Rajab — A Sacred Month

Rajab is the seventh month of the Islamic calendar and one of the four months considered sacred (alongside three other months: Muharram, Dhul Qi’dah, and Dhul Hijjah). Its name comes from the Arabic root meaning "to respect" or "to hold in awe." Historically, warfare was prohibited during this month, creating a season of peace that allowed safe travel for trade and pilgrimage.

Fasting in Rajab

Islamic scholars differ on whether fasting during Rajab carries any special significance beyond normal voluntary fasting. The disagreement reflects a core question in Islamic scholarship: how strictly should worship be limited to what was explicitly practiced by the Prophet (peace be upon him)?

Scholarly positions

• Shafi’i and Maliki schools recommend fasting in the sacred months, including Rajab, as a virtuous practice connected to the month’s sacred status.
• The Hanafi school considers voluntary fasting in Rajab permissible and rewarded, as it is in any month.
• The Hanbali school permits fasting in Rajab but considers singling out the entire month for fasting as mildly disliked (makruh) unless the fast is broken by at least one day. The concern is about introducing a practice not established by the Prophet (peace be upon him).

If you are unable to fast due to health, travel, or other valid reasons, you can still honour this month through increased dhikr (remembrance of God), giving charity, or spending quiet moments with the Quran.

Isra and Mi’raj (the Night Journey)

Muslims believe the Isra and Mi’raj was a miraculous night journey in which the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) travelled from Makkah to Jerusalem (the Isra — the night journey) and then ascended through the heavens (the Mi’raj — the ascension).

The event itself is agreed upon by all Muslims. What is contested is the exact date — traditionally placed on 27 Rajab, but this date is not confirmed by authentic historical sources, and scholars differ on whether it occurred in Rajab at all.

Commemorating the night

• Many traditional scholars hold gatherings, lectures, and special prayers on 27 Rajab to remember the event. This is viewed as a permissible or praiseworthy reminder of a profound moment in Islamic history.
• Other scholars consider marking a specific date for this event to be an innovation (bid’ah — introducing a new religious observance that was not practiced by the Prophet or his companions), since it was not commemorated annually during the earliest generations of Islam.

What all agree on: the event itself is a profound miracle confirming the Prophet’s unique status. The five daily prayers — the cornerstone of Muslim worship — were prescribed during this journey. Reflecting on its lessons — the importance of prayer, the honour of Jerusalem, the Prophet’s relationship with Allah — is beneficial at any time.

A month of preparation

Rajab is sometimes described in the scholarly tradition as the "month of planting" — a time to sow seeds of worship that will be harvested in Ramadan. Whether or not one marks any specific date, using Rajab to gradually increase worship, begin a Quran reading plan, or strengthen one’s prayer is widely encouraged.