RAJAB: VIRTUES & HERESIES.

To Allah belong all praises; pleasant, good and abundant, I praise and thank Him, I believe and repent unto Him, I seek His help and seek His forgiveness. I also seek refuge in Him from the evil of our souls and deeds. Whoever Allah guides is the guided, and whoever he misleads, you can never find a guide and protector for him. I bear witness that there is no God but Allah solely without any partner. I bear witness that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is His servant and Messenger. O Allah bestow your salutation, peace and blessings upon Muhammad (PBUH), his families, companions, and those who follow them in goodness till the day of recompense. Thereafter, O servants of Allah! fear Allah and that is the reason for ease of man’s affair in life and hereafter. Allah says: :{وَمَنْ يَتَّقِ اللَّهَ يَجْعَلْ لَهُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِ يُسْرًا}(الطلاق:4) “and for those who fear Allah, He will make their path easy.” (65:4) {فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَى وَاتَّقَى , وَصَدَّقَ بِالْحُسْنَى , فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْيُسْرَى} (الليل:5 – 7). “So he who gives (in charity) and fears (Allah), And (in all sincerity) testifies to the best, We will indeed make smooth for him the path to Bliss.” (26:88-89) أَيُّها الْمسلمون, اعْلَمُواْ رَحِمَكُمُ اللهُ أَنَّ شَهْرَ رَجَب لَهُ فَضْلٌ بَيْنَ اْلأشْهُرِ اْلإسْلاَمِيَّةِ وَهُوَ أَحَدُ اْلأشْهُرِ الْحُرُمِ, وَالأشْهُرُ الْحُرُمُ أَرْبَعَةٌ, وَاحِدٌ فَرْدٌ وَثَلاَثَةٌ سَرْدٌ, فَالْوَاحِدُ الْفَرْدُ هُوَ رَجَبُ بَيْنَ جُمَادى وَشَعْبَانَ, وَالثَّلاثَةُ السَّرْدُ هِىَ: ذُو القَعْدَةِ وَذُو الْحِجَّةِ وَالْمُحَرَّمُ, وَلَقَدْ كَانَ لِلأَشْهُرِ الْحُرُمِ عِنْدَ الْعَرَبِ شَأْنٌ عَظِيمٌ قَبْلَ الإسْلاَمِ الَّذِى جَاءَ بِهِ نَبِيُّنَا مُحمَّدٌ صلَّى الله عليه وسلَّم, حَتَّى إنَّ اْلأَعْرَابِىَّ كَانَ يَلْقى فِى الشَّهْرِ الْحَرَامِ قَاتِلَ أَبِيهِ فَلاَ يَقْتُلْهُ, وَقَدْ وَرَثَ الْعَرَبُ عَنْ إبْرَاهِيمَ وَإسْماعِيلَ عليهما السَّلام تَقْدِيسَ هَذِهِ اْلأَشْهُرِ الْحُرُمِ فَكَانُواْ يَنْصَرِفُونَ فِيهِ إِلَى عِمَارَةِ اْلأَرْضِ مِنْ تِجَارَةٍ وَزِرَاعَةٍ وَغَيْرِ ذَلِكَ, وَلاَ يَلْتَفِتُونَ إِلَى الْقَتْلِ الْتِزَامًا بِمَا أَرَادَ اللهُ تَعَالَى, وَقَدْ أَشَارَ القرآنُ الكريمُ إِلَى هَذِهِ الشُّهُورِ فِى قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى Dear Muslims, know -God have mercy on you- that the month of Rajab have virtues among the Islamic months; it is one of the sacred months. The sacred months are four, one in individual form and three are in sequence. The individual one is Rajab; between Jumada and Shaban. The three in sequence are Dhul- Qa’dah, Dhul-hijjah and Muharram. The sacred months were held in high esteem among the Arabs before Islam brought by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), even the Bedouin Arab would meet his father’s murderer on the way in the sacred month and he will not slay him. The Arabs inherited reverence for the sacred months from Ibrahim and Isma’eel, peace be upon them. They do change to developing the land including trade, agriculture, etc., they do not turn to fight in adherence to God’s wish. The Qur’an points to these months thus: {إِنَّ عِدَّةَ الشُّهُورِ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ اثْنَا عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فِي كِتَابِ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَاْلأَرْضَ مِنْهَا أَرْبَعَةٌ حُرُمٌ ذَلِكَ الدِّينُ الْقَيِّمُ فَلَا تَظْلِمُوا فِيهِنَّ أَنْفُسَكُمْ وَقَاتِلُوا الْمُشْرِكِينَ كَافَّةً كَمَا يُقَاتِلُونَكُمْ كَافَّةً وَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ اللَّهَ مَعَ الْمُتَّقِينَ (التوبة : 36). Allah says: The number of months in the sight of Allah is twelve (in a year)- so ordained by Him the day He created the heavens and the earth; of them four are sacred: that is the straight usage. So wrong not yourselves therein, and fight the Pagans all together as they fight you all together. But know that Allah is with those who restrain themselves. (9: 36) From Abu Bakrah, the Prophet delivered a speech at the pilgrimage, he said: (Verily time has made a round turn like the form it was when Allah created the heavens and the Earth, a year is twelve months including four sacred ones, three are in sequences; Dhul Qa’dah, Dhul hijjah, Muharram, and Rajab of Mudar between the month of Jumada and Sha’baan) Ahmad. Rajab is that month which reminds us always of that great event- Al-Israi Wal- Mi’raaj- which happened in the twenty-seventh night according to most scholars of Islam. It was a blessed journey, a gracious hospitality of Allah- the most beneficent, a miracle among the miracles of the Prophet (PBUH). It was a connecting trip that links between the Sacred Mosque (Ka’abah) and Al-Aqsa Mosque and between the Muslims and Jerusalem or Bayt Al-maqdis, Allaah says: { سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَى بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلًا مِنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الْأَقْصَى الَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُ لِنُرِيَهُ مِنْ آيَاتِنَا إِنَّهُ هُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ}(الإسراء : 1) “Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things).” (17: 1) The prophet- Muhammad (PBUH) led all the prophets at the mosque, as a pointer to unification or oneness of the religions of the prophets and messengers, as they all came from Allah, Who sent them to mankind with the religion of Islam. Allah says: {إِنَّ الدِّينَ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ اْلإِسْلاَمُ} (آل عمران : 19) The Religion before Allah is Islam (submission to His Will) (3:19) {وَمَنْ يَبْتَغِ غَيْرَ الْإِسْلَامِ دِينًا فَلَنْ يُقْبَلَ مِنْهُ وَهُوَ فِي الْآخِرَةِ مِنَ الْخَاسِرِينَ} (آل عمران : 85) If anyone desires a religion other than Islam (submission to Allah), never will it be accepted of him; and in the Hereafter He will be in the ranks of those who have lost (All spiritual good). (3:85) In this month, the greatest pillar of Islam- after the two testimonies- was made mandatory; the obligatory prayers. Anas said: Salaat was ordained on the Prophet (PBUH) as fifty on the night he was taken on the celestial journey, then it was reduced until it became five, then he was called thus: “O Muhammad! Verily, my decree is unchangeable, surely, by (observing) these five (salaat) it stands as fifty” (Ahmad, Tirmidhi & Nasaai) It will be the first deed by which a servant shall be held accountable for on the day of resurrection while they stand before their Lord for accountability and reward. From Abdullah bn Qurt he said: the messenger of Allah said: “The first matter a servant shall be questioned about on the day of judgement is solaat (prayer), if it is good, all his deeds will be good, and if it is deficient, all his deeds will be deficient” (Abu Daawud & Tabraani). From Abu Hurairah, the prophet (PBUH) said: “The first thing by which a servant shall be judged is his solat (prayer), if he completed it, but if not, Allah (the exalted) will say: ‘check, does my servant have any voluntary act?’ If any voluntary act is found, He (swt) will say: ‘Use that to complete his obligatory acts’” (Hadith Qudsiy). Solat is the path to victory and success, prosperity and achievement in life and the hereafter. It is such that when its structure are based on devotedness and humility, it lights the hearts, purifies the souls and teaches the servant of Allah the etiquettes of true servitude to Allah, it also plants in the heart of the observer of this rights greatness of Allah- the exalted. Allah says: ( قَدْ أَفْلَحَ الَمُؤْمِنُونَ, الَّذِينَ هُمْ فِى صَلاَتِهِمْ خَاشِعُونِ} (المومنون ١_۲), The believers must (eventually) win through, Those who humble themselves in their prayers) (23:1-2) {إنَّ اْلإنْسَانَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا إذَا مَسَّهُ شَرٌّ جَزُوعًا وَإذَا مَسَّهُ الْخَيْرُ مَنُوعًا إِلاَّ الْمُصَلِّينَ الَّذِينَ هُمْ عَلَى صَلاَتِهِمْ دَائِمُونَ} (المعارج ١۹_۲۳). Truly man was created very impatient; Fretful when evil touches him; And niggardly when good reaches him; Not so those devoted to Prayer; Those who remain steadfast to their prayer; (67:19-23) Dear