plain of resurrection. So rejoice, for you will not be missing your Lord’s grace!”

As for the manner of performance of the devotions of “Laylat-ar-Raghaeb”, it consists of keeping fast on the First Thursday of Rajab. After nightfall and between the Maghreb and Isha ritual prayers, a twelve-raka’ah prayer is performed in six parts, that is, after every two raka’ahs, the salaam to end is recited, followed by renewal of intention to perform the next two raka’ah, until the completion of all twelve rakha’ats. In each raka’ah, Surah al-Hamd is recited once, followed by Surat al-Qadr three times and Surat at-Tawheed 12 times. After completing this prayer say 70 times: “Allahumma, Salle ala Muhammadinin-Nabi-yil-ummi, wa ala Alehi. (O Allah, bless Muhammad, the Great Prophet, and his progeny).

Then put the forehead on the ground in prostration to recite 70 times the Arabic phrase: Subbuhun, Quddusun Rabb’ul- Mala’ekate war-Rouh. (You are Glorious and Holy, O Lord of the angels and the Spirit).

Then on raising your head from prostration, say 70 times: Rabbigh-fir warham, wa tajawaz amma ta’lam, innaka antal Aliul-A’zam! (Lord, forgive me and have mercy on me! Excuse what You know. Indeed You are the Most High and the Greatest)

Then again put the forehead on the ground in prostration and say 70 times: Subbuhun, Quddusun Rabb’ul-Mala’ekate war-Rouh. (You are Glorious and Holy, O Lord of the angels and the Spirit).

Thereafter, beseech the Almighty Creator to grant you whatever requests you have.

Rajab starts with the birthday on its 1^st (57 AH in Medina) of the Prophet’s 5^th Infallible Heir, Imam Mohammad al-Baqer (AS), and towards its end is the crucial 28^th when the Prophet’s younger grandson, Imam Husain (AS), was forced to leave Medina in 60 AH for the fateful journey that ended some five-and-a-half months later with his tragic martyrdom in Karbala.

In between are other significant anniversaries in the calendar of Islam. These are the martyrdom of the Prophet’s 10^th Infallible Heir, Imam Ali an-Naqi al-Hadi (AS), on its 3^rd in the year 254 AH in Samarra; the birthday of the Infant Martyr of Karbala, Hazrat Ali Asghar (AS) on its 9^th in 60 AH in Medina; the birthday of the Prophet’s 9^th Infallible Heir, Imam Muhammad at-Taqi al-Jawad (AS) on its 10^th in 195 AH in Medina; the glorious birthday in the holy Ka’ba of Imam Ali ibn Abi Taleb (AS) on its 13^th; the martyrdom of the Prophet’s granddaughter, Hazrat Zainab (SA) on its 15^th in Damascus; the miraculous single-handed conquest on its 24^th in 8 AH of the impregnable Israelite stronghold of Khaibar by the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali (AS); the martyrdom of the Prophet’s 7^th Infallible Heir, Imam Musa al-Kazem (AS) on its 25^th in 183 AH in Baghdad; and the auspicious eve and day of the 27^th – Mab’ath or Divine Ordainment of Prophet Mohammad (SAWA) with formal entrustment of the universal message of Islam.

Fasting and other acts of worship, including reciting of the “Ziyarah” (standard form of salutation) for the Martyr of Karbala, reach their climax on “Laylat al-Ghufayla” (or the 15^th eve) and the day after, when normally many enthusiastic believers mark the end of the 3-day E’tekaf or the cloistered sojourn in the principal mosques, spent in prayer, fasting, recitation of the holy Qur’an and Islamic lessons.

AS/ME