The Rituals of the month of Rajab
Rajab is the seventh month in Islamic calendar and one of the four Sacred Months in Islam. In fact, the spiritual season of every Muslim will begin with the month of Rajab and will end with the ending of the month of Ramadān.
The month of Rajab is the prelude to the month of Ramadān therefore, when the moon of Rajab was sighted the prophet used to read the following supplication:
ألّلهم بارک لنا فی رجبٍ و شعبان و بلّغنا شهر رمضان...
“O Allah! Grant us blessings in the month of Rajab and Sha´bān and take us forth to Ramadān…”[1]
General rites
The recommended devotional acts of the month of Rajab are divided into two parts: general and particular. The general rites are those advisedly said or done each day in the month without distinction. Regarding this, there are more than twenty rites written in books of supplication namely Mafātīh al-Jinān but we mention just one of them;
The following supplication is recommended to be recited after daily obligatory prayers in the month of Rajab. The supplication has been taught by Imam al-Sādiq is as follows:
بسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
يَا مَنْ أَرْجُوهُ لِكُلِّ خَيْرٍ،
O He Whom alone I hope for all good things;
وآمَنُ سَخَطَهُ عِنْدَ كُلِّ شّر،
And I am safe from His anger at every evil.
يَا مَنْ يُعْطِي الْكَثِيرَ بِالْقَلِيلِ،
O He Who gives a lot in exchange of a little.
يَا مَنْ يُعْطَي مَنْ سَأَلَهُ
O He Who gives to one who asks Him (something).
يَا مَنْ يُعْطي مَنْ لَمْ يَسْأَلْهُ وَمَنْ لَمْ يَعْرِفْهُ تَحَنُّناً مِنْهُ وَرَحْمَةً،
O He Who gives to one who does not ask Him and does not (even) know Him, Out of His affection and mercy.
أَعْطِنِي بِمَسْأَلتِي إیّاک جَمِيعِ خَيْرِ الدُّنْيَا وَجَمِيعِ خَيْرِ الآخِرَةِ،
Give me, for my request is only to You alone, All the good of this world and all the good of the Hereafter.
وَاصْرِفْ عَنّي بِمَسْألَتي إيَّاكَ جَميعَ شَرِّ الدُّنْيا وَشَرِّ الآخِرَة
Keep away from me, for my request is only to You alone, All the evil of this world and the evil of the Hereafter.
فَإنَّهُ غَيْرُ مَنْقُوصٍ مَا أَعْطَيْتَ،
For indeed it is not diminishing what is given by You.
وَزِدْنِي مِنْ فَضْلِكَ يَا كَرِيمُ
Increase (for) me from Your bounty, O The Generous!
The narrator added that Imam al-Sādiq then grasped his beard with his left hand, while reciting this supplication, and moved ceaselessly his forefinger of his right hand. He then uttered the following:
يَا ذَاَ الْجَلالِ وَالإكْرَامِ،
O the Sublime and the Distinguished,
يَا ذَاَ النَّعْمَاءِ وَالجودْ
O the Owner of blessings and generosity,
يَا ذَاَ الْمَنِّ وَالطَّوْلِ،
O the Owner of gracious and the prosperity,
حَرِّمْ شَيْبَتِي عَلَى النَّارِ
Save my grey hairs of the beard (my face) from the fire (of the Hell).
Specific (timed) rites
It is recommended to fast on the first Thursday of Rajab that is called Laylah al-Raghā´ib, and between the Evening and Night prayer recite twelve Rak’at prayer in six sets of two units.
In every Rak’at after surah al-Fātiha recite three times Surah al-Qadr and twelve times Surah al-Ikhlās. After completing the full prayer recite seventy times:
اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ النَّبِیِّ الْأُمِّیِّ وَعَلَى آلِهِ
O Allah! Send blessings on Muhammad, the Ummī Prophet, and on his descendants.
Then go into prostration and recite seventy times:
سُبُّوحٌ قُدُّوسٌ رَبُّ الْمَلائِکَةِ وَالرُّوحِ
Holy and most holy is the Lord of the angels and the Spirit.
Then sit and say seventy times:
ربِّ اغْفِرْ وَارْحَمْ وَتَجَاوَزْ عَمَّا تَعْلَمُ إِنَّکَ أَنْتَ الْعَلِیُ الْأَعْظَمُ
O Allan! Forgive, have mercy and be indulgent about that which Thou know well, verily Thou art Sublime, Mighty.
Then again go into prostration and say seventy times what is mentioned before.
Some useful acts for this month:
To fast
Fasting is highly recommended during this month even for one day. According to the narrations, every Muslim who fasts for only one day during this month, he would be rewarded with great bounties. Imam Ali used to fast the whole month of Rajab.
To ask Allah’s forgiveness
It is highly recommended to repeat this sentence,
أَسْتَغْفِرُ اللهَ وَ أَسْأَلُهُ التَّوْبَة؛
“I implore for the forgiveness of Allah, and I pray to Him to accept my repentance.”
Imam al-Sādiq reports from the holy Prophet to have said, “Rajab is the month of imploring for forgiveness for my people so, you should implore Allah’s forgiveness repeatedly in this month much more than you do in other month… this month is described as the advantageous month because mercy is poured on my people it so heavily…”[2]
To give charity
There is a big reward for charity in the month of Rajab. Those who cannot fast may give charity to the poor every day.