esteemed brother, what credit does the month of Rajab possess other than this credit, there is no one single sound hadith from the prophet (PBUH) which specifies an act of worship for the month. On this issue, we witness some deviations with some Muslims today- may Allah guide them, who crave to get closer to Allah, get forgiveness of sins, seek the love of Allah and His pleasure, by using things God Has not ordained or authorized for them. Of course they intended good, however, how many are desirous of good but never reach it? O servants of Allah, the lesson here is not just on good intention, rather it is imperative in addition to good intention, that the deed must be legally enjoined. If otherwise, then the act is unacceptable and it is turned back to the owner. However, who is worthy to describe an act unacceptable in the sight of Allah? And what informs him that an act is unacceptable? In response we say: the informer of this fact is Muhammad (PBUH)- the truthful and trustworthy. In a hadith: “Whosoever introduces into this affair of ours (i.e. into Islam) something that does not belong to it, it is to be rejected." According to the version in Muslim, (it reads): "Whosoever works a work which has for it no command of ours is to be rejected." Thus every act which is not commanded by the Lawgiver- Allah (swt), must be rejected and turned back to the owner. Part of what they do in Rajab is to slaughter, as in the days of ignorance people do slaughter and they named such animals ‘Ateerah. Scholars said: “Islam had obliterated this practice based on the hadith by Abu hurairah in the two Sahihs, that the prophet (PBUH) said: “No Fara’u and no ‘Ateerah” (Fara’u is the first produce, which Arabs slaughter for their gods. Ateerah is slaughtered in the month of Rajab). Part of the heresies in Rajab is the solaat (prayer) which Allah and His messenger had not commanded or authorized, which they call- The Salaat Al-raghaa'ib. Scholars said: There is no special solat (prayer) in Rajab. All the hadith purportedly narrated on the virtues of Solat of Ragaaib are all fabrications, futility and falsehoods. Some scholars said: it was introduced after four centuries, it was not known before then and none of the scholars of the glorious generations of Islam mentioned it. Part of what some people reserve the month of Rajab for is fasting. There is no hadith that talks about the specialty of the month of Rajab for fasting. However, whoever is accustomed to fasting can fast in it like Monday and Thursday and the moonlit nights (13th, 14th and 15th nights of every months) should observe it. In fact the prophet never observe fast completely in any month outside Ramadan as reported by the mother of the faithfuls- ‘Aishah (R.A): (The messenger of Allah do fast until we say he never cease fasting, and he do not fast until we say he never fast, and I have never seen the messenger of Allah (PBUH) complete the fast in any month except Ramadan, and I have never seen him plentiful in fasting in any month as in Sha’baan) (Bukhar & Muslim) Part of the innovations in Rajab is the Umrah which they named Ar-Rajabiyyah, this is also an aberration. There is hadith which describes the merit of Umrah in Rajab except in Ramadan. It was reported in the Sahih that: (An Umrah in Ramadan is equal to hajj) in another narration (equal to having hajj with me). Therefore whoever embarks on Umrah in this month with the intention for the merits of this month have committed an error. The prophet did not do Umrah in Rajab despite doing the Umrah four times. Ibn Hajar who wrote fathul- baari (may Allah grant him mercy) said: There was no hadith worthy as proof on fasting in Rajab or the fasting of any particular thing, and none was also recorded on observing any specific night out of it. Ibn taymiyah (may Allah grant him mercy) said: Salaat Al-raghaa'ib is observed in the first night of Rajab as twenty rak'ahs with Suratul- Fathahh and Suratul-Ikhlaas, it is an heresy on the agreement of the imams of the religion- Islam, as well as the keeping vigil of the night of the middle of Sha'ban, which is hundred (100) rak'ahs, suratul- ikhlaas is read a thousand times (1000), these are all fabricated innovations. Sayyid Saabiq (may Allah grant him mercy) said: “Fasting in Rajab do not have any virtue different from other sacred months, it was not related in the authentic sunnah that the fasting has any distinguishing virtue. (Fiqh sunnah, 1/516). Brothers in Islam, verily a Muslim who seeks goodness and reward seeks that from the Book of Allah and the authentic sunnah of His messenger (PBUH). In Sahih Muslim, the messenger (PBUH) said at the farewell pilgrimage: (I have left among you, that which if you hold onto them you will not be strayed forever; the book of Allah and my sunnah). In the Qur’an Allah says: {وَمَا ءاتَاكُمُ الرَّسُولُ فَخُذُوهُ وَمَا نَهَاكُمْ عَنْهُ فَانتَهُواْ} (الحشر:7). So take what the Messenger assigns to you, and deny yourselves that which he withholds from you. (59:7) May Allah make us all of the people who receive admonition when admonished and forgive us the early and later of our sins. Having said this, I seek Allah’s forgiveness for us all and all Muslims, He is verily All-forgiving, Most Gracious. THE SECOND SERMON All praises are due to Allah the Lord of the universe, He guided us to Islam, thereby making us among the best nation ever evolved for mankind, if we sincerely hold unto it. I bear witness that there is no God but Allah alone with no partner, I testify that Muhammad is His servant and Messenger. May the salutations and peace of our Lord be upon him, his families, and all his companions. Then know O servants of Allah that Islam is not name-calling and affiliation without commitment to its provisions, duties, and desist from desecrating its principles. A Muslim is actually the person who upholds the enshrined duties and shun the prohibitions. Islam is not only prayers, or pilgrimage or charity only rather it is a prayer and pilgrimage and charity, and faith and character, it is honesty and trust, love and fulfillment, charity and patience, humility and dignity and mercy. It is as well knowledge and civilization, education and work, community and system, politics and governance, economy and earnings, leadership and striving in the way of Allah. Therefore, there is no way out of the quagmire which the world have fallen into including, suffering, humanitarian problems, anxiety, disorder and chaos except by return to Islam and upholding its guidance and its formidable system. { فَفِرُّواْ إِلىَ اللهِ إِنِّى لَكُمْ مِنْهُ نَذِيرٌ مُبِينٌ} (الذاريات ٥۰) Hasten ye then (at once) to Allah: I am from Him a Warner to you, clear and open (55:50) {وَأَنِيبُوا إِلَى رَبِّكُمْ وَأَسْلِمُوا لَهُ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يَأْتِيَكُمُ الْعَذَابُ ثُمَّ لاَ تُنْصَرُونَ , وَاتَّبِعُوا أَحْسَنَ مَا أُنْزِلَ إِلَيْكُمْ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ مِنْ قَبْلِ أَنْ يَأْتِيَكُمُ الْعَذَابُ بَغْتَةً وَأَنْتُمْ لاَ تَشْعُرُونَ}(الزمر: 54 -55) "Turn ye to our Lord (in repentance) and bow to His (Will), before the Penalty comes on you: after that ye shall not be helped. "And follow the best of (the courses) revealed to you from your Lord, before the Penalty comes on you - of a sudden while ye perceive not! (39:54-55) {يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا ادْخُلُوا فِي السِّلْمِ كَافَّةً وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا خُطُوَاتِ الشَّيْطَانِ إِنَّهُ لَكُمْ عَدُوٌّ مُبِينٌ}(البقرة : 208) O ye who believe! Enter into Islam whole-heartedly; and follow not the footsteps of the evil one; for he is to you an avowed enemy. (2:208) O Allah grant honour to Islam and Muslims, and humiliate idolatry and idolaters, protect the possession of religion, humiliate the enemies of the religion. O Allah grant us security in our country- Nigeria, make this country safe, secured, generous, comfortable, and all other Muslim countries. O Allah, grant victory to your religion and your book and your Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and your righteous servants. Oh God, make our leaders merciful to us, and guide them to the truth, O Lord of the universe.